Brookdale Mine
Approximate — check official site before visiting
Historic lead mine in Chester County open to public collecting with permission. Known for exceptional quartz crystals, pyromorphite, and associated minerals. The mine dumps still produce fine specimens. Access requires checking in at the nearby golf pro shop.
🌐 Visit Official Site →🪨 What You Can Find Here
Quartz Crystals
Clear, smoky, and rose quartz crystals are among the most common and rewarding rockhounding finds. Arkansas produces world-class quartz.
Also found at:
Fluorite
Colorful halide mineral that often forms cubic crystals. The Illinois-Kentucky fluorite district was once the world's leading producer. Also found in New York and Tennessee.
Also found at:
Pyrite
Iron sulfide known as Fool's Gold for its metallic luster. Found in many US states, often in association with other minerals. Popular with beginner collectors.
Also found at:
Galena
Lead sulfide mineral with metallic luster, the primary ore of lead. Found in Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, and New York's historic mining districts.
Also found at:
📍 Nearby Locations in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Quartz & Amethyst
Delta, Pennsylvania · Fee Dig
Fee-dig operations in York County for quartz crystals and amethyst. The Peach Bottom area produces fine crystal specimens.
Pennsylvania Trilobite Beds
Annville, Pennsylvania · Public Land
Road cuts in central Pennsylvania for Devonian trilobites (Phacops, the state fossil), brachiopods, and corals.
Pennsylvania Pyrite Beds
Lancaster, Pennsylvania · Public Land
Lancaster County exposures for pyrite (fool's gold) cubes and quartz crystals. Classic Pennsylvania mineral collecting.
Pennsylvania Anthracite Mine Dumps
Pottsville, Pennsylvania · Public Land
Coal mine dumps in the anthracite region for Carboniferous plant fossils (lepidodendron, sigillaria, ferns).
Cornwall Iron Mine Dumps
Cornwall, Pennsylvania · Public Land
Historic iron mine dumps for garnet, pyrite, and magnetite specimens. Cornwall was one of the most productive iron mines in the US.
Pennsylvania Crystal Mine (Blue Ball)
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania · Fee Dig
Fee-dig operation in Lancaster County for quartz crystals and amethyst. Good family-friendly rockhounding.
⛏️ Recommended Gear
Make the most of your visit to Brookdale Mine with the right equipment.
Rock Hammer
The most essential rockhounding tool. Choose a hammer with both a flat striking face and a pointed pick end.
Typical: $25-45
Safety Glasses
Mandatory protective gear. Rock chips fly unpredictably when hammering.
Typical: $10-20
Chisel Set
Cold chisels in 3-4 sizes for precise extraction from matrix rock.
Typical: $15-30
Geologist's Pick
A heavier crack hammer for splitting hard rock. Essential for hard rock mining areas.
Typical: $35-60
Sifting Screen
Stackable mesh screens for sifting gravel and dirt. Essential for gem and fossil hunting.
Typical: $20-40
UV Flashlight
Long-wave UV light for finding fluorescent minerals and Yooperlites.
Typical: $15-35