Where to dig your own gemstones

[MonkeyPie]

A friend and I were talking about this today, and I remember as a kid panning for gold in Cripple Creek, Colorado. I ended up finding a couple little opals during my panning, and when I told her about this, she got really excited. She wants to go somewhere and dig for our own gemstones.

Has anyone done this? If so, where?

 

[GemRite]

Yes, I live in the south east. So most of my trips have been to Franklin, NC for sapphires and rubies. To this date I have never dug anything that would facet a stone. But I did get some specimens for my collection. Also these is a place in NC for emerald digs as well, called Hiddenite, NC. There also is a couple of places in Montana I wanted to go hunt for sapphires, some of these are facetable material. One of which is called Gem Mountain. Here is a link to the website. www.gemmtn.com I know there are some sunstone mines in Oregon, and some aquamarine mines in SC and NC. Just hunt around on the web and see what you come up with. Also I went to Murfreesboro, Arkansas where there is a diamond mine. I came back empty handed here. but it was fun!

 

[FrekeChild]

Hey MP, I know where there is a bunch of granite.

Lets go get us some new countertops!

JK.

That would be so much fun though. Gem digging, I mean....

 

[innerkitten]

Aren''t there a few places to dig for sapphires in Montana? Also ( I think it''s called, crater of diamonds park, lots of brown and yellow diamonds are found there and I''m sure some white ones too.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 8/21/2008 3:02:28 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Hey MP, I know where there is a bunch of granite.

Lets go get us some new countertops!

JK.

That would be so much fun though. Gem digging, I mean....

Bwahahaha...I always wanted granite countertops!

Do you know it''s actually illegal for you to pick up rocks to take home here? If they catch you, you get fined. Lame! I have taken home tons anyway.

GemRite, I would LOVE to go to the diamond mines. Thanks for the list, I''ll be looking them up

And innerkitten, I think I have that one bookmarked at home. Can you imagine finding your own diamond?

 

[neatfreak]

We just went to Gem Mountain in Montana a few weeks ago. It was fun, but please don't revolve a whole trip around it!!!! It was a good time for a few hours if you'll be in the area, but not worth it if you have to travel long distances IMO. It was only about an hour out of our way on a trip to visit my DH's family cabin.

We did find sapphires, but nothing too exciting or big. Only one that is potentially even facetable but it was less than a carat in the rough, so it would only generate a teeensy faceted stone.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/21/2008 3:08:59 PM
Author: innerkitten
Aren''t there a few places to dig for sapphires in Montana? Also ( I think it''s called, crater of diamonds park, lots of brown and yellow diamonds are found there and I''m sure some white ones too.

That diamond park is in Arkansas.

 

[akmiss]

This reminds me of the show "Cash and Treasures," I think it is on the Discovery channel. The host travels the globe in search of gems. It is fun to watch plus she gets to make for jewelery out of her finds

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 8/21/2008 4:00:29 PM
Author: akmiss
This reminds me of the show ''Cash and Treasures,'' I think it is on the Discovery channel. The host travels the globe in search of gems. It is fun to watch plus she gets to make for jewelery out of her finds

I LOVE that show! I actually got some links and ideas through the discovery website page for that show

 

[jewelerman]

The Duboise opal mine in Duboise,Idaho will let you mine your own opals for a fee...bring your own tools and have fun!

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 8/21/2008 7:51:14 PM
Author: jewelerman
The Duboise opal mine in Duboise,Idaho will let you mine your own opals for a fee...bring your own tools and have fun!

Being a loyal native Idahoan who''s cut many, many of those opals, I have to say the mine is located at Spencer, ID, near Dubois. If you Google for Dubois you may not find it. This opal is used mainly for cutting extremely bright and attractive triplets. Rare stones actually display cat''s-eyes and stars when capped with clear quartz and cut properly.



Don''t forget the star garnet diggings at Emerald Creek in north Idaho. The Forest Service supervises the operation and if you don''t mind getting down-and-dirty you can usually take home a few stones. Cutting them may be a bit of a challenge, though.

You can also fee-dig for stunningly beautiful opal (mostly unstable) at several mines in Virgin Valey, NV near Denio or further West in the Black Rock Desert. There''s a remote opal mine that used to allow daily digging for a fee in California''s Mohave Desert. You can prospect for jadeite at the famous Jade Cove and surrounding area south of Big Sur on California Highway 1. It doesn''t make any difference if you find anything: the scenery''s so breathtaking it''s a reward all by itself. You can look for "moonstones" (translucent agates) at Moonstone Beach in Cambria.

There is a topaz fee dig in Colorado and several different amateur-oriented sapphire operations along the Missouri River in Montana.

Dyed-in-the-wool rockhounds can travel to the famous Richardson Rock Ranch in Oregon to dig their own thundereggs and much more. It''s all hard work and requires proper preparation to avoid problems but it''s great fun. There are probably many more good spots but that''s all that comes to mind at the moment.


Richard M.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Thank you so much Richard!

