Georgia Mineral Society

10 am, Saturday,  May 22nd, 2010

Savannah River Agate

Girard, Burke County, Georgia

Free site

There is no charge to join us in Girard or for any material that you collect at the site.

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.

Rock Clubs have been collecting here for years but this may not last. I had heard that the land was being cleared so I took a trip here to be sure we could still collect. Both sides of the road have had the trees felled and I was unable to recognize any of the places we collected in the past. Also the road bed, where we used to collect, has been graded and filled in to make it higher and wider so there is nothing familiar about the site. The good news is that there are a couple of places that the road does cut through some elevation leaving a bank on the side. When I was there I saw several places where large pieces were dug out and the edge of the road was covered with numerous pieces of agate. This was a weekday but I still saw a couple of pickups and rock hounds filling them up. Because this is a great site to bring you kids, I want to caravan to the site and am asking those that know where it is, to not go early, but that we all go together that no one would feel someone took the best pieces.

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, May 22nd, 2010

If you have a Garmin you can punch in the intersection of Brigham Ave. and Main Street and that will bring you to the cornor of the post office.

An Official Field Trip Hosted by the Columbia Gem and Mineral Society, Inc.

An Official Field Trip of the GEORGIA MINERAL SOCIETY 

9:00 AM, Saturday May 8, 2010

Thermal City Gold Mine – Union Mills, North Carolina

FEE AREA

The Columbia Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. would like to extend an invitation to fellow DMC clubs to join us panning for gold at a genuine placer mining site in Rutherford County, NC.  Thermal City Gold Mine consists of a one mile section of the Second Broad River and about 80 acres of Placer Gravel Deposits, having one of seven veins from the mountain supplying it.  Panning material is brought from the river by backhoe for you to pan.  The gravel is not “enhanced or enriched.”  The gold found in the natural state; right where nature deposited it.  Gold is found as flakes and maybe small nuggets.  Ample shade, parking and instruction in panning are always available when needed.

FEE AREA: The fee is $5.00 to pan all day.  The fee is $40.00 for a front-end load.

CHILDREN: Children under adult supervision are welcome.

PETS: Pets are allowed on a leash.

COLLECTING: We will be collecting gold.

WHAT TO BRING: Shovels and pans are furnished or you can bring your own.  Other equipment is available for rent or purchase.  For additional information on the site, including details about a “front-end Road” or overnight stay contact the mine at 828-286-3016 or visit the website at http://www.thermalcitygoldmine.com/

HISTORY: This is an unsalted site and many people have had success finding gold here.  The mine’s aim is to provide an authentic experience.  This mine is located on the actual site of the earliest placers of Rutherford County.  It opened in 1839 and has produced gold ever since then.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS: Camping facilities with full hook-ups to primitive are available on a first come first serve basis.  Call 828-286-3016.  No drugs, alcohol or fire arms are allowed.  The grounds are almost level and a short distance from panning to camping to restrooms.