Anybody know of good locations for finding minerals, crystals, gold, etc.?
I was told there are ranches, in Alabama or Arkansas, where you could pay the rancher so much a day to dig on his property or an existing mine. I was wondering if there were any places like that in S. Az, S. Ca., or maybe S. New Mexico.
Any info. would be appreciated.
Thank you.
I also posted this in the Az. hometown forums.

You used to be able to pay the Pala Indians to dig on their property, but the local Topaz mines may have been opened up and the "owners" may not like it.

The BLM land is open to rockhounding.  Although a lot of the gold claims are still active, and a lot aren't.  I've found some small opals while shooting not far off 40 near Ludlow, but some fossils and agatized jasper, jasper etc.

I find a lot of cool rocks out past barstow in the old mining area around calico.. lots of crystals and stuff.

there is also a geode field near blythe, ca
www.desertusa.com/magjan98/stories/hauserbeds.html

seconding the Calico area, and the region on the East face of the souther tip of the Sierras. Red Rock, etc.