Obsidian collection season opens June 11

Obsidian. Photo by iamchad, Flickr

Alturas, Calif. - Obsidian collection will open for the 2019 season on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at Lassen/Rainbow, Middle Fork Davis Creek, Needles and Pink Lady collection sites in the Warner Mountains.

Obsidian collection on the Modoc National Forest requires either a personal-use permit or a commercial contract.

Only the four previously mentioned sites in the Warner Mountains are open to obsidian collection on the Modoc National Forest; it is prohibited in all other areas to protect traditional cultural resources. Please do not remove obsidian from any other locations, including Glass Mountain near Medicine Lake.

Personal-use collection permits will be available at the following locations: Modoc National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Alturas, 225 W. Eighth St., Warner Mountain Ranger District Office in Cedarville, 710 Townsend St., Davis Creek Mercantile, 41942 US Highway 395, and the two Fremont-Winema National Forest offices in Lakeview, Oregon, including the Lakeview District Office at 18049 Highway 395 and Forest Supervisor’s Office at 1301 South G Street. These personal-use permits are for non-commercial collection only, and the obsidian obtained with them may not be sold or traded.

Commercial permits will be available for sale at a meeting to be held on June 11 at 9 a.m. at the Forest Supervisor’s Office in Alturas. Commercial miners are required to attend this meeting, where they will receive further instructions and be able to purchase permits. On-site inspections at the collection areas will be conducted after the meeting. A total of 50 cubic yards, including overburden, is available from each of the four sites for commercial purposes. These amounts will be divided among commercial miners present at the meeting using a lottery system.

“Following the conditions in both the commercial and personal-use permits is critical to protecting cultural and natural resources and the future continuation of the obsidian collection program on the Modoc National Forest,” said Forest Geologist Tyanna Blaschak.

Daily excavation and removal quantities must be tallied in a log provided by the Forest Service before the commercial permittee leaves the collection area each day. Commercial collection sites are to be marked with white stakes at corners and may not overlap. Additional conditions and limitations will be provided in the contracts and discussed at the June 11 meeting. These requirements must be met in order to continue permitting of obsidian collection on the Modoc National Forest. Please call 530-233-5811 for more information.

Learn more about obsidian and other special forest products at https://go.usa.gov/xQmHU.

Press release provided from the Modoc National Forest.