Quote Originally Posted by ladyhk13 View Post
BP we have a claim on Cocker Creek. It's off if SR 68. How far is that from you?

AK47...I would love to do gems but I don't know what I'm looking for in the raw. Stones look so different before they are tumbled or cut and I've tried to do internet searches on gem mining but nothing useful comes up.
Lots of the stuff we got was on tips from old timers. Some of the places we went were private ranches, and more than a few were owned by college geology departments iirc, the Univ of New Mexico gave us permission to mine at several places through our gem and mineral club we attended at the time. Lots of states have day fee areas that you got permission by mail. Idaho had a 1 day per year pass for non-residents to dig garnets for like $7 per person, and you got it at a ranger station. There's probably a book out there somewhere that has all of the better known spots, and how to get access. We went with a guy once who was the retired president of Johnson and Johnson, that guy had all the good spots, we never left empty handed.