Frequently Asked Questions

Meteorites are very rare, so the odds that you have found an actual meteorite are quite low. Check out our meteorite identification guide for further information.

The Massachusetts Geological Survey does not provide rock identification. If you’re interested in having someone identify your rock, consult your local rockhounding club. Additionally, some natural history museums may occasionally host events where visitors are invited to bring rocks for identification.

The Massachusetts Geological Survey does not provide appraisal services. Consult your local jewelry store or other business for an appraisal.

Environmental violations, such as mishandling of hazardous materials, air pollution, and pollution should be reported to the Massachusetts Environmental Strike Force.

Massachusetts does not often experience large earthquakes. To learn more about Massachusetts’ earthquake risk, and how to prepare for an earthquake, see our seismic hazards page.

Rock collecting, or rockhounding, can be a fun and educational hobby. Before collecting rocks in an area, find out who owns the land and obtain permission before collecting anything. Do not collect on private property without permission! For more information, contact your local gem club or visit Rockhound Resource.

Determining whether or not you have rights to the minerals beneath your property may require some research. Review documents from when you purchased your property, and if necessary look into historical records to determine if previous property owners held mineral rights. This can get complicated, and legal assistance from a professional can be helpful to have.

Here is a link to a geologic map of Massachusetts.

The state rock of Massachusetts is the Roxbury puddingstone. The state mineral is babingtonite, and the state gem is rhodonite. The state fossil is dinosaur tracks from Granby.

There are several volcanoes in Massachusetts, such as the Holyoke Range. These volcanoes are hundreds of millions of years old, and it is unlikely that they will ever erupt again. 

Massachusetts residents have access to some of the safest tap water in the world. Reservoirs and aquifers are carefully monitored and frequently tested for contamination. However, some older homes may still be connected to a water main by lead pipes. 

To learn more about lead pipes and water safety, visit the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s website.

Pyrrhotite is a mineral sometimes found in concrete that can damage the foundations of homes. To learn more about pyrrhotite and the risk it poses, visit our pyrrhotite resource here.

The Massachusetts Geological Survey is not a regulatory agency and so does not issue permits, perform inspections, or enforce laws. If you want to drill a well on your property, contact your local board of health and ask them about getting a permit.

Hunting for fossils can be a fun and rewarding pastime. If you are on private land, make sure that you have permission from the landowner to collect. If you are on public land, you may collect a small amount of invertebrate fossils (plants, trilobites, mollusks) for personal use. A permit from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is required to collect vertebrate fossils like dinosaurs, mammals, or fish. Archaeological artifacts and human remains may not be collected.

The Beneski Museum of Natural History in Amherst, the Boston Museum of Science, and the Harvard Museum of Natural History all contain informative exhibits about our state’s exciting geological past. There are also several educational websites that go into detail about the geological history of the eastern United States that are linked below.

https://earthathome.org/hoe/ne/geologic-history/

https://historyofmassachusetts.org/geological-history-massachusetts/

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3d1bc968b81b410fbe73306800d77fbe

There has never been any hydraulic fracturing in Massachusetts. Massachusetts has very limited fracking potential, and no companies have expressed interest in extracting natural gas. Some bills have been proposed to ban fracking; They are currently under review.