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Where the Agates Hide: A Rockhounder’s Primer

  • oneof8025billionpe
  • 2 days ago
  • 1 min read

The Keweenaw is one of the only places on Earth where you can pick native copper off the ground and find Lake Superior agates scattered along the shore. You don’t need much to start — just patience and a good eye.

Look After the Weather Moves the Stones

The best hunting often comes after a storm, when wind and waves have churned the beach and turned over fresh material. A low sun, early or late in the day, makes agates glow with that waxy shine that gives them away.

Know What You’re Holding

Agates show banding and a glassy, translucent edge. Datolite and native copper turn up in old mine rock. We’ll teach you what to look for — and just as importantly, what’s fair to take and what should stay where it lies.

 
 
 

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