Check in the spring
for our 2012 Copper Country
Mineral Retreat Information

Private Ore Pile, Datolite Pile,
Caledonia Mine Rock Dump Details

   Company Store          Reservation Page

Featured on the Travel Channel: Cash & Treasures!

Check in the spring for our 2012 Red Metal Minerals Event Schedule

Join us for an exciting time spent digging through your own private ore pile, searching on the Caledonia Mine Rock Dump, or digging through your own datolite-rich pile. You may find native copper, silver, datolite, quartz, feldspar, calcite, epidote, prehnite and more!

Caledonia Mine offers fee digging by ADVANCE RESERVATION only. Experienced and knowledgeable staff will be on hand to help with collecting techniques and specimen identification. This is truly a hands-on educational and potentially profitable experience.

Caledonia Mine is set in the side of a mountain overlooking the beautiful valley of the Flintsteel River. The mine is easy to reach, a 20-minute drive from Ontonagon, Michigan. The area is surrounded by other fun things to do, from hiking the Porcupine Mountains to relaxing on the beautiful sandy beaches of Lake Superior.

We are closed for the season. Check in the spring for our 2012 Red Metal Minerals event schedule.

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Copper Country Mineral Retreat© 2011

Featuring mineral collecting in the Copper Country co-hosted by Red Metal.

These special events (August 8 to 10) for the MINERAL RETREAT are in addition to our regular offering of fee digging, and must be reserved through Red Metal Minerals.For more information about the retreat, and additional events, go to The A.E Seaman Mineral Museum site.
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Private Ore Pile
$80.00
2-4 adults per pile
9 am to noon or 1 pm to 4 pm

Commercial and recent specimen mining left tens of thousands of tons of broken ore on the surface and underground. Each Private Ore Pile contains approximately 2 yards of this copper bearing rock and other associated minerals.

We provide a water source for rinsing and exposing your finds, use of a bucket and digging tools. You may bring your own additional collecting equipment, including metal detectors, if you desire.

Proper footgear and clothing required. Safety glasses required, gloves strongly recommended. No sandles or open toes allowed.

OPTIONAL: Rent a metal detector $20.00 for event. MAKE A RESERVATION
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Datolite Pile
$100.00
1 or 2 adults Only
9 am to noon or 1 pm to 4 pm

Each Datolite Pile contains approximately 1/3 yard of screened datolite rich rock along with other associated minerals from inside the mine.

Datolite is a semi-precious gemstone, found in nodular form only in the Lake Superior Region. Caledonia specimens often contain copper and are prized by collectors.

We provide a bucket, shovel, water source and elevated screen to sort and rinse the rock.

Proper footgear and clothing required. Safety glasses required, waterproof gloves and aprons strongly recommended. No sandles or open toes allowed. MAKE A RESERVATION
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Caledonia Mine Rock Dump
Adults (14 yrs and older) $15.00
Youth (6 yrs to 13 yrs) $5.00
9 am to noon or 1 pm to 4 pm

Search the large Caledonia Mine Rock Dump left by commercial mining from the mid 1860's thru the 1950's. Bring your own collecting equipment, including metal detectors.

Proper footgear and clothing required. Safety glasses required, gloves strongly recommended. No sandles or open toes allowed.

OPTIONAL: Rent a bucket of tools (Includes bucket, 2 rock hammers, small digger) - $12.00

OPTIONAL: Rent a metal detector $20.00 for event. MAKE A RESERVATION
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For all Events:

* All Events begin at the Caledonia Mine Pavillion.
* Please arrive by 8:30 for morning Event Registration, Orientation and Safety talk.
* Please arrive by 12:30 pm for afternoon Event Registration, Orientation and Safety talk
* All Events are Eastern Time.
* Safety glasses required for all events
* Knowledgeable staff will be there to help with identification and collecting techniques.
* We want your collecting experience to be fun and rewarding, but there is NO GUARANTEE of finding a treasure.


    
    

Safety and Collecting Gear

Safety Glasses (Required)

Gloves (Recommended)

Appropriate clothing and footwear (No sandles or open toes allowed).

Mason or Rock Hammer, Small Sledgehammer (no household or carpenter hammers)

Digging Tools

Chisels

Buckets, Bags

Metal Detector for Private Ore Pile or Caledonia Mine Rock Dump reservations.. (Bring your own or rent one with your event.)

Click here for lodging and camping information

Company Store

 

Reservations

FULL PAYMENT IS REQUIRED WITH RESERVATIONS - We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover or checks

Refunds of 75% will be promptly made if we have notification at least 2 weeks prior to your reservation dates.
Cancellation notification must be made by mail, fax, or e-mail ONLY.
 
 

Gift shop

 

Visit our gift shop at Gitche Gumee Landing, 202 Ontonagon St., Ontonagon, Michigan (at the north end of River Street) to see a great selection of gift items including copper specimens, all sorts of interesting copper items, and many other minerals from Michigan and the world. We also carry locally made Upper Peninsula Candles, highly scented candles in ceramic crocks, a variety of unique rock and mineral candle holders, votives, and other candles. There are also a variety of lovely jewelry items and many other gift items as a souvenir for yourself or for another. Also for sale are publications by Great Lakes Geoscience including Copper Country Road Trips, Self-Guided Geological Field Trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, and others.

Contact us

The Caledonia Mine – Red Metal Minerals

202 Ontonagon Street
Ontonagon, MI 49953
caledoniamine@charter.net
Phone 906-884-6618
Fax 906-884-6753

Visit the U.P. Candle site

Caledonia Mine Company Store