DMC Program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee
An Official Field Trip of The Cotton Indian Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. (HOST)
10 am until 5 pm, Saturday, April 30^th 2005

Savannah River Agate

Girard, Georgia

Burke County, Georgia

Children: Children are welcome but need to be supervised as we will be hunting on a dirt road and there is always a possibility for vehicles driving along the road.
Pets: Same as above.

Contact numbers: Phone: Harry Hyaduck Sr. at 770-471-2354 or Kim Cochran at 770-979-8331,  e-mail: hyaduckh@yahoo.com

TRIP: Savannah River Agate has been collected at this site for many years.  Clubs from Georgia and South Carolina have been collecting for decades.  I have been told that there is as much material there today as there ever has been, however, I understand the purple and red material is not as easy to find as it once was.

COLLECTING: We will be collecting Savannah River Agate which is actually a combination of agate, jasper, chert and opalite.  The agate is great for cabbing and tumbling.  The agate sometimes has vugs in them which other minerals can be found such as druse quartz, wavellite, variscite, selenite, etc…The agate comes in many colors; mottled brown to greenish reds and purples.  Occasionally you may find Indian artifacts as well.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS: We will be hunting in the roadway and road cuts only.  No one will be allowed to hunt off of the roadway and road cuts!

BRING: You can pick up agate off the road but you should at least bring scratching tools.  You may also want to bring digging tools, buckets, wrapping paper or aluminum foil to wrap your specimens in.  Bring plenty of water and food as there are no stores nearby.

DIRECTIONS AND WHERE TO MEET:
Where we will meet: We will meet at the Girard city Post Office (on hwy. 23)
When:  10 am, Saturday, April 30, 2005

Directions to our meeting place: From I-20 take Hwy. 520 west of Augusta south to Hwy. 56 south.  Go through McBean and stay on Hwy. 56; do not take Hwy. 56 Spur!  Turn left on Hwy. 23; meet at the Post Office in Girard.
Drive Time:  From the Atlanta area it is a 3 to 3 & 1/2 hour drive.