Minerals and Geology - Quartz on the Ouachita National Forest

Quartz

By: John C. Nichols, Former Forest Geologist

[photo] Quartz

Contents:

Quartz Introduction

Note: The reference bibleography for this section is located in the Minerals and Geology Webpage.

Quartz is silicon dioxide (SiO2), the most abundant mineral in the world. Quartz crystals from the Ouachita Mountains in the area of the Ouachita National Forest are highly prized and eagerly sought by rockhounders, mineral collectors, and the general public as well. This area is one of the few in the world that produces large quantities of high quality quartz crystal. Many mines for quartz crystal exist in the Ouachita Mountains. Approximately 40 active mining operations are on the Ouachita National Forest alone. Mine sites are relatively small, generally occuping less than an acre of land. Five mines on the Forest are up to 6 acres in size (several quartz mines on private lands off of the Forest are 40 to 60 acres in size). All mines on the Forest are reclaimed by the operator as wildlife openings to benefit other forest resources as well.

For the general public, collecting this valued mineral is relatively easy from those mines that allow public digging for a fee. The Mount Ida Chamber of Commerce can be contacted for information on fee mines in the Mount Ida area. There are also fee quartz mines in the Jessieville and Perryville, Arkansas areas. The Arkansas Geological Commission has links to many quartz mine web pages.

The Ouachita National Forest has developed a free use quartz crystal collecting area on the Womble Ranger District, located near Mt. Ida, Arkansas. For more information contact:

Womble Ranger District, Mount Ida, Arkansas telephone: 501-867-2101
 

Or visit the Ouachita National Forest Hompage to get information on these and other Ouachita Ranger Districts.

top of page

[photo] Crystal

Quartz Mining History

Prehistory to early 1980's -- Historical prospects and excavations of quartz crystal in the Ouachita Mountains have occurred sporadically at locations from the Mt. Ida to the Jessieville and Perryville, Arkansas, areas. A.E.J. Engel, who worked closely with Hugh Miser mapped extensively and identified quartz crystal prospects and deposits within the quartz belt in the 1940's and 50's (Engel, 1951). Of the 58 sites reported by Engel, 7 were within the Crystal Mountain sandstone formation. Of the 7 sites, 3 had been prospected in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Of the 4 remaining sites 3 had reported production during World War II. Quartz mining was considered an essential mining industry by the War Department during the war years because of the need for oscillator grade quartz in military communications equipment. (Engel, 1951). During that time some of the most famous quartz mining occurred on Fisher Mountain in the Mt. Ida area. The Fisher Mountain mine was the only underground quartz mine in the Ouachita Mountains. In the 1940's, A.E.J. Engel mapped in detail the major quartz vein systems and mines in the Ouachita Mountains.

A good history of Quartz mining throughout the Ouachita Mountains can be found in A.E.J. Engle's professional publication titled "Quartz Crystal Deposits of Western Arkansas", published in 1952 by the U.S. Geological Survey as U.S.G.S. Bulletin 973-E.. A number of the following historical facts are taken from that report:

Mining for quartz crystal has occurred since Native Americans occupied the Ouachita Mountains. Cultural evidence has been found indicating that quartz crystal was fashioned into arrowheads, used in rituals, and as trade stock with other tribes. Many of the quartz mines from Native American mining efforts would have been obliterated by historic mining activities. However, there are several sites that, with more work by archeologists and geologists, may one day prove to be remnant prehistory quartz mines.

The interest in quartz crystal continued when pioneers and settlers moved into the area in the 1800's. Reports of crystal mining and sales totalling about $1000 are noted as early as 1859, and coming primarily from the Crystal Mountains in Montgomery County. Quartz crystal sales in 1890 were estimated to be about $5000. Quartz crystal mining declined with a drop in the tourist population in the early 1900's, but picked back up in the late 1920's when paved roads were constructed in the Ouachitas.

