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Post by kap on Apr 11, 2011 18:44:06 GMT -5
Or just give the old guys a wink and and we will give you ours I have the release forms so everybody look me or Rick B. up when you get there. See everyone there Keith
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Post by chelle on Apr 11, 2011 18:54:17 GMT -5
I am practicing my wink right now!
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Post by major on Apr 11, 2011 21:03:17 GMT -5
Today I just walled out the skeletal pit, opening up many ares of virgin dirt, or areas of dirt thats never been touched. Its a lot more safe also as well as the entire mine. It would now be possible find a skeletal vein in there if you know what your looking for There is still parts of the virgin area of the knob in the middle section exposed also where many druse plates are found and the occasional yellow phantom or pseudomorphs. The dump piles have never been so turned up so much. We had the biggest machine ever in DH far as I know to really churn things up. I'm sure that stating that there is now more dumpile area than ever before would be a true statement. I'll be turning over fresh dumpiles all the way up until this Wednesday night. Please don't arrive until after 3pm as Rick has stated since I'll still be running the dump truck. On the first day we hit a very unusual pocket of doubly terminated smokey to amethyst crystals in the smokey pocket. Then throughout the dig we hit an occasional smokey or amethyst crystal with tons of milky druse and skeletal stuff in the amethyst pit. On the last 2 days of the dig we hit a very nice smokey pocket with very nice formations and looks to be dark crystals! The parking situation is alot better nw also. There has been gravel added and the parking is being leveled out.
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Post by nancyh on Apr 11, 2011 21:43:23 GMT -5
It has been far too long... tryin' to arrive at 3:01. Can't wait to see smoky and amethyst dumps again!!!
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Post by scintillator4u on Apr 12, 2011 2:50:02 GMT -5
Sounds great Bryan! I still hope to make it!! 80 percent chance now as I just got over a painful tooth pull/infection. Looking good for now Arriving hopefully Thursday night 8 to 10 pm.
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Post by IronTom on Apr 12, 2011 10:36:50 GMT -5
Time to get excited! I'll be there Wednesday, hopefully before dark this time around.
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gonzo
Senior Member
Posts: 60
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Post by gonzo on Apr 12, 2011 10:55:52 GMT -5
Having seen this location develop since 1972 I must say it has been one of the best digging spots for the amateur collector in the southeast. What makes it great is many of the various owners have realized that by actually willing or unknowingly allowing great material to wind up on the dumps has kept the attention of collectors and kept attendance high for the mine. This is where the real money has been made I believe and will continue to be made from Diamond Hill, not from the selling of a few great specimens had by the machine dig. This also has made many a collector happy. I for one will tell you even if you don’t make this dig do not think the place has been picked over. I went to Diamond a few years back just after the machine dig on the MAGMA trip and found a nice piece. I returned 3 weeks later and in the same spot where I saw dozens of people digging I found my best piece just 18” below the ground (see picture). How it got missed I do not know but it was and I am sure there are more from years past and present still there in the dumps. By having productive dump piles and veins in the ground you give all types of collectors what they want. Working the veins is truly very difficult as in order to do it right you must not be hurried so that you can extract undamaged specimens. This means removing the rock behind the plates so that you can extract them in a manner where the crystals are not stressed. Even trying to turn a piece in the clay will break points and make a fantastic piece into a busted up one. To those who come upon a nice vein remember this and don’t get carried away with trying to extract material quickly because the bulk you get will not be as a great as a few undamaged plates. I don’t claim to be a professional in this but I would rather leave some there for somebody else than tear thru a vein ruining many great specimens. See ya at the hill!
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Post by rockpeople on Apr 13, 2011 20:09:17 GMT -5
may need a ride to dh from columbia , sc if available. can't miss this one! off work thurs at 7. have gas money. sounds like a dream dig at dh. Bryan, friends have said many good words about you. I'll hitch it if I have to!
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Post by gsellis on Apr 13, 2011 20:22:57 GMT -5
Less than 12 hours for me. Yipee!
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Post by scintillator4u on Apr 13, 2011 21:46:00 GMT -5
That's great! Tell them to leave some for the rest of us
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Post by sunshine on Apr 13, 2011 22:10:01 GMT -5
I promised Bryan I would post this. Found it in the front of the dump piles to the right. A little bird told me, that was where the last loads from a 2008 dig might have been dumped. About 40lbs., twenty-six inches in length, and yes it stands vertical! The cavity was packed full of mud saving everyone of those pointy little pretties.
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Post by romare on Apr 13, 2011 22:48:59 GMT -5
Now that is fine looking yard rock!
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Post by sunshine on Apr 14, 2011 0:23:37 GMT -5
:DYard Rock, this one's in the museum! Actually it's a extra bedroom. ;D
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Post by Ryan on Apr 14, 2011 2:23:10 GMT -5
OMFG, Thats amazing!!! Proof that Diamond Hill is one of the BEST digging sites in the south. WOW Im jealous!
