Diggin into pegmatite.

wilfndgold

Full Member
Aug 29, 2013
135
117
perris, ca
Detector(s) used
garret
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well heres what it looks like were im diggin lots of mineraliztion and mica found DSCF0179.JPG DSCF0180.JPG DSCF0187.JPG DSCF0192.JPG DSCF0193.JPG DSCF0194.JPG DSCF0195.JPG DSCF0199.JPG DSCF0203.JPG DSCF0212.JPG small amount of baryl 2 small yellow greenish tourmalines found a pocket here a while back that had water in it but only some black crystals blahhh.. What do you guys think?
 

Eu_citzen

Gold Member
Sep 19, 2006
6,484
2,111
Sweden
Detector(s) used
White's V3, Minelab Explorer II & XP Deus.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I'd keep digging. Is it a zoned pegmatite? I.e. can you see clearly defined zones of say, quartz, K-Feldspar etc? Perhaps even graphic granite?
 

Upvote 0
OP
OP
W

wilfndgold

Full Member
Aug 29, 2013
135
117
perris, ca
Detector(s) used
garret
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The thing im not seeing is granite:unhappysmiley:
thats probly the peoblem but yes some of the quartz and felspar looks zoned.
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0

Eu_citzen

Gold Member
Sep 19, 2006
6,484
2,111
Sweden
Detector(s) used
White's V3, Minelab Explorer II & XP Deus.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Nahhh, if you find graphic granite it can indicate your onto a really large pegmatite find. It doesn't make it a problem.
 

Upvote 0
OP
OP
W

wilfndgold

Full Member
Aug 29, 2013
135
117
perris, ca
Detector(s) used
garret
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Cool. Well im headed back out there this morning in a few I,ll get some batteries and take some more pictures i,ll be posting them later. (fingers still crossed) gotta find that pocket zone.
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0

xander66

Greenie
Oct 24, 2014
19
14
Primary Interest:
Other
Are you looking for specific gems or just a good pocket? I'd be excited to see pictures when you find it!
 

Upvote 0

Darrow

Full Member
Jul 22, 2014
208
118
Sherman, TX
Detector(s) used
Garrett GTAx 550, Garrett Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hoping for more pics, wish I was there!
 

Upvote 0
OP
OP
W

wilfndgold

Full Member
Aug 29, 2013
135
117
perris, ca
Detector(s) used
garret
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
DSCF0248.JPG DSCF0260.JPG DSCF0262.JPG DSCF0266.JPG DSCF0282.JPG Didnt make much proggress yesterday hit a lot of mica some big pieces like the one im holding. Theres a shot up from where im diggin of those boulders of F DSCF0233.JPG DSCF0239.JPG DSCF0242.JPG DSCF0243.JPG elspar, Quartz that stuff looks rotten and old to me and some black tpourmaline rite on the otherside of were im diggin.And a big piece of Quartz next to th bucket. More pics later.
 

Upvote 0
OP
OP
W

wilfndgold

Full Member
Aug 29, 2013
135
117
perris, ca
Detector(s) used
garret
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
oh yeah and these garnetts were in there, T DSCF0288.JPG DSCF0291.JPG DSCF0292.JPG DSCF0294.JPG he one is big but way to much iron.
 

Upvote 0

Eu_citzen

Gold Member
Sep 19, 2006
6,484
2,111
Sweden
Detector(s) used
White's V3, Minelab Explorer II & XP Deus.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
If iron is close to the garnets, do keep an eye after reddish to rusty brown soils nearby to. Some photos look real promising!
 

Upvote 0

Flick420

Jr. Member
Jan 14, 2011
44
18
Hey Wilffndgold, Sorry i never got back to you have been swamped with work. Glad to see you made it out there and have started digging best of luck it seems to me like your on the right path. Finding those garnets is awesome, keep looking, with some that large i bet there are some smaller gemmy ones around. The mesa grande mine in socal, and i think the little ramona mine in socal produced gem grade, or atleast clearer colorful garnets. I tried to get out yesterday and dig, but the ground is already freezing up out here.:BangHead: We got one really nice week left though so im gonna try and get out there, got a good tip and am close to getting permission.

So keep at it, your bound to get lucky in an area like that. If you can see if you cant find any geologic surveys of the area, and try and find out the direction that the pockets are moving in the pegmatite, this can be hard to find, but a good starting place is already existing mines, and older books 1900-1950s are usually good sources.

Mineralogy Database - Mineral Collecting, Localities, Mineral Photos and Data is a great source to use for mine info, search for the himalaya mine mindat, then go to maps and select nearest locality's and look at the tourmaline mines down there you can get some direction of the pegamatite formation and direction from them usually, and then try and guesstimate the direction of yours from theres. You might even be digging in the middle of all the mines. It will help you alot get to get a sense of if your digging in the right place.

With a place like that its all luck you might dig and dig and dig and find nothing, then move a rock you have been stepping on all day to find a pocket.

I was mining at the ace of diamonds mine up in herkimer NY earlier this year in September, and we where digging had moved 300-400 hundred pounds of material, next thing you know my buddys telling me to move that im standing on crystals. and sure enough as i was clearing small tailings with a shovel, the tip opened up a medium sized pocket of crystals and decayed calcite, and the crystals poured out right underneath me. So ya never know what you gonna find, you got a smorgasbord of minerals going on there.
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0

Flick420

Jr. Member
Jan 14, 2011
44
18
Oh, sorry for the double post, but remember to dig safe, especially if you out digging alone. Always clear your over burden and any loose material that is above you that could come down on you. Clear wide then go deep, dont go straight down into a pit that is gonna put loose material above you, unless your 110% sure it cant loosen with vibrations of working and fall.
Its usually good to let a friend/family member know where your at too if your diggin alone, on the rare chance something might happen or that you need help.
I have read of two separate instances this year when gem miners got killed when a bank of loose overburden dirt came down. So be safe, i cant wait to see some gemmy tourmaline come out, best of luck.
 

Upvote 0
OP
OP
W

wilfndgold

Full Member
Aug 29, 2013
135
117
perris, ca
Detector(s) used
garret
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Ok you need to zoom in as much as you can I tried to out line the shape so you guys could see what I mean but I found these inside a rock that I broke open in a vug never saw Tourmaline in this dull yellow color maybe its Baryl? My camera really sucks so Its hard to see but these crystals are six sided it is small but still. you can see some striations in the one photo when i hold it under some lite i can see some light green in there. Anyone? DSCF0330.JPG DSCF0334.JPG DSCF0337.JPG
 

Upvote 0

Eu_citzen

Gold Member
Sep 19, 2006
6,484
2,111
Sweden
Detector(s) used
White's V3, Minelab Explorer II & XP Deus.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I'd say that does look like Beryll for sure!
 

Upvote 0

Flick420

Jr. Member
Jan 14, 2011
44
18
Looks like a Low grade beryl or possibley really low grade tourmaline. Your in the zone man keep it up!
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top