Where is the easiest place to find geodes?
Rivers are a great place to find geodes in the U.S. Areas with solid rock and air pockets can produce geodes, especially in places where moisture is common.
- Copperhead Creek Mining Company.
- Squire Boon Caverns.
- Marengo Cave.
- Yogi Bear Jellystone Park Knightstown.
- Indiana Caverns Family Adventure Park.
There are several unique rocks on the Hoosier National Forest. Geodes are especially unusual and popular for visitors to collect. Small quantities of rocks for personal use may be collected on the Forest. Geodes are generally found only in the northern part of the forest in stream-beds.
The rarest and most valuable geodes contain amethyst crystals and black calcite. When are you looking to enroll?
Finding a Site
There are many spots where geodes are more commonly found, such as riverbeds, limestone areas, or volcanic ash beds of deserts. Explore these natural spots for a better chance of finding a geode. Limestone is typically found in warm, shallow water areas and is usually a shade of tan or bluish gray.
Such rocks are common in Indiana and make major mineable economic deposits. Limestone, gypsum, and dolomite are sedimentary rocks that are important to Indiana's economy. Sandstone, shale, and clays also occur here.
A geode can be worth anywhere from $5 to more than $1000, depending on its type and location. The price will vary widely based on whether the rock has been cut open because geodes often contain crystals inside of them which make them more valuable when exposed correctly (e.g., cutting along an axis).
(a) This section establishes a general license without notice for the removal of creek rock from a waterway that is subject to IC 14-28-1. A person must: (1) own; or (2) have written permission from a person who owns; the parcel of a waterway where creek rock is removed in order to qualify under this section.
Geodes are found throughout the world, but the most concentrated areas are located in the deserts. Volcanic ash beds, or regions containing limestone, are common geode locations. There are many easily accessible geode collecting sites in the western United States, including in California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.
Hoosier National Forest
Hoosier National Forest is one of the state's best geode locations, and it's also home to large amounts of quartz and other crystals. Barite, Dolomite, and White Calcite are the most common crystals found in the area.
Where can I break open geodes?
Take a small Sledgehammer or a rock hammer (preferably not a construction hammer, such as a claw hammer) and strike the top center of the geode. A couple of strikes might be required to fully crack open this rock.
EASY METHOD: Simply wash the geodes in plain water with a bit of laundry detergent (or dish soap), then let them soak in a tub of water with 1/4 cup of ordinary household bleach for two days. This cleans most of the heavy grit off the geodes.

They are sized for legal (8.5 x 14 inch) paper. Please remember, fossil and rock collection is illegal in state parks. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints!
Bristol Diamonds are quartz crystals found in geodes and geological rock formations which occur in dolomitic conglomerate in the Avon Gorge in Bristol, England. Their origin lies in geological processes of the Triassic period, about 250 to 200 million years ago.
These beautiful, bright aura quartz specimens are created by bonding different metal vapours such as gold, platinum and silver to natural quartz. This ready-to-retail Rainbow Aura Quartz Geode pack is perfect for introducing rocks and minerals to your range.
Most geodes contain clear quartz crystals, while others have purple amethyst crystals. Still others can have agate, chalcedony, or jasper banding or crystals such as calcite, dolomite, celestite, etc.
Geodes are found all over the world, though they are most concentrated in desert regions. Other places where geodes are common are volcanic ash beds and areas containing limestone. There are geode collecting sites all over the U.S. in California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Iowa.
The shape of a rock isn't the only visible indication of whether or not it's a geode. If you've found a geode it will usually have a lumpy, bumpy sort of texture on the outside. It is very rare for a geode to have a smooth exterior, so if your rock feels smooth to the touch then I'd bet against it being a geode.
When you are hunting for geodes in nature, look for limestone and basalt rocks. These rocks are often key to the formation of geodes. Geodes are also commonly found in lake or river beds. Geodes are often formed in stratified sedimentary carbonate deposits such as limestones and dolomites.
Most people do not think of the Mid- west as a place where either gold or diamonds are found. Indiana gold, although not plentiful, has been found as small flakes, mostly along streams in Morgan and Brown Counties.
Can I find diamonds in Indiana?
Though diamond mining is not an economically viable industry in Indiana, yet a few large diamonds have occasionally been found. However the discovery of diamonds is more by chance than by actual prospecting. To date, only 38 diamonds have been recorded to be found in the history of Indiana.
Diamonds of 3 carats or higher can also be found in the Little Indian Creek and Gold Creek. The obvious locations to look for diamonds are the creeks, streams, and other water sources just as you would for gold. The creek beds of Indiana could actually hold a wide variety of precious stones.
Look for geodes with thin outer walls and a small base. Geodes are sold by weight, so the more crystal, compared to the outer layer of sedimentary rock, the better. As mentioned above, the heavier the geode, the more expensive it will be. Additionally, the size of each crystal point will also determine value.
A thunderegg (or thunder egg) is a nodule-like rock, similar to a filled geode, that is formed within rhyolitic volcanic ash layers. Thundereggs are rough spheres, most about the size of a baseball—though they can range from a little more than a centimeter (one half inch) to over a meter (three feet) across.
Geodes in sedimentary rocks are usually found in limestones, dolomites, and calcareous shale. In these deposits a gas-filled void can serve as the opening for geode formation.
How long does it take for a geode to form? Over thousands of years, these layers of minerals build crystals that eventually fill the cavity. How long this takes depends on the size of the geode. The largest crystals can take a million years to grow!
The 11-cubic-meter geode—the largest in the world, the researchers say—was discovered in 1999, in a long-closed mine near its namesake town. Some of the crystals are several meters long and are so pure that they're transparent, despite their thickness.
