Fieldtrip report:
Ray Mica Mine,
Yancey County,
North Carolina,
May 22nd, 2004______________________
Hello members, first let me say welcome to the new members of MAGMA who came out for the fieldtrip today, we had seven members show for the trip and five of them were new to the club along with me and Dave H.. I met with member Pate at the Silver Armadillo and we drove to Burnsville where we met up with Drew, Tate, and Dave H, we met with Ed and Roseana at the mine. Next I would like to again thank the Forest Service in this area for their help on making the trek to the mine a little easier. Phase one of a two part plan has been completed which consists of an easy to follow hiking trail almost a half mile to the bottom of the dumps at the mine. The Forest Service may not work with rockhounds everywhere but they have here and I again want to especially thank Paul Bradley and David McFee for their efforts.
A couple of shots of the nice trail around the catch basins to the mine, lined with rocks on either side.
They even built steps where needed.
Some of our new members, Tate, Drew, and Pate with Dave H. ready for the hike to the mine.
More new members Ed and Roseana.
Drew found a new friend at the mine, it looks to us like a scorpian but we were not sure, here are a couple of pics, let us know if you can id this thing, it is a little less than a quarter inch long.
Bug on matrix rock.
Closeup of bug! Update! I think we have id the bug in the pic: House Pseudoscorpion, Chitrella sp., up to 3 mm long, suborder, Diplosphyronida, all tarsidivided.? it was a good match in one of my bug books.
Dave working a hole while Drew inspects a rock.
Tate seems to be enjoying himself.
A lot of specimens were found this trip, I found a couple of small pieces I like but nothing spectacular, One matrix piece I found has seven complete columbite crystals showing with the largest being about 1/4", the specimen measures 7 1/2" x 3" x 2".
Columbite crystals on matrix, four on this side and three on the other side, small crystals.
I also found this amazonite crystal, it is terminated on one end and the color is as good as the stuff from Colorado.
Oh well, nothing to spectacular today, I think Dave H. did find a nice matrix specimen with a lot of beryl, I will post a pic of it on this report when I can. We had a lot of fun meeting the new members and look forward to future trips with everyone, see you all next week at Buck Creek!
