🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Oregon Sunstones

[Jim in Idaho]

Chris and I got cabin fever in April, and decided to go over to Oregon, and take a look at the public Sunstone collection area. One of only two places in the world that have clear plagioclase feldspar crystals. On top of that Oregon's have copper inclusions in them that give the gems "schiller" a sort of natural sparkle or brilliance. They're just lying on the ground in plain sight. You can dig for them, or just wander around. The area set aside for the public is 4 square miles of mostly sagebrush. The gems are in some of the basalt, and you find some still in the rock. The big one in the pics is the 53.76 carat monster Chris found. She has better eyes than me...LOL. Though I did find several in the 10 or 15 carat range. Some had more of the red than others, but we were happy with our take, and will go back at some point. Decent campground with brand new pit toilets. A few other people, but not crowded. There's a "pay" mine there, too, but it doesn't open until May 15th.
Jim

 

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[galenrog]

There are no less than six areas in Oregon where Sunstones can be found. The area you were in, north of Paisley, is but one. Most rock hound books and maps show only two.

I hear there may be a few areas in SW Idaho. Possibly another in northern Nevada.

The fun is in the finding.

Time for more coffee.

 

[Oregon Viking]

Where to Find Oregon Sunstones​

South Central and Southeastern Oregon are the only areas in the world where the gem-graded sunstones with copper inclusions are found. There are three sunstone productive deposits in Oregon: one in Lake County and two in Harney County. Most locations are within the private mining claims. Collecting on mining claims without the owners' permission is prohibited.
Luckily for rock-enthusiasts, collecting sunstone is allowed in Lake County, 23 miles north of Plush. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established the Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area in the Rabbit Basin between the Warner Valley and Albert Rim.
Also, sunstones can be collected on commercial Dust Devil’s, Spectrum Sunstone and Double Eagle Mines, all of them are located near the Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area.

 

[Oregon Viking]

Location	Rocks & Minerals
Agate Beach	Agate, Moonstone, Jasper, Chalcedony, etc.
Nehalem River	Agate, Carnelian, Jasper
Priday Agate Beds	Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper, Opal, Thundereggs
White Rock	Thundereggs, Agate, Chalcedony, Opal
Carey Agate Beds	Agate, Chalcedony, Jasper
Glass Butte Recreational Rockhound Area	Obsidian (various types)
Lakeview	Agate, Jasper, Geodes, Nodules, Sunstone
Opal Butte	Hyalite opal
Yachats	Agate (sagenitic), Chalcedony, Jasper (orbicular), Moonstone, Geodes
Mt. Pisgah	Agate, Calcite, Heulandite, Jasper, Malachite, Mesolite, Quartz crystals

 

[ToddsPoint]

OV, you have all the good stuff out there. A rock hounds candy shop!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Where to Find Oregon Sunstones​

South Central and Southeastern Oregon are the only areas in the world where the gem-graded sunstones with copper inclusions are found. There are three sunstone productive deposits in Oregon: one in Lake County and two in Harney County. Most locations are within the private mining claims. Collecting on mining claims without the owners' permission is prohibited.
Luckily for rock-enthusiasts, collecting sunstone is allowed in Lake County, 23 miles north of Plush. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established the Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area in the Rabbit Basin between the Warner Valley and Albert Rim.
Also, sunstones can be collected on commercial Dust Devil’s, Spectrum Sunstone and Double Eagle Mines, all of them are located near the Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area.

Actually, the Spectrum is inside the public collection area. There is one other claim inside, too, but I'm not sure which one it is. I don't doubt there may be some spots in Idaho. A huge chunk of my state is still unexplored as far as gem deposits, especially in the desert volcanic areas where sunstones may be found.
Jim

 

[Jim in Idaho]

There are no less than six areas in Oregon where Sunstones can be found. The area you were in, north of Paisley, is but one. Most rock hound books and maps show only two.

I hear there may be a few areas in SW Idaho. Possibly another in northern Nevada.

The fun is in the finding.

Time for more coffee.

Yup....all this is volcanic related to the hotspot which is now fueling the Yellowstone Park area. From what I've read, the actual magma chamber is 150 miles northwest of yellowstone, but the faults that the magma follows slope upward toward the Park. But, this rotation of the crust over that spot has run all across southern Oregon, and southern Idaho, so anywhere in that huge arc could be sunstones, Peridot, and other gems. Geologist wrote that there is a place right near me, where an eruption came up, and there are olivine gems near the center. But, it's extremely difficult terrain, so few people have looked.
Jim

 

[newnan man]

Years ago I was in the 3 Sisters area of Oregon. Beautiful country, the lava & Obsidian laying around was amazing.