regarding Spruce Pine Gem Mine in NC

[Born Free]

The ground is frozen in Colorado so I ordered a bucket of mine rock from Spruce Pine Gem Mine in NC just for fun. Can't attach pix because they have too many pixels. Anyway, I took all the gems to a rock shop. There are about 10 kinds of gems, only two of which are from the NC area! The emeralds and rubys are from NC, all the others are from Brazil, Australia and other countries. None of them have any resale value. The emeralds and rubys are not high enough quality. So although it was fun going through it, I would not have gotten it if I'd known it was seeded. Because that tells me they are controlling what you get and they KNOW there isn't anything of value in there. It would be a fun but expensive gift for a child. Anyway, Mrs Ackley at the rock shop (Ackley's in Colorado Springs) said that some people who go to the mine DO get good rubys and emeralds.

For whatever that's worth.

I have some pretty rocks to put in the rock tumbler.

 

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[fossis]

The ground is frozen in Colorado so I ordered a bucket of mine rock from Spruce Pine Gem Mine in NC just for fun. Can't attach pix because they have too many pixels. Anyway, I took all the gems to a rock shop. There are about 10 kinds of gems, only two of which are from the NC area! The emeralds and rubys are from NC, all the others are from Brazil, Australia and other countries. None of them have any resale value. The emeralds and rubys are not high enough quality. So although it was fun going through it, I would not have gotten it if I'd known it was seeded. Because that tells me they are controlling what you get and they KNOW there isn't anything of value in there. It would be a fun but expensive gift for a child. Anyway, Mrs Ackley at the rock shop (Ackley's in Colorado Springs) said that some people who go to the mine DO get good rubys and emeralds.

For whatever that's worth.

I have some pretty rocks to put in the rock tumbler.

Thanks for the post, good to let folks know what their getting.

Fossis.................

 

[nuggetshooter323]

It kind of makes you wonder it all those places seed their gem bags. I guess the only ones you don't have to worry about are the gold ore bags, they can seed those all they want!

 

[bedpanmoneyman]

Most of those mines do "salt" their buckets of material with gemstones from other countries. However, we were able to find some nice emerald pieces from Gem Mountain...one we had cut for a pendant.

 

[spiffyman]

i had a piece of topaz cut for my wife and a piece aquamarine cut for my mom for Christmas from Gem mountain. the cut stones are very nice.