|
dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist



Registered: 07/20/06
Posts: 4,667
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: blackbantam]
#14578648 - 06/08/11 08:12 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
Just got back from about a week of quartz crystal mining. We got pictures of the whole process, so I'll flood this thread with pictures once I have them organized and uploaded.
The mine we went to last year was actively mining a HUGE wall of museum-quality crystals, so the mining was really great and I got a ton of crazy pieces.
This year that part of the quarry was flooded and under water, so they could not get down there and bring up the tailings to the part of the mines that visitors are allowed on. (One of the miners did bring me down into the pit last year and I got to see for myself the most amazing wall of crystals, probably 5 acres of crystals on a vertical plane - a truly awe-inspiring sight).
But even though they weren't actively mining, I found a BUNCH of cool stuff. We washed and cleaned most of our crystals and I think I brought hom like $2K + so far. I also have another whole bucket of uncleaned crystals to wash and go through...
|
pouihi
Mary Jane Doe



Registered: 01/04/11
Posts: 2,384
Last seen: 1 year, 9 months
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal]
#14578665 - 06/08/11 08:19 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
my mind was thinking about other crystals show us the stones then
--------------------
"If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite."
|
dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist



Registered: 07/20/06
Posts: 4,667
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: pouihi]
#14578676 - 06/08/11 08:26 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
Yeah we got literally 600 pics from our road trip (did 2 festivals and 7 days of mining), so I have to organize them and upload to the web and I'll hook up some pics 
Yeah I'm all about crystals of all kinds 
Crystal-Addict LOL
|
McTwist
Stoned Stranger


Registered: 01/22/07
Posts: 1,969
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal]
#14578861 - 06/08/11 09:33 AM (12 years, 7 months ago) |
|
|
I'd love to go mining. I just got into crystals myself this year. A bunch of my friends are into them also. My collection isn't that incredible really. Just a few pieces. My favorite is this beautiful quarts "wookshank" with about 9 phantoms in it. I also have a dark piece of amethyst and a perty looking piece of green apophylite, as well as a few various tumbled stones.
How can I get into mining? How did you get into it?
|
dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist



Registered: 07/20/06
Posts: 4,667
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal]
#14930403 - 08/16/11 08:05 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I know it's been a bit, but we're moving and I had the camera and some crystals next to each other...I'm not the greatest photographer - these crystals are SOOOOO much cooler than I captured - so complex and interesting...I put the tab of blotter art for size reference...
These are some we found this year's trip...







|
dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist



Registered: 07/20/06
Posts: 4,667
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal] 1
#14936525 - 08/17/11 10:37 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Okay so here are some pics of the actual mining trip...

The drive into the mines and away from civilization -


Some tools of the trade - have to have lots of water, drinking bottle, cooler, lunch (the insulated lunchbox also works to keep LSD tabs from the scorching Arkansas summer heat.) Gloves - the sharp crystals WILL cut your bare hands. Wide brimmed hat, essential to keep the summer sun off your face and neck, sunblock (if you're into that, I have to use it since my house fire when I got burned pretty badly, the burned skin is sensitive to the sun). Bags to haul crystals, and of course the wheelbarrow to haul supplies back and forth from the mine to the campgrounds.

Morning Hot Tea at the campsite

View of the mining quarry

Crystal miner on a solid dose of LSD

View of the mountains from the mining area;



Sides of the mining areas are about 6 stories of crystal dirt. These areas are VERY dangerous to mine, but can be VERY good hunting because it is hard for others to get to, so some excellent quality crystals can be found by scaling down the mountains...at the very bottom is a clear creek running peacefully and quietly.

Hauling back a load of crystals after a long day in the sun.


Relaxing evening at the campsite

Once you have the crystals out of the dirt, they first have to be washed, to remove all the dirt and mud from the crystals. once the surface stuff is washed away with a garden hose, the crystals are soaked in a Rubbermaid bin for 2-3 days in a solution of 3-gallons of water to 1 pound of Oxalic Acid. You can also quick wash them with acid by boiling the water and simmering in the acid solution for a few hours.


