New River: Magnetite Rockhounding in Grayson County, Virginia

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Grayson County

State

Virginia

Coordinates

36.59250, -81.08758

Geology at New River

This spot sits on Ashe Formation - Biotite gneiss, mapped as biotite gneiss that formed roughly 1000 to 540 million years ago. Metamorphic rock like this weathers into resistant float, and minerals that survive transport typically concentrate in nearby drainages.

Mapped unit

Ashe Formation - Biotite gneiss

Age

1000–540 Ma (Neoproterozoic)

Rock types

biotite gneiss

Elevation

2,280 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 New River

Conditions here are workable year-round, with typical highs from 46°F in winter to 83°F in summer.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, ELK CREEK 4SSW station (8 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.

Sources: RockHoundR public spot dataset, app land overlays, and local agency review before each trip.

Found at New River

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

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