Just a few of my gems

Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 9:52 pm

The Ray mine in yancey county, nc is a great location. Its an an old mica mine that was last mined in the 50's. The whole side of the mountain is covered with pegmatite rocks where the miners dumped them. It is in the national forest and there is a designated rock hounding area....its a pretty tough hike up but worth it once you get there. It does involved a lot of busting rocks though. I have some more aqua from the Hogg mine in LaGrange, GA. I haven't done much rockhounding since I started prospecting, but I think I need a rock fix soon. Very Happy

Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 9:58 pm

Astrobouncer wrote:

I love the pictures too Candy, it looks like you got a bigger collection then me which is no small feat. Congrats on those finds, they are really nice. I tend to only bring home the ones now which I dont know what they are or that have some unusual characteristics, so each trip out I usually find a couple like that at least, and some trips I bring back a bucketful.

Thats cool Astro oh yeah I have aleast 20 thosand plus. I had a friend from N Z that brought rocks from the glacer and some from her own creek..lol I have just plain ol' rocks from around the world...LOL
I have rocks and water from the dead sea and water from the black sea holy water from Jorden and so yes I have a little bit...lol I have a rock garden out side too...lol

Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 10:01 pm

mitchnc wrote:

The Ray mine in yancey county, nc is a great location. Its an an old mica mine that was last mined in the 50's. The whole side of the mountain is covered with pegmatite rocks where the miners dumped them. It is in the national forest and there is a designated rock hounding area....its a pretty tough hike up but worth it once you get there. It does involved a lot of busting rocks though. I have some more aqua from the Hogg mine in LaGrange, GA. I haven't done much rockhounding since I started prospecting, but I think I need a rock fix soon. Very Happy

That has been my problem here start to pan then stop to look at the rocks....lol

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:48 pm

I like the crystals, Candy

Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:29 pm

Capt. Rex wrote:

I like the crystals, Candy

Thanks Rex Very Happy

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:13 pm

Nice collection Candy.
I'm a rockhound turned gold "seeker". I try to collect mostly minerals that fluoresce under Ultraviolet light, but also collect other nice specimens.
Another way to remove iron stains is half vinegar and half hydrogen peroxide. It works on some tpyes of iron stains, but not all.

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:50 pm

Thanks Tim
Some times I keep how I found them maybe just a little soap and water...lol
I have thought about cleaning some of my crystals that way but then I think it kind of give it own look....lol

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:24 am

Many minerals do lot great as they are found but a few do look much better if cleaned. Last year I collected one piece of smoky quartrz at Diamond Hill, not too far from you. I cleaned it with ironout and the sparkle rivals any diamond I've ever seen. It's a grouping of small crystals, about 1/8 to 1/4" each. It's on my prize specimen display shelf. I collected mostly the white quartz while there. I saw quite a bit of the smoky but since I had never collected it or knew how good it could look, I gave all but one piece I found to some others who were there. I will definitely collect more of the Smoky Q. if I go there again.

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:25 pm

really nice finds candy i really loved your arrow head and the quartz crystals Very Happy