In a 1942 report by the Arkansas Geological Commission, it was noted that the "crystal fields have been hunted so throughly in recent years that it is virtually impossible to find good specimens on the surface" (AGC, 1942). That report also indicated that single crystals in quantities were selling for about $0.60 per pound for mine-run specimens and up to $2.50 per pound for select clear crystals. The report further indicated that Garfield Lewis, operating in Sec. 10 T3S R24W and on a federal lease in SESW Sec. 4 T3S R23W, removed 20,000 pounds of quartz crystals from his federal lease in 1940 and another 20,000 pounds in 1941. Approximately 5-10 percent of the crystals were reported to be "clear", with an average size range of 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter, and the largest weighing 10 pounds. Mr. Lewis later obtained a preference right lease (old BLMA-027767; T3S R24E Sec.4 S1/2SESE) on Gardner Mountain and mined there from 1952 to 1976. In the fall of 1942 the Government took steps to stimulate the mining of quartz crystal specifically to meet the critical demands of the war effort for oscillator grade quartz crystal (cultured quartz crystals grown under laboratory conditions from massive quartz is now utilized for this and related purposes). Most of this subsidized mining appears to have occurred primarily in 1942 and 1943.

A quartz crystal buying station was established in Hot Springs in June 1943, by the Metals Reserve Company. Some 212,600 pounds of crystal, valued at $35,0000 are reported to have been mined primarily for the war effort in 1943 alone. Most of this crystal came from the Blakely Sandstone near Jessieville out of the Blocker Lead / Dierks No.4 mine (100,000 pounds of crystals), from the Diamond Drill Carbon Co. No.4 and 5 mines (16,000 and 22,000 pounds of crystal), the Miller Mountain mine (18,000 pounds of crystal), the McEarl mine (6,700 pounds of crystal) and the Fisher Mountain mine (30,000 pounds of crystal) in the Crystal Mountain Sandstone Formation of the Crystal Mountains.

Post War interest in oscillator grade natural quartz crystal essentially ceased with the development of cultured quartz technology. Cultured, or synthetic, quartz crystal utilizes abundant and inexpensive massive white quartz sources, thereby producing more chemically pure products at a lower cost for the electronics and high-tech communications industries. The demand for oscillator grade quartz essentially ceased in the 1960's as the electronics and communications industry became more proficient in culturing high quality quartz crystal for their purposes.

In 1969, it was reported that over half of the quartz crystal mined in Arkansas came out of Garland County. The value reported between 1952 and 1969 was $66,174, primarily from the Coleman mine in Sec. 12, T1S, R20W (Blocker Lead / Dierks No. 4, opened by the Metals Reserve Co. in 1943). It is reported that up to 1969, over 250,000 pounds of quartz crystal had been removed from mines in Garland County, of which around 150,000 pounds was recovered during 1943 and 1944 in response to the war effort, and 43,000 had been recovered prior to 1943. It is further reported that of the 250,000 pounds, only 4,000 pounds were considered "oscillator" grade material useful to the electronics and war industry at that time (Stroud, 1969). The primary historical quartz crystal mines in Garland County include the following (mines still in operation are noted with an asterisk * ):
- T1N R19W Sec.13&14 -- Hamilton Hill diggings; Womble Shale; discovered after 1865, worked 25 years before 1943.
- T1N R19W Sec. 7 -- Dierks quartz crystal area #5; Stanley Shale; operated between 1938-43.
- T1N R19W Sec.31 -- Dierks quartz crystal area #6; Womble Shale; mined 1937-38
- T1S R20W Sec. 1 -- Diamond Drill Carbon Co. #4 and 5 mines; Blakely Sandstone; discovered and operated before 1943.
* T1S R20W Sec. 1 NESW -- McEarl mine; Blakely Sandstone; operated from 1940 to present.
* T1S R20W Sec.12 W1/2 -- Dierks #4 mine (Coleman mine / Blocker Lead / Geomex mine); Blakely Sandstone; operated from before 1943 to the present. * T1S R21W Sec. 2 S1/2 -- Miller Mountain diggings; Blakely Sandstone; prospected in 1890-1910, and 1928-1942, and operated to the present.

