Field Trip Report:
Black Mountain Kyanite and Sapphire,
Buncombe County, N.C.,
September 10th, 2005Well I have to say that after so many field trips this summer, this was one of the best in my opinion. We had many new members arrive for the trip, many had never rock hounded before and this was a perfect trip for them. I want to express many thanks from our M.A.G.M.A. club members to Mr. Rob Bagley for setting up the trip with his neighbors the McCoy Cove property owners. Many of us met at our usual location, the Silver Armadillo parking lot in West Asheville. We caravanned to the site where we met with several other members. Some members who had arrived early met with one of the neighbors Dale or Dell? who gave them many nice specimens for their collections. This area is known for the nice kyanite specimens that many times will contain sapphires.
Getting ready to rock hunt.
New M.A.G.M.A. member Dolph Robinson from Candler.
New M.A.G.M.A. member Chester Fields.
One of the specimens given to our members by Dale.
Most of the kyanite found at this site is stained with iron and will have to be cleaned either with iron out, oxalic acid or some other means. We began working the creek bed along the stretch behind the many houses in the area, not long after entering the creek one of our new members Cody and his Dad found this huge 300 lb. boulder composed entirely of kyanite!
Cody and the first huge kyanite boulder of the day.
Ed Ferguson, Paul, and I took turns with the sledge hammer and made short work of this piece, the entire rock was full of deep blue sapphires up to 3/4", we all came away from this one with many nice specimens that weighed up to 30-50 pounds each.
Steven, Tena, Ed, Sandy, Roseanna, Paul and Cody.
One of numerous huge boulders of kyanite found today.
