Searching for gemstones in Oklahoma can be easy if you know where to look.
Gemstone hunting, which involves digging, panning and sluicing for gemstones, is a fun and even profitable hobby that can be done alone or as a family activity. Oklahoma, though not the richest state in mineral resources, has some excellent natural gem deposits and mines open to the public for gemstone hunting.
Instructions
1. Assemble a basic kit of gemstone hunting tools, such as rock hammers, picks, various hand tools and sluicing boxes. Be sure to investigate what tools are the best for mining the specific types of gemstones found in Oklahoma (primarily quartz and malachite).
2. Go to Comanche County, Oklahoma, (located in the Lawton area), which provides many locations for gemstone hunting. You can find quartz, malachite, egirine, orthoclase and barite in the various mines in the area, such as the Hale Copper mine in Sandy Creek, Texas Gypsum Company quarry in Fletcher and The American Girl Mine in Lawton.
3. Visit McCurtain County for an opportunity to hunt for quartz. The Stevens Gap Recreational Area at Broken Bow Lake, Watson, Buffalo mines and the Johnson copper prospect all provide access to quartz as well as other gems and rock.
4. Visit Garvin Country to hunt for a more unusual gemstone called brochantite. The Teepee Queen Copper Company area provides access to many unique gemstones and rocks.
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