A fragment of a geode displays intense purple amethyst quartz crystals.
Utah is crisscrossed by mountain ranges, including the Wasatch, Oquirrh, and Uintas ranges (all part of the northern Rocky Mountains). That makes the state a great area for rock and crystal collectors. Many types of interesting and collectible rocks can be found in Utah, but especially igneous (volcanic) rocks and crystals of all sorts.
Smoky Quartz
Smoky quartz is an attractive, dark gray to light black crystal that very much resembles its name. One of the best places to find smoky quartz in Utah is in Beaver County. The Rock Corral Canyons in the Mineral Mountains there are loaded with smoky quartz and feldspar and are worth checking out.
Agates
Agates are quartz crystals whose color patterns are circular or dendritic. Agates come in many colors, depending on the minerals present,and Utah is well-known for its red, orange and yellow agates.
Amethyst
Purple amethyst has long been a collector's favorite. This beautiful variety of quartz can be found in shades from pinkish maroon to deep purple, and it is found in numerous places in Utah, especially in and around the Wah Wah Mountains in west-central Utah.
Fulgurite
Fulgurite is the mineral formed when quartz is fused by lightning strikes. There are both sand fulgurites and rock fulgurites, and there are dozens of known fulgurite lightning-strike areas throughout the higher mountain areas of Utah.
Tags: quartz crystals, smoky quartz, Utah especially