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Gold in Fairfax County, Virginia

VaGoldMaps topo of Fairfax County, Virginia, with the county outlined in gold
Fairfax County on VaGoldMaps. Potomac tributaries, parks, and the thin northern tip of the belt.

Fairfax is where the belt meets the suburbs. The inventory has 3 gold sites, including Bull Neck Mine (Kirk Mine) and a Scotts Run occurrence. That is a research footnote, not a gold rush.

Open Fairfax County on the map

Gold-Pyrite Belt · 3 documented sites

Water to study: Potomac tributaries such as Scotts Run. This is not open panning water.

Research area, not a public dig. Historic mine pins are inventory locations, not a right of entry. Always get permission.

The Gold-Pyrite Belt is often described as running from just south of Washington, D.C., into the central Piedmont. Fairfax is that northern tip. Historic production and pin density live farther southwest.

Scotts Run and the Potomac shoreline are park, parkway, and private ground. Prospecting is not a Fairfax recreation program. National Park and local park layers on the map are there so you see closed ground before you lace up.

Use this page to understand why Fairfax appears in statewide belt summaries, then move your map time to Spotsylvania, Orange, Louisa, and the James River counties where the inventory is actually thick.

Names that show up in the inventory

These are documented site names, not verified pan spots.

Neighboring gold counties

Common questions

Is there gold in Fairfax County?

Yes. Fairfax County is Gold-Pyrite Belt country. VaGoldMaps lists 3 documented gold mines and prospects here. Historic lode workings and creek drainages are the research story. Confirm land access before you pan.

Can you pan for gold in Fairfax County?

Only where you have permission or a lawful public-land allowance. Most of Virginia is private. Parks and wildlife management areas are closed to collecting. Fairfax County is a research area, not a county-wide pan permit.

Where should I start on the map?

Open Fairfax County on VaGoldMaps, keep streams on, and compare historic mine pins to the drainages. Potomac tributaries such as Scotts Run. This is not open panning water. Then check land status and ownership before any field day.

All gold counties

Gold in Virginia · Named historic mines

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