Many localities have produced fine Dolomite specimens. As it is a very common mineral, only several select ones are listed here.
The most prominent European Dolomite occurrence is Eugui, Navarra, Spain, where water-clear, transparent crystals uniuque to this occurrence were found in fairly large crystal sizes. Other European localities include the Traversella, Piedmont, Italy; Binn Tal, Wallis, Switzerland; Oberdorf an der Laming, Styria, Austria; the Castilla quarry, Setiles, Spain; and Kapnik, Maramures Co., Romania.
Two important African deposits, famous among collectors for the hot-pink cobalt-rich Dolomite, are Kolwezi, Katanga (Shaba), Congo (Zaire); and Bou Azzer, Morocco. Tsumeb, Namibia, was an outstanding producer of specimen-grade Dolomite, especially of the green, copper-rich type.
Other rich worldwide deposits are the Shangbao mine, Hunan Province, China; Brumado, Bahia, Brazil; and Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico.
The best U.S. occurrences of Dolomite are in the tri-state mining district of Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma, especially the localities of Picher and Joplin, Ottawa Co., Oklahoma, where curved groups of lustrous pink, peach, and white crystals occurred with
Galena,
Sphalerite, and
Chalcopyrite. Two other good Midwest localities are Black Rock, Lawrence Co., Arkansas; and the Sweetwater Mine, Reynolds Co., Missouri. Dolomite was also found in Pennsylvania in the Binkley-Ober Quarry, Manheim, Lancaster Co.
A large dolomite body extends southwest of Lake Ontario in Ontario, Canada, and crosses into the New York border at the Niagara Falls area. It runs several hundred miles through central New York. Several dolomite and limestone quarries in this area have produced nice Dolomite crystals. These include the following New York quarries: the LaFarge Quarry, Lockport, Niagara Co., New York; the Penfield Quarry, Penfield, Monroe Co.; the Walworth Quarry, Walworth, Wayne Co.; and the
Herkimer Diamond mining localities. In Canada, this dolomite zone has produced nice crystals at the Canal Dump in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, has produced Dolomite in the form of unusual green crystal clusters.