New Hampshire has a number of valuable gemstones and minerals. Some of the minerals and gemstones found in the state are amethyst, smoky quartz, fluorite, beryl, and topaz. Most of these are found in the enormous granite and pegmatite deposits present throughout New Hampshire.

Amethyst

Amethyst is found in almost all of the state’s counties particularly at places that have granite geology. The group of small islands known as the Isles of Sholes, bordering New Hampshire also has amethyst deposits.

A popular location where a considerable amount of the stone is found is at the mineral collecting area of the Deer Hills located in the White Mountains National Forest. This area is supervised by the Forest Service and a nominal fee is charged for collecting amethyst samples.

The other location in New Hampshire where amethyst can be found is at the Ruggles Mine located in the town of Grafton in Grafton County. The mine is a pay-to-dig site and attracts a large number of rockhounds. Another location where amethyst can be found is at the Hobart Hill area located close to the town of Hebron in Grafton County.

Smoky Quartz

The brown to blackish colored variety of quartz known as smoky quartz was declared as the official state gemstone in 1985. The smoky quartz is abundant all over New Hampshire in various types of rocks, especially in granite deposits. The most well-known and fruitful site where smoky quartz can be found is at a few aggregate quarries situated close to the town of Conway in Carroll County. The gemstone here occurs within the granite present at the quarries.

Beryl

The various pegmatitic rock formations present in New Hampshire in its western side are a good source of beryl. Beryl is also found at the granite deposits throughout the state. The beryl found in New Hampshire is generally of the aquamarine, emerald and the golden beryl variety.

Some of the locations where beryl can be found are at the Palermo Mine located in the Pegmatite District of Grafton County, Carson Mine located at Nottingham in Rockingham County, Reynolds Mine located in Springfield in Sullivan County, Beauregard Quarry in Cheshire County, and many other locations in Grafton, Merrimack and Carroll Counties among others.

The various types of beryl found in New Hampshire are probably the most valuable and highly coveted minerals found in the state. High quality specimens of aquamarine and emerald have been known to command very high prices.

Fluorite

Fluorite is a mineral that is made from calcium fluoride. Fluorite occurs in a large variety of colors as a result of impurities present in the mineral. The town known as Westmoreland in southwestern New Hampshire is a well known site for fluorite which was earlier mined for commercial purpose.

Today, the fluorite specimens from this site are available for gem and mineral collectors and are found in a large spectrum of colors. The William Wise Mine near Westmoreland in Cheshire County is the most popular mine where fluorite is found.

Topaz

Topaz is a mineral and is a silicate of fluorine and aluminum. It is found in a wide array of colors such as deep red, orange, reddish orange, bluish brown, pink, gold, reddish yellow and white.

Topaz can be found at the Lord Hill area of the White Mountain National Forest. Topaz can also be found at Baldface Mountain and Government Pit in Carroll County, and Greens Ledge located near the town of Milan in Coos County.