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Treasure Hunting for Gold and Gems in Georgia and North Carolina

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Gem and Gold Mining - A Great Way to Honeymoon!

View of the Mining Troughs at Sheffield Mines in Franklin, NC
(Photo by the author)

CutiePieHusband and I were fans of watching Becky Worley on The Best Places to Find Cash and Treasure (now called Kirsten Gum Treasure Hunter
) on the Travel Channel, and somehow watching developed into doing as we found ourselves Georgia and North Carolina bound for our honeymoon.

We found lots of gold in Dahlonega, Georgia, rubies and sapphires in Franklin, North Carolina rubies, and we returned on another vacation to find even more amethysts, aquamarines, citrine, rose quartz, garnets, emeralds - literally buckets of gemstones!

Panning for Gold in Dahlonega, Georgia

There's really gold in them thar hills!

Dahlonega was our first stop. We stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn at the top of the hill (see view in photo), and had a good night's rest. The next morning, we visited the Consolidated Gold Mine in Dahlonega, where we panned for gold and found several ounces (about 13), then toured the mine. It was a worthwhile trip - very interesting, and how to pan for goldis a bit of an art in itself!

The photos you see below are of the view from the top of Dahlonega, then images from inside the mine during the tour. Photos don't do it justice, especially the huge veins of quartz that are there, and the bat is a little hard to see but was an interesting sight for sure.


Black Plastic Gold Mining Pan
(image courtesy of Amazon.com)

After the tour, we purchased a bag of crushed ore (basically smashed quartz from the mine) and headed for the troughs. We were oriented to the technicalities of successful panning by the tour guide, then were provided with pans (see photo) that we poured some of the course sand into and then dipped into the water. We rotated the pans and tilted them, allowing one thin layer of sand to spill off the top into the trough at a time. It was a thrill to begin noticing the heavier nuggets of gold clinging to the bottom of or ridge in the pan! To learn more about how to pan for gold, search how to pan for gold on Amazon.com or click my affiliate link here..

My husband ended up with about 13 ounces and I had about 9 when we were finished. It was a great way to spend time together.

Onward to Franklin, North Carolina

Go on a Weekday; Reserve Your Hotel in Advance!

Photo of Motel
Used as example only - not the real motel
Courtesy of "therussionsarehere"
CC BY 2.0

We rolled into Franklin on a Sunday and nothing.... I mean NOTHING was open. We finally found a little cafe where we got some food, the drove up the hill to the Hampton Inn and learned they were booked solid. After driving around and many and ended up staying at a REALLY outdated little roadside motel which shall remain unnamed... it turned out there was a gem convention in town, and all the lodging was sold out! We lasted one night but weren't about to stay at that "INN" another "DAY!"

We could nearly see the lovely Hampton Inn up at the top of the hill, and being ever the pampered princess, I thought longingly of my favored lodging places with their pillow-top mattresses and interior hallways. This place was like those we stayed in during the 70's with the parking right in front of the door, cheap lounge chairs in front of each unit, and a very flimsy window and door. That was NOT a good night's sleep... I had visions of Dirty Harry kicking in the door, a scene from The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, or little crawly things taking over in the middle of the night. The beds were nearly cots, and we just won't discuss the floor and other amenities....

Hampton Inn, Franklin, NCFrom franklin-chamber.com
Image of the Hampton Inn
Franklin, NC



If you plan to go to Franklin, we heard the Hampton Inn was one of the preferred places in town to stay, and we highly recommend that you make reservations in advance!

The Sheffield Mine in Franklin, North Carolina

Follow Directions, Take a Jacket

Map to Sheffield MinePhoto from www.sheffieldmine.com
Official Map to Sheffield Mine


CutiePieHusband and I spent a whole day at the Sheffield Mine in Franklin, North Carolina. Finding the Sheffield Mine is an adventure! If you try to use Google or Yahoo maps, they say, you're probably going to get lost. We sure did! Visit their website to get specific directions.

