• Commercial Oregon Sunstone Collection Sites offer opportunities to find rare colored sunstones
• Three mines are available to public diggings for fees
Oregon Sunstone is a rare and beautiful crystal containing copper inclusions. The reflective copper platelets produce range of colors from pale yellow to intense green and red. The more copper in it the more intense hues of gems. Sometimes one stone shows color variations. Copper-bearing sunstones are found only in the high desert of Southeastern Oregon. Oregon Sunstone was proclaimed as the official State Gemstone in 1987.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established the Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area in 1970 to allow free rockhounding. Mostly small and medium-sized pale yellow sunstones can be found in the free public area.
If you want to find rare and prized colored sunstones, go to one of commercial mines located nearby. For a fee you can dig sunstones from designed piles or pick materials off conveyor belts.
Currently, three mines are available to the public: Dust Devil, Spectrum Sunstone and Double Eagle Mines.
Spectrum Sunstone Mine
Featured on the Travel Channel’s “Cash and Treasures” show, Spectrum Sunstone Mine is located within the boundaries of Public Collection Area. The mine provides opportunities to dig for sunstones from designated piles for free one day and keep all you find. Other fee options are picking gems off commercial conveyor belt and screening through concentrated high grade ore piles.
You can purchase rough, cut stones and finished jewelry in the mine store.
The mine offers free camping, hot shower, flushing toilets, and free water. Cabins and teepee accommodations are free for paid diggers. Open from May through November.
Double Eagle Mining Company
You can lease access to a virgin ore pile for $60 per person for one day, kids under 12 are allowed free of charge. Take your shovel and screen Oregon Sunstones or you can buy one yard screened material for $180. Ore concentrate will be placed on a screening table and you can look through material and remove sunstone crystals.
You can purchase rough, cut stones and finished jewelry in the mine store.
Primitive camping is available. Open from Memorial Day to October.
Dust Devil Mine
Dust Devil Mine offers free digging. Owners will not charge for clear stones unless it will cut over 8 carats or for very light schiller. Better colored and clear stones that will cut over 8 carats will be charged 50% of the wholesale.
You can pick sunstones from the belt for $60. Also, you will be charged 50% of the wholesale for high-quality crystals.
Primitive camping and sleeping trailers are available. Open year-round. Unpaved roads can become impassable in wet conditions even for four-wheel drive vehicles.
Directions to Oregon Sunstone Collection Sites
From the north end of Plush,
- Take County Road 3-10 or Hogback Road (the road is gravel after 5 miles) and travel 10 miles to County Road 3-11
- Turn right onto County Road 3-11 and go 0.5 miles to BLM Road 6155
- Turn left onto BLM Road 6155 and follow 8.4 miles to BLM Road 6115
From this point:
Spectrum Sunstone Mine
- Turn left onto BLM Road 6115 and continue 5.5 miles to "Y" intersection after the Dust Devil Mine
- Bear right and go 0.6 miles to the main parking area
- Take the first left or the second left before reaching Public Collection Area bulletin board.
Phone: 775-772-7724
Email: info@highdesertgemsandminerals.com
Double Eagle Mining Company
- Turn left onto BLM Road 6115 and continue 3.75 miles to a mine’s sign on the right
- Turn right at the sign and follow 0.8 miles (at “Y” keep right) to next signboard on the left
- Turn left at the sign and continue to the camp (at “Y” keep right).
Phone: 541-417-0158
Email: info@doubleeaglemine.com
GPS: N 42°42.758', W 119°49.248' | 42.71263, -119.8208
Dust Devil Mine
- Turn left onto BLM Road 6115 and continue 5.5 miles to Dust Devil Mine.
Phone: 503-559-2495
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Going to the oregon sunstone dig sights is very top of my list of things to do!!!To late this year but hear I come nexed year!!!!! I am getting all the digging tools I can lay my hands on and worm clothing.If you or some one could send me information that would help me , I would be greatfull.My name is Wes Hamlin . My address is 5032 SE 128 th ave Portland Oregon 97236. I am 62 but the heart of a very excited kid!!! LOOKING forward to my vacation I have been planning for.Thankyou in advance.
Good| I’m sure that you will have a great time. Bring plenty of water. Nights can be chilly. Bring your sifting screen and something to set it up on. The evenings are lovely. You may hear the coyotes talking to each other.
I have good friends who have a claim adjoining the free dig area. The name of the claim is “Work um Hard Their name is Bill and Rita Boeh 541 471 3326. Tell them that Orley sent you.