Places to Dig

Click on pictures to enlarge

           Digging Quartz Crystal
Planning a trip to dig for quartz crystal?
Here are a few things you need to know.
Wear old clothes, take buckets, shovels, small hand digging tools, a garden hoe, lots of water to drink, pack a lunch, sunscreen, take a truck if possible, and plenty of good gloves.

Starting with the top picture is the rock shop at Coleman's Miller Mt. In Arkansas near Hot Springs, this mine is no longer the place that I recommend.

I visited Ron Coleman's Mine the last couple years and it's pretty good compared to most. You can do a search to find them on line. Try Mt Ida AR. Chamber of Commerce.

I have also visited Sonny's, it's ok but I didn't make a return. I also went to Dee and Gee's, not real impressed there either, but all are friendly people. Mines do change so if you get the time, visit more than one! And give me your reviews!


Stages a quartz crystal cluster goes through before being nice and pretty
For instructions go to Cleaning Quartz Crystal.



Cost to dig as of 2007 will vary on the mine you are at. It usually runs between 10.00 and 20.00 per person per day.

             Digging Geodes
  Planning to dig at Shefflers Geode Mine? It's in Alexandria MO.

The famous rockshop in the pictures was demolished by the state of Missouri. There is now a new shop close to the old one and the mine is back in operation.

We   discovered that we live just down the street from this great rock shop, about 300 miles. The trip was well worth the 5 hour drive. We met Betty in person and talked with her about how she got started. We spent the better part of the day digging for geodes that they are famous for. We got our limit and a few pounds over! The digging was fairly easy and the rewards great!

To get there drive straight up highway 61 from our house and your there! 



















Tim Sheffler and his rock-hounding friend checking out our finds for the day! That's the back of our trusty Toyota!

Things you will need:
Buckets, lots of water, gloves, pickaxe, a good shovel, chisel, hammer, pack a lunch, OFF or Repel…, sunscreen, and a truck if you got one.



Currently for year 2005, it costs 15.00 per person for up to 50 pounds each and 75 cents a pound for any that you want to keep over that.
We managed 128 lb. on our trip and paid the difference! It was well worth it!

Here are a few of the geodes that we unearthed from Shefflers Mine.
Several of these from the new mine have Kaolinite in them, a white powdery mineral.

CAP Stone Jewelry          Jewelry         Jewelry         Jewelry          Schedule of Events                    Rockhound Link Page       

Pictures from my last show       Cleaning Quartz Crystal                              Places to Dig