This story was originally published in April 2021.

Pink, green and blue tourmaline, aquamarine beryl and deep red garnet, purple amethyst and sparkling lepidolite — they all lie buried in Maine granite. To find them, all you have to do is dig — and perhaps use a hammer and chisel.

Rockhounding — also known as field collecting or recreational mining — is an outdoor activity in which everyday people search for valuable gems, fossils and other mineral treasures buried in the earth.

“It’s the thrill of the hunt,” said Tom Hoffelder, president of Oxford County Mineral and Gem Association. “You never know what you’re going to find. That next rock, that next shovel full could be something really cool.”

This hobby is especially popular in western Maine, where some of the state’s most celebrate

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