Mining in LA to San Diego area

[alladinsane]

Hi All,

My wife and I are taking a trip to California, specifically to the LA area. We were planning to do some mineral hunting in the PAla area at either Oceanview mine or Himalaya, but from what I have been reading, you don;t get to dig around really, they just dump out a pile of refuse dirt from the mines and you dig through that... for 75 dollars. Some people seem to think their piles and buckets are salted also.

That said, does anyone have any advise about where one can go to dig for minerals in the Pala/LA/San Diego area that is a bit less "prepped" for tourists?

Thanks in advance!

 

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[IAMZIM]

I have no advice. Sorry. But, I would like to see what you get when you go!

 

[jgleaves]

Assuming you have checked out the Oceanview mine's website, you might want to check out their sister mine the Pala Chief The Pala Chief Mine. In my opinion, Oceanview has more materials to find than the Himalaya.
Email the owner Jeff if you have questions.


The Oceanview dig hauls muck from their actively blasting mine shafts up to a flat location for all to sift through. they provide the tools, screens, and water in tubs to wash material. Great for people with kids, etc

Pala Chief is very different. This mine has been active for over a hundred years with the dumps just dumped down the slopes of the mountain. No tools provided & no water. You bring it all yourself but then you get to dig thru the dumps, into the hillside, and lately there has been some pegmatite walls avilable to be looking for some pockets. I hit a big quartz pocket that produced a few hundred points( double terminated) that took me a couple of dig days to finish.

They have off road buggies to drive you up the hill at end of day and also take you to bathroom if you need to. Things that can be found are a huge variety: Tourmaline( black, blue , green, pink, and mixed color ), morganiite, kunzite, garnet, lepidolite, aquamarine, quartz, etc. I have been doing this dig for years

Dig is every other Sunday approx and ends at the start of summer due to heat. check out the websites. Google search for some videos

Mining other places: getting permission to get in is much tougher now as more mines have been activated from just sitting for years

also check out MINDAT.ORG Happy hunting P.S. Both mines have facebook pages & check out I LOVE PEGMATITES on facebook to see pictures of some of quartz from m my pocket

 

[MrLee]

I agree with Jgleaves. If you DM I can tell you abut many other places not under claim.