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NORTH
CAROLINA EMERALDS
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Adams Emerald Mine Hiddenite District Hiddenite, Alexander County, North Carolina |
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| Adams Mine History | |||||||||||
![]() Emeralds of the World 2002 Reitzler Emerald Twin 1,493 cts found 1971 |
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![]() NC Geological Survey 1907 Emerald 1,276 CTS found c1882; also 21.75 ct uncut Hiddenite crystal |
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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
Hiddenite first discovered 1880-1885 First mining by Emerald and Hiddenite Company (WE Hidden) c1882
Emerald Crystal of 1,276 CTS discovered c1886 1,240 CT emerald crystal (8.5 ozs) 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 c1965
78 ct Emerald crystal found 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 |
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![]() ![]() Colburn Earth Science Museum, Asheville, NC W.E. Speer photo Hiddenite |
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![]() Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County, Hendersonville, NC W.E. Speer photo Hiddenite |
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![]() 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 |
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![]() NC Geological Survey 1978 Reitzler Emerald Twin 1,493 cts found 1971 |
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The Mineralogical Record photos Hiddenite crystals 7 cm (left) & 4.8 cm (right) |
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![]() W.E. Speer photo 934.9 carat Emerald cluster Found 1971 by Glen Bolick featured on cover of Lapidary Journal 1982 |
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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. 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/ |
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| This web site is constantly
under construction If you have any corrections or additions, please contact Ed Speer at ed@SpeerMinerals.com |
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