| Hogg Mine 10/21/06 |
| I have been to the Hogg mine 4 or 5 times in the 12 months. This was by far the best trip to that mine. Usually I find pieces of beryl crystals some of which are suitable for cabbing. This time I found some great display specimens! I will post more beryl pictures as I finish cleaning them...work, work, work...... |
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| Click on pictures to enlarge |
| Initial cleaning of about 11 pounds of beryl |
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| Thumb sized beryl crystal in smokey quartz. This specimen weighs 6 pounds |
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| The Prize find! This complete, beautifully terminated crystal weighs 1 pound 1 ounce. Robert, Romin and myself were taking turns working a pocket in the main pit because it was just producing more crystals than anyone one person needs. I had hit the wall twice with my pry bar and found myself staring at the top termination which is 2 and 3/4 inches across. I believe my exact words were "No Way! Would someone please hand me that screwdriver." Those of you who have been digging with me before have a better idea of what may have been said! |
| After plucking that crystal from the wall I felt the urge to smoke a cigarette - so I stepped back and handed the pry bar to Robert who found a very nice crystal almost as fast (still waiting for a picture) and the handed the pry bar off to Romin. Again, in just a couple of hits to the wall the pocket gifted Romin with a very nice crystal. This went on for better than half an hour. |
| The real reason I love the Hogg mine is the facet grade Rose Quartz. Of the 15 or so pounds of rose that found more than half of the material is flawless! |
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| This beauty weighs 14.5 ounces, just shy of 1 pound and has but one small flaw inside. If you were to cut along the flaw you would have 2 flawless chunks over 6 ounces each. Big enough to cut a respectable sphere! This 1 stone more than paid for my trip - and then there was the big beryl! |
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| Can you see why I love this stuff? The stone on the far left weighs 37.73ct and the cresent weighs roughly 32 carats (if I remember right. |
| I owe a big thank you to Rodney Moore for putting on the dig, bringing out the 50,000 pound cat. Thanks Must also go out to Don Aldridge for manning the grill and putting on one heck of a bar-b-que feast! Great food! Great Finds! And great company! All around, a great day outside! |
| Check out: DixieEuhedrals for other great digs |
| Check out our links page for links to NGROCKS and MAGMA two no pressure clubs full of really wonderful people to dig rocks with! |