Dig your own gems

Pappy is that near you?

[PAPPY]

Boobie, here another place close to me that I have been to many many times...Lot of fun and Emeralds too...

North Carolina Hiddenite Gems Emerald Hollow Mine Information Page

[JoAnne]

Pappy - did you find gems big enough to make into jewelry? Do you recommend getting the $15 permit or going to the mines or just sluicing? Did you find alot of emeralds? Other gems? For some reason digging my own gem stones fascinates me. However I want to make sure it is worth the trip. Since you have personal experience I need the inside scoop. Thanks in advance.

[PAPPY]

JoAnne, I would rather go to Hiddenite ( Personal Opinion) than the other mines.
Yes, I have found quite a few stones and have had some very lovery jewelry made from those finds.

Hiddenite seems to produce more Emeralds than the other mines.

Yes, I would get the $15.00 permit because it allows you to go sluicing, Creeking and Digging.

I enjoy the creeking most and have found more stones there (sifting) than sluicing or digging...BUT...I enjoy them all. Fantastic way to spend the day for the price. Bunch of really nice folks there too.

[JoAnne]

Thank you so much for the information Pappy. It is one thing to read it on a web site but another when you have someone who has actually been there and done that. Will definitely put Hiddenite on my list of things to do and places visit. Thanks again. JoAnne

[oberkill]

No problem I will post some pics here in a bit I am going to try and get a better shot of them. It was $8 admission to Sheffield mine and that included 2 buckets. After that buckets are $2 each or $3 for two. It takes about an hour to go through a bucket once you get the hang of it maybe a little faster. We spent for the whole family, including food and stuff for the kids, less than $100 for 4 full days of hunting and a couple of half days. You can bring your own food if you want as well. The stones we had cut came out to about $200. They charge by the carat and do a good job, we ended up with one stone over over 10 carats after it was cut and it was a star rubie. We had one stone cut in half for earings that also was a star rubie, probably the best of the group. We still have quite a few stones left with a few that coupld be cut if we wanted. Most are smaller though and just fun to keep or to let the kids have to show to thier friends or start a "collection". I did not care for the seeded mines as it just doesnt seem like treasure hunting to me, it is fun but in a differant kind of way. I just prefer to mine and get the luck of the draw with each bucket, some are great and some leave you looking forward to the next bucket.

We are planning a trip to Arkansas this year as well but it will just be a long weekend. We spent over a week in North Carolina last year looking for Rubies, this year I will be bringing the dectector as well! lol

Have fun!!
Alan

[warsawdaddy]

Has everyone seen this?

Link to news article dated Jan, 24, 2007....found at hiddenite, NC........ http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-012407-jmn-emerald.1681acb3.html

[oberkill]

Originally Posted by PAPPY

ALAN, Let me know when you plan on being in Franklin and I just might meet you there to do some digging.

Thats sounds like a fun idea Pappy. I plan on bringing the detector as well this year! I will let you know when I get things organized, I have to make another trip to the UK this spring but not sure when so its kinda up in the air at the moment. We may end up going more into the summer when we usually like to go towards the end of May before Memorial day. I would love to go to Hiddenite as well but we may have to do that next year.

Alan

[JoAnne]

Ron thank you for that article - I had not seen it. How cool is that!

Alan - just a little clarification. On the $200. That was $200 to cut and polish the stones or the value of the stones was $200.

Thanks in advance guys.

[rip]

Originally Posted by warsawdaddy

Has everyone seen this?

Link to news article dated Jan, 24, 2007....found at hiddenite, NC........ http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-012407-jmn-emerald.1681acb3.html

Thanks for sharing that ! I need to get back there ! Heres a pic. of when i whent,boy was that a long time ago ! I'm the funny lookin kid with the funky haircut and no shirt !