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ALAA - Protecting the Public Lands for the Public!

Rockhounding on Public Lands

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Fieldtrip Journal for Public Lands

Your Recreational Rockhounding records are needed now more than ever in order to preserve Recreational Rockhounding now and for future generations.  We are slowly becoming an "Endangered Species".

For more information and additional forms on Field Trips go to the Fieldtrips Info page

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Help Save Recreational Rockhounding in the Mojave Trails National Monument! Make your voice be heard, get involved in the process. Check out the BLM DAC Sub-Committee https://www.blm.gov/mojave-trails-national-monument-subgroup and find out what you can do to help. For more information on the DAC Subgroup contact Gregor Losson at gregor.losson@amlands.org


 Current Desert Temperatures in the Southwest

USGS Earthquake Map


Recreational Rockhounding on Public Lands - What is legal? Here is the Definition 

Contact the Department of the Interior (DOI) Added 4-14-2017

Urgent News:  Final Rule released for collecting Fossils in National Forrests Effective date is May 18, 2015

NEW: Latest Information on Importing, Possession, Sale of African Elephant Ivory.  See Public Service/Info page.  August 1, 2015

                              Contact ALAA        

Support Club/Society Shows that Support ALAA


IVORY and ROCKHOUNDS (See H.R.226 1-12-2017)

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Wildfire Safety Tips


Interactive Map of Public Lands Use Fees


 "NEW PAGE" - Rockhound Safety in the Field and Lapidary Shop


New Page - Rock Pictures - Closed Collecting Sites

Links to Rockhounding and Lapidary Sites




  • "New rules for meteorite hunters unveiled" (Space.com, 10/11/12)
    BLM Instruction Memorandum No. 2012-182. "provides guidance to the BLM’s field office managers for administering the collection of meteorites on public lands in three 'use categories,' said Derrick Henry, a public affairs specialist for BLM in Washington, D.C. ... 'The policy recognizes that there is interest in collecting meteorites by hobbyists … but it also is recognition that there are science and commercial interests as well' ... It is the first time the BLM has formally addressed rules regarding collection of meteorites on public lands".
  • Rear More................
  • BLM Instruction Memorandum No. 2012-182
  • FAQ ~ Meteorite Collecting on Public Land  (PDF)


This Website is an informational website for Rockhounds containing information on current and proposed legislation and regulations.  It contains information of interest pertaining to the hobby of  collecting of rocks, minerals and fossils. It is continually in a state of being revised and tries to maintain the latest information on subjects of interest to the Rockhounding Community. If you, the user, know of any legislation, regulation or points of interest to Rockhounding. Please contact us with the information you feel is of interest and it will be investigated for posting.  Contact can be made though the following email addresses. webmaster@amlands or Contact ALAA Enjoy the Website and Thank You for your support.

As a non-profit, grassroots organization funded primarily by membership dues and donations, we greatly appreciate your support. Visit the Membership Page to fund our efforts to help preserve your collecting areas!

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Greater Sage-grouse Issues in Western US & Rockhounding..... Up-Date June 22, 2017

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"ALAA advocates accessible and sustainable consumption of natural resources that comply with current laws and regulations on Federal and State Managed Public Lands by Amateur Rock, Mineral and Fossil collectors."




Government Websites of Interest to Rockhounding  ** NEW **



Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view most documents on this website.  Use the Adobe image at the left to download the free current version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Adobe website.


This Corporation is organized and shall be operated as a nonprofit corporation exclusively for the promotion of social welfare as that term is used in section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provisions of any future federal income tax laws, with the specific purpose to promote and ensure the right of amateur collecting and recreational mining, and the use of public and private lands for educational and recreational purposes.


ALAA’s goal is to provide current information to the Rockhound Community on issues affecting access to existing and potential collecting sites. To provide advice and means to contact Public Land Managers and Legislators on actions affecting Recreational Collecting Activities of interest to the Rockhound Community.       ALAA has become an organization that is present wherever there are hobbyists and recreational users of our public lands whose interests and concerns are not being heard or are being jeopardized by proposed policy, regulation or legislation at the local, state and federal level.


The American Lands Access Association is dedicated to the protection of the rights of the casual collector of rocks, minerals and fossils.


Recreation Rockhounding is best defined as:

“Recreational Rockhounding is the collecting of reasonable amounts of non-renewable resources such as rock and mineral specimens and materials, common invertebrate and common plant fossils, semiprecious gemstones and Petrified wood for noncommercial (Personal and Educational) purposes where permitted by law. Recreational Rockhounding is accomplished in a manner that prevents hazards to public health and safety, and minimizes and mitigates environmental damage.”



 ALAA, the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies and the 7 Regional Federations do not condone the collecting  of any type of specimens where collecting is against Federal, State or local laws, regulations, statues or ordnances.   Federation Members adhere to the AFMS Land Use Polices and the AFMS Code of Ethics while engaged in collecting of rocks, minerals or fossils.  The collecting of any vertebrae fossils on any federal lands is against federal law. The following is an account of one such incident. Read the Story