thomtap
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2007
Posts: 237
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Post by thomtap on Dec 27, 2008 12:01:29 GMT -5
I've noticed that a lot of field trips our local clubs take are to fee dig sites that are not listed anywhere I can find! With that in mind, I would say there are more out there than any of us know about individually!
If you know of a local fee dig site in or near your area, how about listing it here? This would not give away anyone's private dig sites, but would enable more of us to take day trips to such sites!
Do you know of any such fee sites in YOUR area?
Thom Tapp
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Dec 27, 2008 12:44:30 GMT -5
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CUL-Ann
spending too much on rocks
rock lover~
Member since September 2008
Posts: 380
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Post by CUL-Ann on Dec 27, 2008 14:14:51 GMT -5
I tryed to mapquest Souris Manitoba, Canada and it says. Please enter a City and State/Province -or- Zip/Postal Code.
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Post by Michael John on Dec 27, 2008 14:17:14 GMT -5
Hmmm ... I only have "free to dig" sites, sorry ... might cost ya a smile and a handshake or hug.
Rodney went to a turquoise fee site a while back, up in Goldfield, Nevada. If memory serves me correctly, it wasn't cheap, but he got about 10x as much turquoise as it cost him. Maybe he or Jamie can give the info for it.
A little further northwest, somewhere up near Reno, there's an opal fee site that's supposed to be good. You never walk away with less than you bargained for.
There's a good crystal fee site in Arkansas. Again, sorry, I don't have the info on it, but I know it's there, and I know that it's a great time and well worth the fee.
Anyone have the info on these?
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Dec 27, 2008 16:45:58 GMT -5
A little further northwest, somewhere up near Reno, there's an opal fee site that's supposed to be good. You never walk away with less than you bargained for... The Opal fields are only "near" to Reno because they are really far away from anywhere else, still a good half-days drive (about 300 miles) each way from Reno. And I would dispute the notion that you always get more then you paid for. In my limited experience, digging for opal is only a little better bet than most slot machines- maybe more like craps...
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brent
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2008
Posts: 1,316
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Post by brent on Dec 27, 2008 23:03:11 GMT -5
Hey saskrock, we could charge to dig in our back yards and add that to the list...lol.
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Post by Michael John on Dec 27, 2008 23:48:49 GMT -5
Good to know that, Rally. I'd heard that it was good collecting up there. Guess I'm too gullible LOL.
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Dec 28, 2008 2:42:28 GMT -5
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Dec 28, 2008 11:45:43 GMT -5
One of the most memorable and funnest fee digs I had was just outside of Golden Valley,Arizona. It was when I was working in Bullhead City, and Pete (rallyrocks) just so happened to be in the area, and we were able to hook up. He mentioned a little town called Oatman, and I had never been there. He actually asked one of the store owners if thee was anywhere to dig Fire Agate close by. They gave us the information, and off we went. I remember the 1st day we couldn't stay but we did meet the owner..Mr. Don Nelson. He has some really fine specimens at his house; and I couldn't wait to go back the following few days and dig. It was JULY while working in Bullhead Shitty...and we would go to work around 6PM and work through the night. Go back and catch a few zzzz's....and while my buddy would gamble his money away at Laughlin; I'd head up to dig. Enough of ths story...(I did post a report a while back) here's the info! Cuesta Mines (Fine Fire Agate) Mr. Donald Nelson HC 39 Box 905 Golden Valley, Arizona 928-565-4145 He charged I believe like 20 bucks a day, and you keep what you find. I found some really great stuff...and I made a few really good friendships.....inlcuding Mr. Don Nelson. I've always wanted to go back...just haven't had the time nor $$. I'll post a pic of the bank that you dig on. It's hard rhyolite..so it's alot of prybars, sledgehammers, muscle, and determination. But it has to be one of my favorite times yet! This is right off Route 66...right along the road. Here's a picture of the Dig Site with Mr. Don Nelson. Fire Agate seam. Steve
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Post by Michael John on Dec 28, 2008 18:03:18 GMT -5
"it's alot of prybars, sledgehammers, muscle, and determination"
Hmmm ... sounds like my kinda "fun" ...
I just searched it on Google Earth ... when it zoomed-in, the first thing I noticed was Rockhound Hill Road! Oatman isn't all that far from here ... gonna have to keep it in mind for a little trip one of these days. I'm already liking this place!
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Post by Woodyrock on Dec 29, 2008 11:57:13 GMT -5
The Opal Hill Fire Agate mine is just south of Blythe, California. The fee to dig is $25.00 per day and keep all you find, plus whatever the owners Nancy, and Howard throw in your bucket. Opal Hill has the best fire agate in California, but like all the others, it is hard rock mining with big hammers, chisels etc. They have a good online site. If you come in from the Palo Verde side, you will drive through Pebble Terrace which is a BLM free site of several square miles of old pebble bars from the Colorado River. This is a well worth the stop site. Woody
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UtahRockHound
spending too much on rocks
Sometimes your the Windshield, sometimes your the Rock.
