Jul 02 2008
Spruce Pine Gemstone Mine Revisited - Part Two
Here’s a first look at the gems I found in that 20-pound sack. It’s still going to take a bit to get them cleaned up - some of them were more raw than I thought they would be. There’s definitely some rose quartz in there and a nice inverted clear crystal scepter. There’s also some sapphire, too, but it’s definitely not gem-quality. I was surprised to find some ametrine in there, too.
The more time I spend with these specimens, the more I think it was a pretty decent deal. Sure, you could just buy the gems already cleaned up, but I actually like cleaning them. Buying a bag like this is not the same thing as digging up the specimens yourself, but I think it might just be the next best thing. For those people who can’t just get out and mine whenever they want, this might be a good way to satisfy that mining desire - at least a bit anyway. I will post some pictures and a further update when I get some of these rascals cleaned up.
2 Responses to “Spruce Pine Gemstone Mine Revisited - Part Two”
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So what will cleaning entail? My husband has remarked this would be fun and I was going to surprise him and the kids for his birthday — but I’m a novice, as is he! Any tips?
Cleaning really isn’t bad at all for these stones! What I do is put them in a plastic container - like a bucket or tupperware bowl. Then I squirt in some mild dish-washing soap and fill the container with warm water. I let the stones sit overnight in the water and rinse them off the next day. Then I take a soft-bristled toothbrush and some more soapy, warm water and clean off the rest of the dirt.
They look great after that - very natural. But if you want to pretty them us some more, you can use a rock tumbler to polish them. I have some of mine from this bag in my rock tumbler right now. They still have another couple of cycles to go so it will be 10-14 days before they’re done. But when they are done, I’ll post some pictures so you can see some the before and after from using the rock tumbler. So far, they’re looking great, especially the rose quartz and the sodalite.