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Where to Find Garnets in Quebec: 62 Mapped Sites

Quebec has 62 documented sites where garnets have been reported, and the best-known are MINE DU LAC MCLEOD (DU LAC HARPER), LANIEL-OUEST, and MAZENOD-R.IX. Every site is mapped below with GPS coordinates and links to a full report of access and what's been found there.

Last updated: — data compiled by the Rockhounding.org Research Team · methodology

Garnets Map: Quebec

All 62 garnets sites in Quebec. Click a pin for the full site report.

Where Garnets Are Found in Quebec

Garnets grow in mica schist and gneiss and in contact-metamorphic zones, then concentrate in stream sands. Check decomposed schist outcrops and pan the dark sands below them.

The richest reported sites in Quebec: MINE DU LAC MCLEOD (DU LAC HARPER), LANIEL-OUEST, MAZENOD-R.IX, Mine Derry, Mine du lac à la Jacques.

All Garnets Sites in Quebec

Showing 50 of 62 sites — every site appears on the map above.

How to Identify Garnets

Garnets form 12-sided (dodecahedral) crystals — little faceted balls in red, brown-red, or orange — with a glassy luster, hardness 6.5–7.5, and no cleavage. They resist weathering, so intact crystals roll free of rotten rock. A streak of dark red sand in a creek bed is often garnet concentrate announcing a source upstream.

Not sure what you found? Try our identification guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find garnets in Quebec?

Quebec has 62 mapped sites where garnets have been reported. The best-known are MINE DU LAC MCLEOD (DU LAC HARPER), LANIEL-OUEST, and MAZENOD-R.IX. Each listing on the map above includes GPS coordinates, access type, and what has been found there.

How many garnets sites are mapped in Quebec?

We have 62 documented garnets sites in Quebec, compiled from provincial geological survey records and community submissions, reviewed by the Rockhounding.org Research Team.

Is it legal to collect garnets in Quebec?

More than 90% of Quebec is public land, and the government publishes a list of designated collecting sites. Parks, active claims, and private land are off limits. Always verify land status before you dig.

How do I identify garnet?

Garnets form 12-sided (dodecahedral) crystals — little faceted balls in red, brown-red, or orange — with a glassy luster, hardness 6.5–7.5, and no cleavage. They resist weathering, so intact crystals roll free of rotten rock. A streak of dark red sand in a creek bed is often garnet concentrate announcing a source upstream.

⚠️ Always verify current regulations, weather conditions, and access requirements before visiting any location. Information provided is based on community submissions and may not be current or accurate.

Data: SIGÉOM © Gouvernement du Québec (CC BY 4.0) — reviewed and approved by the Rockhounding.org Research Team. Always verify current land status, regulations, and access before visiting any site.