Guilford County NC, gems/minerals

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:33 am

Has anyone had much success in Guilford county when it comes to gemstones and minerals?

I have a small collection of some small gems but the best stuff came from a big creek in Greensboro(nc).

All small stuff except for some quartz crystals but the gems are small. I was kinda puzzled on how I was finding them(a flawed diamond, very small emerald crystal, a few rubies, garnets, aquamarine, saphire and a few I dont know the ID of them).

Well, a family member told me, upstream about 500-600ft that there is a very large outcropping. I asked her to describe it...she says when she was a kid she played around there and remebers alot of large rocks that she said "looks like black glass"(my first though was volcanic glass..). That peaked my interest alot and I will be checking this area out. I also have found several pieces of pegmatite and maybe a peice of kimberlite(big maybe on that one).

So I was just wondering if anyone has ever found any interesting gems/minerals in Guilford co..?

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:27 am

I have never done any hunting there though I have been in the area many times. Some pictures of the gems would be nice, and a picture of the potential kimberlite would help with the id.

Al

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:30 am

I will be getting dig cam back and I will take a pic of the gems(all very small). I have my doubts on the one being kimberlite..(it is quite large, over a few inches). Its basically part of Buffalo creek that runs all around Greensboro and alll over the place. I use to live in Greensboro and grew up there. I have found one of the best arrowheads I have seen to date about 400 ft from this creek, from where we were putting in a back deck(dug down about 2 feet for legs of the porch and in the dirt was that arrowhead as well as what some folks call 'indian marbles').

I am gonna get some pics of this outcropping(if it is what has been described to me, it would explain some things...maybe, hopefully lol)

Thanks

*I have found ALOT of mica and pyrite flakes but that is very common for Greensboro(mostly in flake form or attached to host). I have found several specks of gold(its carrying but the overburden is insane)Years ago this creek in this area use to flood so bad it would come 60-700 ft right to the back yard. There are also springs all over the place and it is dirty or contaminated water in the creek itself...