Where to Find Chalcopyrite in Utah

Chalcopyrite is the primary copper sulfide in Utah's porphyry and skarn districts. Bingham Canyon in Salt Lake County is the largest producer, although the active pit is closed and most collecting is from old peripheral dumps and the West Mountain pits. The Tintic district yields chalcopyrite with pyrite, galena, and sphalerite in dolomite vugs at Mammoth and Eureka. San Juan County's Cane Creek and Lisbon Valley anticlines produce chalcopyrite in sandstone alongside chalcocite and bornite. Surface chalcopyrite tarnishes to a peacock-iridescent film, so look for fresh fracture surfaces with a clean brassy-yellow color.

27 mapped chalcopyrite rockhounding spots in Utah, across 13 counties.

Chalcopyrite by county in Utah

Counties ranked by number of chalcopyrite spots in our database.

Every chalcopyrite spot in Utah

Sorted by county. Coordinates open in Google Maps. Click a row for details.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Bradshaw MountainsSR 21	Beaver County	Amethyst Tourmaline Tremolite Wollastonite Anglesite Aragonite Cerussite Chalcopyrite +3 more	38.2983, -112.9233	Public
Cactus MineEly Highway	Beaver County	Azurite Barite Chalcopyrite Goethite Limonite Magnetite Malachite Pyrite +6 more	38.4897, -113.2954	Public
FriscoEly Highway	Beaver County	Azurite Barite Calamine Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Chrysocolla Galena Gypsum +7 more	38.4497, -113.2764	Public
Lincoln GulchSR 21	Beaver County	Amethyst Azurite Calcite Cerussite Chalcopyrite Epidote Fluorite Galena +7 more	38.2630, -112.8882	Public
Crater Island	Box Elder County	Bornite Calcite Chalcopyrite Chrysocolla	41.0880, -113.7700	Public
Promontory MountainsSouth East Promontory Road	Box Elder County	Cerussite Bornite Calamine Chalcopyrite Gold Gypsum Limonite Malachite +1 more	41.2539, -112.4913	Public
Raft River Mountains	Box Elder County	Gold Arsenopyrite Chalcopyrite Galena Pyrite Sphalerite	41.8742, -113.5085	Public
Vipont MineBirch Creek Road	Box Elder County	Azurite Cerussite Copper Chalcopyrite Cuprite Galena Gold Limonite +7 more	41.9657, -113.8459	Public
Yellow Canary Uranium DepositRed Creek Road	Daggett County	Azurite Bornite Brochantite Carnotite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Gold Hematite +2 more	40.9125, -109.2394	Public
Farmington mining districtPatsy's Mine Trail	Davis County	Azurite Chalcopyrite Gold Malachite Pyrite	40.9850, -111.8725	Public
Lucky Strick and other mines in San Rafael districtHanni Mine Road	Emery County	Bieberite Chalcopyrite Galena Marcasite Pyrite Sphalerite Uraninite	38.7553, -110.9485	Public
Miner's BasinMiners Basin Road	Grand County	Actinolite Calcite Chalcedony Chrysocolla Chalcopyrite Fluorite Hematite Malachite +3 more	38.5456, -109.2816	Public
Sevenmile CanyonCircle-O	Grand County	Bornite Carnotite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Pyrite Uraninite	38.6669, -109.6398	Public
Desert Mountain	Juab County	Antlerite Bornite Fluorite Hematite Limonite Magnetite Pyrite Cerussite +6 more	39.7813, -112.5941	Public
Drum MountainsRough Well Road	Juab County	Agate Jasper Pyrolusite Rhodochrosite Chalcedony Chalcopyrite Cuprite Galena +6 more	39.5711, -113.0359	Public
Fish SpringsPony Express Road	Juab County	Gold Lead Silver Cerussite Chalcopyrite Fluorite Galena Limonite +3 more	39.8524, -113.4541	Public
Spor MountainEagle Rock	Juab County	Fluorite Bertrandite Carnotite Chalcedony Chalcopyrite Hematite Magnetite Pyrite +1 more	39.7588, -113.1974	Public
Little Drum Mountains	Millard County	Azurite Cuprite Chalcedony Chalcopyrite Malachite Pyrite Pyrolusite Rhodochrosite +1 more	39.4625, -113.0303	Public
Bullion CanyonBullion Canyon Road	Piute County	Azurite Barite Cerussite Chalcopyrite Fluorite Galena Limonite Pyrite +6 more	38.4195, -112.2981	Public
Big Cottonwood mining districtCardiff Fork Trail	Salt Lake County	Actinolite Barite Orthoclase Bornite Chalcopyrite Galena Magnetite Malachite +5 more	40.6077, -111.6515	Public
Bingham CanyonKennecott Access Road	Salt Lake County	Actinolite Barite Bismuth Calcite Chalcopyrite Galena Garnet Magnetite +3 more	40.5575, -112.1319	Public
Big Indian WashHomestake Spur	San Juan County	Coffinite Doloresite Uraninite Azurite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Cuprite Malachite +6 more	38.2308, -109.2810	Public
Monticello mining districtCooley Pass Trail	San Juan County	Anhydrite Carnotite Gypsum Pyrite Chalcopyrite Galena Gold Sphalerite +4 more	37.8313, -109.4670	Public
San Juan River	San Juan County	Anhydrite Chalcopyrite Copper Gold Gypsum Malachite	37.2782, -109.4125	Public
Salina CreekInterstate Highway 70 Frontage Road	Sevier County	Azurite Chalcopyrite Galena Malachite Sphalerite	38.9142, -111.7270	Public
Dugway mining district	Tooele County	Agate Amethyst Apatite Fluorite Chalcedony Garnet Topaz Cerussite +7 more	39.9975, -113.1860	Public
Gold HillEast First Avenue	Tooele County	Azurite Cerussite Chalcopyrite Chlorite Chrysocolla Galena Gold Gypsum +6 more	40.1813, -113.8102	Public

Chalcopyrite in Utah FAQ

Where can I find chalcopyrite in Utah?+

Is collecting chalcopyrite legal in Utah?+

Casual hand collection of common rocks and minerals like chalcopyrite is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land in Utah, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Always confirm rules before a trip.

What is the best chalcopyrite location in Utah?+

Bingham Canyon perimeter (Salt Lake County) is the standout. Other strong ground includes Tintic district (Juab County), Cane Creek and Lisbon Valley (San Juan County).

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