Where can I find Benitoite gems?
John Thompson
Published May 11, 2026
Benitoite has been confirmed from several locations around the world, but gem quality crystals have only been found at the historic Dallas claim (popularly known as the “Benitoite Gem mine”) and the nearby Junnila claim, both located in the New Idria district, San Benito County, California.
Beside this, how much does Benitoite cost?
A clean, rare 1 carat cut benitoite sells between $6500 and $8000, depending on color, cut and clarity. The cost increases greatly as the size of the cut stone increases due to the rarity of large facet grade crystals.
Secondly, where can I find Benitoite elite dangerous? Benitoite is a rare mineral Mineral Commodity that can be mined from Hotspots in rocky Planetary Ring Systems using the Seismic Charge Launcher.
Keeping this in consideration, where is the best place to find gems?
Top Spots for Gem Hunting in the US
- Hiddenite, North Carolina.
- Murfreesboro, Arkansas.
- Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
- Franklin, North Carolina.
- Philipsburg, Montana.
- Amelia, Virginia.
- Virgin Valley, Nevada.
- Denio, Nevada.
What gemstones can be found in California?
The Epicenter of Gems in California
- Tourmaline Queen Mine (tourmaline, garnet)
- Elizabeth R Mine (morganite, aquamarine)
- Anita Mine (spodumene, morganite)
- White Queen (morganite)
- Pala Chief Mine (kunzite)
- Tourmaline King Mine (tourmaline)
- Stewart Mine (morganite)
- Himalaya Mine (tourmaline, beryl)
Related Question Answers
What is the rarest gem?
PainiteWhat stone is rarer than a diamond?
Diamonds are one of the most valuable precious stones around, but not because diamonds are especially rare. In fact, high-quality emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are all rarer in nature than diamonds.What's the most expensive birthstone?
Which birthstones are the most valuable? Typically, diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire command the highest prices.What is the most expensive stone in the world?
- Red Diamond - $1,000,000 per carat. Red Diamonds (abcnews.com)
- Taaffeite - $35,000 per carat. Taaffeite (Credit: Multicolour.com)
- Grandidierite - $20,000 per carat.
- Serendibite - $18,000 per carat.
- Diamond - $15,000 per carat.
- Alexandrite - $12,000 per carat.
- Red Beryl - $10,000 per carat.
- Musgravite - $6,000 per carat.
How hard is Benitoite?
Benitoite fluoresces under short wave ultraviolet light, appearing bright blue to bluish white in color. The more rarely seen clear to white benitoite crystals fluoresce red under long-wave UV light.| Benitoite | |
|---|---|
| Mohs scale hardness | 6 - 6.5 |
| Luster | Vitreous |
| Streak | White |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent to translucent |
How do you identify Benitoite?
How do you identify Benitoite? This occurs in low temperature, high-pressure conditions typical of subduction zones at the edge of the converging plate. Under short wave ultraviolet light, benitoite fluoresces which appear bright blue to bluish white in colour.What does Painite look like?
Painite is a very rare borate mineral. The mineral also contains trace amounts of chromium and vanadium, which are responsible for Painite's typically orange-red to brownish-red color, similar to topaz. The mineral's rarity is due to the fact that zirconium and boron rarely interact with each other in nature.How much are diamonds worth?
Calculating Diamond Price Per Carat| Diamond Carat Weight | Price (Per Carat, Round Brilliant Cut) |
|---|---|
| 1.0 carat | $2,500 – $18,000 |
| 1.50 carat | $3,400 – $24,000 |
| 2.0 carat | $4,200 – $29,000 |
| 3.0 carat | $7,200 – $51,000 |
What is the easiest gemstone to find?
Quartz is one of the easiest materials to find. Amethyst, agate, carnelian, and citrine are some gemstone varieties of quartz. Pure quartz is colorless, and impurities in the quartz are what can give it the vibrant colors you find in gemstones.Can you find gems in creeks?
Any mineral or gemstone that forms as a result of geologic processes can be found in stream beds. Quartz is the most common crystal on earth and is often found in streams. It's not uncommon to find amethyst, jasper, topaz and beryl in stream beds.Where can I dig for sapphires?
Montana's many colored sapphires are mined in the famous placer gravels in the Sapphire Mountains near Philipsburg about 200 miles northwest of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the sapphires are found in the famed Rock Creek deposit, nicknamed "Gem Mountain." Gold miners discovered sapphires there in the 1890's.How can you tell if a rock is a diamond?
The only hardness test that will identify a diamond is scratching corundum. Corundum, which includes all rubys and sapphires, is 9 on the hardiness scale. If your suspected diamond crystal can scratch corundum, then there is a good chance that you found a diamond. But NO OTHER HARDNESS TEST will identify a diamond.Can you find gems in rivers?
Gemstone deposits that are carried by rivers are called placers or alluvial deposits. Rivers can transport gem-bearing rock many hundreds of miles.Which country has the most gemstones?
Sri LankaCan you find gemstones on the beach?
Beach gemstones, are often a great surprise for beachcombers. Yes, there is a good number of beach rocks and pebbles that are gemstones (minerals or not),semi-precious or even precious (more rarely though). There is an incredible variety of beach stone gems that could be found while beach combing for shells.Where can you find Opals in the US?
A variety of gemstones have been found in Nevada, and the state is well-known for its opal. After Australia, some of the finest black opals in the world come from Virgin Valley, Nevada.Where can I find Painite elite dangerous?
Painite is a rare Mineral Commodity that can be obtained by mining metallic or metal-rich Planetary Ring Systems, or by salvaging cargo canisters from certain signal sources.Where can I sell Alexandrite elite dangerous?
Where to sell Alexandrite for best price Filter carriersFilter small padsFilter surface| Location | Pad | Sell price |
|---|---|---|
| Alvarado Ring | LHS 3885✂? | L | 534,635 Cr |
| Smoot Station | Chona ✂? | L | 528,066 Cr |
| Iben Orbital | Chona ✂? | M | 528,066 Cr |
| Volynov Hub | Ross 47✂? | M | 524,489 Cr |
Where can I dig for gems in California?
Where You Can Find Minerals and Gemstones in California?- Himalaya Mine, Mesa Grande District, California.
- Gold Prospecting Adventures, Jamestown, California.
- The OceanView Mine, San Diego County, California.
- Opal Hill Mine, Mule Mountains District, Riverside Co., California.
Where can I find opals in California?
Your destination is Opal Canyon, the Mojave Desert home of two opal mines that allow visitors to hunt and keep the fabled semiprecious stones. The Kern County mines are the only known sources of gem-fire opals in California, and one of only three recognized opal fields in the United States.What rocks are gemstones found in?
Gemstones occur in most major geologic environments.Most gemstones are found in igneous rocks and alluvial gravels, but sedimentary and metamorphic rocks may also contain gem materials.
Can Jade be found in California?
Along the rocky coastal stretch of Big Sur in California there are number of spots where jade stone can be found. Some of the areas where one can look for jade are Willow Creek, Gem Cove, San Simeon, Jade Cove and Sand Dollar Beach. However the quality of the jade found here is not of particularly high quality.Where are diamonds found in California?
Butte County DiamondsBy far, the most documented source of diamonds in California come from Cherokee Flat in Butte County. This is a historic gold mining areas that was extensively mined during the first decade following the California Gold Rush. It was one of the biggest mining sites in California at one time.
