NORTH CAROLINA EMERALDS

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Adams Emerald Mine

Hiddenite District
Hiddenite, Alexander County, North Carolina
Adams Mine History 
NC Geological Survey 1907
Emerald 1,276 cts found c1881;
also 21.75 ct uncut Hiddenite crystal

Emeralds of the World 2002
Reitzel Emerald Twin 1,493 cts found 1971

Formerly called the Warren mine, the Emerald & Hiddenite mine, the Turner mine, and the Hiddenite mine

Note: Emeralds have been found in the mine workings and scattered throughout the surrounding fields


c1874 Emeralds first found in plowed fields

1878 World's first discovery of Hiddenite

c1880
Hiddenite first identified

1880-1885 First mining by Emerald and Hiddenite Company (WE Hidden)

c1881 Emerald Crystal of 1,276 cts discovered
At the time, this was largest emerald crystal (8.5", 9 ozs) ever found in North America. Stolen from American Museum of Natural History, NY in 1950 and never recovered

c1886 1,270 ct emerald crystal found

1880-1888 $154,000 worth of Hiddenite gems mined

1907-1908 Mined by American Gem Mining Syndicate

1907 750 ct Emerald crystal (2"l x 1.5" dia) found

1926-1927 Mined by Hiddenite Mining Company (Burham Colburn)

1926 $73,000 worth of Hiddenite crystals produced

1954-c1980 Adams mine & farm open to prospectors

1971 Emerald cluster of 934.90 cts found

c1965 78 ct Emerald crystal found

1971 Reitzel Emerald Twin of 1,493 cts found
At the time, this was largest emerald crystal ever found in North America; now in Smithsonian

1971 6,900 cts of Emerald crystals found in one vein pocket. Included crystals of 267 cts, 723 cts, and 1,377 cts (now in Smithsonian)

c1971 Emerald crystals of 2 3/5" x 1 1/4", 2 3/4" x 1 5/8" and one at 7" longe found

c1980 1,500 Hiddenite crystals in single vein pocket found


Colburn Earth Science Museum, Asheville, NC
W.E. Speer photo
Hiddenite


Harper's New Monthly Magazine 1887
The finest Emerald crystal
(1,276 ct )
and the finest Hiddennite
crystal (lower right)
from 1880-88 mining


Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County, Hendersonville, NC W.E. Speer photo
Hiddenite
 


Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County, Hendersonville, NC W.E. Speer photo
Emerald & Rutile

 

NC Geological Survey 1907
Gemstones of North America, v. III

21.75 ct Hiddenite crystal (2" x 0.3")
Same crystal pictured above in Harper's New Monthly Magazine photo

NC Geological Survey 1978
Reitzel Emerald Twin 1,493 cts found 1971


W.E. Speer photo 2009
Adams Mine Emeralds on display at Smithsonian Institution
Museum of Natural History

Washington, DC

In 1886, Willam Earl Hidden reported the following about his 1,270 ct emerald:
The emerald pocket extended in a nearly vertical direction for twenty feet and was about one foot in diameter and four feet in its extreme lateral extent. The associated minerals were quartz crystals (from one ounce to twenty pounds weight and some that were fluid-bearing), green muscovite (fuchsite?), dolomite and minute crystals of monazite. The emeralds were nine in number and as regards color, perfection of form, and crystallographic interest, have not been surpassed at this locality. The largest emerald weighed nearly nine ounces and was three inches long by one and three-quarters in diameter. All the crystals....were alike in being doubly terminated. The polish of the basal pinacoids was remarkably perfect....


 

W.E. Speer photo 2007
934.9 carat Emerald cluster
Found 1971 by Glen Bolick
featured on cover of Lapidary Journal 1982

The Mineralogical Record photos
Hiddenite crystals 7 cm (left) & 4.8 cm (right)

W.E. Speer Photo 2009

1,377 ct Emerald cluster

 

W.E. Speer Photo 2009
Approximately 250 ct Emerald twin

Exceptionally good color
Probably found by W.E. Hidden between 1881-1888

Please note that all of the emerald mine properties in North Carolina are privately owned and potential visitors should arrange permission before arriving on the property. The NAEM mine at Hiddenite is NOT open to the public. Only two mines are open to the public for mineral collecting:
1) The Crabtree Emerald Mine near Little Switzerland, NC http://www.wncrocks.com/resources/Collecting%20site%20crabtreemine1.htm
2) The
Emerald Hollow Mine at Hiddenite, NC http://www.hiddenitegems.com/

For information on other mineral collecting sites in North Carolina, see: http://www.wncrocks.com/ and http://www.mcrocks.com

This web site is constantly under construction
If you have any corrections or additions, please contact
Ed Speer at ed@speerhammocks.com