For a gem which was once regarded as precious as Sapphire, Amethyst is very affordable, even at the higher grades. Prices for high quality cut stones are typically in the range of $20 to $30 per carat, with particularly fine pieces around $40 per carat.
In Indiana, those who own land adjacent to “non-navigable” rivers and streams actually own the land under the stream, yet the water and everything in it is public.
- Calcite.
- Limestone.
- Pyrite.
- Fluorite.
- Quartz Crystals.
- Celestine.
- Sphalerite.
- gold.
Why do people stack rocks in creeks?
Stones mark a path
Stone piles have been built by world cultures from nomadic to agricultural to tribal. Ancient Mongolians erected cairns, as did mountain dwellers in South America. Often, the stacks were intended to help people find their way safely around areas with little vegetation.
At pay-to-dig mines around the United States, visitors can paw through piles of mine tailings to uncover crystals and gemstones on “finders, keepers” terms for as little as $10 a day.
"Gaining an advantage over your quarry by the use of a food or mineral product is illegal."
You can find crystals just by walking around and looking closely at the ground or by digging and sifting through the soil (both great options for kids). If you really want to get the full experience you can also chip away at the quarry walls to try to find crystals in-situ (still embedded in the rock).
Geodes spawn underground and are surrounded by smooth basalt blocks. They're also always partially submerged in some kind of solid block – usually stone. Dig through that, or find a crack in the surface, and you'll uncover a layer of calcite – another new mineral.
Moroccan geodes produce a great looking geode when cracked open. Opening them is easy. They are more hollow than other geodes and therefor break open easier. They also tend to produce more crystals.
Kaolinite occurs in solid geodes as compacted masses of snow- white, earthy powder, usually surrounded by coarsely crystalline calcite in the lower part of geode specimens.
You'll want to soak them for 8-12 hours in full-strength vinegar. Wash the crystals well, and then soak them for the same amount of time in washing ammonia. Rinse them well and wipe dry.
Geodes can be used for a multitude of purposes, including assistance with decision-making, facilitating communication between people in the same healing fields or with divine beings, creating good moods and energies, help with meditation, stress relief, and more.
- Maumee River – Agate, Jasper, Petrified wood.
- Logansport – Apatite, Calcite, Pyrite, Quartz.
- Brown County – Corundum, Quartz, Topaz, Diamond.
- Williams Creek – Amethyst, Quartz.
- Morgan County – Corundum, Quartz, Topaz, Diamond.
- Highland Creek – Sapphire (brown)
How to get free rocks?
- 01 of 06. Visit Construction Sites. The Spruce / K. ...
- 02 of 06. Help a Farmer. The Spruce / K. ...
- 03 of 06. Talk to Road Construction Crews. ...
- 04 of 06. Go Rockhounding. ...
- 05 of 06. Curb Shop for It. ...
- 06 of 06. Shop Craigslist and Freecycle.
rock hound. noun. : a person who collects rocks and minerals as a hobby. Love words?
Geodes are found all over the world, though they are most concentrated in desert regions. Other places where geodes are common are volcanic ash beds and areas containing limestone. There are geode collecting sites all over the U.S. in California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Iowa.
Geodes spawn underground (though occasionally they might be visible from the surface), and they can spawn inside any Overworld biome. You'll find plenty of them in just about every biome in any Minecraft world seed.
The best places to search for geodes in Ohio include the Findlay Arch mining district and the Serpent Mound Zinc District in the southern portion of the state. These geodes can potentially contain several minerals including barite, calcite, fluorite, and celestite.
The Crystal Cave In Ohio
A massive, celestite crystal lined geode located near Put-in-Bay, Ohio also is said to be the largest geode ever found. It measures a staggering 30 feet (10 meters) long but was larger when it was first discovered.
A geode can be worth anywhere from $5 to more than $1000, depending on its type and location. The price will vary widely based on whether the rock has been cut open because geodes often contain crystals inside of them which make them more valuable when exposed correctly (e.g., cutting along an axis).
Geodes are found throughout the world, but the most concentrated areas are located in the deserts. Volcanic ash beds, or regions containing limestone, are common geode locations. There are many easily accessible geode collecting sites in the western United States, including in California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.
Geodes in sedimentary rocks are usually found in limestones, dolomites, and calcareous shale. In these deposits a gas-filled void can serve as the opening for geode formation.
Most geodes contain clear quartz crystals, while others have purple amethyst crystals. Still others can have agate, chalcedony, or jasper banding or crystals such as calcite, dolomite, celestite, etc.
How quickly do geodes grow?
How long does it take for a geode to form? Over thousands of years, these layers of minerals build crystals that eventually fill the cavity. How long this takes depends on the size of the geode. The largest crystals can take a million years to grow!
Look for a bumpy textured surface
If you've found a geode it will usually have a lumpy, bumpy sort of texture on the outside. It is very rare for a geode to have a smooth exterior, so if your rock feels smooth to the touch then I'd bet against it being a geode.
Use a lapidary diamond-blade cutting saw to slice the geode open, or into halves. (Note that oil can damage the interior of some geodes.)
The giant Pulpí Geode formed in hot mineral-rich water between 2 million and 60,000 years ago. Most geodes—hollow, crystal-lined rocks—can fit in the palm of your hand.
Full of It
During the formation of their inner crystals, geodes typically contain water. Dissolved molecules are carried by groundwater or rainwater through the pores of the older, outer rock.
Geodes commonly have a chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz) shell lined internally by various minerals, often as crystals, particularly calcite, pyrite, kaolinite, sphalerite, millerite, barite, dolomite, limonite, smithsonite and quartz, which is by far the most common and abundant mineral found in geodes.