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Illinois is not a place that many would associate with good rockhounding, and while there are a few sites to explore in the state, they can’t compare to some of the more popular rockhounding states. There are still multiple nice sites to explore if you find yourself in the Land of Lincoln. Illinois is one of the best places to look for fluorite and geodes.
Illinois has a rather good assortment of rock and mineral types that can be found in the state, despite it not having mountains or much in the way of complicated topography. The uppermost layers of rock are where you can find the broadest diversity of mineral and rock types, as these rocks were transported to the state by glaciers long ago.
The Best Rockhounding Spots in Illinois Are:
| Site | Public or Private | GPS Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Rosiclare | Public | 37.424610, -88.346445 |
| Gray Quarry | Private | 40.38472, -91.35779 |
| Jacob’s Geode Mine | Private | 40.378152, -91.345900 |
| Spillman Creek | Public | 40.613652, -91.200816 |
| Sparta | Public | 38.128200, -89.706100 |
| McKee Creek | Public | 39.738014 -90.739078 |
| Minerva Mine No. 1 | Public | 37.543049, -88.156303 |
| Thebes | Public | 37.239273, -89.442281 |
| Fayville | Public | 37.198261, -89.452114 |
In Illinois, you can find nice specimens of geodes, fluorite, agate, chalcedony, pyrite, jasper, chalcopyrite, calcite, malachite, aragonite, barite, quartz, selenite, cerussite, galena, smithsonite, and others.
If you are interested in checking out the best rockhounding book about rockhounding in Illinois, you can find it here (Amazon link).
Rockhounding Regulations and Laws in Illinois
Rockhounding on federal tracts of land (those managed by the Bureau of Land Management) is allowed. Some state parks permit the collection of rocks, minerals, and fossils from their lands.
As the rules regarding rockhounding on public and private lands are always changing, be sure to check with the state parks or landowners before you head out to new sites on your rockhounding adventures. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is responsible for regulating rock and mineral collecting in the state.
The Best Public Rockhounding Sites in Illinois
Below are the best rockhounding sites in Illinois that are open to the public.
Rosiclare
Rosiclare is located in Hardin County, in the southern part of the state. Well known for its abundance of fluorite, Rosiclare has long attracted both professional miners and rockhounding hobbyists.
The fluorite found here can have particularly vibrant colours (blue, purple, clear, and yellow), and nice crystals of this mineral can be found near the town. There are many old quarries and mines where an interested rockhound can dig for crystals.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Fluorite | Common |
| Calcite | Common |
| Sphalerite | Occasional |
Gray Quarry
Gray Quarry is located in Hamilton, near the Iowa border. It is currently used to quarry limestone to be crushed for use in construction and roads, but there is a variety of rocks, minerals, and fossils to be found at this quarry.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Fossils | Common |
| Millerite | Occasional |
| Calcite | Occasional |
| Polydymite | Occasional |
| Geodes | Common |
| Pyrite | Common |
Spillman Creek
Geodes can be found on the east branch of Spillman Creek, located to the south of the town of Pontoosuc. These geodes usually have crystals of brown calcite, chalcedony, calcite, quartz, and pyrite inside them.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Geodes | Common |
Sparta
Located in Randolph County, the town of Sparta is well known for its pyrite suns. These are found in the shale layers above the Pennsylvanian coal deposits. The Crystal Mine, Florida Mine, Mine No. 11, and the Spartan Mine are good places to look for this unique form of pyrite.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Pyrite | Common |
McKee Creek
McKee Creek is a good place to look for geodes, particularly two miles north of the town of Perry. You can find nice specimens of pink scalenohedron (dogtooth) calcite and sphalerite crystals inside the geodes found in McKee Creek.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Geodes | Common |
Minerva Mine No. 1
The Minerva Mine No. 1 is an excellent place to look for crystals of Fluorite. Fluorite found at the mine can be found in a variety of colours such as brown, yellow, and clear.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Fluorite | Common |
| Witherite | Occasional |
| Alstonite | Occasional |
| Benstonite | Occasional |
| Baryte | Occasional |
| Strontianite | Occasional |
Thebes
In the stream gravels and bars of the Mississippi River near the town of Thebes can be found numerous agate and jasper specimens.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Agate | Common |
| Jasper | Common |
BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? The books listed below are the best ones you can find on the internet (Amazon links):
- Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals
- Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home)
- Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids)
Fayville
Agate, jasper, and the rare diamond can be found in the stream gravels and banks in the area around Fayville.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Agate | Common |
| Jasper | Common |
| Diamond | Rare |
Best Pay to Dig Sites for Rockhounding in Illinois
Jacob’s Geode Mine
The entry fee is $25. This includes collecting up to fifty pounds of geodes or a five-gallon bucket of geodes. Anything above fifty pounds is $.75 per pound. Bring your own tools; it is recommended that you bring pry bars, a shovel, a rock hammer, a sledgehammer, a chisel, and five-gallon buckets.
