About this location
Monterey is a town on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau in Putnam County, Tennessee, named for the "Standing Stone" landmark before its 1901 incorporation. The DB lists this as a source for calcite, celestite, dolomite, fluorite, and quartz — but that specimen list doesn't line up cleanly with what's documented for Putnam County specifically. Official mine records for the county (via USGS-derived mining databases) show historic production of oil shale, uranium, barium-barite, iron, and sulfur-pyrite — not fluorite or celestite. Tennessee's genuinely famous fluorite-celestite locality is the Elmwood and Gordonsville mines in neighboring Smith County, roughly 40–60 miles west, a world-class barite-fluorite-celestite deposit. This looks like it could be a mix-up between the two counties, or a genuine but undocumented local occurrence — either way, it needs verification before publishing this specimen list as fact for Monterey itself.
Always seek permission where required, follow local laws, and practice Leave No Trace. Locations and details are community-submitted and may be inaccurate. Not sure what's legal here? Read our full guide to rockhounding laws by land type.
Found Here
UNVERIFIED at the site-specific level, and flagged as a likely discrepancy:
- Quartz — plausible; the Cumberland Plateau's chert and quartz-bearing rock is common across this part of Tennessee.
- Calcite, dolomite — plausible as common carbonate minerals in the region's limestone.
- Celestite, fluorite — NOT documented for Putnam County in the sources checked. Tennessee's known celestite-fluorite locality is Smith County's Elmwood/Gordonsville mines, not Putnam County. Treat these two specifically as unconfirmed for Monterey until a site-specific source is found.
Difficulty
Getting there
Monterey is on the Cumberland Plateau in Putnam County, Tennessee, along the historic Avery Trace route. UNVERIFIED: any specific collecting site, road, or trail within or near the town.
Collecting here
UNVERIFIED. No specific method, site, or access point could be confirmed for mineral collecting at or near Monterey.
Know before you go
Land status and even the accuracy of this location's specimen list are UNVERIFIED — confirm both before treating this as a collecting destination. If you're specifically after celestite or fluorite in Tennessee, the well-documented locality is the Elmwood/Gordonsville mine area in Smith County, not Monterey — worth checking that this DB entry isn't a county mix-up before publishing.
Location on Map
Coordinates: 36.17812, -85.28770
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Frequently asked questions
What minerals are found near Monterey, Tennessee?
Historic mining records for Putnam County, where Monterey is located, document oil shale, uranium, barium-barite, iron, and sulfur-pyrite production — not fluorite or celestite, despite some secondary listings suggesting otherwise; this discrepancy is unresolved.
Is Monterey, Tennessee the same as the famous Tennessee fluorite locality?
No. Tennessee's well-known fluorite and celestite locality is the Elmwood and Gordonsville mine area in Smith County, roughly 40–60 miles west of Monterey in Putnam County — these appear to be distinct places that may have been conflated in some sources.
Is rockhounding allowed near Monterey, Tennessee?
UNVERIFIED — no specific collecting site, land manager, or access rule could be confirmed for this location.
⚠️ 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.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey,_Tennessee — Town history, Cumberland Plateau location, historic coal mining (Cumberland Mountain Coal Company).
- WebSearch results citing https://thediggings.com/usa/tennessee/putnam-tn141 — Putnam County documented mine commodities: oil shale, uranium, barium-barite, iron, sulfur-pyrite; no fluorite or celestite listed.
- WebSearch results citing https://www.mindat.org/locentry-157838.html and https://www.mindat.org/locentry-5315.html (Elmwood Mine and Gordonsville Mine, Smith County, TN) — confirm Tennessee's documented fluorite/celestite locality is in Smith County, not Putnam County; not independently fetched.
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Southeast Treasure Hunter's Gem & Mineral Guide
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