In most counties (especially in the central and western part of the state) there are countless mines which have historically produced high-quality gemstones of minerals like amethyst, beryl, garnet, aquamarine, emerald, and many more. Broad River and tributaries, in gravels near Shelby, Roberson Ridge, SW side near Deep Gap Creek, Mitchell County, all area gravels, pits, and streams, Deer Park Mine near bend of North Toe River, Bryson City, general area to N esp. No rock is worth your life or safety. Olivine. Don't worry, we can still help! North Carolina leads the nation in the production of feldspar, lithium minerals, scrap mica, olivine, and pyrophillite, and also leads in the production of clay used for brick manufacture. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Someone even found a $17,000 ruby here once! Specimens of minerals like quartz, emerald, corundum, garnet, and beryl weather out of pegmatites and end up deposited in gravels and bars. The journal itself is labeled Geologists Journal, and is a ledger from the 1950s. So dont hesitate to contact these clubs, and make some new acquaintances. I have a couple of unopened geodes that my dad had kept. Lois Wade has 45 years of experience in crafts including sewing, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, drawing, and paper crafts. The rocks, minerals, and gemstones produced here are virtually unrivaled by anywhere else in the United States. These geodes are hollow, rounded rocklike or clay objects lined with crystals of various types. However, I have compiled a list of resources here so that you may investigate and obtain permission for any locations (found here or elsewhere) for yourself. Mosquito coils last for hours and will burn away into ash. Pet and feed . However, the last one occurred in the 1930s, so its been over 90 years since then. In the countywide stream gravels of Anson County, you can also find pyrite, or go to Eldorado, the old area mines. This is perhaps the best state to find such a wide variety of gems and minerals in the United States, particularly some of the most valuable types. The public mines and their tailings, rocky outcrops, and the gravels of streams, especially near Franklin, are the best places to find crystals. I hope my articles will be useful to you. By using our site, you agree to our. Gem and crystal hunting is so prolific in North Carolina that its difficult to highlight just a few areas. Find frequently asked questions in the section below: North Dakota is a good state to find interesting and cool rocks. You can also bust open the rock with a hammer and chisel to see if there's a geode inside. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bc\/Find-Geodes-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-Geodes-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bc\/Find-Geodes-Step-1.jpg\/aid9433325-v4-728px-Find-Geodes-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"