After the war years and with the advent of technology designed to utilize massive quartz for electronic, computer, and other industrial applications, quartz crystal mining was conducted primarily for the tourist and specimen collector (cultured quartz crystals grown under laboratory conditions from massive quartz is now utilized for industrial purposes). In the mid 1980's a renewed interest in quartz crystal mining was experienced reminiscent of the 1940's war years, but its primary use now is for a very different purpose.

Between the late 1940's and the mid 1980's, the quartz crystal market was primarily influenced by tourists, rockhounders, mineral specimen collectors, jewelry enthusiasts, and others interested in the simple esthetic properties of natural quartz crystal. In the mid 1980's, persons interested in quartz crystal primarily for what they purported to be "metaphysical" and "mystical" properties they associated with it, became the primary influence over the market for high quality natural quartz crystal. Popular media sources such as TIME magazine, ABC NEWS "20/20", OMNI magazine, numerous newspapers and many others, reported on this market and the accompanying fad interest in quartz crystal (TIME, 1987; ABC, 1987; OMNI, 1987; Arkansas Democrat, 1987).

The Great Quartz Crystal "Rush" -- Between 1986 and into the early 1990's, there was a "rush" on the Forest specifically for mining quartz crystal predicated by an extraordinary national and international social interest in crystalline quartz. This resulted in a 300% increase in mining activities for quartz crystal on the Ouachita National Forest. The sources of information for the following general "recent" history are from personal experience, and numerous discussions with quartz miners and dealers in the Ouachitas through these years.

- Up until 1986, in the period from 1975 thru 1985, the Forest worked with a total of 20 quartz crystal operations, averaging two active operations per year. In that time period, the primary market for quartz crystal was the "rockhounder", specimen collector, and museum quality interests. In 1985, the best quality quartz crystal was selling for around $30 per pound.

- In 1986, the Forest worked with 25 quartz crystal operations in that year alone. Prices for the best quality quartz crystal jumped to around $50 per pound as a result of increasing market influence and demand from metaphysical and paranormal interests. In September 1986, the first competitive quartz crystal lease sale in the country was held on the Ouachita National Forest for an 80-acre tract in the Womble Ranger District (ES-36588; T3S R24W Sec.4). The tract sold for $22,200 and was the first real indication of the value being placed by quartz crystal interests in their desire to obtain rights to mine this mineral.

- In 1987, the Forest worked with 43 quartz crystal operations, and with another 28 proposals being developed, for a total of 71 cases involving mining claim groups and hardrock permits and leases covering between 11,000 to 25,000 acres of the Ouachita National Forest. Early in 1987 the price for best quality quartz crystal jumped again to around $100 per pound as a result of full market influence and demand from interests other than "rockhounders" and specimen collectors.

- In 1988, while the market for quartz crystal remained good, the price began to drop for lower grades of crystal in the late summer of 1988 as an apparent result of a large amount of good quality crystal that had been introduced primarily into the American market from overseas sources and from the increased local mining activity. In the fall of 1988, Federal legislation was enacted through Section 323 of Public Law 100-446 (enacted September 27, 1988) that changed the permitting and regulating of quartz operations on the Ouachita National Forest. This legislation also affected the way that over 55 pending proposals would be handled.

- In 1989, lower grade quartz crystal prices dropped back to pre-1986 levels, while best quality material remained relatively strong. Even though the quartz crystal market was relatively weaker now, the new procedures for mining quartz on the Ouachita National Forest resulted in the sale of over 155 quartz mining contracts, and brought in over $20,000 of additional revenue (50% of which is returned to the State for county school and road programs). The Ouachita National Forest was involved with more than 200 quartz crystal related operations, contracts, and activities by the end of 1989.

