Botryoidal green Wavellite spheres from Mauldin Mountain, Arkansas. Part of the Clardy's Crystals Vanadium Study.

MAULDIN MOUNTAIN: THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY QUARRY

While Dug Hill holds the “Old Stock” heritage, Mauldin Mountain was the powerhouse of the late 20th century. During active operations in the 1980s and 90s, this Montgomery County quarry produced world-class specimens known for their intense apple-green to yellow-green saturation. The site remains a legendary benchmark for the scale and vibrancy of Arkansas Wavellite.

FORMATION & BLACK CHERT HABITS

Specimens from Mauldin Mountain present the classic geological look of the region: vivid green spheres set against a dark, highly-fractured black chert and siliceous shale matrix. This compact, cryptocrystalline Bigfork Chert provides a stark, high-contrast background that makes the vibrant phosphates “pop” for the viewer.

A SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY: THE SELECTIVE GLOW

This locality is recognized for producing the rare fluorine-bearing analogue, Fluorwavellite, as well as select specimens that exhibit a selective Long-Wave UV (365nm) response. Unlike other locales, the fluorescence here can be highly specific—sometimes appearing in only one or two isolated spheres on a larger cabinet specimen, while the rest remain inert.

Teal-blue botryoidal Wavellite from Arkansas, attributed to the 2017 Mauldin Mountain find. Specimen showcases internal radial crystal structure on a light-colored matrix.
A specimen attributed to the 2017 ‘Blue Pocket’ discovery at Mauldin Mountain. While the teal saturation is characteristic of that find, the unusually light, sandy matrix on some examples from this lot remains a subject of debate among Arkansas curators, drawing comparisons to the classic heritage material of Dug Hill.

TEAL & TURQUOISE: THE MODERN BLUES

Though famous for apple-green saturation, Mauldin Mountain occasionally reveals rare blue-green to turquoise-colored pockets. While the most legendary “electric blue” specimens were recovered in a modern mining project around 2014, significant “Old Stock” finds from the late 1980s and 1990s established the initial reputation for these rare color variants in Montgomery County. These pieces are highly prized for their unique, designer-saturated hues that contrast sharply with the standard green.

LOCALITY DATA

Primary Name: Mauldin Mountain Quarry
Prominent AKAs: Montgomery County Quarry, Mauldin Mtn.
Status: Abandoned Quarry (Inactive)
County: Montgomery County, Arkansas
Geology: Bigfork Chert / Arkansas Novaculite
Mindat ID: 16503

Data Sourced via Mindat.org