• The Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies maintains an up-to-date list of rock and mineral clubs in Massachusetts.

• Books and Collecting Guides
  
  
• Massachusetts mineral and fossil localities (PDF) - compiled by Peter Gleba, published by Krueger Enterprises, Cambridge, Mass., 1978 (Right-Click on the title to download a PDF)
• Western Massachusetts Mineral Localities - by Alan R. Plante, 1992 published by Valley Geology, Greenfield, MA (ISBN 0-9616520-2-0)
• Minerals of Massachusetts 5th edition, by Peter Cristofono (2010) (ISBN: 4608259300168)
• A Bibliography of Massachusetts Minerals 1796 - 1948 by Warren I. Johansenn, 1950, Dept. of Geology and Mineralogy Special Department Publication #2, U-Mass, Amherst (now U-Mass Geosciences) OUT OF PRINT
• The stone quarry industry : Pelham, Massachusetts by Paul J. Bigelow, 1998, (ASIN: B0006QZB2U)
  
  
• Online Resources
  
  
  • Mindat.org
    A searchable database of mineral localities for all over the world
  • Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS)
    MRDS describes metallic and nonmetallic mineral resources throughout the world. Included are deposit name, location, commodity, deposit description, geologic characteristics, production, reserves, resources, and references. It includes the original MRDS and MAS/MILS data.
  • Minerals Yearbook for Massachusetts
  • Active mines and mineral plants in the US
• Did I find a meteorite? (a guide from the University of Missouri Dept. of Geological Sciences)

• Abandoned mines and quarries are abandoned for a reason-- they're no longer used and maintained. This makes them very dangerous and prone to rockfalls and cave-ins. We strongly caution against entering them unless accompanied by the owner / operator of that mine or quarry who can vouch for your safety.

  
  
• Minerals and fossils are a limited resource, and removing them from the rock removes the opportunity for future generations to see and appreciate them, and geologists to study them to increase the public's knowledge of Massachusetts geology. If you do find a fossil or mineral locality, consider working to have it preserved so that others may enjoy it and learn from it as well.



• Please respect private property.

Questions / Comments / Suggestions? Please let us know: jkopera@geo.umass.edu

webpage last updated 2/27/2011