In 1989 and 1990, holders of quartz mining claims on the Ouachita National Forest voluntarily relinquished 502 mining claims and obtained Forest Service issued Quartz Contracts under P.L.100-446 Sec.323. The relinquished claims represented 99% of the mining claims for quartz on the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas.

Competitive sales for quartz mining began in 1989. Between 1989 and 1996 over 200 contracts for quartz have been issued to the public for mining on the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas. At the end of 1996 there were 50 active contracts on the Forest. Revenue from this program is approximately $45,000 per year from competitive bids and from annual contract fees.

top of page

[photo} Large Quartz Crystal Cluster

Same but Different...

Here, reference to quartz as "industrial grade" and as "crystalline" is made only to distinguish between two distinctly different markets, demands, uses, mining methods, and pricing for quartz.

Industrial Grade Quartz -- Quartz used in the electronics, computer and other high tech industries, must be of a very high chemical purity (generally less than: 20 ppm Aluminum, 3 ppm Iron, 10 ppm Sodium (from: G.Coleman, 1987). While either the massive or the crystal form of quartz may meet the high purity standards, it is typically only the massive, milky, translucent, non-"visibly crystalline" form that is actually mined specifically for these industrial purposes. Also often referred to as "bull quartz", industrial grade quartz is crushed and processed to produce various products including synthetic, or man-grown "cultured" quartz crystals from which other products, such as computer chip wafers, are cut or otherwise processed. A local industrial grade quartz operation on private lands near Paron, Arkansas, just east of the Winona Ranger District, is mining a 30 to 60 foot wide massive quartz vein. This material is quarried in a manner similar to high volume aggregate operations and sold for a few cents to a few dollars per pound depending, again, on its' chemical purity. The price for industrial grade quartz has remained relatively stable through the years. On the other hand, quartz crystal is typically not used for industrial applications because it can be sold at a much higher price in non-industrial markets. There is no relationship in the markets or prices between industrial grade quartz and quartz crystal and, in fact, the price for quartz crystal has significantly changed over the past few years.

Natural Quartz Crystal -- Quartz crystal mining is by far the most prevalent mining related activity on the Ouachita National Forest at this time. The Ouachita National Forest and adjacent lands contain major quartz crystal bearing veins in several geologic formations within a significant crystal bearing belt or zone approximately 30 to 40 miles wide by 70 to 90 miles long through the eastern and southern portions of the Forest. This zone encompasses the Winona, Jessieville, Caddo, Womble and Oden Ranger Districts through Perry, Garland and Montgomery Counties. The principle quartz crystal producing formations are the Crystal Mountain Sandstone and Blakley Sandstone Formations. The Jackfork Sandstone, Bigfork Chert, Stanley and several other Formations are also known producers, but are generally considered to be not as prolific as the Crystal Mountain and Blakley Formations. Quartz veins may extend for many hundreds of feet, often occur in repeated parallel and crosscutting arrangements, and typically are parallel with the east/west structural trend of the ridges. The veins range in size from several inches in width up to a reported 30-60 foot width in Arkansas, and 100 foot width in Oklahoma (Miser, 1959). However, the typical and more common crystal producing veins are from several inches to several feet in width. The crystal typically occurs in pockets that vary from inches to many feet in diameter. The quartz crystals produced from this zone are reputed to be among the best in the world.

top of page

Quartz Mining Categories

Quartz crystal activities can be generally divided into three relative categories:

Rockhounding: activities conducted by those persons interested only in quartz crystal collecting or rockhounding as a hobby or personal pursuit or for other non-commercial purpose. The value rockhounders place on crystals they dig is purely subjective and does not reflect true market value or take into account costs typically associated with exploration, mining, and process in a commercial enterprise. A site that may be highly "valuable" to a rockhounder may be of no "value" whatsoever to a commercial operator because their respective criteria for determining "value" can be very different.

Part-time Pursuit: those persons interested in looking for and digging quartz crystal to supplement income from other non-mining sources. This category would include those persons who would mine full time if or when they find a pocket of marketable crystal. In such cases, once the pocket is mined out they typically return to a part-time search for the next pocket. Quartz prospecting would come under this category.

