This is just a quick note to announce that I've updated some of the links in the "Discussion Forums" section. There are still a couple of sites that have not had any activity for several years, but I'm leaving them for now as the older posts may still hold valuable information.
Other than that, I hope everyone has a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!
Details are current as of December 31, 2025.
If you know of any shows not listed here or spot any errors in the listings, please leave a note in the comments.
February 2026
Dates: 21–22
Location: Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Sponsor: Maple Ridge Lapidary Club
Venue: Albion Community Center, 24165 104 Ave
Hours: Sat. 10–4, Sun. 10–4
Admission: Donation
Features: Displays, vendors, live auction, demonstrations, crack a Geode, spin and win
Information: Contact Walt Pinder; Email: wpinder1@gmail.com; Website: www.mapleridgelapidaryclub.com
Dates: 21–22
Location: Monroe, Washington
Sponsor: Washington Prospectors Mining Association
Venue: Evergreen State Fairgrounds (Bldg 500), 14405 179th Ave SE
Hours: Sat. 9–5, Sun. 9–4
Admission: $5. Children 13 and under free with adult
Features: Over 40 vendors selling gold, silver, gemstones & jewelry, learn how to pan for gold, presentations by industry experts, how to find Ellensburg Blues, learn about metal detectors, buy prospecting gear, buy and sell gold.
Information: https://washingtonprospectors.org/
March 2026
Dates: 7–8
Location: Caldwell, Idaho
Sponsor: Owyhee Gem & Mineral Society;
Venue: O'Connor Field House, 2207 Blaine Street
Hours: Sat. 10–6, Sun. 10–5
Admission: $5 cash, children 11 & under are free with an adult
Features: Dealers, demonstrations, black light display, showcases, wheel of gems, sand dig, grab bags, silent auction, raffles, door prizes every 30 minutes, plus grand prize giveaways
Information: Contact Susan Cassidy, (603) 548-8822; Email: pypnhot@comcast.net; Website: owyheerocks.com
Dates: 13–15
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Sponsor: Gem Faire
Venue: Westside Commons, 801 NE 34th Ave
Hours: Fri. 12–6, Sat. 10–6, Sun. 10–5
Admission: General admission $7, free admission for children under 12 years old
Features: Fine jewelry, precious & semi-precious gemstones, millions of beads, crystals, gold & silver, unique gifts from around the world & much more at manufacturer’s prices. Buy directly from the importers & wholesalers. Jewelry repair & cleaning while you shop
Information: Contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; Email: info@gemfaire.com; Website: https://gemfaire.com
Dates: 13–15
Location: Central Point, Oregon
Sponsor: Roxy Ann Gem and Mineral Society
Venue: The Expo - Jackson County Fairgrounds, 21 Peninger Road
Hours: Fri. 10–6, Sat. 10–5, Sun. 10–4
Admission: $5, Under 12 are free
Features: There will be vendors with a wide variety of rough to polished specimens, live demos, a raffle, and activities for the kids
Information: Contact Liz Ellingson, Email: gemshow@craterrock.com; Website: www.roxyanngemshow.com
Dates: 14–15
Location: Seattle, Washington
Sponsor: North Seattle Lapidary & Mineral Club
Venue: Crown Hill Center, 9250 14th Ave NE
Hours: Sat. 10–5, Sun. 10–5
Admission: Free
Features: Displays, junior activities, dealers, demonstrations, door prizes
Information: contact Susan Gardner; Email: sgardner3@mindspring.com; Website: www.NorthSeattleRockClub.org
Dates: 20–22
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Sponsor: Gem Faire
Venue: Washington State Fair Event Center, 110 9th Ave. SW
Hours: Fri. 12–6, Sat. 10–6, Sun. 10–5
Admission: General admission $7, Free admission for children under 12 years old
