Chapter 2, page 6

Photo: Leucite crystal from Magnet Cove

THERE ARE OVER 300 minerals known from Arkansas, 10 of which were first discovered and described scientifically from the state so their type localities are here. Of the 300 some-odd minerals, perhaps as many as 160 are associated with the few bodies of igneous rock present in central and southwest Arkansas. These areas are listed in the literature as Granite Mountain (sorry, it's not granite, it's syenite) in Pulaski County, Magnet Cove in Hot Spring County, Potash Sulphur Springs in Garland County, and the Prairie Creek pipe (Crater of Diamonds State Park) in Pike County.

Minerals associated with quartz
In the Ouachita Mountains, there are a variety of metal-bearing deposits associated with quartz veins, not those sites that produce the well known rock crystal specimens, but other now abandoned mines, worked from before the turn of the century up until the late 1980s to early 1990s. A variety of minerals are known from these deposits of antimony, mercury, zinc, lead, vanadium, silver, manganese, titanium, and aluminum. The vanadium, titanium, and aluminum ore (bauxite) deposits are all related to the presence of the previously mentioned igneous rock bodies, whereas the other metals, with the exception of manganese, are tied to hydrothermal solutions and the deposition of quartz. The manganese deposits are more related to weathering than any of the other metals.

Phosphates of iron and aluminum
The phosphates of iron and aluminum make up the most colorful group of minerals in Arkansas. Wavellite is well known, but other species also abound, including planerite, variscite, metastrengite, strengite, rockbridgeite, cacoxenite, and several others. They owe their origins to circulating ground water and the presence of phosphate pellets and nodules in the sedimentary rocks.

We can't provide you with detailed information of all of these minerals at our web site yet, but we can recommend the following references to start with:

1989 Rocks & Minerals Arkansas Issue, July/August. Many articles about various minerals and sites. Many references at the end of each article.

Howard, J. M., 1987, Mineral Species of Arkansas - a digest: Arkansas Geological Commission Bulletin 23, 187 p. The most extensive mineral reference list of any publication of this type on Arkansas.

McFarland, J. D., and Howard, J. M., 1996, Mineral Species of Arkansas, an electronic database: Arkansas Geological Commission Software Program No. 1. For IBM Compatible PC with 486 or faster processor and Windows 3.1 or higher(also, Win95). A modifiable database that you can run searches with for county locations, references (updated from Bulletin 23 in 1987), and various mineral properties. You can modify this program to suit your own needs.

Smith, A. E., Jr., 1996, Collecting Arkansas minerals, a reference and a guide: L. R. Ream Publishing Co., 149 p. Status on many collecting sites and many references.

Howard, J. M., and Owens, D. R., 1995, Minerals of the Wilson Springs vanadium mines, Potash Sulphur Springs, Arkansas: Rocks & Minerals, v. 70, May/June 1995, p. 154-170.

If you get hold of these references, you will be well on your way to learning about Arkansas' minerals and where they can be collected.

Note to Collectors: Please be aware that knowing about these minerals and where they can be found does not grant the right to trespass on private property or mining claims. Even if you consider taking some samples as "just collecting," property owners might consider your actions trespassing and theft. The status of mineral collecting on national forest and Corps of Engineers land is changing, and access is very restricted. Please check with the appropriate landowner, lease or claim holder, or district supervisor before attempting to enter a collecting locality.

Next page discusses some new mineral finds unique to Arkansas

Ch 2, page 6