David Cowley asked:

Amethysts Ring

The Amethyst gemstones range in color from pale lilac to deep purple.  Gemstones with the deepest colors are the most valuable and some of these fine gemstones are featured in the British Crown Jewels.  Amethyst is a transparent quartz crystal and is used in many pieces of striking jewelry today.

Amethysts, Gold and other Gemstones can be mined by the public at the Gold’n Gem Grubbing mine in Georgia.  For a fee of $15 for a half day or $25 for the full day the treasure hunter can mine just like the ole timers did.  All tools needed for treasure hunting is provided by the mine operators.  You can dig the ore from the commercial mining pit which has been piled at the edge of the creek by dump trucks.  Fill up a couple of buckets and take your finds to the creek for panning and screening. 

Amethysts Rough

Amethyst, Emeralds, Sapphires, Topaz and Gold have been found by rock hounds at the Gold’n Gem Grubbing mine.  You never know what you may find so having a good gemology reference book handy can pay for itself very quickly.  Especially one that will show you what the rough gemstones look like right out of the ground.  I recommend bring a hat, gloves, sun screen, proper clothing, wading boots and a fold up stool.  Kneeling in a stream panning all day can be a killer on the knees.

Kneeling in a stream all day is not your idea of a fun time?  You can purchase buckets of ore and screen them at the convenient sluices.  Trained staff is always nearby to help you identify your treasures.  Buckets of ore can be purchased for $10.00 for a 1 gallon, $30.00 for a 2.5 gallon, $60.00 for a 5 gallon, and $100.00 for the Mother lode 5 gallon bucket.  Buckets of ore come with a $15.00, $30.00, and $50.00 credit towards having jewelry made with the gemstones you find.  The mine operators even have a Master Jeweler on hand to turn your treasure into a striking piece of jewelry.

Amethysts Rough Clusters

Myth And February

If you were born in February, then you will have a special reason to go Amethysts treasure hunting, because it is your birthstone.  It is also the stone to give as presents on your 33 Th wedding anniversary.  Legend has it that wearing or keeping an Amethysts on your person not only protects its wearer against seduction but is also a symbol of trust and piety.

Moses said that the amethysts gemstone is a symbol of the Spirit of God and the gemstone was often used in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews.  The Greek word for Amethysts means not intoxicated and the popular belief is that the gemstone offers protection against drunkenness.  It is also said to protect crops against tempest and locusts, bring good fortune in war, inspire the intellect and if worn around the neck on a cord made from dogs hair it would protect against snakebite.

Amethyst will change color when it is heated.  This gemstone should not be worn while sunbathing or anywhere there is black lighting.  Sudden changes in temperatures can be harmful.  Smoky colored stones can become yellow to brownish red with temperatures as little as 250 degrees.  Stones with a high degree of transparency become yellow or colorless when exposed to temperatures of 400 degrees.

Happy Treasure Hunting.

David Cowley asked:

Opals have been considered a magical precious stone for thousands of years.  It is said to help the wearer’s psychic powers and to have better and more vivid dreams.  Modern Witches and Pagans especially look for black opals, said to enhance any magic spell.  But not are opals rich in myth and magic, they are also really nice to look at.  In many ways, they are similar to pearls, but not nearly so expensive. 

Opal

Although you can buy opals from jewelers, geological shows and “nature” stores and their website equivalents, it’s far more fun and magical to find the opal yourself.  This is one of the many reasons why opal treasure hunting is becoming a popular activity, especially in Nevada and Oregon, where Bonanza Opal Mines and the Juniper Ridge Fire Opal Mines are.

Opal Rough

Finders Keepers

Bonanza Opal Mines have “finders’ keepers” days where the general public is allowed to come in, pay a daily fee of less than $50 and keep any and all opals that they find.  You are not allowed to dig just anywhere in the mines, however.  Some areas are reserved only for shareholders.  But hunting for opals is still good in all of the other places of the mines.

Depending on where you choose to hunt for opal, the tools you should bring include Small Hand Rake, Shovel, Pick Axe, Hammer, Bucket, Gloves and Knee pads.  You can use the hard rock mining technique which entails use of a pick axe, shovels, and a hammer or your could just rake through the tailing which are bulldozed piles of material removed from the mining area.  Many of these mines are in extraordinarily remote areas so be prepared to camp and bring all necessary food, water and mining supplies.

Opal Armband

Modern day opal treasure hunters don’t need to travel a huge distance to and from the mines when they need to relax after an invigorating day searching.  They are allowed to camp in certain places in Bonanza Opal Mines.  There are also shower facilities and a naturally heated pond.  Camping and use of the showers is included in your daily fee.

If you like the thrill of the hunt and the beauty of the shifting colors of opals, you may be interested to know that sometimes opportunities come where you can be a Bonanza Opal Mine shareholder.  When you become one of only 100 shareholders, then you are allowed to dig in the “bank” – the places thought to be richest in opals.  If you are interesting in a share, you need to contact Bonanza Opal Mines by email or phone.

