NORTH CAROLINA EMERALDS

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Adams Emerald Mine

Hiddenite District
Hiddenite, Alexander County, North Carolina
Adams Mine History

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

NC Geological Survey 1907
Emerald 1,276 CTS found c1882;
also 21.75 ct uncut Hiddenite crystal

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
c1880 Hiddenite first identified

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

c1882 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 1,240 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

1971 Emerald cluster of 934.90 cts found

c1965 78 ct Emerald crystal found

1971 Reitzler 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

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


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

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


1,493 ct Reitzler Emerald (right)
1,377 ct Un-nammed Emerald (middle)
Unknown Emerald (7"?) (left)

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

W.E. Speer photo
934.9 carat Emerald cluster
Found 1971 by Glen Bolick
featured on cover of Lapidary Journal 1982
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/
This web site is constantly under construction
If you have any corrections or additions, please contact
Ed Speer at ed@SpeerMinerals.com