Full-time Commercial: those operators whose primary purpose is to explore for and develop quartz crystal sites would enter this category. The prospecting for and mining of quartz crystal is their sole interest and source of income. These businesses will generally be the largest employers of quartz diggers. In the Ouachita Mountains, during peak mining periods, companies in this category may employ up to 20 persons to explore, mine, process and sell quartz crystal.

Persons operating in any of the above categories often describe themselves as "quartz miners." All quartz prospecting and mining related activities in the Ouachita Mountains are surface operations, whether they are conducted by a recreational digger or by a part or full-time commercial operator. Regardless of the category, the actual "mining" of quartz crystal is a labor intensive activity requiring, in many ways, more patience, persistence and experience than actual formal training. The following is a description of the typical activity levels in all quartz related operations in the Ouachita Mountains. Rockhounding, a noncommercial recreational activity, is included because of the large number of people that annually visit the Ouachita Mountains and the Forest to pursue this past-time for their personal enjoyment.

top of page

[photo] active quartz mine

Quartz Crystal Mining Operations

General -- Public Domain status and Acquired status National Forest lands within the quartz crystal zone are intermixed. Quartz crystal producing formations and crystal bearing veins trend across both land status designations. Prior to 1988, this resulted in different permitting and processing operations specific to the federal laws and regulations governing mining on Public Domain status and Acquired status lands in the National Forest. Legislation enacted on September 27, 1988, changed and simplified the legal permitting procedures for quartz on the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansa, so that quartz operators were required to deal with only the local Forest Service District Ranger regardless of the land status.

Present day quartz crystal mining operations are surface operations generally involving from one to three operators using a single backhoe and occasionally a bulldozer, primarily to remove the overburden from the crystal bearing quartz veins. Several larger operations on private lands adjacent to the Forest employ from 5 to 20 operators, and their mining method is basically the same as the smaller operations. The quartz crystal is contained in pockets within the quartz veins. Once a pocket of quartz crystal is exposed with the backhoe, the actual mining of the crystal is done by hand with tools such as picks and "scratchers". Hand-mining at this point is necessary to reduce the chances of damaging the crystals. Any damage to the crystals caused by mining and handling severely reduces their value in the marketplace. The crystals are then carefully wrapped, placed in baskets, and transported to yards and businesses where they are cleaned, processed, and sold. Most quartz crystal mining occurs only in the upper 15 to 20 feet of the surface. Several larger scale operations in recent years have excavated to depths of approximately 80 feet. In 1987, it was estimated that approximately 250 people were employed in exploration and development (mining) of the quartz crystal resource, and another 250 people were employed in local wholesale and retail sales markets for the quartz.

Commerical: The first step for the commercial operator is to find a potentially favorable site to prospect. The prospector looks for a surface exposed white quartz vein, and then for any surface occurrences of quartz crystal along the trend of the vein. A surface occurrence of quartz crystal may represent a pocket of crystal and generally marks the point where the prospector will begin digging. Once a pocket of crystal has been dug out, the prospector may decide to look for another surface occurrence of crystal or may decide to risk prospecting further along the vein in hopes of finding a deeper pocket. Consequently, the prospector is continually searching, or prospecting, in hopes of finding another pocket of good quality quartz crystal.

The commercial operator, whether full or part-time, has a critical interest in the size of a pocket, quality and quantity of the crystal it may contain, and the cost to access, remove and process it. Because of the obvious financial considerations for their business, they must be able to reasonably anticipate making a profit from the venture. The commercial operator looks primarily for crystal pockets measured in feet and yards. Larger pockets generally exhibit larger better formed and clearer crystals, and plates of crystal clusters. Many commercial operators will also prospect relatively small holes but typically will use mechanized equipment to do so.

