Looking for slabs, cabs or rough anywhere on route to/from Florida.

[kayjay]

Hi. I live in Canada during the warm months and then Key West during the not so warm ones.I spend several weeks a year travelling between Ontario and Florida I am a jewelry design/maker and lapsmith so I am always on the lookout for great rocks to cut, polish and set. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on where I could stop along the way (not far from Highways 81, Route 66 or I95) and pick up some great rough, slabs or cabs and maybe even bring back some for my lapidary club. I am particularly interested in regional rocks that I might not find in Canada. Thanks so much.

 

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[Tigger]

I usually google 'rockhound' and the state or the county/large town I'll be in and see what I can find that way. The state rock may be fun to collect. PA has fossils. I like this site for starters: America's Best Rockhounding Website | Gator Girl Rocks
I am going from FL to upstate NY in a few weeks, so will be interested in any replies you get as well.
Tigger

 

[Nimocone]

I think you guys got me started on a hobby I didn't know I'd want to do! Rockhounding sounds sweet. I just don't know what rocks to look at to see if I can do what kayjay wants to do.

 

[loco oro]

not far from 81 in south central pa there is some interesting things around ,if you could be more specific to what species your interested in, i know of a outcrop that produces ameth from time to time ,since you are into lapidary tell me if you could use sphalerite , honeybrown varitity in mass,folded with calcite, from local lead/zinc, i have buckets of it, if you have a use for it hit me back

 

[loco oro]

i may also be able to get (ruby) sphalerite also, i have access to location that has produced it in the past,on the easternmost edge of massive hydro therm, here in cent pa, but i have never explored it yet for lack of a market, i never sold the stuff

 

[Brian T. Booth]

I think you guys got me started on a hobby I didn't know I'd want to do! Rockhounding sounds sweet. I just don't know what rocks to look at to see if I can do what kayjay wants to do.

There are several websites you can goto. Mindat.org is a great website. You can search local localities for places to rockhound and it will tell you specific streams and outcrops to look for certain types of minerals.