The federal mineral record holds 3,760 entries for Arkansas — 2,141 mines that shipped ore, 119 prospects that never became mines, 214 recorded occurrences. Below it: 11 places where you can legally collect.
Mineral history, not an invitation. This mineral history comes from a federal record of historic mines, prospects, and occurrences. It is not a list of places to collect. Historic mine sites are usually on private land, under active mining claims, or unsafe to enter — and often all three. The places you can actually collect are in the legal-access directory below.
The commodities that drew miners and prospectors to Arkansas, by number of historic records:
Zinc · 339Manganese · 324Lead · 229Clay · 170Aluminum · 125Iron · 80Mercury · 70Silica · 58
Records from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System, a legacy federal database last revised August 2022 and no longer updated.
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Avant Mining at Fisher Mountain
Mount Ida, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clusters
Fee dig · Fee · Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., weather permitting; pocket digs must be booked at least two weeks ahead and can be reserved up to a year out
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Mena, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clusters
Fee dig · Fee, seasonal · seasonal - roughly late February or early March through the end of October, Wednesday through Sunday, holidays included; closed every winter. Reservations are mandatory and there are no drive-ins
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Murfreesboro, AR
diamondamethystjasper
State park dig · Fee · year-round; search area open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (visitor center and Diamond Discovery Center until 5 p.m.); closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Crystal Seen Trading Co. crystal dig
Mount Ida, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clusters
Fee dig · Fee · by appointment only, and reservations are accepted over the phone only at (870) 867-4072; you collect a gate key and can stay all day until just before dark
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Crystal Vista Recreation Area, Ouachita National Forest
Mount Ida, AR
quartz crystalsmilky quartz
Forest Service collecting area · Free · year-round during daylight; the last miles in are county gravel road and the trail is slick after rain
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Jessieville, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clusters
Fee dig · Fee · seven days a week, 8 a.m. until dusk, year-round except Christmas Day; the mine is worked every day the weather allows, so spring through fall is the reliable window
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Ouachita National Forest general quartz collecting
Mount Ida, AR
quartz crystalsnovaculitesmall geodes
Public land, rules apply · Free with permit · year-round; call the Womble/Caddo-Womble Ranger District at (870) 867-2101 before planning a day around a specific outcrop
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Oden, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clusters
Fee dig · Fee · by appointment year-round; gate opens 9 a.m. and closes 5 p.m., with six full-day and six half-day slots per day (twelve people maximum) and a 48-hour cancellation and reschedule window
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Jessieville, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clusters
Fee dig · Fee · digging hours currently posted as 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and stated to vary seasonally; the site posts no holiday closures, so call (501) 984-5396 before a holiday trip
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Story, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clustersfluorite
Fee dig · Fee · no published hours; the mine has always run on the owners' schedule rather than posted times, so a phone call is mandatory. Verify the mine is still in business when you call
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Mount Ida, AR
quartz crystalsquartz clusterssmoky quartz
Fee dig · Fee · Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Crystal Forest trips depart 9:30, 11:30 and 1:30; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Quartz CrystalsAgatesJasperGeodesGarnetsFluoriteDiamondsGemstones
Yes — at places that allow it. This page lists 11 in Arkansas: fee digs, designated collecting areas, and official localities, each checked against its source. Everywhere else, legality depends on who owns the land and what rules apply. Before any trip: check land ownership and current mining claims, get permission, respect closures, and never enter old mine workings.
Treat Arkansas's historic mines as history, not destinations. Most sit on private land or active mining claims, and old workings are dangerous even to walk. The mineral record on this page tells you what the ground holds — the directory tells you where you are welcome to look for it.