Since this is something we periodically, but over time, routinely, partake in
I thought I would start an ongoing thread for our repeated stoic sojourns east of Raleigh.
Not that amethyst isn't found in other parts of Wake County
it's just that there is a "belt" along the eastern edge of the county that is known to produce amethyst.
It all started a long, long time ago............
Many years ago, after the Rolesville Granite Pluton grew
and formed cracks and fissures in the older Raleigh Belt granite that filled
with the quartz crystals, sometimes amethyst, but before 2 mile long shopping centers, came farmers.
And when they started plowing up the soil along this "contact zone" in eastern Wake
they started turning up purple crystals. Places like Wilders' Grove.
I've even heard there was an old amethyst mine where the Foxcroft development is today.
Years ago, when I was only interested in arrowheads, I did some work for an old farmer
off Castleford Rd in that area and he brought out several shoeboxes of amethyst crystals
he had picked up out of his fields. A few in the 3-4 inch range.
Anyway, knowledge of amethyst in this "zone" is nothing new
and as Raleigh creeps that way there's a lot to take a look at.