Post by rallyrocks on Mar 9, 2008 2:25:10 GMT -5
Well how about this- Susan and I actually spent today at the legendary Dallas mine (also known in previous incarnations as the Benitoite mine, the Gem mine and various other names, now officially the California state gem mine).
I needed to check it out and make sure this really was what they said it was before I'd think of dragging any of you guys out there, but it is the real deal, and if you're into this material, its well worth the brutal trip back up there. (high clearance 4X4 pretty much mandatory)
I have to say, even for an expensive fee dig site, we had a great time and felt we got a good ROI.
The rate is $100 per person, and Benitoite probably isn't for everyone, (too rare and small for tumbling, best either as specimen or faceted) -but Susan spotted 3 nice "cutter" free crystals, and I came across a couple of good potential specimen pieces.
Word is that the "Cash and Treasure" folks shot an episode a couple of months back that will air mid-April, so if this is something you've wanted to do, I'd suggest doing it sooner than later...
A couple of links with info on Benitoite:
www.mindat.org/min-624.html
www.benitoite.com/benitoite/jvcollection.shtml
www.calstategemmine.com/
The guy to contact about fee digs at the California state Gem Mine:
www.benitoite.com/benitoite/digblue.shtml
(also available through calstategemmine.com)
Well it took me a bit longer than I wanted to but here's some more about the trip-
We met some fellow Benitoite hunters at 6:00 AM in Hollister, and 5 vehicles caravaned down CA 25 to the Coalinga road where we turned left to go another 16 miles before turning off the pavement onto the Clear Creek road- which involves several stream crossings- this being the first and smoothest of many;
(click for full sized pictures)
These guys are miners, no room for tree-huggers in this bunch;
(unless they have a healthy self-deprecating sense of humor)
Some 19 miles of the muddiest, bumpiest, rock strewm jeep trails later;
The just through the gate and around the corner; we had arrived
The claim is a 20 acre scar in the hillside where previous generations of commercial mining have left tailings and float that still holds many excellent specimen and gem grade pieces waiting to be picked up, they have a screening rig near the top of the claim where you can sift through gravel tailings;
And a sprinkler system runs around the claim to occasionally aid the rain with washing down the tailing piles;
Here's a shot of our host, mine owner Dave Schreiner;
and a couple of examples of what we were looking for;
We'll need to etch the white matrix off with Muriatic Acid but between us we got a few nice looking pieces for sure, here are a couple shots of another piece I got;
On the way home we took a side detour through the vacated Mercury Mining town of New Idria;
Not a terribly welcoming place
On our way out of Idria we stopped in to visit my friend Kemp Woods who has the Whimsy Placer claim a mile or so below the Gem Mine,
www.benitoitecentral.com
He was proud to show off some of his more interesting examples (while not Gem grade, this "Star of Idria" stone is unique and unusual for its large size and complete crystal structure, despite the outgrowths of crossite, its still a very valuable piece)
Soon, I should have some more pictures of etched specimens, and Susan's gem quality "floaters"
I needed to check it out and make sure this really was what they said it was before I'd think of dragging any of you guys out there, but it is the real deal, and if you're into this material, its well worth the brutal trip back up there. (high clearance 4X4 pretty much mandatory)
I have to say, even for an expensive fee dig site, we had a great time and felt we got a good ROI.
The rate is $100 per person, and Benitoite probably isn't for everyone, (too rare and small for tumbling, best either as specimen or faceted) -but Susan spotted 3 nice "cutter" free crystals, and I came across a couple of good potential specimen pieces.
Word is that the "Cash and Treasure" folks shot an episode a couple of months back that will air mid-April, so if this is something you've wanted to do, I'd suggest doing it sooner than later...
A couple of links with info on Benitoite:
www.mindat.org/min-624.html
www.benitoite.com/benitoite/jvcollection.shtml
www.calstategemmine.com/
The guy to contact about fee digs at the California state Gem Mine:
www.benitoite.com/benitoite/digblue.shtml
(also available through calstategemmine.com)
Well it took me a bit longer than I wanted to but here's some more about the trip-
We met some fellow Benitoite hunters at 6:00 AM in Hollister, and 5 vehicles caravaned down CA 25 to the Coalinga road where we turned left to go another 16 miles before turning off the pavement onto the Clear Creek road- which involves several stream crossings- this being the first and smoothest of many;
(click for full sized pictures)
These guys are miners, no room for tree-huggers in this bunch;
(unless they have a healthy self-deprecating sense of humor)
Some 19 miles of the muddiest, bumpiest, rock strewm jeep trails later;
The just through the gate and around the corner; we had arrived
The claim is a 20 acre scar in the hillside where previous generations of commercial mining have left tailings and float that still holds many excellent specimen and gem grade pieces waiting to be picked up, they have a screening rig near the top of the claim where you can sift through gravel tailings;
And a sprinkler system runs around the claim to occasionally aid the rain with washing down the tailing piles;
Here's a shot of our host, mine owner Dave Schreiner;
and a couple of examples of what we were looking for;
We'll need to etch the white matrix off with Muriatic Acid but between us we got a few nice looking pieces for sure, here are a couple shots of another piece I got;
On the way home we took a side detour through the vacated Mercury Mining town of New Idria;
Not a terribly welcoming place
On our way out of Idria we stopped in to visit my friend Kemp Woods who has the Whimsy Placer claim a mile or so below the Gem Mine,
www.benitoitecentral.com
He was proud to show off some of his more interesting examples (while not Gem grade, this "Star of Idria" stone is unique and unusual for its large size and complete crystal structure, despite the outgrowths of crossite, its still a very valuable piece)
Soon, I should have some more pictures of etched specimens, and Susan's gem quality "floaters"