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Post by bikerchick on Apr 14, 2011 11:34:30 GMT -5
Awsome specimen. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by CrossfireBusiness on Apr 14, 2011 13:47:31 GMT -5
that is just amazing !!!! you really hit the jackpot there !!! museum quality id say !!!
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turkeychefadam
Senior Member
will gladly trade chef knife for 8lb hammer
Posts: 98
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Post by turkeychefadam on Apr 14, 2011 14:27:14 GMT -5
turkey chef checking in... to bad but i will not be attending this wonderful dig. I just got promoted to Executive chef at my workplace and am currently working 70-80 hours per week. I am throwing as many positive thoughts that way as possible. I hope everybody finds lots but leaves some for me.. ha ha. Everybody be safe and i am truely sad cause ive been waiting for this one. Good luck guys and gals
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Post by gsellis on Apr 14, 2011 19:34:00 GMT -5
It could be epic for surface collectors Saturday. Bryan has turned almost everything over. The storm looks like it will be Saturday morning too, but NWS appears to be saying about 1+ inch of rain total.
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Post by nose2ground on Apr 16, 2011 15:58:46 GMT -5
assuming everyone who was camping at DH last night got through OK? it was kinda nasty here, would not have wanted to be out in that.
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Post by rickb29212 on Apr 16, 2011 20:16:13 GMT -5
Made it back from DH late this afternoon. We made it through the wind and rain last night - it really wasn't that bad at all. We actually wished that it had rained a lot more than it did to expose more crystals. Thanks to Bryan for shaking up many of the tailing piles prior to the rainstorm. The results were seen on many faces (included mine) this morning - Keith took many photos for the report. Quite a few nice amethyst crystals have been found this dig. Tom Leary hit it big yesterday with a couple amethyst clusters that had to weigh several pounds each. Later, Rick B
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Post by chelle on Apr 17, 2011 14:18:56 GMT -5
Home safe and sound, everything was covered by mud, myself included! I did ok but the guys digging next to me (Jeff and Tom) hit THE spot! Jeff got some specimines that are breath taking and Tom...well what he got was is just a crime (a crime because I didnt end up with them). I did not do as well as we all thought we would surface collecting. It was windy and yucky but apparently didnt rain hard enough because "Santa" didnt come and sprinkle xls all over during the rain. So, instead everyone has to work for it!! lol. Great dig and cant wait for the next. Thanks everyone that made it possible! Will clean my stuff over the next few weeks and post pics of anything noteworthy.
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Post by kap on Apr 17, 2011 18:10:53 GMT -5
I just got back from the dig. There was a lot of BIG crystals found. We had a good turn out all week but Thursday we was PACKED. Like RickB said we did not get enough rain to wash the crystals out so when the next big rain hits everyone that can needs to go and dig.I want to thank Bryan for letting us dig he done a great job with the dumps,there are more now than I have ever seen and I want to thank Rick B. for his help and for everyone that came and made this a great dig. See everyone at GRAVES:) Keith
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Post by colorshapetexture on Apr 18, 2011 16:06:59 GMT -5
Keith and Rick where great hosts. Heck Keith even fed us fantastic smoked pork butt. And a balsamic vegetable salad that was perfect with it. Just to give you an idea of how good the veg. salad was somebody asked what was in it. And Keith said everything. Can't beat that. Very enjoyable dig. And everyone found some great pieces. I'll photo and show later...Jim
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Post by chelle on Apr 18, 2011 18:57:10 GMT -5
Oh yea, ppl wanted the recipe for the Cowboy Caviar 1 diced red pepper 1 diced yellow pepper 1 diced orange pepper 1 sm cal diced green chillies 11 diced pickled jalepeno peppers 1 diced med purple onion 3 or so diced sticks of celery 1/2 a bunch of diced up fresh cilantro ( you can add more or less to taste) 1 can of hominy(drained) 1 can black eyed peas (drained) 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 bottle of italian dressing
put all the diced veggies together and pour the dressing over it...marinate up to 24 hrs (chill) and serve. mmm mm good!
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Post by kap on Apr 18, 2011 20:17:10 GMT -5
Thanks Michelle your dish went great with the Butts:)
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Post by chelle on Apr 18, 2011 20:34:52 GMT -5
Those butts were so good I took some back to my tent to enjoy later
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Post by munchie on Apr 19, 2011 19:38:38 GMT -5
Thanks to Keith for the BBQ pork and everyone else that brought food it was great.I found some great stuff and had a lot of fun and got to talk to some nice people.Hope to see all of you at another dig.Thanks to Rick B for the rock.Mark
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Post by IronTom on Apr 22, 2011 18:35:57 GMT -5
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Post by rayjeri on Apr 23, 2011 8:24:26 GMT -5
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Post by rayjeri on Apr 23, 2011 8:29:39 GMT -5
Oops I posted the same picture twice. Heres the one I missed.
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