Colorado’s mountains hide lots of cool rocks. Labradorite is one of these rocks that rock hunters love. This blue-green stone stands out when the light hits it just right.

Finding labradorite takes some work. You need to know where to look in Colorado’s vast landscape. The good news is that several spots around the state have this pretty stone.

This guide will show you exactly where to go for labradorite hunting in Colorado. The mountains and streams of this state hold many secrets. Rock collectors both new and skilled come back year after year to search for these special stones.

How Labradorite Forms Here

Labradorite forms deep underground when magma slowly cools and crystallizes. The process happens when different minerals separate while cooling, creating thin layers stacked on top of each other. These layers have slightly different chemical makeups, usually about 1 micron thick.

When light hits these layers, it creates that stunning blue-green flash we love, called labradorescence. The stone starts out as a mix of calcium, sodium, aluminum, and silicate minerals.

As it cools, these minerals organize themselves into this layered pattern, which happens most often in places where magma intrudes into the surrounding rock. It’s like nature’s own light show, frozen in stone.

Types of Labradorite

Labradorite comes in several distinct varieties. Each type exhibits special qualities that make it sought after by collectors.

Blue Labradorite

Blue Labradorite stands out for its remarkable blue iridescence against a dark gray or black background. When light hits the stone’s surface, it creates a stunning display of electric blue flashes, sometimes accompanied by hints of green or violet.

The blue flashes appear most vivid when viewing the stone from specific angles, creating an almost magical transformation as you rotate it. This effect is often compared to the ethereal beauty of the Northern Lights.

Exceptional specimens display an intense, electric blue flash that covers a large portion of the stone’s surface. Some pieces also show secondary colors like aqua or sea green, adding depth to their visual appeal. The contrast between the dark base and bright blue flashes makes each piece unique.

Golden Labradorite

Golden Labradorite displays a mesmerizing golden-yellow sheen that sets it apart from other varieties. The stone’s surface exhibits brilliant flashes of gold and amber, creating a warm, sun-like glow that seems to emanate from within. These golden rays often appear alongside subtle hints of green or champagne colors.

What makes Golden Labradorite special is its ability to display multiple golden hues simultaneously. Some specimens show a range of colors from pale yellow to deep amber, creating a multi-dimensional effect.

The golden flash can vary in intensity and coverage, with premium specimens showing broad, bright areas of gold schiller.

Rainbow Moonstone

Rainbow Moonstone Labradorite exhibits a distinctive white or colorless base with an enchanting blue sheen that floats across its surface. Blue sheen is often accompanied by flashes of other colors, including pink, yellow, and green.

This stone’s most captivating feature is how its colors appear to float just beneath the surface, creating an almost three-dimensional effect. As light moves across the stone, these colors shift and change, revealing new patterns and combinations. This creates a dynamic display that seems to change with every movement.

The stone’s transparency can range from translucent to semi-transparent, with the most valued pieces showing excellent clarity beneath their shimmering surface.

Spectrolite

Spectrolite reigns as the most dramatic member of this stone family, with its distinctive jet-black base setting it apart from other varieties.

What makes it truly special is that premium specimens can simultaneously display the complete spectrum of colors, from deep indigo to bright orange, emerald green to royal purple, all in a single piece.

The finest specimens possess what experts call “full-face color,” meaning the vibrant display covers most of the stone’s surface rather than appearing in small patches.

This characteristic, combined with its remarkable color intensity, has earned Spectrolite its reputation as the most visually impressive variety of all similar stones.

Transparent Labradorite

Transparent Labradorite exhibits a remarkable clarity that separates it from its opaque cousins. Crystal-clear areas allow light to pass through, creating an exceptional display of blue flashes against the transparent background.

Natural specimens often show areas of both transparency and translucency. Beautiful color changes occur as you move this stone, with the transparent areas revealing subtle blue sheens that seem to float within the crystal.

Some pieces display additional colors like soft greens or pale yellows, though the blue flash remains dominant.