After going miles the wrong way and miles back (beautiful drive, though), we finally pull up to a nondescript gravel driveway and park. We're way early - they're not even open yet - but the friendly dogs stop by to say hello, the air is fresh and clean, and we didn't mind the wait. The owners were friendly and knowledgeable, and their enthusiasm for our finds was not overdone but highly satisfying.

Plan to spend an entire day. You will get wet, you will get dirty, possibly a little chilly, and you are bound to have a great time!

Rubies, Sapphires, and Prettyite© in Franklin, North Carolina

A Bucket of Dirt

Bags of Native Dirt
Photo from Sheffield Mine
Bags of Native Dirt

Bags of Native Dirt
Photo from Sheffield Mine
Buckets of Native Dirt in Background
3 Days' Find in Foreground

When you buy a bag or bucket of dirt at the mine, you LITERALLY get a bucket of DIRT. And the dirt has that Georgia clay reddish quality to it.

You sit down on a bench in front of a trough through which water flows continuously. You grab a handful of dirt and put it into your box, which has a screen at the bottom of it (see CutiePieHusband below). You shake the trough left and right, letting the water run through it and wash the dirt away, leaving rocks. Then you and scrape each rock and stone against the bottom.

Photo of Rubies from Sheffield Mine(photo from www.sheffieldmine.com)
Rubies found at Sheffield Mine


See how these rubies look much like ordinary rocks? Finding the rubies and sapphires is really an art in itself. The rubies have a very hard feel when you scrape, and the scraping won't hurt them. When cleaned off, you can usually see a little edge or side that has a translucent quality. And often they have a very definitive edge because they're actually crystals, so you can kind of tell it's a ruby because it has that crystal structure to it - a nice, clean edge or corner.

The knowledgeable workers walk by while you're mining and help you identify what you've got as well as preventing you from tossing any good ones! In addition to rubies, you can find quite a few sapphires and a ton of what they call "iron garnets." The garnets are like little BBs, and they are rusted out so are of no use as gems, but I kept mine anyway. The sapphires are not the typical blue kind you see in the jewelry stores; they are more reddish purple in color but are still real and you can find some really nice pieces. I also found pretty little pieces of quartz and other rocks that I kept. I call them "Prettyite" and like to use them in my candleholders, crafts, etc. or just run my fingers through them like a satisfied pirate fingering his sovereigns...

CutiePieHusband Looking for Rubies

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Sheffield Mine in Franklin, NC

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Ruby

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The Princess Pleaser

The Rainbow Bucket

A cool thing to try is the Rainbow Bucket. Now, these rocks aren't native to Franklin nor to Sheffield Mine; they're imported from places like Australia and Africa if I remember correctly. BUT for kids especially, these are COOL. You find HUGE chunks of amethyst, sodalite, and other beautiful, bright stones that are satisfyingly colorful and sparkly. The kid next to me was rolling in great stones one after another and tickled to death. I'm pulling out brown rubies and sapphires, but the kid is getting PURPLE and BLUE and GREEN (emeralds) and PRETTY COLORS. The princess in me responded to the glitz. I had to have a rainbow bucket too!

What's Your Favorite Gemstone?

I like blue sapphires, but there are lots of beautiful kinds of gems and they're all pretty and sparkly!

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Favorite Gem Hunting Links

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Gold n Gem Grubbin!, Thars Gold n Gemstones in them thar hills!

This was my favorite! We found beautiful stones an more...1 point

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http://www.crissongoldmine.com/

We enjoyed the Crisson Gold Mine. They had a great more...1 point

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Wedding Rings

Huge selection of wedding rings, diamond wedding r more...1 point

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Rings

Engagement rings, diamonds, and wedding bands at h more...1 point

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Amethyst Toolkit

Treasure Hunter with Kirsten Gum on the Travel Cha more...0 points

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Emeralds Toolkit

Treasure Hunter with Kirsten Gum on the Travel Cha more...0 points

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Aquamarines Toolkit

Treasure Hunter with Kirsten Gum on the Travel Cha more...0 points

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Barnett Crossbows

Barnett Crossbows For Sale here and free shipping more...0 points

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GIA diamond

Diamonds on fire inc is one of the best high quali more...0 points

Where Did You Go on Your Honeymoon?