The size of quartz operations on the Ouachita National Forest range from less than 1/4 acre up to a maximum of 5 acres, with most of the 40+ operations on the Forest being less than 1/2 acre in size. A number of them are no greater than 10'x10'x5' deep, or are no more than narrow trenches less than 20' deep and 40' long that follow the strike of a surface exposed vein. Only four operations on the Forest have highwalls from 30' to 50' and upwards of 100' long. The two largest operations in the Ouachita Mountains are being conducted on private lands and are each about 50 to 60 acres in size with 50' to 80' highwalls, and with working faces that extend for several hundred feet.

The typical commercial quartz crystal operations in the Ouachita Mountains, whether considered part-time or full-time, are conducted by 2 to 4 persons using a backhoe/front end loader. Only a few operations are large enough to utilize a combination of bulldozers, excavators, and backhoes on a regular basis. Regardless of the size of the operation, there is a wide variety of sizes and types of wheeled and track mounted backhoes and excavators in use on quartz operations in the Ouachita Mountains. In general, only the few larger operations utilize the heavy mechanized equipment almost full time in their mining operations. Part-time operations often involve the use of rented or contracted equipment. Some operators will use equipment they own primarily for construction or non-mining excavation type work, to prospect during slack periods in their main jobs.

The primary purpose for the bulldozer is to efficiently remove overburden. The backhoe or excavator, which can also be used to remove overburden, is the principle equipment utilized to expose the quartz veins and then to excavate the veins in hopes of uncovering a pocket of quartz crystal.

Explosives in quartz prospecting are used, but sparingly to avoid causing damage to any possible occurrences of quartz crystal. Whenever possible, the rock is ripped or otherwise worked by a backhoe until a pocket is found and exposed. If explosives must be used then a drill rig or a compressor and rock drill are used to drill an appropriate hole pattern. The holes are then charged with only the minimal amount of explosive necessary to loosen the rock and allow the backhoe or bulldozer to continue removing it.

If a pocket of crystal is encountered, the equipment is stopped and the operator moves to the working face to begin carefully exposing and removing the crystal by hand. All quartz crystal is removed by hand regardless of the size of the operation. As noted by Mr. Ocus Stanley, a long time and highly respected quartz expert in Mount Ida, Arkansas, "In the strictest sense crystals are not mined; they are dug, a pick and shovel being the standard equipment." (Stanley, circa 1980; RE: U.S.B.M., 1990, #64). Quartz operators use pry bars, scrapers, picks, mauls and chisels, even dental tools in some cases, and other tools that are often homemade and individualized by the operator for this purpose. Great care is taken in handling any crystal because it is essential to remove it in such a manner that it is not even slightly damaged. Any damage to a crystal caused by the mining or processing method, or from careless removal, is easily detected and often renders the crystal worthless.

Most pockets are filled with clay that also serves as a natural packing material somewhat helping to protect the crystal during removal. However, it also obscures the quality and quantity of the crystal at the mine site. Any crystals that may be found are removed and wrapped in newspaper and placed in wooden baskets, cardboard boxes, plastic buckets or other appropriate containers which in turn are typically transported in pickups or other passenger vehicles. The containers of uncleaned crystal may be sold in bulk to a quartz dealer, or may end up at the operators' home or business where it is cleaned and prepared for sale.

Noncommercial (Rockhounding): The rockhounder may be attracted to almost any surface occurrence of crystal simply because their interest is strictly personal and non-commercial. Consequently, many rockhounders are happy to find even the smallest of pockets, and remove and keep even the poorest quality and smallest crystals in their personal and hobby crystal digging pursuits. They often expend a great deal of time and money to do so, and with no anticipation of recovering their expenses or concern for financial gain. The rockhounder typically creates hand-dug holes less than 5' to 10' in diameter and only several feet deep. They do not utilize mechanized equipment, and are on site for only a few hours, or may return to the same site repeatedly for several days in a row if they are camping or staying nearby. While their hand digging and prying tools are often much like the commercial operator's, beyond that there is little comparison.