Member since May 2008
Posts: 301
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Post by UtahRockHound on Dec 29, 2008 22:26:09 GMT -5
There is the U-Dig Trilobites West of Delta Utah. The state owns a open area where you can dig as you like. I have not made it there yet, but I have talked to people that have been to both. They say in the fee area, most of the back breaking work of exposing the rock has been done for you where the State open area has to be worked more. It all depends on what you want, and how willing you are to work for it. Here is a post on it. You can find it easily on the Internet for more information. U-Dig - Trilobites U-Dig trilobites is owned and operated out of Delta. For a fee you can drive in and collect on the site. The trilobites are found by splitting the shale. In a few hours you can find about 20 of them. It is a very good place to take the kids. www.u-digfossils.com/ www.utahoutdooractivities.com/trilobitesudig.html The benefit of using this location is the fact that they use a backhoe to expose much of the rock, and you only need to look through it to find the trilobites. If you don't feel like paying the fees, you can drive to many other locations nearby and just work a little harder. Close by it Topaz mountain where it is a public state owned dig site. On the north end of this same mountain is the Dugway Geode Beds. If you have never seen a Dugway Geode, your missing out. Not much for color, but some great formations.
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Post by Titania on Dec 30, 2008 10:32:00 GMT -5
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navi
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 229
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Post by navi on Dec 30, 2008 12:12:39 GMT -5
i've paid to dig at a geode mine, in missouri, just south of keokuk. not worth it. i know better free places. go knock on people's doors and ask them politely if you can check out their creek.
arkansas. been to coleman's (both of them. run by fueding brothers!) and fiddler's ridge, owned by jim fetcho. the colemans closer to hot springs has larger crystals, but has a very 'industrial' feel to it. you got to see the wholesale store!!!!! car sized clusters with crystals feet long!!!! the miller mountain colemans is more rustic and less visited. you can camp there. both of these places bring up truck loads of dirt to dig thru. fiddler's ridge, bring your tools. you do the actual mining. jim fetcho is a great guy. if you can get him to come with you, you'll get amazing crystals. on the whole, fiddlers ridge has smaller crystals than either colemans, but they are much clearer. it's just past the town of silver. all mines worth the money.
also, the crater of diamonds. the fee is small, so it's worth it just to dig in the dirt, with the chance of finding a diamond. if you actually find anything, it's a bonus!!!
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Post by Michael John on Dec 30, 2008 16:59:45 GMT -5
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Dec 30, 2008 19:58:05 GMT -5
Wow, none are "in my area" unless we're speaking globally. But I've been to all of them: - Nancy Hill's "Opal Hill" fire agate Mine (mentioned earlier by Woodyrock)
- Richardson's Ranch near Madras, Oregon for agates,thundereggs,jaspers (plus, if you visit during either the Madras Pow-wow or the Memorial Day show there are other ranches to visit)
- Virgin Valley Nevada for fire opal (several different mines); MJ & Rally mentioned it earlier and definately a gamble not a guaranteed:
- Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine, near Phillipsburg, Montana
- Spencer Fire Opal, Spencer, Idaho (here again, several mines but I've only linked one)
- The Benitoite Gem Mine, "near" Hollister, California (*sigh*, temporarily closed thanks to the BLM)
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Dec 31, 2008 9:15:31 GMT -5
I love Gem Mtn in Phillipsburg, montana...sapphire concentrate to sift and pan
I went to a great fun fossil dig (at least for someone who has never dug fossils) in Southwest Utah near Fossil Butte National Monument in Kemmerrer. The Monumant has some fascinating displays but naturally no collecting. There are several fee dig places nearby with various fee structures for anything from a 1 hour dig to all day(or all year)...I went to Warfields Fossil Safari and loved it. Ulrich is right at the entrance to the National Monument and seems to be a classier (but not necessarily better) company to dig with...they had already transported tourists to their mine for the day so we found Warfields.
csroc
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Dec 31, 2008 17:43:12 GMT -5
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Jan 2, 2009 3:49:02 GMT -5
I put a bunch more on the pinned link that I found on the web. I tried to avoid ones that were salted tourist traps but I might have let something slip through. let me know if anything should be removed.
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88pathoffroad
spending too much on rocks
Oregon ROCKS!
Member since August 2008
Posts: 305
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Post by 88pathoffroad on Jan 2, 2009 18:28:12 GMT -5
Here's another for Oregon: petrified wood and agate at the Holleywood Ranch near Sweet Home, Oregon. Last time I went someone found a 5-lb chunk of carnelian in addition to their haul of pet wood. www.holleywoodranch.com/Home_Page.php
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