Where to Find Pyrite in Colorado: 50 Mapped Sites
Colorado has 50 documented sites where pyrite have been reported, and the best-known are South Platte Pegmatite District, Blue Jay Mine, and Hazel Marie Group. Every site is mapped below with GPS coordinates and links to a full report of access and what's been found there. 2 of the 50 sites are on public-access land.
Last updated: — data compiled by the Rockhounding.org Research Team · methodology
Pyrite Map: Colorado
All 50 pyrite sites in Colorado. Click a pin for the full site report.
Where Pyrite Are Found in Colorado
Pyrite grows in nearly every rock type: cubes in slate and shale, balls in concretions, massive seams in ore veins. Mine dumps, black-shale roadcuts, and creek concretions all produce it.
The richest reported sites in Colorado: South Platte Pegmatite District, Blue Jay Mine, Hazel Marie Group, Little John Mine, Minerva J Mine.
Of the 50 sites, 2 are public access. Check each site report for current land status before you go.
All Pyrite Sites in Colorado
- South Platte Pegmatite District — Forest Service
- Blue Jay Mine — Forest Service
- Hazel Marie Group — Forest Service
- Little John Mine — Forest Service
- Minerva J Mine — Forest Service
- Eagle Mine — Forest Service
- Jeanie No. 6 Claim — BLM/Public Lands
- Mary Lee Mine — Forest Service
- A & C Prospect — Forest Service
- Black Prince Mine — Forest Service
- China Wall Area — Forest Service
- Hawk Tunnel — Forest Service
- Sunnyside — BLM/Public Lands
- Gallic-Vulcan Group — BLM/Public Lands
- Joker Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Morning Star Claims 1943 — BLM/Public Lands
- Comstock Mine — Forest Service
- Joe Wheeler Mine — Forest Service
- Piedra Peak-Red Mountain Alunite Deposits — Forest Service
- Dee Stock — Forest Service
- Daisy-Hibernia Mine — Forest Service
- Gold Eagle Mine — Forest Service
- Keystone Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Lady Eleanora Mine — Forest Service
- Champion Shaft — BLM/Public Lands
- Golconda Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Lucretia Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Red Rock Claim — BLM/Public Lands
- Tempest — BLM/Public Lands
- Cascade Mine — Forest Service
- Cash Mine — Forest Service
- Colorado Belle Mine — Forest Service
- Lexington Tunnel — Forest Service
- Minnie Lynch Mine — Forest Service
- Skek City Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Sodom Mine — Forest Service
- Swab Mine — Forest Service
- Synopsis Mine — Forest Service
- Timberline Tunnel — Forest Service
- Verde Creek Deposit — Forest Service
- Difficult Creek District — Forest Service
- Elizabeth Prospect — BLM/Public Lands
- Green Mountain Falls District — Forest Service
- Villa Grove Turquoise Mine — Forest Service
- Berghof Lode — Forest Service
- Gold King — BLM/Public Lands
- Twentieth Century Claim — Forest Service
- Velvet Valley — Forest Service
- Calumet Iron Mine — Public Access
- Howes Gulch Mines — Public Access
How to Identify Pyrite
Pyrite is brassy metallic yellow with crystals as sharp cubes or 12-sided balls, faces often striated. The fool’s-gold test is simple: pyrite is hard (6–6.5) and brittle — a knife point makes it crumble to greenish-black powder — while real gold is soft, dents, and leaves a yellow streak. Pyrite is also noticeably lighter than gold.
Not sure what you found? Try our identification guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find pyrite in Colorado?
Colorado has 50 mapped sites where pyrite have been reported. The best-known are South Platte Pegmatite District, Blue Jay Mine, and Hazel Marie Group. Each listing on the map above includes GPS coordinates, access type, and what has been found there.
How many pyrite sites are mapped in Colorado?
We have 50 documented pyrite sites in Colorado, compiled from community submissions and published locality records and reviewed by the Rockhounding.org Research Team.
Is it legal to collect pyrite in Colorado?
Casual collecting is generally allowed on BLM and National Forest land for personal, non-commercial use — the standard BLM limit is 25 lbs per day plus one specimen. National parks, monuments, and many state parks prohibit collecting, and private land always requires the owner's permission. Check the site report for each location and verify current land status before you dig.
How do I identify pyrite?
Pyrite is brassy metallic yellow with crystals as sharp cubes or 12-sided balls, faces often striated. The fool’s-gold test is simple: pyrite is hard (6–6.5) and brittle — a knife point makes it crumble to greenish-black powder — while real gold is soft, dents, and leaves a yellow streak. Pyrite is also noticeably lighter than gold.
What should I bring to collect pyrite?
The basics: a rock hammer, safety glasses, gloves, a bucket or padded bag for specimens, and a GPS app with the coordinates from this page. Add a spray bottle — wetting a stone makes color and banding far easier to judge in the field.
⚠️ 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: USGS Mineral Resources Data System, community submissions — reviewed and approved by the Rockhounding.org Research Team. Always verify current land status, regulations, and access before visiting any site.