Or What's Your Favorite Vacation Spot?

  • puppyprints Mar 24, 2012 @ 5:50 pm | delete
    I love western NC! Haven't done any mining there yet
  • JeriBaker Jan 16, 2012 @ 11:20 am | delete
    I want to do this! Seems like loads of fun.
  • Ashdock Nov 10, 2011 @ 9:35 pm | delete
    Looks like so much fun!
  • bames24 Jul 7, 2011 @ 4:46 am | delete
    great lens... wish I could go gem hunting :)
  • miaponzo Jan 24, 2011 @ 4:01 am | delete
    To a hotel near my house! :)))))
  • informaticsexecutive Apr 17, 2011 @ 10:58 pm | delete
    Mia, it sounds like you love where you live; what a wonderful thing!
  • WriterBuzz Oct 2, 2010 @ 3:44 am | delete
    Your lens is great. Very informative. I liked your lens with a thumbs up.
  • informaticsexecutive Dec 8, 2010 @ 9:17 pm | delete
    Thanks for the thumbs up, I'm honored :)
  • Mickie_G Jun 12, 2010 @ 12:01 pm | delete
    We went on a cruise. It was fun because another couple we knew were on the ship.
  • informaticsexecutive Jun 12, 2010 @ 9:15 pm | delete
    That's awesome! I've never been on a cruise. Do you really connect with the water or is it more like being in a big, moving hotel? I can't imagine having a room without a balcony, either. Which cruise line did you choose? Sounds like you may have great material for a lens...
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Where to Find Great Mines

Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires, Garnets, Aquamarines, Tiger Eye, the list is Hyuuuuge!

Gold 'N Gem Grubbin'
GPS: Latitude: 34 35 49.01 N; Longitude: 83 45 48.01 W
Where: 75 Gold Nugget Lane, Cleveland, Georgia 30528
Phone: (706) 865-5454
Web: Gold N' Gem Grubbin'
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., daily
Price: Ranges from $8 a bucket to $135 a bucket

Jackson's Crossroads, Ga., home of a world-famous amethyst mine
Dixie Euhedrals JXR (Jackson's Crossroads) mine
For the faceting (gem-cutting) part of the trip, we went to the Gold 'n Gem Grubbin mine.
Jackson's Crossroads Mine in Washington, Ga., is the real deal. You hunt right at the source, and the possibilities are endless. Folks who paid just $25 to dig for the day were pulling amethyst out of the ground at an extraordinary rate.

Gem Mountain in Spruce Pine, N.C., where the owner, Charles Buchanan, lets people search for gems at a flume setup near town, but he also allows them to come directly to his Brushy Creek Mine.
Location Information
Gem Mountain
GPS: Latitude: 35 55 00.70 N; Longitude: 82 04 25.44 W
Where: 13780 Highway 226, Spruce Pine, N.C., 28777
Phone: (888) 817-5829 or (828) 765-6130
Web: Gem Mountain
Price: Admission is free and mining buckets range from $15-$120

Rio Doce Mine
GPS: Latitude: 35 55 00.70 N; Longitude: 82 04 25.44 W
Where: 14622 Highway 226, Spruce Pine, North Carolina, 28777
Phone: (828) 765-2099
Web: Rio Doce Mine
Price: To have a stone cut by Jerry is approx. $50 per stone plus an additional dollar for each carat over ten.

Source: The Travel Channel

Free eBooks, Words from the Top Lenses...

and Great Lensmasters

Check out the list of Seth's eBooks for a combination of wisdom, encouragement, and boosts of courage.

Oh... and I love the Fluff!

(but not as much as my CutiePieHusband, of course)

:),

Pamela
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Do You Listen to iTunes?

There are lots of free Podcasts and Apps in Addition to Music

Aside from great music, there are some fantastic podcasts on iTunes. I listen to every episode of Andrew Warner's Mixergy. If you've ever thought about doing talk radio or podcasting yourself, check out The Podcast Answer Man, Cliff Ravenscraft. I also search for interviews featuring Seth Godin, Martha Beck, and other thought leaders of our day. Enjoy my picks below!

