East Erickson mining district: Galena & Pyrite Rockhounding in Tooele County, Utah

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Tooele County

State

Utah

Nearest road

Joes Canyon Road

Coordinates

39.91097, -112.51125

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground in the RockHoundR app, where land overlays show which agency manages the area.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots sit on BLM, U.S. Forest Service, or other federal land where reasonable hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed. Confirm posted rules and active mining claims before you dig.

Access note: BLM records active mining claims in this area. Collecting from inside an active claim needs the claim holder's permission.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Best time to visit East Erickson mining district

Comfortable months (45 to 90°F highs)

Best months: March to November. Typical highs run 88°F in midsummer and 37°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 10°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, VERNON station (13 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

Geology at East Erickson mining district

This spot sits on ground mapped as Granite of Sheeprock Mountains that formed roughly 23 to 5 million years ago. Granitic ground like this typically carries quartz veins and pockets, and weathered crystals tend to collect in the soils and drainages below.

Mapped unit

Granite of Sheeprock Mountains

Age

23–5 Ma (Miocene)

Elevation

6,150 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• BLM Utah, Rockhounding overview
• Utah Geological Survey, collecting guidelines
• SITLA, surface use rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules