where to go to mine for gems for fun?

Question

we are looking for somewhere to vacation where we can search for gems for fun. we saw places on the travel channel where to go but never wrote them down.

Answer 1

I know Michigan is a pretty popular place where you can mine for fun. There are also some places like this in the Gatlinburgh/Pigeon Forge area of Tennessee. You will also find some in areas like North Carolina. I had an article at one point that listed several different places that offered this, the most popular ones, but I can't seem to find it. If I can locate it I will list the locations it mentioned.

Answer 2

Ruby Falls is an underground cavern in Chattanooga, TN., there are no gems there, you just tour it.



If you want to do some great gem mining, go to Franklin, N.C., I have only been there once and I found a star sapphire. When it was polished it was worth $350.00 and I had it put into a setting, it was very pretty. Funny you asked this question, I am going up there for a couple of days in May. Good Luck!

Answer 3

There was a place in Connecticut I went during Junior High, where you could wander around with a hammer and pound on rocks and collect garnets, which I believe are a semi precious stone.

Sorry I don't remember the name of the place, it was probably about 20 years ago when I was there.

Answer 4

Arkansas has fields where you can search for real diamonds.

Be warned, it gets very hot & humid there in the summer, but there have been very large diamonds found there!( I believe the largest was over 40 carats)

Answer 5

you can mine for rubies and emeralds and sapphires in and around Franklin North Carolina, they have had some really large finds there, see the chamber of commerce website for Franklin and go to www.hiddenitegems.com. have FUN

Answer 6

Ruby Falls... I think it is in Georgia or Tennessee :)