So Sunday I decided to take a trip over to the ray mica mine to try my luck at finding some beryl specimens.
Well I arrived there at a quarter to 11
Grabbed my pick my field guid a bucket some eye protection and a few other necessities ... And began my hike about half way up I met a group of geologist from Cincinnati OH who where up there just to get field experience ... Well during my 3-4 hours of digging through tailings and looking through creek water I only came out with three specemins all under a carat ... Pretty sure this place had been picked through pretty well over the years I was going to head up the mountain side to the top spoils to have a look where a few people said they had a little luck... But my stomach was grumbling and my motivation was getting a little shot, not to mention there were people up there goi g through the tailings and I didn't want them to get all possessive of the top spoils so I des used to return to the truck and munch on a sandwitch by the stream side

Feeling a little down troddened and disappointed I decided, well hey I'm near spruce pine why not go to one of these gem mines where I knew I was  guarantied to find some thing
So I went to Gem Mountain ... Figured yeah big tourist shop but I knew what I was walking into ... How ever I didn't expect to be treated so nicely and I didn't know I would find twice as much in my buckets here than hiddenite's ... And better quality
I started off with a rubie bucket and got a hundred pluses rubies in one bucket a few sapphires garnets labradorite and emeralds , splitting a bucket with my mom who I dragged along for the trip we got the Carolina special and between the both of us working on that we got some pretty cool specimens some just pretty rock/minerals , others can worthy and a few facet grade materials, I have only begun to just organize all my piknz ... We got two free cut with the buck she got a tear drop amethyst and I got an emerald cut garnet ( my sons birthstone ) .... Not to mention I finally have Beeyl to add into my collection three different varieties even ... Very happy guy  , my mom two was excited and loved her rocks ... I needed that guarantee that day to boost my spirits

I like a fool thought hey this mica mine was going to be like garnet hill ... Rock crystals every where not facet grade but cool Collectibles but it was not ... That will teach me to get my hopes up about a site lol... But it was beautiful there and calming really good for my mental

.... So still missing the experience of getting a Crystal out of the ground my self , be it quartz or what ever ... That is one task which just keeps alluding me as if to say I'm not worthy yet....

Yes I plan to join the local tar heal mineral club .. Just been focused on getting my dead line stuff done for college ...
Not giving up , not backing down ... I am determined to get a degree ...
And most definitely determined to get me a crystal !!!
    Even if it drives me insane    Muhahahahahahahahaaaaaaa

The mica mine has been picked over pretty well. When I first went up there you could pick up mica books all over the place. Now, you can barely find a good handfull. Beryl is a different story. You need to do some digging to the bottom where no one has touched before. That is where all of the beryl will be found now. All of the surface has been pretty well picked over. At least you found something to go home with. That's more than others have found. Keep looking and you will get better at knowing what spots are the best. Good luck!

I almost went up to the Ray yesterday.
Dusty, that mountain is big and the spoils are all over it. There is plenty of room for you to be up there with others. Even if you moved 100 feet away from people, you will still be in tailings. That place was dug heavily and extensively for years. You would be surprised at what is actually tailings and what is actually the mountain.

well said EZDiggin....and kudos to you for taking the time to photograph each time you're there, i'm sure that pays off mightily with as much as the Ray gets dug.

There's still more beryl there than anyone can imagine. But its not going to jump out and bite you....well..unless.....the 2004 floods come back

-Dave

Wait I was there Saturday not Sunday ... I wonder if I ran into you half way up when I was looking for my my mom ... I asked some dude in a white t shirt if he had any luck EZ... Was that you or we're you the person further up flinging rocks behind them lol ... And I don't think it will be the last time I go ... Just the last time I go with out an experienced hound

Small world!
Thanks for the help and advice, EZ.

That's what makes rockhounding so great.  The amount of things you can do with the gems and minerals you find can keep you busy forever -- not to mention has the potential to earn you some cash.

Pics look terrible, not sure what I'm doing wrong? I'm using tinypic website to resize.  Any other suggestions? I know Scott's pics turn out great.  My pics look pretty good on ipad before they resize then look awful when posted. Might have to break out the Nikon, that takes forever though.