If you plan to visit in winter, be sure to call ahead to make sure the ground isn’t frozen. The round geodes are the most likely to have a hollow inside them. The geode excavation site is in a very strange location; the geodes are dug up in a salvage yard.
| Rocks / Minerals | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Geodes | Common |
TIP: Check out the article below for a complete guide on rockhounding on Lake Michigan beaches:
Guide: Best Rock Hunting Beaches on Lake Michigan
Other Notable Rockhounding Spots in Illinois
In addition to the sites listed above, here are some more places that are good locations to look for rocks and minerals.
Spots in Northern Illinois
Here are some additional rockhounding sites that you can find in northern Illinois.
| Site | Public / Pay | GPS Location | Common Rocks / Minerals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galena | Public | 42.425961, -90.430005 | Galena, cerussite |
| Cordova | Public | 41.715999, -90.311226 | Agate |
| Conco quarry | Public | 41.802904, -88.319464 | Bornite, calcite, chalcopyrite, pyrite |
| Bishop Hill | Public | 41.205114, -90.115205 | Agate, jasper |
| Mazon River | Public | 41.293361, -88.355598 | Fossils |
| Coal City | Public | 41.279156, -88.200285 | Concretions with fossils |
| East Brooklyn | Public | 41.166642, -88.244958 | Marcasite, pyrite |
| Rapatee Strip Mine | Public | 40.708663, -90.152367 | Pyritized fossils |
Spots in Eastern Illinois
Here are some additional rockhounding sites that can be found in eastern Illinois.
| Site | Public / Pay | GPS Location | Common Rocks / Minerals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palestine | Public | 39.003776, -87.612773 | Siderite |
| Edwards County | Public | 38.429940, -88.099305 | Siderite |
Spots in Southern Illinois
Here are some additional rockhounding sites that you can find in southern Illinois.
| Site | Public / Pay | GPS Location | Common Rocks / Minerals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayville | Public | 37.198638, -89.452203 | Agate, jasper, diamond |
| Cave-in Rock | Public | 37.503221, -88.205179 | Barite, calcite, chalcopyrite, cerussite, fluorite, galena, pyrite, smithsonite, witherite |
| West of Mt. Vernon | Public | 38.307298, -89.138576 | Diamond |
Spots in Western Illinois
Here are some additional rockhounding sites that you can find in western Illinois.
| Site | Public / Pay | GPS Location | Common Rocks / Minerals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terre Haute | Public | 40.655778, -90.980023 | Fossils |
| Mississippi River banks | Public | 40.383278, -91.376545 | Geodes |
Rockhounding Clubs in Illinois
Illinois has a number of good clubs and societies for rockhounds. Some of the best are listed below.
The Chicago Rocks and Minerals Society
The Chicago Rocks and Minerals Society was founded in 1946. The society was founded to cultivate interest in geology, palaeontology, mineralogy, and the lapidary arts. The society holds regular meetings, has a monthly newsletter, and an annual silent auction.
Memberships cost $15 per person per year, and a second adult member from the same household costs an additional $5. Children under 15 are free. Their website can be found here.
The Northwest Illinois Rock Club
Based in Freeport, the Northwest Illinois Rock Club is an organisation that provides members with a newsletter, a jewellery, gem, fossil, and mineral show, field trips, and club meetings held on the third Thursday of each month for members. Memberships cost $11 per person and $13 for a family.
