List of locations I have been for gemstones.

[MRBeyer]

Free
Oregon and Nevada
Sunstones-at Spectrum Mines at at the state park next to it, Plush OR. Best time to look is immediately after it has rained as the rain pushes stones to the surface and clears the dust off ones on the surface. Filled a 20 oz soda bottle in 1.5 hours.

Apache Tears/Obsidion-Found along the hwy 140 between Winnemucca NV and Lakeview OR.

Opal-Numerous mines along hwy 140 at the state line. Expensive as h * double hockey sticks. When I can afford it I might go.

Idaho
Garnet, Herkimer Diamonds, and Amethysts-Just east of Kellogg Idaho is a Gold mine you can take a tour in. If you've taken a tour they will let you pan for gold in some large troughs outside. On the ground around these troughs are all sorts of gemstones people have thrown out while looking for gold. About $15 to take the tour.

Garnets-at a prospectors booth in Gold Bar Washington I had a girl bring up a golf ball sized Garnet she got from a garnet mine run as a state park south of Cour D'Alene. Guess where my next trip is.

Montana
Sapphires-Gem Mountain mines, paid $80 for 8 15 pound bags of dirt. Found over a hundred sapphires in them. Over 40 are valuable.

Washington
Fossils-the town of Republic has a small gravel pit where you can dig for fossils. It costs you $5 for whatever you can carry out in a 5 gallon pail.

Arkansas
Diamonds and agate-Ok, been to the Murfreesboro diamond mine 5 times and still no diamonds. I did however bring back the biggest agate I have ever found, must have weighed close to 3 pounds. $7 entrance, $17 in gear to dig.


Let me know where you go, if it is on my way I'm gonna go there next.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[Cappy Z.]

Thanks for posting the info.

HH

 

[allen_idaho]

You didn't make it out to Emerald Creek huh? That's too bad.

 

[vibes]

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,173669.0.html

Ok, maybe not a gemstone BUT I was in new Mexico and found smithsonite. The above link is to the original post

 

[Cappy Z.]

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,173669.0.html

Ok, maybe not a gemstone BUT I was in new Mexico and found smithsonite. The above link is to the original post

That 'smithed' piece of 'smithsonite' (the green) is b e a u t i f u l.....

Thanks for posting.

 

[airborne1092]

Idaho
Garnet...

...I had a girl bring up a golf ball sized Garnet she got from a garnet mine run as a state park south of Cour D'Alene. Guess where my next trip is.

While working in Coeur d'Alene ID a little while ago, I had made several trips to the Emerald Creek Star Garnet area and have yet to find the 'big ones' everyone had always shown me. The larger ones are taken from private property near the public dig site. The public site is dredged by a private company and as the public, we get to dig through the tailings. Don't get me wrong, it IS fun, however over three days total time digging, the largest one I ever found was the size of a pinball. Most of the time, you'll find clumps of tiny crystals or chips/halves. The largest I ever saw was in a custom jewelry shop in town - it mustv'e been twice the size of my fist and pretty close to perfect lines and all 12 sides -even in the raw -with nice inclusions.

If you do go, there is a woman located in Moscow, ID that everyone knows as the "Garnet Lady" who can cut and polish them for you for a reasonable price, problem is you'll have to wait several months because of her popularity.

When you go, be certain to bring a cooler and food and also don't forget a dry change of clothes. While you're not accually in the creek digging, you'll get pleanty wet at the sluice box washing your rocks. Also, bring a hat and sunsceen - there is no shade except what you find in the shadows of the trees.