Remarkable clarity combines with the signature color play to create stones that appear almost liquid-like.

Andesine-Labradorite

Reddish-orange hues dominate Andesine-Labradorite’s appearance, creating a warm and inviting glow. Delicate green and yellow streaks often appear throughout the stone, adding complexity to its color palette.

Metallic sparkles dance across the surface, different from the typical labradorescent effect. Fresh discoveries of this relatively new gemstone continue to reveal new color combinations.

Striking color variations appear in high-quality pieces, ranging from deep red to bright orange. Many specimens show subtle color zoning, where different hues blend together in distinct patterns.

Black Labradorite

Black Labradorite presents a dramatic dark canvas that emphasizes its colorful display. Bright flashes of color stand out dramatically against the deep black background, creating stunning visual contrast.

Most specimens show multiple colors at once, creating an eye-catching display. These color displays often include electric blues, emerald greens, and golden yellows, all visible simultaneously.

Natural sunlight brings out the boldest displays, while artificial light can highlight subtle color variations. Some specimens also show interesting patterns in how the colors are distributed.

Brown Labradorite

Brown Labradorite features rich earth tones ranging from deep chocolate to warm amber. Peach and orange undertones often appear throughout the stone, creating depth and dimension.

Multiple color zones create interesting patterns within each stone. These patterns can include stripes, swirls, or mottled areas that combine different brown and orange hues.

Subtle iridescence sometimes appears on the surface, adding an unexpected shimmer to the earthy colors. This effect is more subdued than in other varieties but adds an interesting dimension to the stone’s appearance.

What Rough Labradorite Look like?

Labradorite in its rough form can be tricky to spot, but once you know what to look for, it becomes easier. Here’s how to recognize this fascinating stone in its natural state.

Look for the Signature Flash

Raw labradorite often shows patches of its famous iridescent flash, even when unpolished. Check dark gray or black areas under direct sunlight – you might catch glimpses of blue, green, or gold shimmer.

Sometimes, you’ll need to wet the surface slightly to see this effect better. The flash isn’t always obvious but usually appears as scattered patches.

Check the Base Color and Texture

The main body should be dark gray to black, sometimes with a slight greenish tinge. The surface feels smooth but not glossy, similar to unpolished glass.

Look for a slightly bumpy texture with occasional flat surfaces. Fresh breaks will show a more uniform color than weathered surfaces.

Assess the Hardness and Breakage

Try scratching the surface with a copper penny – it shouldn’t leave a mark. The stone often breaks with smooth, flat surfaces at distinct angles.

You’ll notice these angular breaks are pretty characteristic, unlike random rough breaks in common rocks.

Test the Translucency

Hold a thin edge up to strong light. Raw labradorite should show some translucency, appearing slightly cloudy rather than completely opaque. The edges might look slightly whitish or gray when light passes through. Thicker pieces will appear darker and more opaque.

A Quick Request About Collecting

Tips on Where to Look

Labradorite isn’t super common in everyday places, but with some smart searching, you can find it. Here’s where you should look:

Metamorphic Rock Formations

Look for dark-colored rock outcrops. Spot areas with lots of feldspar minerals. Check exposed cliff faces. Sometimes, when the sun hits just right, you might catch that signature blue flash from larger formations that’s a dead giveaway for labradorite presence.

Glacial Deposits

Search river beds after glacial deposits. Check gravel pits near old glacial paths. Look for smooth, dark gray stones mixed with other rocks. These deposits often contain chunks of labradorite that have broken off from larger formations and been carried downstream over thousands of years.

Mining Tailings

Visit abandoned feldspar mines. Check mine dump areas. Dig through tailings piles. Look for flat, shiny surfaces. The waste rock from old mining operations often contains overlooked pieces of labradorite that weren’t considered valuable during active mining periods but are perfect for collectors.

Stream Beds

Search clear-water streams. Look under water-worn rocks. Check gravel bars after rain. Spot dark, plate-like stones. The constant water movement often exposes and polishes these stones, making them easier to identify when wet.

