Ray Mica Mine North Carolina Aquarium Gem Mining Facet Beryl

HighCountryRocks
HighCountryRocks
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Published 2021-06-22
This is a intro video to Ray Mine with many more detailed trips to come. This spot is open to the public to gem mine. Ray mine is a great place for a novice to a expert gem miner. This video is intended to be helpful for a person on their first time trip to Ray Mine in Burnsville North Carolina. This mine will turn you on to geology. Growing up in this area I am very familiar with this mine. With so much mineralization being part of the Spruce Pine pegmatite system the " Mineral Kingdom " and so much to collect. I wanted to create a quick video giving an overview on how to collect and where to collect so that this place remains open for future generations. there is a ton of opportunity breaking the pegmatite if you know what you're looking for. I wanted this video to be out there to inform people that you do not need to dig and break rules to enjoy this place. There is so much potential on the surface. Make sure to abide by the rules so that we have it available to us in the future.

Don't Dig

The Ray Mica Mines are located on Hurricane Mountain, 4.0 km (2.5 miles) SSE of Burnsville N.C. in the Bolen's Creek area, on National Forest land.

Workings include 10 verticle shafts, which remain open. Tailings surrounded the shafts. this is one of the best locations in North Carolina to find facet grade aquamarine beryl. The pegmatite system at Ray Mine includes tourmaline muscovite mica columbite appetite quartz feldspar moonstone with the blue refraction to light.


*****Collecting at this site could be on it's toes right now with the Forest Service, and installing their new signs could be a way a restricting it in the future. *********


Let's not let this site turn into the once Walker Creek Kyanite site that is now subjected to strict, no collecting laws.


Don't Dig!!!!!
* Only Surface Collect *
Read the Rules on tailhead sign.

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All Comments (19)
  • @TripTheDay
    I appreciate your video. I have been to the mine, and now I know more what to look for when I go back. Great information well presented.
  • @ralphralpherson9441
    Oh man... I haven't been to the Ray in far too long. Love that place. I have a few small beryls, plenty of mica, and even a few oddities (columbite, fluorite, garnets, hyalite even some green tourmaline which I suspect is greenish dravite or schorl that for whatever reason isn't colored well, can't imagine it is actually elbaite but who knows!). I plan on coming back down soon. I miss Western North Carolina rockhounding so much. (Im from 500 milles north of you). Maybe I can look you up when I come! LOL WARNING: The only scary thing about the Ray Mine is the main vertical shaft and the nearby open pit shaft. The vertical pit sucker is big as a volkswagon bug around, and deep as a skyscraper. I haven't been there in at least 7-8 years so I dont know, hopefully they have finally installed a grate or fence, but last I was there, a single strand of rusty barbed wire was the ONLY THING that let you know you were about to fall to your death. So be careful. I'm glad the video creator said something. There's another nearby mine called the "Little Ray" which is actually an extension of this mine which ALSO has vertical death traps. Another mile up the mountain is the Mas Celo Kyanite mine as well. I've been there too and that place is straight up magical in the winter. Finally, some idiot rockhounds were going into the old cuts and undercutting the quartz veins looking for gems a few years back. I heard this from a friend and fellow rockhound who is local. This pegmatite is fractured in spots and undercutting can result in MASSIVE sections of rock/earth unexpectedly shifting or falling. Never ever go into a cut with enough material above you to kill you. Dying in the woods alone from being crushed in a hole sounds like a pretty crappy way to go. Plus the mountain kitties (aka Mountain Lions) will gobble you up and spread your parts all over the mountain before anyone finds you.
  • @getsome6477
    Thanks for sharing everything! Save the old mine's for rockhounds. The amount of disturbance, damage going on at Ray Mine is off the scale... not every rock needs to be busted. People are just walking up and down the creek busting every rock they see destroying the place, finding nothing. Only rocks that for certain you can see Beryl on the outside somewhere or you are almost 100% certain it contains Beryl or high mineralization, need to be busted.There is digging going on. Holes all over the mountain. If it doesn't stop it will be messed up for everyone. I think these individuals responsible probably have more than enough. Save the old mines. There are few left that you are allowed to visit.
  • @ProspectorAl
    Nice video! I love the location. I have been there three times now, all in the Fall and Winter. Nothing spectacular so far, but some nice pieces. If you want some company there sometime let me know. It's only a three hour drive for me.
  • @ThePyroWaffles
    I spent the day at Ray Mine. Pros: fantastic aquamarine. If you know what you're looking for, this place is a gem 😉 Cons: losing 7 hours worth of finding aquamarine to a mama black bear charging me. Be armed. Don't make my mistake. I did somersaults down that mountain because of that bear and it hurts.
  • @diggingappalachia954
    Awesome video, I’ve been up there but haven’t hit the aquamarine yet, thanks for the information..👍✌️
  • @janefromthecountry1820
    Hi there ; how are you ? Still searching for rocks? Hope all is going good for you! We are waiting for spring and warm weather here in Wisconsin. It’s been a long cold winter.
  • @janefromthecountry1820
    Be careful out there High Country. Great job on this video. Do you carry bear spray out there?
  • @marionkidwell3196
    Boy it sure is some beautiful country. Wonder if there is anything in Va around the Luray area?
  • @BigGCount
    They say no hand tools or large tools but how about a small sledge hammer like a 2 pound or 3? Also is the mine free or do I have to register somewhere?