This Tiny Southern Town Is the 'Quartz Capital of the World'-and You Can Dig for Your Own Crystals

"Mount Ida may be small, with an economy built around ranching, farming, and tourism centered around the nearby Lake Ouachita, but it holds a distinction few places on Earth can claim. It is home to one of the world's richest deposits of quartz crystal, earning the nickname, the 'Quartz Crystal Capital of the World.'"

"Quartz is a crystalline mineral that is used in everything from jewelry and glass to countertops and electronics. It takes millions of years to form and is a hard, long-lasting mineral."

"One of the best ways to find your own piece of quartz is to drive the Crystal Loop, a scenic drive that passes by the area's main crystal mines, which are known for hiding stashes of quartz crystal."

Mount Ida, a town of just over 1,000 people in Arkansas near Hot Springs National Park, is renowned as the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World due to one of Earth's richest quartz crystal deposits. Quartz, a crystalline mineral used in jewelry, glass, countertops, and electronics, takes millions of years to form. Finding quartz crystals is a common experience in Mount Ida, with rock shops lining the roads and working mines inviting visitors to dig for their own crystals. The Crystal Loop scenic drive connects the area's main mines, including Avant Mining on Fisher Mountain, Twin Creek Mine, and Wegner Crystal Mines, where visitors can search for quartz for a fee.

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