Mammoth Mine Rock Shop — Local services in Apache Junction

Amazing shop with plenty of personality! I met the owner- BE AWARE!! *they are closed for the summer! They will reopen in October, with new inventory :) the owner himself told me they will be closed for the summer so be aware of this! Anyway- he opened the store specially for me & my friend, graced us with stories of his expeditions and explanations of the formations of rocks/gems when I asked. They not only have precious gem stones that were harvested locally, but an amazing collection of dinosaur bones (available to purchase), fossils, books, minerals sold by the pound and more! I definitely recommend checking this shop out- they are very reasonably priced and you never know what you might learn from the treasure hunter who runs...

If you want a genuine rock shop geared toward collectors, this is the place. Owner Ron is a salt-of-the-earth local who is a clearly an expert and very passionate. Aside from the amazing pieces displayed inside the shop, there are boxes of bulk, raw material just outside the shop that are priced by the pound. Love the pictures/newspaper cutouts throughout the shop of the owner's involvement in the local mining/geology/exploration activities. Not overpriced or a kitschy, "healing crystal/astrology" type of rock shop that you find in the touristy shopping areas. 10/10...

We were lucky enough to visit when Ron was there because he's a walking Gold history buff for the region. If Ron has time, he is happy to answer any questions you may have about minerals, gems and especially Gold. Ron is also an author and his books are great reads. Don't be shy to ask because he will autograph his books for you. My husband indulges my rockhound spirit but this is one shop he's happy that I "dragged" him to. We visited a few rock shops in the area and this was our favorite. Ron & Sweet Lady- the invite to WyoDakota Stands! We'll...