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Post by Ryan on Apr 26, 2011 0:51:30 GMT -5
Looks like you did well Tom! That angular quartz is cool stuff. One of my favorite DH piece I collected has crystals on one side and angle plated quartz on the other just like yours.
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Post by chelle on Apr 26, 2011 22:24:55 GMT -5
*taps foot* (im) Patiently waiting on the trip report....PLEEEEASE?
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Post by auplater on Apr 27, 2011 7:00:01 GMT -5
Its a shame that the good producing veins of skeletal are now buried, there may be more like the one Ray found down there? The large boulder we found in Feb. in the spoil piles was full of vugs with clear skeletal quartz, plated quartz, yellow included skeletal, amethystine druse, and siderite pseudomorphs, so there's definitely material like this around. In the first pic, the butterfly shaped piece, the front left is all clear skeletal, as well as most of the right side dirtyrockhounds.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Finds&action=display&thread=8407That piece made our trip worthwhile, since we didn't find any large amethyst. John L.
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Post by major on Apr 27, 2011 9:30:19 GMT -5
I've heard over and over that right now is the best collecting conditions that theres ever been far as spoil piles go, and that was my intentions because only about 5% or less of the people that visit DH are there only to vein dig, most people prefer to just surface collect and dig through dumps.
The skeletal veins are buried because it was so deep and too dangerous to leave it the way it was. It would cost a nice chunk of money to open the skeletal pit back up considering its so deep. I'm thinking of doing a skeletal machine dig soon anyhow to open up some skeletal.
Besides, the piece Ray found can be found in the knob that is present still in the center of the dumps. I've been digging it for the last week or so and gotten many nice pieces similar to it out of the virgin dirt...
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Post by gsellis on Apr 27, 2011 10:52:34 GMT -5
The skeletal veins are buried because it was so deep and too dangerous to leave it the way it was. It would cost a nice chunk of money to open the skeletal pit back up considering its so deep. I'm thinking of doing a skeletal machine dig soon anyhow to open up some skeletal. Considering the direction folks were working on the south wall, it almost looks like the Amethyst pit may join the skeletal pit some time in the future Maybe it is already showing there? It will kill the causeway though.
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gonzo
Senior Member
Posts: 60
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Post by gonzo on Apr 27, 2011 11:16:37 GMT -5
I will have to disagree with you Bryan on the vein digging. Many come to DH just for that. Much of the material gets damaged when dug up and getting clean clusters is only had by extracting them directly from the veins very carefully. I was disappointed the smoky pit was closed off when I went. It is the first time I had been to Diamond Hill when an area had been flagged off. I realize you are the new owner and can operate the place as you see fit but don't be surprised if attendance to the mine starts to drop off since dump digging isn't for everyone.
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Post by major on Apr 27, 2011 12:05:48 GMT -5
I've been caretaker for 5 years prior to this so I've seen and been there when people dig. Many people might go just for vein digging, but the % of people that dig in veins in very low around 5%. Now when MAGMA visits, the % goes up, but generally out of the people that visit DH, 35% are newbies, and 90-95% of the people that visit surface collect and/or dig thru dumpiles because its usually more productive anyway considering how much great stuff is in the dumpiles.
The reason the smokey wall was marked was NOT because good/or any material was being found there, it was marked because it was unsafe. We are trying to follow state regulations on walls and angles of walls. If I dont do this, DH could be shutdown to the public so I've been spending many long days trying to make it safe. After working for 10hrs a day for a month straight, I still didn't have time to make the wall safe before the dig, so I had to rope it off. There is still a wall there now to dig virgin areas and none of the mine is roped off now because I have had time to make it safe.
There is still a very productive knob to dig virgin material from and many other spots to test dig for new veins. I would imagine withing the next few years there will be no more veins left for the public to dig safely anyhow, so we are focusing on making the dumps more productive and spreading them out.
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Post by chelle on Apr 27, 2011 13:55:52 GMT -5
I have a piece of skeletal that has an iridescent yellow coating on it. I only brought home one piece. Is this a common thing from DH. Its the first iridescent anything I have gotten from there.
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Post by auplater on Apr 27, 2011 19:39:20 GMT -5
I have a piece of skeletal that has an iridescent yellow coating on it. I only brought home one piece. Is this a common thing from DH. Its the first iridescent anything I have gotten from there. Does it look like this? (more iridescent in sunlight) If so, there's more of that showing up... found this piece (as well as others) in Februrary. Most likely a hematite coating...it's pretty resistant to SIO John L.