Processing: The crystals are removed from the containers and set on tables or mesh wire platforms and then hosed off with water using a garden hose with a spray attachment, or a high pressure spray hose, to remove the clay and dirt. They are then placed on trays in a covered vat of a weak oxalic acid solution (generally mixed at 1 lb. per 3 gallons of fresh water; Oxalic acid can be purchased for about $3 per pound). The oxalic acid is a bleaching agent that neutralizes iron staining that typically coats the surface of quartz crystals. The vats can be of any size but generally are 50 to 500 gallon containers that are heated either by a wood or gas source. The oxalic acid solution and crystals in the vat are slowly heated to just under boil at about 180 to 200 degrees Faranheit and held at that temperature for 4 to 5 hours, and then allowed to re-cool to room temperature (Sinkankis, 1970, pages 289-292; Jones, 1986, page 63; Arkansas Democrat, 1987, pages 9 & 11; Mitchell, 1984, pages 26 & 27; Nagin, 1986, page 41). It may be necessary to repeat the oxalic bath processes if the iron staining is particularly severe. The crystals are then removed and thoroughly rewashed with water (if the oxalic acid is not completely washed off the crystals it can permanently stain them yellow thereby significantly downgrading their value). The cleaned crystals are then sorted and graded, and are ready for sale.

top of page

Quartz Crystal Production

Prices for high grade quartz crystal are remaining relatively high, although during the summer of 1988 lower grade material prices trended downward due to flooding of the market with low and medium grade material. High grade material only represents from 0 to 20 percent of the total material from most mines. The quality of the crystal varies from mine to mine and results in a wide variation in the proportion of high, medium, and low grades of quartz crystal.

The U.S. Department of Interior, Minerals Management Service, in its' 1986 Annual Report, indicated that a total of 1.7 million pounds of quartz crystal had been produced between 1920-1981. It is anticipated that much of this crystal was mined during World War II when quartz crystal was in demand by the war industry for use as oscillators in radio equipment primarily required by the military (cultured quartz crystals grown under laboratory conditions from massive quartz is now utilized for this and related purposes).

Federal production records for quartz crystal from leases on Acquired status federal lands of the Ouachita National Forest in the periods noted below indicates the following:

* 1946-56 Average Annual Lease Production 2,660 pounds per year
* 1957-67 Average Annual Lease Production 8,745 pounds per year
* 1968-78 Average Annual Lease Production 10,124 pounds per year
* 1979-85 Average Annual Lease Production 24,131 pounds per year
* 1986 Reports from 3 Producing Leases 43,217 pounds in 1986
* 1987 Reports from 5 Producing Leases 87,133 pounds in 1987
* 1988 Reports from 4 Producing Leases 40,296 pounds in 1988
* 1989: Jan. thru July (4 prod. Leases) 5,900 pounds (partial)

Production records are not available for minerals produced from public domain status Forest lands prior to 1989. However, it is estimated that as much quartz crystal was produced from those lands as reported to have been produced from the leases on acquired status lands where production records are required. In 1987 it was estimated that the average overall value for quartz crystal in the Ouachitas was about $2 to $5 per pound (based on wholesale dealer total average value for all grades of cleaned quartz crystal of from $2 to $5 per pound). Consequently, conservative figures for total quartz crystal removed from the Ouachita National Forest in 1987 is estimated to be about 190,000 pounds (reported production from leases + estimated production from operations on public domain status lands), with an estimated average wholesale value of from $380,000 to $950,000 in 1987. In addition, a significant but undisclosed amount of quartz crystal is removed from private lands adjacent to the Forest and within the quartz crystal zone. Also in 1987, it was estimated that at least 250 people were employed in exploration and production (mining) of quartz crystal, with at least another 250 people employed in sales, in the Ouachitas.

(updated January 27, 1999 -- John C. Nichols, Forest Geologist, Ouachita National Forest



Alerts & Warnings

View All Alerts