Features: Fine jewelry, precious & semi-precious gemstones, millions of beads, crystals, gold & silver, unique gifts from around the world & much more at manufacturer’s prices. Buy directly from the importers & wholesalers. Jewelry repair & cleaning while you shop. Free parking
Information: contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; Email: info@gemfaire.com; Website: https://gemfaire.com
Dates: 27–29
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Sponsor: Gem Faire
Venue: Lane Events Center, 796 W. 13th Ave
Hours: Fri. 12–6, Sat. 10–6, Sun. 10–5
Admission: General admission $7, Free admission for children under 12 years old
Features: Fine jewelry, precious & semi-precious gemstones, millions of beads, crystals, gold & silver, unique gifts from around the world & much more at manufacturer’s prices. Buy directly from the importers & wholesalers. Jewelry repair & cleaning while you shop. Free parking
Information: contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; Email: info@gemfaire.com; Website: https://gemfaire.com
April 2026
Dates: 17–19
Location: Rickreall, Oregon
Sponsor: Willamete Agate and Mineral
Venue: Polk County Fairgrounds, 520 S Pacific Hwy W
Hours: Fri. 9–5, Sat. 9–5, Sun. 10–4
Admission: Adults $5, 17 and under free
Features: Free parking, food vendor, demonstrators, silent auction, kids' games, display cases, fluorescent show, and guest speakers
Information: Contact Jessica Suitsev; Email: WAMS.RiverofGems@gmail.com; Website: WAMSI.net
Dates: 24–26
Location: Yakima, Washington
Sponsor: Yakima Rock & Mineral Club
Venue: Central Washington State Fair Grounds - Modern Living Bldg, 1301 South Fair Ave
Hours: Fri. 10–4, Sat. 10–5, Sun. 10–4
Admission: (Not yet available.)
Features: Demonstrations on lapidary equipment, faceting, jewelry making, displays and sales of gemstones, rocks, and minerals from around the world.
Information: http://www.yakimarockclub.com/
Dates: 25–26
Location: Grants Pass, Oregon
Sponsor: Rogue Gem & Geology Club, Inc
Venue: Josephine County Fairgrounds, 1451 Fairgrounds Rd, Pavilion Building
Hours: Sat. 9–5, Sun. 10–4
Admission: Free Admission
Features: Raffle, silent auction, Wheel of Fortune, and a lot of vendors
Information: Contact Michelle Wheeler, (541) 955-0173; Email: 1313althouse@gmail.com; Website: https://www.roguegemandgeology.org/ https://www.facebook.com/GrantsPassRockClub
May 2026
Dates: 2–3
Location: Monroe, Washington
Sponsor: Everett Rock & Gem Club
Venue: Everegreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Ave SE, Weikel Event Center
Hours: Sat. 10–5, Sun. 10–5
Admission: All ages welcome. Free admission
Features: Rocks, gems, jewelry, displays, kids' activities, demonstrations, silent auction, free parking
Information: Contact Candra Burkhardt, (425) 772-3326; Email: Secretary@everettrockclub.com; Website: Everettrockclub.com
Dates: 16–17
Location: Seattle, Washington
Sponsor: Seattle Mineral Market
Venue: Hanger 30 Building @ Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE
Hours: Sat. 10–6, Sun. 11–5
Admission: $7. Free admission for children 14 and under
Features: Over 60 dealers in minerals, fossils, gems, jewelry, mineral art and more, door prizes, free rocks for kids, free parking
Information: https://elementalendeavors.com/seattle-mineral-market
June 2026
Dates: 17–21
Location: Prineville, Oregon
Sponsor: Prineville Rockhound Pow Wow
Venue: Crook County Fairgrounds, 1280 South Main Street
Hours: Wed. 9–5, Thu. 9–5, Fri. 9–5, Sat. 9–5, Sunday, open at 9am, close at 3pm
Admission: Free Admission
Features: Over 40 vendors from across the US, 80th anniversary party with Music and food Events for the public, 4 days of Field Trips
Information: Contact Jim McCoy, (503) 999-8045; Facebook: Prineville Rockhound PowWow; Website: www.prineville.rocks.com
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.
Hello readers!