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Post by happytrails on Apr 27, 2011 19:51:05 GMT -5
I have hesitated to jump into this discussion, but I agree with Rick and Gonzo and others who have concerns about the lack of access to the smoky and skeletal pits. This has not been the case with previous digs under the previous ownership and in my opinion the club should have been notified about this change before the dig. It is true that some nice specimens have been found in the dumps, but many of the ones I and others found turned out to have damage once cleaned. This makes me wonder if frequent turning of the dump piles really is such a good idea. And if you want to keep people coming, the dump piles should be reserved for paying customers and not picked over between digs. If not, word will get around quickly and no one will want to come. Bryan, it's not too late to save Diamond Hill, but it will require some changes in the way things are being run. I urge you to take these concerns seriously.
Andrea
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Post by kap on Apr 27, 2011 20:27:36 GMT -5
"This makes me wonder if frequent turning of the dump piles really is such a good idea. And if you want to keep people coming, the dump piles should be reserved for paying customers and not picked over between digs."I had a lot of people at the dig come to me with this opinion I think one of the main reasons that a lot of people keep returning to DH is because they know the dumps are there for them to collect in and not gone thru by the owners. It looked kinda bad for the owner to be going threw the dumps before and while a club dig was going on. Not having the pits open was something that was not expected also. As far as vein digging that is what I love to do a LOT of people feel the same way as me digging in the dumps is just not the same. Diamond Hill is a GREAT place to collect so I hope that the collectors opinion will be considered when deciding on the way the mine is run. I hope to be digging there for a long time. Keith
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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 28, 2011 14:04:35 GMT -5
Yeah, I've been hesitant to reply as well. especially since i wasnt there. I can only imagine how upset i would of been if i drove 4 hours(and thats nothing compared to some) to find out that my favorite two pits were off limit or filled in with no prior notification. I dont understand. I was looking forward to coming and sharing my exciting vein strikes with my children and friends...Ive turnred a lot of peolple onto mineral collecting and it usually started at Diamond Hill..IN A VEIN OF SKELETAL QUARTZ. I hope this isnt the future of diamond hill. I also have heard rumors of Dump raping by caretakes while paying miners were there. I can only hope these rumors arent true as that would truly attest to poor character and a hint of greed. I will shut up in hopes that my children, friends, and myself can continue to collect at the souths most premiere quartz mine. GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE@$#!%^&*&^^%#@$%^
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Post by postal on Apr 28, 2011 14:41:01 GMT -5
I am not going to hesitant about posting.....
Bryan 1.You provided a porta potty 2. improved camping area (do not charge for camping) 3. improved parking area 4.allow people to dig at a nominal fee 5. move around and provide better access to dump piles 6. you closed and roped off areas for our safety 7. you provide access to purchase minerals for people that can not come to D.H. at a very affordable price.
I am sure there are others things you have done all I have left to say is THANK-YOU VERY MUCH.
I appreciate your explaination but really do not think it is necessary
I was really a little disappointed in the direction this thread was headed,and makes me understand why people close down sites to collectors.It is real easy to complain. There are costs,and liability decisions which have to be made of which all we see is the results.I feel like MAGMA AND IT'S MEMBERS have been treated more than fair at Diamond Hill .
Pete
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Post by gsellis on Apr 28, 2011 20:52:07 GMT -5
What Pete said.
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Post by major on Apr 28, 2011 21:46:22 GMT -5
I wasn't going to respond, but in response to the caretakers/owners going through the dumps. The reason Gina & I purchased this mine was to be able to dig there more, not less. If you were to follow me around, you would find out that 9 of 10 things I find, I give away... We have chosen to keep it open to the public not to try and make a fortune or big profits, but to try and make a few bucks to keep it open and pay it off and have fun, (so far for me its mostly been all work and stressful ) and the other but totally equally reason we keep it open to the public is FOR THE PUBLIC. If we were greedy, we would shut it down to the public and not allow anyone in there but us Thanks to the good Lord that resides inside me, these kinda negative things don't bother me and I will continue to run the place as I have, productive. Can anyone really say that says they cant come to Diamond Hill and get $20 worth in rocks in a days time if not the first 20 minuits... Seems like this day in age, no one is happy enough no matter how hard others try to please them, we Americans want more and more, that's whats gotten us into the shape this country's in today! Treat others as you would want to be treated also
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Post by morishidol on Apr 29, 2011 6:56:30 GMT -5
EVERYONE<<< needs to remember that digging rocks and minerals needs to be fun and exciting and yes maybe sometimes even profitable,,and if you find yourselves being to negative,than ya probably need to find a new hobby,,,something a little less stressfull,,, and as far as any of this other stuff goes people will learn from trial and error if their smart,,,so lets all just go dig some cool A_S rocks!!!!!!