Track Artist Album  
Bohemian Rhapsody (Glee Cast Version) [feat. Jonathan Groff] Glee Cast Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals - EP
Bring Me to Life (Live) Evanescence Fallen
My Immortal Evanescence
Yesterday The Beatles The Beatles Box Set
All You Need Is Love The Beatles The Beatles Box Set
Let It Be The Beatles Let It Be
Eleanor Rigby The Beatles The Beatles Box Set
I Dreamed a Dream (Glee Cast Version) [feat. Idina Menzel] Glee Cast Glee: The Music, Vol. 3 - Showstoppers (Deluxe Edition)
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18: I. Moderato Sergei Rachmaninoff, The Philadelphia Orchestra & Leopold Stokowski Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff: The Piano Concertos and Solo Pieces
Pavane for a Dead Princess Louis De Froment & Radio Luxembourg Symphony Ravel: Boléro, Pavane for a Dead Princess, La valse, Spanish Rhapsody
Here Comes the Sun The Beatles Abbey Road
Noah: Right Bill Cosby The Best of Bill Cosby
Noah: Me and You, Lord Bill Cosby The Best of Bill Cosby
Revenge Bill Cosby The Best of Bill Cosby
Behind Blue Eyes The Who Who's Next (Remastered)
Air Johann Sebastian Bach Classics for the Heart
Dust In the Wind Kansas The Best of Kansas

Here's a Question for You...

How Would You Rather Honeymoon?

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5-star opulence, waited on hand and foot, massages, champagne and caviar, Paris, Rome, NY, we start our lives together living high!

Grubbin'! Treasure hunting, hiking to the tops of waterfalls, digging through dirt and rocks for gold and gems is the Real Deal!

informaticsexecutive says:

Grubbin'! My memories are some of the most vivid of my lifetime: our drives through beautiful country, the Blue Ridge Parkway, muscle-wrenching hikes up to scary heights to find the calm pool at the top of a waterfall, and panning for treasure like two kids in a sandbox digging for quarts or a coveted Matchbox car. Although I must say the Grove Park Inn was pretty nice :)

 

Etsy Finds Related to Treasure, Gem Hunting, and More

Have you Seen the Beautiful Jewelry, Crafts, and Vintage Items on Etsy Yet?

It's worth a look. I've been tinkering around with Etsy for a couple of weeks now, and I must admit that I'm hooked. You can find such beautiful works of art, crafts, miniatures, vintage items, handmade treasures, etc.

The thing I like best is that you can see the true heart and commitment that many of these artists, crafters, and treasure hunters pour into making the world a more beautiful place and offering us an opportunity to own their creations in exchange for fair market prices. Two more things I really enjoy about Etsy:
1) the handmade crafts and works of art are predominately made in the USA by artisans all over the country, and
2) there is a lot of recycling, repurposing, and otherwise eco-friendly activity as a natural result of the nature (no pun intended) of the Etsy community, its members, and its customers' preferences. That's pretty darn cool.

Check it out, and I'd really love to know what you think - just drop a note in the Guestbook below or send me an email! In the meantime, I've pulled in some items that I've marked as favorites while browsing through the site. I hope my favorites inspire you to take a look at Etsy. By the way, My favorite of all my favorites that beautiful Blue Moon Flower, but I also love-love-love the colors of the blue and white mosaic vase. When I saw those two, I just went - WOW!

Hopefully you'll be seeing some of my finds on there one day soon! I'm feeling a bit crafty myself, but in the meantime I've got so many vintage items - lots of neat collectibles and crafts - that I plan to list soon.

Keep in touch!

