Oregon sunstone: where to collect it
Updated . Rules and directions come from the Bureau of Land Management; sources are at the end of the page.
Oregon sunstone is a copper-bearing feldspar that weathers out of lava flows in south-central Oregon. The Bureau of Land Management has set aside a public area for collecting it: there is no fee, but you may not collect for trade or commercial purposes.
- What it is
- Copper-bearing feldspar; Oregon’s state gemstone since 1987
- Where to collect for free
- Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area, Rabbit Basin, north of Plush
- Land manager
- BLM Lakeview District Office, 541-947-6100
- Fee
- None; no collecting for trade or commercial use
Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area is at 42.723365, -119.860742. Open in Apple Maps or Google Maps.
Directions in Apple MapsDirections in Google Maps
Open the full map with satellite imagery and who manages the land. Coming in the Capyhound app: an offline copy for places with no signal. Get it first
What Oregon sunstone is
Sunstones are feldspar crystals that formed in lava. The BLM explains that a Steens Mountain eruption 13 to 14 million years ago laid down the lava here; a lake later covered it, and as the lake dried, weathering left loose sunstones on the surface.
The color depends on copper. Oregon’s geology agency, DOGAMI, gives about 20 parts per million of copper for yellow stones and 200 for red ones. Stones range from near-colorless and pale yellow to red and green, and some change color as you turn them. The shimmer, called schiller, comes from tiny platelets of native copper inside the crystal, according to a 2013 study in Gems & Gemology.
Rules at the public area
- No fee for collecting, and no collecting for trade or commercial purposes.
- Stay inside the orange posts. Orange plastic posts mark the public boundary.
- Keep off the claims. Private mining claims surround the area and some lie inside it. The BLM says collecting on a claim without permission is not allowed and may bring legal penalties.
- BLM’s general rules also apply: a reasonable daily amount for personal use needs no permit; explosives, power equipment or commercial use need one.
- Dig no deeper than four feet and fill in your holes.
- Leave artifacts. Archaeological and historical materials on federal land are protected.
How to get there
- From Plush: take County Road 3-10, the Hogback Road, north for about 10 miles; it turns to gravel after 4 miles.
- Then: right on County Road 3-11 for about half a mile, left on BLM Road 6155 for about 8¼ miles, left on BLM Road 6115 for about 5 miles, and right on BLM Road 6195 to the entrance sign.
- From US 395: turn east onto County Road 3-10 and drive 20.2 miles, then follow the same turns.
- Come prepared. The BLM warns that the location is isolated.
Camping and facilities
- Camping is allowed anywhere inside the collection area.
- Facilities: a pit toilet, picnic tables and a shade structure, and nothing else.
- Season: the BLM does not publish one. Call the Lakeview District Office before a trip early or late in the year.
Fee digs near Plush
Private mines near Plush run fee digs on their claims. Dust Devil Mining is one; its website lists a season from mid-May to the start of October and asks visitors to call ahead, but shows no year, so confirm before you travel.
The mine’s own advice for the trip: good tires and a full-size spare for the gravel roads, plenty of water, and warm clothes, because it can freeze there any night of the year.
Plan your sunstone trip in the app
Save the route, the public boundary and the rules on your phone before you lose signal.
Questions
Where can you collect Oregon sunstone for free?
At the BLM’s Oregon Sunstone Public Collection Area in the Rabbit Basin of south-central Oregon, managed by the BLM Lakeview District. Collecting is free, but not for trade or commercial use.
How much sunstone can you take from the BLM area?
The BLM’s sunstone page sets no number. Its general guide for Oregon and Washington says a reasonable daily amount for non-commercial use needs no fee or permit, while commercial use, explosives or power equipment need a permit.
Can you dig on the mining claims next to the public area?
Not without the claim holder’s permission. The BLM says private mining claims surround the area and some lie inside it; orange plastic posts mark the public boundary.
When did sunstone become Oregon’s state gemstone?
In 1987, when the Oregon Legislature designated the Oregon sunstone as the state gemstone.
What gives Oregon sunstone its color and shimmer?
Copper. Oregon’s geology agency says the color depends on the amount of copper, and a study in Gems & Gemology says the shimmer, called schiller, comes from tiny platelets of native copper.
Can you camp at the Sunstone Collection Area?
Yes, anywhere inside the area. The only facilities are a pit toilet, picnic tables and a shade structure, and the BLM advises coming well prepared because the site is isolated.