Juniper Ridge Fire Opal Mine is another mine that allows the general public to search for opals on a fee bases.  The digging fee is $200 per person per day which gives you the right to dig for opals at the mine area and you are allowed to fill a one gallon bucket with raw gemstones.  The mine operators at the Juniper Ridge Fire Opal Mine believe that any reasonably health and active adult should be able to fill a one gallon bucked within a single day.  If you have more than one gallon bucket worth of material you can pay an additional fee or simply keep only the highest grade of opals to take home.

Before booking your opal treasure hunting trip, be sure to contact your local treasure hunting club to find information on what tools to bring.  You can find out the contact information of your local club through the Federation of Metal Detectors and Archeologist Clubs, Inc.  Often, your local Wal-Mart will have a display table or pamphlets from your local treasure hunting club available.  Sometimes, there even will be club members manning the table so you can ask questions about opal treasure hunting.

Happy treasure hunting.

David Cowley asked:

Tourmaline Rough

According to Egyptian legend tourmaline gets it color when it passes over a rainbow on its journey up from the center of the earth and that is why it is often referred as the gemstone of the rainbow.  Multicolored and bi-colored tourmaline are the norm and very rarely found in the clear or colorless form.  Watermelon colored gemstones are green at one end and pink at the other, hence the name. 

Tourmaline is a crystal distinguished by its three sided prisms, which no other common mineral has.  Tourmaline will come in a wide variety of colors.  Iron will give tourmaline a black or brown coloration, magnesium are brown to yellow, lithium rich crystals will display blue, green, red, yellow or pink.

Tourmaline Rough

Tourmaline is found in pegmatite veins within the underlying bedrock that is at an angle of about 45 degrees to the center of the earth.  Two main geological features, granite and marble, have the ability to form tourmaline crystals.  Only about 5 percent of the gemstones found are of gem grade quality.

Tourmaline will change it electrical properties when it is heated.  It becomes lightly magnetized and it has been used in the Netherlands to attract ashes and could be used to clean out pipes.  This gemstone has a hardness rating of 7 to 7.5 thus making it a good candidate for jewelry.  It can withstand years of wear but you may want to avoid steam cleaning or heat.

Tourmaline Multiple Rough

Tourmaline was first discovered in the United States near Paris, Main in 1820.  Two students taking a shortcut home they came upon an uprooted tree with dozens of green tourmaline crystals near the roots.  Tourmaline was the first gemstone commercially mined in the United States.  This gemstone has also been found in other areas of Main such as Newry Hill, Mount Mica and Plumbago Mountain.  Currently most of the old mines are open to collectors for a fee.

The Himalaya Mine in San Diego County, California allows treasure hunters to search for tourmaline gemstones.  For a fee of $75 the prospectors will have access to the mine tailings area all day long.  Fill up your bucket from the mine and then take your potential treasures to the screening area and sift through the rubble for the gemstones. 

The Himalaya Mine will also sell you a bucket of tailings to take home for $50 to $100, depending on the quality of tailings.  You may also purchase a bag of “Pocket Mud” on the internet for $20 plus $10 for shipping, so you can screen at your leisure.

The underground mine consists of five miles of steep passages that were dug over the last 100 years so there is plenty of tailings you can sift through.  If you decide to dig at the Himalaya Mine you will need to bring a shovel, bucket, gloves, hat and a ¼ inch screening stand.

In 1989 a vivid blue color tourmaline was found in Brazil.  It was given the name Paraiba tourmaline and is in such popular demand that price was soon over $10,000 per carat.  Almost every color can be found in Brazil but the blue is still the number one must have.  A cut and polished gem quality tourmaline from the United States can demand up to $1,000 per carat.

Happy treasure hunting.

David Cowley asked:

Black Truffles

Truffles is a mushroom that has formed a symbiotic relationship their environment.  They grow underground among the roots of trees with only a few types of trees, such as cedar and maples that are not associated with truffle forming fungi.

Many mushrooms look quite similar to truffles but are poisonous so never eat a wild mushroom without the guidance from an expert.  Truffles are found underground among the roots of chestnut, elm, oak, pine and willow trees during the fall, winter and spring seasons.

Where Can I Find Truffles?

Truffles are quite common in the Pacific Northwest Mountains from California through Oregon and Washington to British Colombia.  They have also been reported to have been found in Idaho, Montana and New York but these rumors have not been validated.

How Can I Find Truffles?

In the United States three things clues are used by shroom hunters when searching for this elusive fungi.  The first is that the soil under the trees must be moist and warm.  A good time to search is 10 to 14 days after a good heavy rain.

The second clue is that the right type of tree must be present.  Look for Beech, Birch, Douglas fir, Eucalyptus, Fir, Hazel nut, Hickories, Oak and Pine trees.

