Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,740
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Post by Tommy on Nov 23, 2021 13:02:49 GMT -5
I’m curious have you made any mining claims or have any experience with BLM regarding agate and jasper? No - none at all. I could have planted a dozen claims on the Dead Camel Mountains YEARS before Phil found it and brought the hoards of claimers and clubs along with him. It's just semi-serious sour grapes for me now but the reality is I had no interest in being greedy with it or staking claims and making mining my living, it was just a fun rockhounding location within a 3.5 hour drive for us and it pains me to think of what has become of it.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,854
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 23, 2021 13:08:30 GMT -5
This guy has taken the last of my hard-earned dollars. I don't care how good the stuff he posts looks, what I've received -- at very high prices -- has consistently been much lower quality. In a couple of cases it's been nearly non-cuttable.
I don't know if it's just my bad luck of the draw because I've mentioned this to others who have had much better experiences. I know buying rough is always something of a gamble: no one can see inside rocks. But at the prices he demands and my "losing streak," it's a gamble I'm no longer willing to take. I hope others have better luck.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,740
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Post by Tommy on Nov 23, 2021 13:46:41 GMT -5
But at the prices he demands and my "losing streak," it's a gamble I'm no longer willing to take. I hope others have better luck. I also hope others fare well with this new material. Those pieces on the website with breccia inside of orbs are out of this world. I'd eat my hat if anyone here ended up with anything as bad ass as those pictures - but I do hope all are content with their purchases. The final straw for me personally was an expensive box of Linda Marie plume agate that looked worse than what he sells in the "B" buckets at his Quartzsite booth. Speaking of his Quartzsite booth, I once sat down on a bucket and dug to the bottom of his Linda Marie "B" buckets picking out decent looking cabochon grade pieces and when I collected what I wanted and took it to him he started closely inspecting every piece and asking if I hadn't found it in his "A" buckets as if I was trying to scam him lol. I was like dude... I've been sitting right there at your "B" buckets for over an hour and a half and you didn't notice where I was sitting? I still to this day don't think he believed me.
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AzRockGeek
has rocks in the head
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Member since September 2016
Posts: 639
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Post by AzRockGeek on Nov 23, 2021 14:09:24 GMT -5
No - none at all. I could have planted a dozen claims on the Dead Camel Mountains YEARS before Phil found it and brought the hoards of claimers and clubs along with him. It's just semi-serious sour grapes for me now but the reality is I had no interest in being greedy with it or staking claims and making mining my living, it was just a fun rockhounding location within a 3.5 hour drive for us and it pains me to think of what has become of it. I’d be pretty frosted too! That’s half the reason I don’t give location specifics on my hounding areas. We have had MANY sites in Az, that the local clubs had used for 20+ years then someone puts a claim on them and wipes them out. It SUCKS!!!! Hopefully, everyone who purchased some of this nice looking material is satisfied with their purchase.
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 23, 2021 14:12:29 GMT -5
We have had MANY sites in Az, that the local clubs had used for 20+ years then someone puts a claim on them and wipes them out. It SUCKS!!!! Hopefully, everyone who purchased some of this nice looking material is satisfied with their purchase. This is all new to me. How does someone just put a claim out there? They buy the rights to dig that area or they lease the land? I'm assuming this is public (BLM) land. Also for the record I tried to delete the AZROCKGeek and jadedvision part, but they still came thru
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 23, 2021 14:40:25 GMT -5
I see. I remember looking at land for sale last year and there were all sorts of mineral claims out west...
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 23, 2021 15:36:25 GMT -5
I do know that with Forest Service land in Arkansas for mining Quartz, you are required to post a reclamation bond. It is based on the size of you claim and the size and depth of the pit you will be digging and what it will cost to "recover" the land. Is that the same for BLM land?
About 15 years ago I had inquired on a Forest Service Claim with a working Quartz mine being sold. I contacted the Forest Service about the claim and the bond. It was a very good deal however I was dissuaded by all the warnings I got about "night-crawlers" who would come and help themselves to crystal.
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Post by stardiamond on Nov 23, 2021 16:49:34 GMT -5
I've been buying lapidary material for over 20 years and have developed an approach. Mainly ask a lot of questions, establish good relationships with sellers and shop. His anti-sniper sales require buying on faith and he has been known to over value his material because he has a lot of good customers. Complaints don't matter. Even though a lot of material is harder to find than in the past there are more places to buy from.
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Post by toiv0 on Nov 23, 2021 17:01:01 GMT -5
Took my order then an email came and said I was too late. No breiciated for me. I got one too that he couldn't fill it then he said he could. I'll save you a piece Was probably mine anyway...ha
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dshanpnw
freely admits to licking rocks
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Member since December 2020
Posts: 922
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Post by dshanpnw on Nov 24, 2021 16:07:24 GMT -5
I'm glad to see other people know about these sales. I've tried twice to buy during the sales but was too late for both attempts. Sells out super fast. I guess I need a faster computer or something. Thanks for sharing the comments.
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