Fieldtrip Report:

Crabtree Emerald Mine
Mitchell County, N.C.
July 4th-6th,, 2008

We had another fantastic turnout for our 4th of July dig this year. We decided to change the location to the Crabtree mine from the usual Buck Creek site. Many of our members do not like collecting corundum as stated in the past, so to make it a site everyone would enjoy, we picked the Crabtree.

The dig started early Friday morning. I tried a new strategy and built a new road into the dump area that would allow me to access the bottom of the dumps instead of trying to work from the top as I have in the past.

The camp area

Crabtree Emerald in matrix rock

First emerald crystal in matrix found.

This is one of our new members Ken. Ken is an astronomer. He brough a famous Crabtree emerald for me to meet...

Crabtree Emerald

This is a bolo made from Crabtree emerald matrix material. Ken is friends with astronaut Bill McArthur. Bill took this bolo to the International Space Station and kept it there during his mission (expedition 12, 2005-2006). I got to meet the first and maybe only North Carolina rock to go into space! North Carolina may be the only state to have both its state gemstone (emerald) and state rock (granite) together in space.

Steve Barr

Steve found this crystal in matrix as soon as he arrived.

This new member found a nice biotite ball filled with emeralds.

Steve holding down the fort at the front gate.

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