<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Jan 24, 2011 20:23:31 GMT -5
My son and I went Tourmaline Mining the other day and here are some of the stones we found. My son found this Neon This was my last stone for the day. We found Pink, Green, Neon, Blue, Bi Color, Watermeon, and Black. Plues we found alot of tiny stones not in the photos. We worked the mine for 5 hours, for these stones. All together 102.7 cts.
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 24, 2011 20:28:09 GMT -5
Nice haul! I've never mined, is that a good take for 5 hrs work?
Nate
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Post by texaswoodie on Jan 24, 2011 20:28:25 GMT -5
Cool tourmalines!
Curt
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Post by Toad on Jan 24, 2011 20:52:24 GMT -5
Looks like a good days work. How did the mine operate. Were you allowed to go through tailings?
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emyhro4048
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2007
Posts: 396
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Post by emyhro4048 on Jan 24, 2011 20:54:40 GMT -5
I love tourmaline but can never afford it. You are very fortunate indeed. Have fun collecting.
Ed M.
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Post by 150FromFundy on Jan 25, 2011 9:32:34 GMT -5
Beautiful, but oh so brittle. Nice specimens. There are a few there that may catch the eye of someone who facets.
Darryl.
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Post by mohs on Jan 25, 2011 9:38:11 GMT -5
very cool ! ed
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Post by Roller on Jan 25, 2011 11:19:02 GMT -5
thats great for 5 hours ! and you definately have facetable stones in there ! Care on sharing the location ?
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Jan 25, 2011 21:49:21 GMT -5
In about a month we going back, and dig for more.
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Jason
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2009
Posts: 216
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Post by Jason on Jan 28, 2011 10:33:26 GMT -5
Which pay to dig site dig you get those at? Oceanview? Himalaya?
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Jan 29, 2011 20:30:37 GMT -5
Went to the Himalaya
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Post by christopherl1234 on Jan 30, 2011 4:05:48 GMT -5
I always tell myself that I need to go to that place!!! Cool finds!
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 30, 2011 10:53:04 GMT -5
Is the Stuart Lithia mine still open ? I can remember that place from my Jr. high school days back in the 50's. I belonged to the school rock club, and they arranged a special field trip out there. We weren't allowed into the mine, or on the tailings, but there were a few dry washes that they had salted for us. Everyone came home with a few small crystals.
Don
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Jan 30, 2011 15:40:16 GMT -5
The Himalaya is a great place, and the pople you run it are so nice. We paid 65 to dig, but the person who ran the place said we had over 500 worth of gems
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oldgrouchy
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
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Post by oldgrouchy on Jan 30, 2011 18:51:25 GMT -5
Several of your stones could indeed facet to be worth that! Keep them from bumping together though-they will come apart easily. I have had facet rough arrive to find unuseable bits left from nice crystals when they left. Last time I was in San Diego I really wanted to go to the mine, but my wife got sick and that was that. I still hope to get there one day! Doug
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Jason
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2009
Posts: 216
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Post by Jason on Jan 30, 2011 23:21:10 GMT -5
Did they move the tailings so you now dig no where near the actual mine? I had heard they did or were going to do that. I am sorry to say but that guy was feeding you some bull. Your tourmalines are worth maybe $10-16 at most. None are facet grade and the ones that are gemmy enough to maybe have a chance to be cut are itty bitty with the rod being at most 4cts but way to thin to cut and the blue-green also way to small to cut. I used to sell 300-600ct parcels of himalaya tourmaline for $20-35 on ebay roughly the same quality as yours but with more gemmy full crystals than you got. I have sold maybe 20,000cts of himalaya tourms. in the past 2 years. I just sold this one, which i might have posted on here, for $1500 last year ago. 700+cts bi-color 100% damage free on the exterior(any marks you see anywhere on the crytstal are all on the interior..no one could believe this size tourmaline has zero damage on it's outside) which is a 1 in a million thing with tourms this size and especially coming from an american location. Sold it for about $1000-$1500 less that I could have gotten if i would have taken my time selling it. Probably won't believe this but i paid $550 for it(the deal of a lifetime for me or almost) for a crystal that would sell for $3000-$3200 in Tuscon this week Also as a comparison to show you that buddy was feeding you some bull about your finds over-inflated worth I just sold, 3 months ago, 3 kilos of pakistani gem tourmaline to a mine owner here in the South-east. All were rods and crystals like the 2 individual gemmy ones you posted. Thats 15,000cts(5,000 per kilo) for $100 a kilo or $300 total. Provenence only matters on tourmalines when there is certian criteria met like if they were larger gem grade ones or larger specimen grade ones other than that they are really no different in price than tourmalines from pakistan/afghan, Brazil, Namibia, etc. You are lucky to have been able to dig tourmalines. I don't get that chance down here in the South-east. Last time I dug tourms. was at the Pegmatite workshop last may in Maine. Sure wish I lived out there so i could go digging tourms. Looks like a blast!
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Feb 5, 2011 19:46:55 GMT -5
Looks like a fun day of mining. Worth much or not, a great time mining with your kids is worth a lot.
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Post by jakesrocks on Feb 7, 2011 10:28:33 GMT -5
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