Looking for herkimer diamonds

[trumpetmouf]

Hello all! I'm new to this forum and also to mining- but I have been an enthusiastic gem and mineral collector for many years. It's been a life long aspiration for be info mine my own herk's and next weekend my wife and I will be taking a trip out to make it a reality! I have heard that the public mines have been pretty well tapped out but that there are lots of viable places nearby. Does anyone know of a good spot that they would be willing to share? If not my plan is just to head out and try my luck exploring and chatting up the locals... That said it would be mighty nice to have a bit of advice!

 

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[marinedad]

when you find some leave the matrix on it.

 

[gord]

When we went (50 some years ago), all of the herkimers were found loose in vugs, not in matrix. Had to sort through a bunch of slimy clay silt and do a lot of washing.

 

[davinci]

I was told to go upstate New York for herkimer diamonds the realize there is a place that lets you pay a small fee and search on your own. They have a shop with very many herkimer diamonds...what's the value in this? Can someone get rich with these stones? Is there any market for them? I see so many on sites like eBay for cheap.

 

[Alex Burke]

I was told to go upstate New York for herkimer diamonds the realize there is a place that lets you pay a small fee and search on your own. They have a shop with very many herkimer diamonds...what's the value in this? Can someone get rich with these stones? Is there any market for them? I see so many on sites like eBay for cheap.

Yeah, there's a market but like you say they're cheap, the problem with them is people try to pass them off as real diamonds or trying to deceptively advertise them, but they are cool. Personally I think they should be called Herkimer Double Terminated Quartz Crystals or something else..."Diamond" should be removed from the description, they're not diamonds and it just confuses people IMO. Watch out for fakes even in quartz market! Heat treatments, clarity enhancements, diffusion, glass filling and other strange stuff. These stones often sold under "heat treated" but have had more treatments like the ones I listed. Don't ever buy anything labeled as heat treated IMO I'm sure there's exceptions people could point out but as a general rule I'd stay away from heat treated.

 

[trumpetmouf]

These things are all true! One thing to add there are some extremely rare (mainly because they are extremely fragile) specimens with water trapped inside the crystals- not only very cool to look at but pretty valuable! I just like them and herkimer is close to home... Also a good way to make money with herk's is the creation of "value added products" i.e.. make stuff out of them and sell THAT

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

Herkimer Diamond Mines And KOA Kampground

 

[swizzle]

There's a few places to mine for Herk's as the locals call them. I've never been to the Herkimer mine but I have been to the Ace of diamonds and recommend against it. The owner was rude, disinterested and just plain grumpy, even to children who asked him about their stones. I've heard good things about Crystal Groves family atmosphere but they apparently have a lack of larger vugs. I personally have my own claim in Fonda, N.Y. and have been mining them there for around 4 years now. There is a wide variety of crystal habits with the Herk's and I've dug a few unusual specimens and matrix pieces as well. Fonda has great quality calcite/Herk matrix pieces, one of which I had in a trade for 8oz of silver wire. I've also dug, skeletals, smokies, bridge crystals, one was described as a slightly sceptered double bridge crystal with a barbell tail as well as black diamonds and a phantom. There is a wide variety of inclusions as well. Pyrite, marcasite, anthraxolite (also in spheres), and more. One of my latest stones stands on a beaver tail of what looks like thin sheets of rusty metal. Still not sure what that one is. I gave one to a friend that has a small metallic attachment at the point that looks like a conch shell of sorts. Then you have the clusters and druzy crystal lined pockets too. If anyone wants to stop out I got dirt I want moved and there is crystals in the dirt level as well. Sift all you want or I can give you a tour of the mine and show you some more options. My personal goal is to dig one of the monster Herk's. I've heard of a few crystals popping out in the 15lb range so there is a little variety. Oh that and I'd love to dig a hopper crystal too. I've definitely dug a few oddballs and some I don't even know how to describe them. Jason