Below, you can learn more about some of the mines that Rebecca has visited. There are endless places to mine throughout the United States, and this is only a sampling. Rebecca has other trips planned for the future, so stay tuned for more recommendations.
Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine
Located at 6771 Sylva Road, Franklin NC 28734
Situated in southwestern North Carolina, Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine is one of the first mines that Rebecca and her mother went to together. This mine has free admission; you just pay for what you find. Although Cowee Mountain is primarily a ruby mine, they also have sapphires, emeralds, amethysts, citrine, and more.
Cowee Mountain offers cutting services, which are priced depending on the type of stone and number of carats. On their site, you can see some of the amazing finds, including rubies over 1000 carats.
Lucky Lake Gem and Mineral Mine of VA
Located at 4125 Harpers Road, McKenney VA 23872
One hour south of Richmond VA, Lucky Lake Gem and Mineral Mine is a frequent stop for Rebecca in her search for beautiful gems and stones. Lucky Lake also has free admission and charges depending on the pieces that you want to bring home. They offer group discounts when you have 15 or more people mining together.
Lucky Lake offers cutting services onsite, and licensed gemologists will examine your finds for free. One other unique feature is the flume mining experience, which washes the stones clean as they run down the line. This is handicap accessible and kid-friendly.
The Hogg Mine
Located at 2408 Whitesville Road, LaGrange GA 30240
Drive southwest from Atlanta for an hour, and you'll arrive at the Hogg Mine. They have specified dig dates each year, and you can also schedule a private dig for your group. Each dig day starts at 9am, when you will be driven to the mine from the meeting site. At Hogg mine, you can find stones such as beryl, star rose quartz, black tourmaline, and aquamarine.
Besides the scheduled dig days and private digs, the Hogg Mine also has machine digs days for a premium. Machine digs are days when commercial mining occurs and you can pay to sift through the fresh material yourself. This usually results in high quality pieces.
Poland Mining Camp
Located at 34 Groves Lane, Poland ME 04274
Forty-five minutes north of Portland, Maine is the Poland Mining Camp. Geared towards collectors and geologists alike, attendees get access to various pegmatite quarries. The main season runs from Memorial Day to the end of September, but they can sometimes accommodate other times if given advance notice.
The camps last either 3 or 7 days. They are all-inclusive with lodging and 3 meals a day included. They are a great way to learn about mining or to improve your knowledge and skills.
Be sure to read more about Rebecca's story and the tales behind each of her creations on her website. Follow this blog to learn more about the process of creating jewelry and to see more of the beautiful things that Rebecca designs.