Pamela

Blue Mosaic Art Flower Vase - Shabby Chic | Price: $225

Blue Mosaic Art Flower Vase - Shabby Chic

Cream-colored ceramic jar vase from a thrift shop found in perfect condition ... but so plain-jane and b... (full description)

| Price: $0

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Blue Moon Flower | Price: $0

Handmade borosilicate flower implosion with 16" or 18" leather necklace with a sterling silver clasp. Please specify desired length in order... (full description)

Whimsical Hand Built Stoneware Cottage | Price: $0

This is a Limited Edition hand crafted whimsical stoneware cottage/house designed by artist Jan Richardson of Windy Meadows Pottery. This is the "... (full description)

Exotic Bird Japanese Tip Trays - for Japan Relief | Price: $24

Set of 3 vintage paper mache trays by Alfred E. Knobler. Delicate design of parrots and flowers in gold, green and red. Stamped on back: "Alfred... (full description)

Western ceramic cowboy boots | Price: $2

Small cowboy boots with or without spurs.

Size 1 3/8" X 1 3/8" with spurs and 1 3/8" X 1 1/8" without spurs. Also you may orde... (full description)

| Price: $0

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I love Tea Cups Pots Spoons Charm Bracelet with Colorful Millefiori Beads | Price: $35

This stunning handcrafted charm bracelet measures 7 3/4" long including the secure toggle clasp. There are a total of 10 silver charms and 9 bead... (full description)

Lampwork Swarovski Sterling Bali Silver Bracelet Heavenly Dreams | Price: $72

Heavenly Dreams....This bracelet is stunning! I used 5 beautiful handmade lampwork glass beads to create this beautiful piece. I incorporated beautifu... (full description)

| Price: $0

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Toddler's-Child's Hand Knit Sweater 18-24 months | Price: $42

This attractive little sweater is hand knit in acrylic yarn for washability. Can be machine washed (cold recommended) and laid flat or hung to dry; h... (full description)

| Price: $0

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So, What Do You Think?

Was this your first view of Etsy?

Did you visit the site? Like any of my favorites? Are you an artist or a crafter? What is your favorite material to work with?

I really like polymer clay and found some acumen for sculpting, even managing to pull off a decent flying pig (I can't wait to make another one!). Since seeing the works of Erik Goddard (www.erikgoddard.com) and Rik Pierce (www.frogmorton.com), however, I've been itching to try PaperClay. If you get a chance to look at their work, note that they both use lightweight PaperClay. When I learned that, I was blown away! If I ever get a chance to take a workshop from one of both of them, I'll be in seventh heaven.

In the meantime, I love to find vintage treasures, especially miniatures. Mom and I were at a tag sale a few years ago, and I had a "feeling" about some Christmas village houses being sold for $10 each. We bought all of them, and I looked them up when I got home. It turned out they were all Kurt Adler houses worth between $50-$125 (on eBay). More recently, I found the cutest little animal salt & pepper shakers at a tag sale; they were stamped "FM 87". I couldn't find a thing about "FM 87", but I had that "feeling" and could tell from the quality of design and expression they had to be made by a known company. So I looked up Giraffe Salt Pepper, Elephant Salt Pepper, and so on in Google's Image lookup and found some matches. It turned out they were all Franklin Mint! I love treasure hunting :).

So, do you like crafting or treasure hunting? What's your best creation or find? I'd love a link to a photo if you have one.

Cheers,

Pamela

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And Finally, Some Favorite Links to Share with You

Ted Talks: Seth Godin on Sliced Bread
You can see and/or hear these brief talks by thought leaders from all over the world at www.ted.com or download on iTunes (search for Ted Talks in the Podcasts section).
Gemstones on Amazon
Note: this is my affiliate link to some great books on gems
Cash and Treasures on the Travel Channel
We visited a lot of the places that Becky Worley visited, and I think a couple that Kirsten Gum did too: Dahlonega and Cleveland, Georgia; Franklin, Spruce Pine, and other places in North Carolina, etc. We found aquamarines easily as large and larger than the one Kirsten is holding in the fourth video, a ton of amethysts, etc.

I have a rock grinder, but the idea of several weeks of grinding noise has been too off-putting to try it out. Anyone have soundproofing suggestions?

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informaticsexecutive

I am a research and information part-geek who loves analyzing data, exploring innovations, baking, cooking, playing with polymer clay, making and coll... more »

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