Types of Rocks Found In New Hampshire: A Guide To the 5 Most Common You'll Spot

If you are looking for rocks or minerals in New Hampshire, you will enjoy the finds in the Granite State.

There is a lot sparkling and shining here in addition to the world’s sought-after granite finds.

In addition to granite, the types of rocks found in New Hampshire that you can expect include amethyst, smoky quartz, beryl, topaz, and fluorite, just to name a few.

This collection is part of the reason that New Hampshire is so admired by rock hunters.

Use this guide to learn about more of New Hampshire’s dazzling shores, and what makes them dazzle.

Types of Rocks Found In New Hampshire ( A Guide)

Amethyst

Amethyst is one of the most sought-after stones in the world when it comes to collecting rare and beautiful finds.

This is a type of quartz rock that is purple and violet in color, as a result of its quartz development within the granite.

The purple in amethyst comes from its iron content, of which there is approximately 40 parts iron per million parts of the stone.

The iron is represented as an impurity but makes amethyst quite beautiful.

Amethyst is a quartz, but it can also be found in the veins of larger bodies of standard quartz rock.

When amethyst is mined and heated, the purple color fades and becomes a more orange or yellow color.

That process can be performed synthetically or commercially and is reversible.

Most rock hunters prefer the color of the amethyst stone, but in industrial uses, sometimes the color will be changed.

In New Hampshire, you can find amethyst along with the Isles of Sholes, and in the Deer Hills area around the White Mountains National Forest.

In the forest, there is a fee for collecting amethyst specimens, and you should have an easy time finding them.

The Ruggles Mine in New Hampshire in Grafton County is also known to be home to some amethyst.

This is also a paid entry location, where you can dig for whatever rocks that you want.

Amethyst is used by rock collectors as beautiful additions to their collections.

It is also used commercially in jewelry, and as a semi-precious stone, it is the birthstone for the month of February.

Smoky Quartz

Smokey quartz is beautiful quartz that is called the state gemstone of New Hampshire.

Where granite is the state rock, smoky quartz is the state gem.

This one is a beauty as well. It is a brown to black quartz found in deposits of granite with crystallization patterns that lead to jagged, pointed, and sharp edges.

In New Hampshire, it is commonly found in Carroll County in Conway, although it is found in other places in New Hampshire as well.

Smoky quartz is a highly-sought-after piece of stone in the New Age community, as it is said to release negative energy and thoughts.

Many believe it can also help them with nightmares and troubled sleep patterns.

In the industrial world, smoky quartz is used for commercial purposes to create components for clocks, radios, cell phones, video games, and television.

In addition to Carroll County, you can also find smoky quartz at Hurricane Mountain, South Baldface Mountain, and the Moat Mountain mineral site.

You might also find some topaz in some of these locations as well.

Beryl

While granite is the state rock of New Hampshire, the state mineral is beryl.

This is a rock that forms in pegmatites on the west side of New Hampshire.

Beryl can also be found in some granite locations throughout New Hampshire.

Beryl looks like quartz and can be found in a number of different colors and varieties, with aquamarine and gold beryl being the most common kind.

The Palermo Mine in what is called the Pegmatite District of Grafton County and the Reynolds Mine in Springfield are common places to find beryl.

Beryl Hill in Royalston is also named after the multiple areas of rock hunting that you will enjoy when searching for these beautiful stones.

Although the abundance is here, emerald and aquamarine are products of beryl, and the competition for this valuable collection is fierce.

Beryl is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate.

When used commercially, beryl is used to produce jewelry such as emeralds and aquamarine.

It is also used in science, on space shuttles, and to create industrial applications such as industrial wire.

Topaz

Topaz is the birthstone of November and is typically a gorgeous gold stone that is sought after in jewelry.

With gold accessories, topaz is a stunning look that is unique from other jewelry such as diamonds or emeralds.

It is also not as valuable as those stones but has a value all the same.

The construction of topaz is silicate comprised of both aluminum and fluorine.

It is found in many colors, including pink, yellow, white, red, and orange, although an gold and amber look is the most common color of topaz.

In New Hampshire, you can find topaz in the White Mountain National Forest, a forest that stretches into Maine.

You will need to pay a recreational day-use fee to enter this area.

Baldface Mountain is on the border of New Hampshire and Maine and can be accessed through this forest.

The Government Pit which is an area ripe with gravel pits can also be a good source of rock hunting and can be found in Carroll County.

Fluorite

Fluorite is common in New Hampshire and is found in a wide range of colors due to the number of impurities that are typical of fluorite.

It is a hard stone that is comprised of hydrofluoric acid and calcium fluoride.

When hardened, this rock is a beautiful find, regardless of the color.

It is frequently used in microscopes, cameras, and other products that use lenses.

The town of Westmoreland is a common place for fluorite hunters to search for fluorite.

The William Wise Mine in Westmoreland is a frequent place for fluorite hunters.

It can also be found in Bald Hill, and near Spofford Lake near Chesterfield.

Plan Your New Hampshire Rock Hunt Today

When you are thinking of rock hunting in New Hampshire, there are a number of places to check out, and finds to explore.

You will have a good hunt if you can find some smoky quartz or amethyst, or even some topaz in the rough.

Fluorite is also a fascinating find when rock hunting in New Hampshire.

These are just a few of the many types of rocks found in New Hampshire, that you can find too with the right planning.

Plan your New Hampshire rock hunt today.