- Phone: 800-525-0169
- Web site: http://www.sapphiregallery.com/mine_montana_sapphires
- Length of Vacation: Few hours
- Cost: $25 /bag
- Open: Year round
- Type of Prospecting: Sapphires
- Equipment: Provided
- Instruction: Provided
- Lodging: In Philipsburg
- Meals: Not provided
From their web site:
Most sapphires are mined out of alluvial deposits, also called placer deposits, that have eroded from bedrock. There are only a few deposits that are actually mined out of bedrock, the Yogo deposit near Utica, Montana being one of them.
Rock Creek sapphires are found in gravel deposits in the Sapphire Mountains, but only in specific areas. The pay layer (sapphire bearing gravel) is below top soil and above bedrock all which vary in depth in any specific deposit. The top soil is first removed and then subsequently returned in place after the pay layer is processed and returned to the site. Sapphire gravel is wahsed or screened to remove clay and large rocks At this time in the process, the gem gravel is made available to you, the sapphire miner.
The Sapphire Gallery concentrated gravels are bagged for washing in our mining room or at home. The sapphires are dense and settle to the bottom of a screen of gravel being jigged in water. Over turning the screen carefully but quickly will leave the sapphires exposed top and center in the gravel. Go for them with tweezers and happy mining.
jenni odonovan
As a solo traveller I am trying to find an all inclusive group vacation gem mining. Any thoughts on how I can find out this info as I am going round and round on the websites trying to find a vacation that suits my needs.
Dan
Hi Jenni, thanks for visiting my site. I am not affiliated with any of the sites listed here. I simply put them all in one place so people can find them easier. Having said that, I guess it would depend on what type of gems you are looking for. California, NC, Oregon and Nevada have the most locations. I have not heard of any tours that include multiple locations.
Thanks,
Dan
ProspectingVacations.com
KD
Why don’t you have Philipsburg’s Gem Mountain listed. Last year a 19 carat saphire was found and this year a 14 carat and a 23 carat were found by some lucky tourists.
Dan
Hello KD,
I was not aware of Philipsburg’s Gem Mountain. If they have a website, I will add them to the list. Thanks for the heads up!
Dan