Once they are washed, we rinse away all the acid from the crystals and lay them out to dry



Each crystal is individually wrapped in newspaper for travel



Here's the basket of $5 crystals (these are the ones too cool to throw back, but not cool enough to be individually wrapped) I figure if there are 200 individual crystals in there, at $5 each, that is $1000 for just the "scrap" ones (My girlfriend says I WAY under-price the crystals, but whatever...)

The "office/gift shop" at one of the mines we visited;

From the porch of that gift shop

Okay I think that finishes this tour...Hope you enjoyed!!!
Light and Love, DW
|
RobMarley420
LSD Enthusiast



Registered: 05/01/05
Posts: 12,554
Loc: Mushroom Mountain
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal]
#14937629 - 08/17/11 02:41 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Wow, those are some amazing pictures! 
That location looks beautiful, searching for crystals out there on LSD sounds like it would be fun.
--------------------
|
ButteredToast
it'sfuckingbutteredtoast



Registered: 09/05/09
Posts: 1,618
Last seen: 5 years, 3 months
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: RobMarley420]
#14937646 - 08/17/11 02:45 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
WOW dwp! You've inspired me, I did some research and there's a few places near me that i've gotta check out this weekend.
|
dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist



Registered: 07/20/06
Posts: 4,667
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: ButteredToast]
#14941701 - 08/18/11 10:20 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks guys! Appreciate the feedback !
ButteredToast, post up a story or pics when you get back 
We should organize a Shroomery crystal mining trip one day
|
MisterMuscaria



Registered: 05/13/08
Posts: 27,646
Loc:
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal]
#14948285 - 08/19/11 04:17 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Oh man I so want to go now.
Im afraid there arent any good mines in my area but I dunno, I live in Indiana. I hear there is some stuff in southern Illinoise.
I see heady rocks come from:
- Maine
- North Carolina
- Arkansas
- New York
- California
- Idaho
- Oregon
...what other states are good that can be added to that list?
|
lovecheese
observer



Registered: 07/06/09
Posts: 682
Loc: n. illinois
Last seen: 8 months, 2 days
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: MisterMuscaria]
#14948295 - 08/19/11 04:19 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I wish I lived closer to a mine like that.
I'm convinced that Illinois was never meant to be inhabited by humans. This only furthers my quarrel with my current location.
|
passifloracaerulea



Registered: 11/13/10
Posts: 10,485
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: lovecheese]
#14948621 - 08/19/11 05:35 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
miner and rockhound here. i live in oregon and mine obsidian(rainbow, pink lady, electric blue, midnight lace, mahogany, needles, gold sheen, silver sheen, fire, and aurora borealis). i dig mostly in northern california and some in oregon. i also dig crystals in washington, where you can get sceptered varieties as well as amethyst. some have chlorite, pyrite, limonite after pyrite, or chalcopyrite. i also do alot of agate mining, especially for fire agate in southern california, and moss/plume agate here in oregon. i have a lapidary at home where i make spheres, cabs, slabs, knapped blades/points, and wind chimes. i'm planning a big moss agate dig for the next week or so at maury mt outside of prineville. anybody who wants to dig, let me know. also planning an obsidian dig at glass buttes and at davis creek if anyone wants to dig some of the worlds finest gem grade. pm me if interested.
|
dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist



Registered: 07/20/06
Posts: 4,667
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: passifloracaerulea]
#14951265 - 08/20/11 06:37 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
MisterMuscaria said: Oh man I so want to go now.
Im afraid there arent any good mines in my area but I dunno, I live in Indiana. I hear there is some stuff in southern Illinoise.
I see heady rocks come from:
- Maine
- North Carolina
- Arkansas
- New York
- California
- Idaho
- Oregon
...what other states are good that can be added to that list?
Just off the top of my head I know Colorado has opals - definitely one thing I have on my list 
Florida actually has cool calcite, there is a place called Fort Drum crystal mine and you can find these calcified clam shells with golden crystals - I think they were all formed in one moment 19 million years ago or something, it was a specific event that created these crystals
Georgia has Amethyst and beryl, aquamarine, and a few others.
They do have cool books showing places to look for crystals all over the US and probably the world...
If any of you have Netflix, I think you can get the Travel Channel show, well some episodes - I think it is called Cash & Treasures or something like that...
Quote:
lovecheese said: I wish I lived closer to a mine like that.
I'm convinced that Illinois was never meant to be inhabited by humans. This only furthers my quarrel with my current location.
If you're in Illinois, there is a place called Cave-in-Rock that has fluorite specimens that you can mine...You should look into that, Fluorite is a cool purple crystal 
Quote:
passifloracaerulea said: miner and rockhound here. i live in oregon and mine obsidian(rainbow, pink lady, electric blue, midnight lace, mahogany, needles, gold sheen, silver sheen, fire, and aurora borealis). i dig mostly in northern california and some in oregon. i also dig crystals in washington, where you can get sceptered varieties as well as amethyst. some have chlorite, pyrite, limonite after pyrite, or chalcopyrite. i also do alot of agate mining, especially for fire agate in southern california, and moss/plume agate here in oregon. i have a lapidary at home where i make spheres, cabs, slabs, knapped blades/points, and wind chimes. i'm planning a big moss agate dig for the next week or so at maury mt outside of prineville. anybody who wants to dig, let me know. also planning an obsidian dig at glass buttes and at davis creek if anyone wants to dig some of the worlds finest gem grade. pm me if interested.
Damn! I'm FAR from you, but I do travel a lot, definitely sounds like you're way more knowledgeable then me - would love to hang and connect when I'm local!
|
Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist


Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 48,276
Last seen: 10 hours, 49 minutes
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal]
#14956171 - 08/21/11 10:47 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
dwpineal said: Quote:
lovecheese said: I wish I lived closer to a mine like that.
I'm convinced that Illinois was never meant to be inhabited by humans. This only furthers my quarrel with my current location.
If you're in Illinois, there is a place called Cave-in-Rock that has fluorite specimens that you can mine...You should look into that, Fluorite is a cool purple crystal 
I have mined there. There are also cool Galina crystals around that area. Quincy, Illinois is graet for geodes. Geodes are great for hiding things.
Probably the best thing to find in Illinois are Mazon Creek Fossils. There is nothing else in the world like it.
http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/mazon_creek/MazonCreekSite.html http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/mazon_creek/gallery.php
|
dwpineal
Psychedelic Artist



Registered: 07/20/06
Posts: 4,667
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: Alan Rockefeller]
#14959787 - 08/22/11 06:39 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I think I saw a guy on Pawn Stars bring in some fossils he found, and I believe they were from that locality. I don't really know anything about fossil collecting, but apparently the Fort Drum site I mentioned above also has some unique and interesting fossils.
There is a store here that sells crystals/rocks/fossils and they have some actual dinosaur skeletons, a pterodactyl skeleton, and even an unnamed dinosaur skeleton, pretty crazy stuff to have for sale (usually I would figure this stuff would be in museums)...The pterodactyl was about $225,000-ish...
|
blujay
pass it b*ch!



Registered: 04/01/09
Posts: 5,120
Last seen: 8 years, 5 months
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: RobMarley420]
#14959887 - 08/22/11 07:51 AM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|

most complete T-rex ever found was dug out of a guy's back yard here.
--------------------
  wat man rly
|
MisterMuscaria



Registered: 05/13/08
Posts: 27,646
Loc:
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: dwpineal]
#14960813 - 08/22/11 12:15 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
One thing we do have where I live is geodes. Ive found a few.
|
applesmasher420
CGI and Visual Effects Artist




Registered: 09/12/10
Posts: 3,288
Loc: Kekistan
Last seen: 1 day, 14 hours
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: MisterMuscaria]
#15004422 - 08/30/11 11:06 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
wow i just got into this yesterday  glad i found this thread ^_^
|
cacharstar
Strange is good...


Registered: 11/13/08
Posts: 4,014
Loc: The West Coast
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: applesmasher420]
#15004472 - 08/30/11 11:17 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I live kinda near new idra. I love me some mining. Thanks op for the pix...
--------------------
|
Sundrop


Registered: 01/23/05
Posts: 2,114
Loc: tennessee
Last seen: 3 years, 8 months
|
Re: The OFFICIAL Shroomery Crystal Mining and Rockhounding Thread [Re: Alan Rockefeller]
#15004548 - 08/30/11 11:44 PM (12 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
A lot of this type of geode on my grandmother's land. I used to think they were meteorites, haha.

They are pretty if you break them open.
|
|