Where to Find Copper in New Mexico: 153 Mapped Sites
New Mexico has 153 documented sites where copper have been reported, and the best-known are Gold Bar Group, Sprouse-Copeland Mines, and Big Three Prospect. Every site is mapped below with GPS coordinates and links to a full report of access and what's been found there. 4 of the 153 sites are on public-access land.
Last updated: — data compiled by the Rockhounding.org Research Team · methodology
Copper Map: New Mexico
All 153 copper sites in New Mexico. Click a pin for the full site report.
Where Copper Are Found in New Mexico
Look on old mine dumps in copper districts and, in the Lake Superior country, in basalt flows and glacial float. Oxidized surface zones of copper deposits also carry malachite, azurite, and cuprite.
The richest reported sites in New Mexico: Gold Bar Group, Sprouse-Copeland Mines, Big Three Prospect, Jones Mine, Joy Group.
Of the 153 sites, 4 are public access. Check each site report for current land status before you go.
All Copper Sites in New Mexico
- Gold Bar Group — Forest Service
- Sprouse-Copeland Mines — Forest Service
- Big Three Prospect — BLM/Public Lands
- Jones Mine — Forest Service
- Joy Group — Forest Service
- Mineral Creek — Forest Service
- Picuris District — BLM/Public Lands
- Pinos Altos Mine — Forest Service
- Ajax Tunnel Prospect — Forest Service
- Amizette Prospects — Forest Service
- Barite Hill No. 1 Prospect — Forest Service
- Bear Canyon Prospect — Forest Service
- Black Knife — BLM/Public Lands
- Dewey and White Swan Mines — BLM/Public Lands
- Eighty Four Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- El Oro and La Plata Group — BLM/Public Lands
- Gypsy Iv Group — Forest Service
- Hansonburg Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Hop Williams Mine — Forest Service
- Hornet Group — Forest Service
- Lead Mountain — BLM/Public Lands
- Little Baldy Tunnel — Forest Service
- Live Oak Prospect — Forest Service
- Margie Ann — Forest Service
- Mex-Tex Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Name Unknown — BLM/Public Lands
- New York Group — Forest Service
- Rialto Group — Forest Service
- Silver Bell — Forest Service
- Silver Load and Silver Streak — Forest Service
- Silver Trail Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Standard Metal Min. & Mill Co — Forest Service
- Strozzi Prospect — Forest Service
- Summit — Forest Service
- Summit Deposit — Forest Service
- Tenderfoot Creek Prospects — Forest Service
- Toggery Mine ? — Forest Service
- Vindicator — BLM/Public Lands
- Wagon Wheel Group — Forest Service
- Wasp Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Barnett Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Black Hawk Mine — Forest Service
- Blue Sky Prospect — Forest Service
- Buckhorn Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Buffalo and Mountain View Prospects — Forest Service
- Central District: Bayard Subdistrict — BLM/Public Lands
- Continental Breccia Pipe — BLM/Public Lands
- Copper Prospect — Forest Service
- Cresent Lode Mine — BLM/Public Lands
- Crummy Number One Prospect — Forest Service
Showing 50 of 153 sites — every site appears on the map above.
How to Identify Copper
Native copper shows a salmon-red metallic gleam on any fresh or scratched surface, usually hiding under a green or black tarnish crust. It is malleable — a hammer dents it rather than shattering it — and far heavier than the rock around it. Green malachite staining on outcrop is the classic pointer to copper mineralization nearby.
Not sure what you found? Try our identification guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find copper in New Mexico?
New Mexico has 153 mapped sites where copper have been reported. The best-known are Gold Bar Group, Sprouse-Copeland Mines, and Big Three Prospect. Each listing on the map above includes GPS coordinates, access type, and what has been found there.
How many copper sites are mapped in New Mexico?
We have 153 documented copper sites in New Mexico, compiled from community submissions and published locality records and reviewed by the Rockhounding.org Research Team.
Is it legal to collect copper in New Mexico?
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 copper?
Native copper shows a salmon-red metallic gleam on any fresh or scratched surface, usually hiding under a green or black tarnish crust. It is malleable — a hammer dents it rather than shattering it — and far heavier than the rock around it. Green malachite staining on outcrop is the classic pointer to copper mineralization nearby.
What should I bring to collect copper?
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.