Pine City: Chalcocite Rockhounding in Pine County, Minnesota

Quick details

Access

Public area

County

Pine County

State

Minnesota

Nearest road

Chadwood Lane Southwest

Postcode

55063

Coordinates

45.82596, -92.98751

Geology at Pine City

This spot sits on Middle and Upper Cambrian, mapped as sandstone, siltstone, and shale that formed roughly 510 to 485 million years ago. Sedimentary rock like this erodes unevenly, so the most productive collecting is typically along fresh cuts, badland slopes, and active drainages.

Mapped unit

Middle and Upper Cambrian

Age

510–485 Ma (Middle Cambrian to Furongian)

Rock types

sandstone, siltstone, and shale

Elevation

920 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 Pine City

Best months: April to October. Typical highs run 80°F in midsummer and 20°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 0°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, HINCKLEY station (11 mi away).

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 Pine City

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

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