White Truffles

The third clue is that the truffle fungi need animals to disperse the spores.  Look for the signs of rodents or other small animals such as squirrels and chipmunks have been digging in the area.  Use a four tine garden cultivator to rake the leaves and other debris off the surface of the ground starting about 10 feed from the trunk of the tree working inward.  Work to a depth of 1 to 6 inches.  Always replace the litter when you are done and leave the area as you found it.  Truffles can be brown, red, white and black in coloration and often look like a small dirt clod.

A well ripened truffle will smell like deep fried sunflower or a walnut seed through not everyone has the ability to detect the odor.  In the past pigs have been used to hunt for truffles.  A female pig (sows) become sexually excited when they smell the fungi because it produces a smell that is similar to smell of the sex hormone produced by a male pig.

How Do I Store Truffles?

Truffles should be used as fresh as possible but if you are a hunter extraordinary, then you can store them in a paper bag for several days.  Never store them in a plastic bag because they will mold very rapidly.  They also can be frozen in a glass jar or immersed in olive oil.  The olive oil will absorb the flavor and can be added during food preparation.  A dehydrator can be used to dry the mushroom for later use.  Soaking in warm water for about one half an hour prior to use is recommended.

Where Can I Sell My Treasures?

You can sell them at upscale restaurant, at a local farmers market and at swap meets for $65 to $80 a pound for white truffles and $100 to $150 a pound for black truffles.  This mushroom is used in gourmet dishes around the world and is in high demand.  The taste is often compared to garlic and mushroom blended.  It is often served uncooked on salads, omelets and pasta.  On a good day you could find 4 or 5 pounds, not a bad day’s work.

Happy Treasure Hunting.

David Cowley asked:

What are sunstones and where can I find them?

Sunstones are formed in molten lava and found in volcanic vents that have erupted from volcanoes.  When the lava rock is weathered away or broken up the sunstone crystals are exposed.  Sunstone is a transparent, yellowish labradorite found as crystals in these volcanic rocks.  Crystals can come in clear, pale yellow, soft pink, blood red, deep blue and green coloration.  Some sunstone crystals will have bands of different colors throughout.  This color variation is caused by varying amounts of tiny crystals of copper.  The more colorful or darker stones contain larger amounts of copper.

Rough Sunstone

They are found all over the world but the gem quality stones that are large enough to cut for jewelry are normally found in Oregon.  Crystals as large as 3 inches across have been found but normally range from 1/8 to 1 inch long.  Oregon is also the only place in the world that this gem grade material is found with copper in it and in 1987 it was declared the official State Gemstone of Oregon.

Cash And Treasures Sunstone

Rough sunstones will range from about $400.00 to $500.00 a carat and for a good cut and polished one can sell for over $1,000.00 a carat depending on the size, color, clarity, and cut.  In 2006 the travel channel aired a show about the  Spectrum Sunstone Mines from the Cash and Treasures series.  One of the sunstones found during filming, after it was cut and polished, was over 10 carats and was sold to a couple in Oregon for $5,200.

Oregon sunstones are found only in the remote high desert of Lake and Harney counties of Oregon.  The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has established a free, public collecting area in eastern Lake County which is near Plush Oregon.  Until recently, this was the only known occurrence of the gem quality sunstones found in the United States.

Rough Sunstone

The geology of Harney and Lake county is favorable for the discovery of more deposits of these fine gem stones and recently several more mining claims have been established in the northern and southeastern area of Harney county.  These producing areas are not available for public collecting without permission of the claim owners.

Sunstone Knoll south west of town of Delta, Oregon is open to the public and is free.  The best time to search for sunstones is just after rain storm.  Sunstones will glitter in the sunlight and can be found on the ground on the east side of the knoll.  The gem stones usually range from 1/8 to 1 inch but larger stones have been found.

The Spectrum Sunstone Mine is a 20 acre privately owned patented mining claim located 27 miles northeast of Plush, Oregon which is open to the public between May 15 and November 1.  Dig through a pile of fresh unprocessed ore for free all day with mine personnel to learn how to spot these fine gem stones.  Additional days are available for $50 per day per person.  Winter mining is welcomed by appointment only.  You may call 775-830-5797 for more information.

You will need to bring a small pick to used on the walls of a mine to reveal sunstones hidden among loose rocks or broken rocks.  A rock picks or screw driver is used for prying the gemstones out of the broken rock.  A shovel and a five gallon plastic bucket is used for  loading loose dirt and broken rocks which is then taken to the screening area for further process.  You will also need to bring a screen.  Loose dirt is shoveled onto a screen and the screen is then shaken to remove small particles and sand.

Watch the screen while shaking it, sunstone will often flash as they roll around.  Always examining the screening area with the sun facing you.  The sunlight will reflect through the sunstones making them easier to spot.  Examine the screenings from various angles and roll the gravel around while doing so.  Before discarding the screenings always look from underneath the screen with the sun at your back.  Many dusty stones can be missed until you see the light pass through them.

Happy treasure hunting.