State Mineral, Rock, and Fossil
The state mineral of Illinois is fluorite, and it was designated the state mineral in 1965. The name fluorite comes from the Latin word ‘fluere’, which means ‘to flow’. This name was chosen from its use as a flux to decrease the viscosity of molten metal. Fluorite is a fairly common mineral that can produce crystals in a variety of colours, ranging from clear to purple, blue to green. Fluorite crystals often show colour banding. Some of the most important deposits of fluorite in the United States are located in Illinois, in particular, the quarries around Rosiclare and Cave-in-Rock.
The state fossil of Illinois is the Tully Monster (tullimonstrum gregarious). It was designated the state fossil in 1989. The Tully Monster ranged in size from 3 inches to 14 inches. The monster was a soft-bodied organism, but classifying it has been a challenge due to its soft body not fossilising well. This creature grew to about 35 centimetres (14 inches) in length and has a cigar-shaped body. Tully monsters were likely carnivores and lived approximately 309 million years ago during the Pennsylvanian period. Tully monster fossils are found only in the Essex biota, which is a smaller section of the Mazon Creek Fossil Beds.
Image: By Ghedoghedo – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, link
The state rock of Illinois is dolostone. This rock makes up the majority of the bedrock in the state. The name originates from specimens found in the Dolomite Alps in Europe. Dolostone is a sedimentary rock that has a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. The word ‘dolostone’ was suggested as a way to differentiate the rock dolomite from the crystal form.
Recommended Rockhounding Gear
While special gear is not required to find nice rocks and fossils, having the right tools will help you find more than what’s simply laying around on the open ground. Here are some of the more basic tools and safety gear for interested rockhounds.
Geological Hammer
This 22oz Pointed-Tip Rock Pick by Estwing (Amazon link) is recommended for its durability and shock-reducing grip.
A rock pick is essential when collecting mineral specimens from a hard substrate such as stone. The pick’s handle is shock-resistant, making it more comfortable for use for longer times in the field.
Geology Pick
The Geology pick by Estwing (Amazon link) is a good choice for those starting out in the hobby as well as seasoned professionals.
The hammer comes with a pointed tip on one side of the head and a chiseled end on the other. This pick is good for excavating interesting mineral and fossil specimens.
Mini Shovel
The Mini D-Handle Round Point Shovel by Stanley (Amazon link) pairs convenience with durability. Especially in areas of soft material such as sand or clay, it is nice to have a sturdy shovel that is easy to carry.
The D-shaped handle gives you more leverage when digging on your knees, which is something that similarly sized standard-handled shovels wouldn’t provide.
Heavy Duty Work Gloves by Ironclad
Working with your hands in rockhounding environments can be rough; it is easy to get cuts or abrasions when in the field. Protecting your hands is important, especially while working with sharp or abrasive rocks.
The Heavy Duty Work Gloves by Ironclad (Amazon link) protect your hands from sharp rocks and tools. They are machine washable, highly abrasion resistant, and durable.
Safety Glasses
Eye protection is a must when breaking up a rock or any sort of work where debris could cause injury to your eyes.
The 3M Safety Glasses (Amazon link) are anti-fog and have a corded earplug system, as well as a removable foam gasket. The clear, scratch-resistant lenses shield the eyes against harmful ultraviolet light as well as prevent eye injury from flying rock chips.
First Aid Kit
With its 299 pieces, the Only Emergency First Aid Kit (Amazon link) is a good one for rockhounds. Of course, it’s best to avoid injuring yourself but if things go wrong it’s good to be prepared.
Some of the items found in the kit include fabric and plastic bandages, painkillers, gauze and pads, cold packs, wound closers, and many more.
Conclusion
Illinois as a whole does not offer the rockhound the opportunities that many other states can, but the state is nevertheless a good place to look for rocks, minerals, crystals, and fossils. The surface geology of Illinois tends to be rather flat, which makes getting to rockhounding sites much easier than in many other places.
If you’re new to rockhounding in Illinois, a good place to begin is by contacting the various rock and mineral societies listed above; they can be an invaluable resource for new rockhounds.
TIP: Although some fortunate rockhounds are able to find treasures without any research or planning, luck favors rockhounds who are prepared. Find out more in the article below:
12 Common Rocks & Minerals You Can Find in Illinois