I am in the process of reviewing and updating the links in the right-hand sidebar. At this point I have finished the "Discussion Forums" and "Clubs and Organizations" sections. A few of the sites linked have closed and a few others have changed their addresses. Everything in those two sections is now up-to-date. I will continue the review and update process over the next few weeks. If anyone knows of a site that might be of use or interest to other readers and that is not listed in the sidebar, please leave a comment on this post and I will look into adding it.
Thanks for visiting.
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| From Washington Geological Survey, Bulletin No. 1, Geology and Ore Deposits of Republic Mining District, 1910. |
Over the years, beginning in about 1910, several agencies—including the Washington Geological Survey and the USGS—published a variety of reports describing the mines, minerals, and geology of different localities in the state of Washington. These long-out-of-print booklets contain a wealth of information about the various minerals found in the state and the mining operations that worked to extract them.
Thanks to the Washington State Library, many of these works have been digitized and are available on the library's website. Access is free and the documents can be downloaded as PDFs, enabling one to build a collection of this information.
In addition, most of these publications contain a bibliography listing related works that may be worth searching for.
Searching the Washington State Library is easy:
1. Navigate to the library's website at https://www.sos.wa.gov/library/catalog.aspx.
2. Select "Title" in the "Search By:" drop-down box and type a few likely title words in the "Search Words:" box. Then select "Digital Collection" in the "Search In:" section under "Additional Options."
3. Click on the blue "Search" button to the right of your "Search Words" entry.
4. Click on one of the titles displayed in the search results.
5. On the page that loads, click on "View online from Washington State Library" to access the document.
On this page, you will have the option to read the document, download it as a PDF, or print a copy of it.
You can also search by keywords which usually turns up a large selection of documents. Sometimes, you will see a listing like the one below with a link titled, "Website." Clicking on this link will usually take you to a PDF of the selected item.
The publications available from the Washington State Library will allow you to learn a great deal about the history of mining in Washington (and in other locations as well). In addition, you will find information about locations and occurrences for a large variety of minerals as well as details about the mining operations that recovered them.
WARNING: Should you decide to visit any of the old mines or prospects described in this literature, be sure you have permission to visit the property if it is under private ownership, as many of them are. Also, DO NOT ENTER MINE WORKINGS! They are extremely dangerous places. The hazards are too numerous to list but include cave-ins, sharp objects, toxic gases, corrosive waters, wild animals, and vertical shafts, the openings to which can be in the floor of the tunnel and, hidden under debris, could send you plunging straight down for several hundred feet and going "splat" at the bottom. STAY OUT!
To assist you on future visits to the WSM blog, the link to the Washington State Library search page has been added to the right-hand sidebar under "Prospecting Aids."
Have fun and be safe.
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| Photo by Eric Ortner from Pexels |
It seems that decades of warfare against mining operations in the U. S. by eco-terrorists in Congress, state legislatures, and the enforcement arms of various agencies has led our country to an untenable position. There are approximately three dozen key minerals that we need to maintain our present level of technology—namely cell phones, computers, solar and wind power systems, etc. At the same time, the majority of federal lands have become off-limits to mineral exploration and development.
A key example of this situation is what has happened to placer mining for gold, in particular concerning the use of the motorized suction dredge. This one device is surely the most effective and efficient way to recover gold from stream-bed deposits. Over the years, state agencies—notably here in Washington—have placed limits on its employment. First, came restrictions on the physical characteristics of the machine itself—nozzle size, intake screen specifications, etc. Later, restrictions were placed on precisely when and where it could be used. Then, there were the permits—Hydraulic Project Authorizations (or HPAs)—that the operator needed to acquire. Finally, the use of the suction dredge was limited to those portions of those streams that are known to carry NO gold. In this way, the use of the motorized suction dredge was effectively outlawed without the need to enact such a law.