 

[loriken214]

Murfreesboro, Arkansas is a wonderful place to sit and dig for hours. We''ve been there several times and found lots of "Arkansas diamonds" which are quartz crystals, but there are diamonds and other gemstones in the dirt out there. It is LOTS of fun! I''d love to go again someday.

Lori

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 8/21/2008 10:09:12 PM
Author: Richard M.

Date: 8/21/2008 7:51:14 PM
Author: jewelerman
The Duboise opal mine in Duboise,Idaho will let you mine your own opals for a fee...bring your own tools and have fun!

Being a loyal native Idahoan who''s cut many, many of those opals, I have to say the mine is located at Spencer, ID, near Dubois. If you Google for Dubois you may not find it. This opal is used mainly for cutting extremely bright and attractive triplets. Rare stones actually display cat''s-eyes and stars when capped with clear quartz and cut properly.



Don''t forget the star garnet diggings at Emerald Creek in north Idaho. The Forest Service supervises the operation and if you don''t mind getting down-and-dirty you can usually take home a few stones. Cutting them may be a bit of a challenge, though.

You can also fee-dig for stunningly beautiful opal (mostly unstable) at several mines in Virgin Valey, NV near Denio or further West in the Black Rock Desert. There''s a remote opal mine that used to allow daily digging for a fee in California''s Mohave Desert. You can prospect for jadeite at the famous Jade Cove and surrounding area south of Big Sur on California Highway 1. It doesn''t make any difference if you find anything: the scenery''s so breathtaking it''s a reward all by itself. You can look for ''moonstones'' (translucent agates) at Moonstone Beach in Cambria.

There is a topaz fee dig in Colorado and several different amateur-oriented sapphire operations along the Missouri River in Montana.

Dyed-in-the-wool rockhounds can travel to the famous Richardson Rock Ranch in Oregon to dig their own thundereggs and much more. It''s all hard work and requires proper preparation to avoid problems but it''s great fun. There are probably many more good spots but that''s all that comes to mind at the moment.


Richard M.

Richard,
You are very right about that... it is Spencer,Idaho...I grew up in Jackson,Wyoming, but went to School in Rexberg at Ricks College(nowBYU-Idaho)where I took a class in opal cutting (trips and doublets) and jewelry making...its been over 20 years and so i had forgotten that the mine is actually in Spencer.I still have several chunks of opal rough that really looks great in jewelry displays...clients really like to handle the rough and it creates interest in how gems are cut and polished.

 

[Richard M.]

Jewelerman,
We have a lot in common. I grew up in east Idaho (Idaho Falls mainly) and Jackson may be my favorite place on Earth. I envy your childhood there a little but it would be hard to choose between it and my own, spent near my beloved Snake River. My early trips to Wyoming hunting for nephrite jade, Sweetwater agates and Eden Valley petrified wood -- even the reclusive Jackalope! -- provide pleasant memories. I''ve cut a lot of Spencer opal and still have quite a bit of rough myself. Too bad there are so many silly misunderstandings about triplets -- they''re not fraudulent unless they''re sold fraudulently as solid opals, folks! Opal from Spencer is the only opal on earth that will yield true star and cat''s-eye triplets. I have a very interesting research paper on those phenomena written by the Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia. They are very rare and valuable.

Richard M.

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 8/22/2008 10:23:01 AM
Author: Richard M.
Jewelerman,
We have a lot in common. I grew up in east Idaho (Idaho Falls mainly) and Jackson may be my favorite place on Earth. I envy your childhood there a little but it would be hard to choose between it and my own, spent near my beloved Snake River. My early trips to Wyoming hunting for nephrite jade, Sweetwater agates and Eden Valley petrified wood -- even the reclusive Jackalope! -- provide pleasant memories. I''ve cut a lot of Spencer opal and still have quite a bit of rough myself. Too bad there are so many silly misunderstandings about triplets -- they''re not fraudulent unless they''re sold fraudulently as solid opals, folks! Opal from Spencer is the only opal on earth that will yield true star and cat''s-eye triplets. I have a very interesting research paper on those phenomena written by the Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia. They are very rare and valuable.

Richard M.

We do have alot in common...I was born in Idaho Falls... my parents had businesses in Idaho Falls and Wyoming and I went to high school in Sugar City...i just got back last week from family reunion and floating the Snake...Didnt see many Jackalope.I agree about triplets...they can make beautiful jewelry ....where can I read the research paper you mentioned?

 

[Richard M.]

It''s an oldie. My copy came from Acta Crystallographica, Vol. A32, Part 2, March 1976.

The title is "The Structure of Star Opals" by J.V. Sanders, CSIRO Divison of Triblophysics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.

The paper was quoted extensively in a Lapidary Journal article that featured star opals on the cover. The only reference I can find in the L.J. Index is "Star Opal from Idaho," 76:02:1986. I seem to recall an earlier article but it''s not listed so my memory''s probably off.

I''d send you a copy but don''t know how to contact you.

Richard M.