Fieldtrip Report:
Grimshawe Sapphire Mine,
Transylvania County, N.C.,
March 19, 2005____________________
We followed the rules that were posted by the Rangers, we dug our material outside of the 100 foot limit and carried the material in buckets to the stream to be cleaned, members dug in many places on the hillside, near the old mine, down by the woods, some were lucky and some not, but by the end of the day we had figured out where to dig on the next trip.
Sifting screens set up outside the 100 foot limit.
Gene Jeffers and his wife were on their first M.A.G.M.A. trip, Gene had some nice sifting equipment set up. Pictured is his 1/2" mounted screen, he would sift the material here near the old mine and then bucket it to the creek where he used his rope mounted 1/4" screen pictured below.
More new members, Shayne McCoy and his family.
Here is a shot of the re-routing job done on the creek, the trees were cut and then placed along the bank to form a barrier, stakes were driven on either side of the trees to hold them in place.
Unfortunately the other branch of the creek which used to flow nicely is now just a small trickling stream.
Mr. Clean (Rich) with his white boots, bucket and shovel.
Dave L. using the prototype shaker screen that was designed by Jerry Fortenberry.