These developments bring us to the situation we face today. Although the anti-mining agenda is still in full swing, the changing mineral needs of our society may well soon force a change in mining policy. Not only do we need the specialty minerals mentioned above to maintain our existing technologies, but they will be even more necessary if the leftists' loony visions of a "green energy" and "zero-carbon" future are to have any chance of happening at all. Moreover, the need for domestic production of these minerals is underscored by the fact that we are currently dependent on an increasingly hostile China for these resources. And, while other countries also produce these materials, many are also politically unstable, and none too friendly either. Thus it seems there is a possible future for the small-scale miner in prospecting for things other than gold.
Now, lest you think that your poor, old blogger has gone "green-in-the-head," and now embraces the pie-in-the-sky nonsense of so-called "renewable energy" touted by wokesters, leftists, and their assorted fellow travelers, I wish to assure you that is not the case. But, when fate hands you a winning lottery ticket, you'd be a fool not to cash it in. So, with that caveat out of the way, allow me to proceed.
The minerals deemed necessary for the continued security of the United States are, according to the U. S. Geological Survey, the following:
Aluminum
Antimony
Arsenic
Barite
Beryllium
Cesium
Chromium
Cobalt
Fluorspar
Gallium
Germanium
Graphite
Hafnium
Helium
Indium
Lithium
Magnesium
Manganese
Niobium
Platinum group metals*
Potash
Rare earth elements group**
Rhenium
Rubidium
Scandium
Strontium
Tantalum
Tin
Titanium
Tungsten
Uranium
Vanadium
Zirconium
* The Platinum group metals consist of the elements Platinum, Palladium, Osmium, Iridium, Ruthenium, and Rhodium.
** The Rare earth elements group consists of the elements Scandium, Yttrium, Cerium, Dysprosium, Europium, Lanthanum, Neodynium, and Terbium.
A wealth of detailed information about these minerals is available through the links in the list at the USGS web page here.
While not as obvious to the eye nor as "easy" to locate as gold, the above minerals DO occur and CAN be found by prospectors who make the effort to educate themselves accordingly. Some of the links in the right-hand column of this blog will be of help in researching, identifying, and locating deposits of these minerals, both in Washington and elsewhere. For example, a search of the Mineral Resources Data System for occurrences of Beryllium in Washington returns 26 matches. A similar search for Zirconium returns 15 matches. Information related to mineral properties and identification can be found at the links for Mindat.org and the Mineralogy Database.
Although the WSM has been primarily focused on prospecting for and recovering placer gold—and that will continue to be the case—it is my intent to, from time to time, include articles on prospecting for other elements and minerals.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released an update on the new Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS). The update contains a number of useful links within the MLRS system, information about key features of the system, and a short video that illustrates what you can do online.
Please read the February update bulletin from BLM at the link here.
According to the BLM website (https://www.blm.gov/services/land-records/mlrs):
MLRS is being implemented in phases. When we first launch, you can use MLRS for mining claim related filings and information. This includes filing new mining claims, managing existing mining claims, paying annual maintenance fees, transfers, amendments, and affidavit of assessment work – all online! In the coming months, MLRS will be expanded to include other case types, including oil and gas (2021).
Since the MLRS is a work in progress, more features are planned over the next couple of years. For example, Master Title Plats will be integrated into the system by 2022.
One matter that will probably be of interest to many prospectors is answered by the following FAQ:
How will I access mining claims reports?
A new subpage to reports.blm.gov containing MLRS data will be made available at the same time MLRS launches.
For more complete information on the MLRS system, please visit the website linked above. There, you will find a list of FAQs as well as explanatory videos.
One final note. The MLRS system is scheduled to launch tomorrow, January 25, 2021.
------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE as of January 28, 2021
As promised, MLRS is now live. I had no difficulty setting up an account. Just follow the instructions at https://mlrs.blm.gov/s/creating-a-new-account.
The LR2000 system no longer contains mining claim reports. These are now located on the Mineral & Land System Reports page at https://reports.blm.gov/reports/MLRS.
The only other thing I have to mention is that, at this time, the Real-time Map application is failing to load. Hopefully, BLM will have this matter sorted out shortly.
The Washington State Miner wishes its readers a Merry Christmas and a Happier New Year in 2021. I appreciate each and every one of you.
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