La Plata area claims and mines: Galena & Malachite Rockhounding in Weber County, Utah

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Weber County

State

Utah

Nearest road

East John Freemont Drive

Coordinates

41.44490, -111.67936

Geology at La Plata area claims and mines

This spot sits on Ute Formation, mapped as interbedded gray limestone, with tan-weathering, wavy silty layers and partings, and olive-gray to tan-gray thin-bedded shale and micaceous argillite, and and minor gray dolomite; sand increases upward so calcareous sandstone at top that formed roughly 510 to 495 million years ago. Loose deposits like these are float-collecting ground: erosion keeps moving durable rocks and minerals into gravel bars, cutbanks, and washes.

Mapped unit

Ute Formation

Age

510–495 Ma (Middle Cambrian)

Rock types

interbedded gray limestone, with tan-weathering, wavy silty layers and partings, and olive-gray to tan-gray thin-bedded shale and micaceous argillite, and and minor gray dolomite; sand increases upward so calcareous sandstone at top

Elevation

7,440 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.

Best time to visit La Plata area claims and mines

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 79°F in midsummer and 25°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 7°F. At about 7,440 ft, snow can block access from late fall well into spring, so check conditions outside of summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, EDEN station (11 mi away), adjusted for elevation.

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.

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.

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

Found at La Plata area claims and mines

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

• GalenaEncyclopedia →
• MalachiteEncyclopedia →
• CerussiteEncyclopedia →
• SilverEncyclopedia →