Some Great Places To Start

Here are some of the better places in the state to start looking for Labradorite:

Fremont Area

Fremont County is a geologically rich area in south-central Colorado. The county has many different types of rocks, including the Royal Gorge and the Arkansas River Valley. This mix of rock types makes it perfect for mineral hunters.

Labradorite can be found here in the pegmatite bodies of southwestern Fremont County. These special rock formations contain various minerals, including feldspar, which is what labradorite is made of.

The Cotopaxi Mining District is a hot spot for finding minerals in this county. Its granitic rocks create good conditions for labradorite formation. Another great place to look is the Iron Mountain region. Here, layered rock intrusions called gabbro and anorthosite often contain plagioclase minerals like labradorite.

The Beaver Creek Wilderness Study Area northeast of Cañon City is also promising. This area has ancient Proterozoic rocks that have been cut through by pegmatite dikes, creating ideal spots where labradorite might form.

Sedalia Mining District

The Sedalia Mining District sits about four miles north-northwest of Salida. Once Colorado’s largest copper producer, this historic mining area operated until 1923.

Labradorite can be found embedded in the metamorphic host rocks throughout the district. Your best chance of finding this beautiful mineral is in areas with high metamorphic grade. These conditions help develop labradorite’s famous color-shifting effect.

While searching, you might also spot other minerals like chalcopyrite, bornite, and well-formed almandine garnet crystals. The garnets often appear with magnetite and chlorite schist. This mix of minerals makes the Sedalia Mining District a treasure trove for rock collectors looking for labradorite.

Sugar Creek

Sugar Creek lies within the Willow Creek Mining District of Gunnison County. Rock lovers know this hidden spot for its special geology and many different minerals. The creek area has some of the oldest rock formations in the region.

These ancient rocks now contain many interesting minerals, including anorthite, which is related to labradorite. Throughout Sugar Creek, you can find pegmatitic structures. These are rocks with extra-large crystals that often hold various minerals like feldspars and quartz.

Labradorite exists in several spots along Sugar Creek. When hunting for labradorite here, focus on exposed rock outcrops along the creek and nearby slopes. These areas give you access to the metamorphic and pegmatitic rocks where labradorite hides. Careful searching of these outcrops can reward you with stunning specimens.

Jefferson Area

Jefferson County stretches along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. This area creates an interesting meeting point between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains. Millions of years of earth movement have shaped Jefferson County’s landscape.

The land features tilted sedimentary rock layers that form the Dakota Hogback ridge and the famous red sandstone formations at Red Rocks Park. North and South Table Mountains are flat-topped hills capped with ancient lava flows. These basalt caps protect various minerals inside the rock.

Labradorite appears in several places throughout Jefferson County. The F.M.D. Mine in the Evergreen Mining District has been a known source of labradorite specimens. Rock hunters have documented finding this mineral here.

While looking for labradorite, you might also discover zeolite minerals at North Table Mountain Quarry. The South Platte District offers another good hunting ground with its pegmatite minerals, including various feldspars.

Central City Area

Central City is a historic mining town in Gilpin County. People once called it “The Richest Square Mile on Earth” because of all the gold found there during the Colorado Gold Rush. Today, the town keeps its Victorian buildings and mining history alive.

The rocks around Central City formed from ancient volcanic activity and mineral-rich veins. These conditions created the right environment for labradorite to form. This special feldspar mineral shows amazing flashes of blue, green, and gold when turned in the light.

Hidee Gold Mine offers one of the best spots to find labradorite in Central City. Located at 1950 Hidee Mine Road, this working mine gives tours where visitors can see mineral veins up close. Many people have found labradorite during these tours.

Old mine dumps and tailings piles around Central City provide another good place to search. These piles contain rocks and minerals that miners threw away years ago. Since they weren’t looking for labradorite back then, you might find some beautiful pieces that were overlooked.

Places Labradorite has been found by County

After discussing our top picks, we wanted to discuss the other places on our list. Below is a list of the additional locations along with a breakdown of each place by county.