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gonzo
Senior Member
Posts: 60
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Post by gonzo on Apr 29, 2011 12:34:17 GMT -5
Bryan, I could not agree with you more with the issue of greed in this world. You are entirely right it has gotten us where we are and by pushing god out of our country we will get what we deserve. Yes I am a Christian man, definitely not the best but I am not ashamed of my faith a bit. Giving is one of the best things you can do in this world and you will receive much in return. It took me years to learn this as I am now over the hill. I am blessed as god has allowed me to share my hobby with the 4th grade class at my local elementary almost every year and gives me the ability to provide each child with a sample bag of some minerals of North Carolina. I love doing this more than finding a huge crystal. They are the future of our hobby. I have never been in this hobby for money and when I get the chance to dig I come home empty handed quite often. When I was at Diamond Hill Friday the best thing I took home was talking to the others there especially one fellow working the dump next to the skeletal pit. He only had good things to say about you. Diamond Hill means a lot to us here in the south so please take what we say as suggestions as you see fit. As I have said before you own it and should be able to run the place the way you want. That is freedom right? We have such little of that these days compared to years ago. A little story here that I would like to tell. Years ago I was prospecting for kyanite up on Mt. Mitchell. I had walked up the mountain a ways and was getting pretty wore out without much luck. I said “God, if you can see fit let me find some kyanite before I turn around and head back down this mountain”. At that moment I looked down at my feet and there lay a specimen of blue kyanite. Before long there was another and another. It still brings chills to me now as I am typing this. God will provide for you but you must have faith and ask.
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Post by leonardo on Apr 29, 2011 14:37:41 GMT -5
Thank you Bryan....Amen
I was there on Thurs. there has not been a time at DH when I have not found Purple, except for the first time....The second time I was there I found purple Someone said that someone must have dropped it because there was no amy. at DH...The last time I was there Thur. MAGMA dig found amy ,smokey ,drusy, and a bunch of other stuff. so Quit your crying....negitive energy will not find you anything...
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Post by nose2ground on Apr 29, 2011 15:37:03 GMT -5
I'm still crying - over the large smokey-ammy cluster I found last time!
Some unsolicited perspective on my end - I have only been going out to DH for about 3 years now (sorry to have missed the last dig by the way), my experience albeit limited has been that a lot of material found in the dumps (which is before Bryan owned it) was fractured in some form. I don't think him turning the piles could do much more damage than what was already done. To the contrary - what I am finding now is better than anything I ever found before in the dumps! The cluster I recently found has so far been estimated at $1000 - and all I paid was $20. All I can say is thanks Bryan!
As for him searching through the piles - one person ain't gonna clean the place out of goodies - and I still have not forgot when I took my little girl out there the first time (who is too young for JXR and Graves), he came up and gave her a nice smokey cluster he had found - had to be worth about $75 at least. Said a lot to me about who he is, and shall not forget that. Was also one of my earliest impressions of the Magma community.
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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 30, 2011 13:55:16 GMT -5
Just for the heck of it i will jump in again.....I may of been harsh on Brian and gina in my last post. I just heard sooooo many things and jumped to conclusions. Im pretty sure that many people are just plain scared that we will be loosing something special. I am....or was....I like others in the club try to shy away from the negative and i assumed that all ive heard was true even though i wasnt there at the last dig....Im sure that the mine will continue to be fun for all even if things are different....Brian..if i offened you i would like to apoligize, publicly...you know me and know im not a negative person. these are only opinions and it is your mine.. Also, my first trip there 3 years ago, Mr. Majors Gave me a 7 in amethyst that my son "found later". This accounts for bryans general character...Peace and love to all
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chipdrum
Senior Member
Chipster
Posts: 63
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Post by chipdrum on Apr 30, 2011 18:33:27 GMT -5
Gonna give my 2 cents worth. I am not a member of Magma. But I met Chet at the Cola SC gem show 3 years ago on Thanksgiving weekend. I love all rocks, and since meeting Chet I have been to DH at least a half dozen times. I will dig in the veins, but truthfully, i pick up anything that looks pretty for border rock in my yard. I have been fortunate enough to find some quality pieces too.
Safety is a big importance to me. I think DH is a wonderful place to collect for beginners & for the most serious rockhounds out there. Bryan, keep doing what you're doing. No matter how you manage the site, there will always be complainers. I will continue to be a paying customer in the future, and always am excited about my trips to DH!
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Post by Ryan on Apr 30, 2011 21:15:24 GMT -5
I know barely anything of Bryan and I have only been to DH once. I was immediaty hooked. As Steve Barr said to me at the Nov. Dig, "If you dont find crystals at Diamond Hill, well, theres something wrong with you".
I feel for the vein diggers, we enjoy a hobby that seems to suffer from a constant plague of sites closing and opportunities dissolving, so I understand the "panic" over not being able to tap into some of the killer material that comes from that mine. However, its his property! The fact we even get to walk on it let alone collect is a blessing. Sure, I hope i get to swing hammer in that ammy pit again someday, but if not, ill still be there digging the dumps. Even allowing dump diving is a generous offer in this hobby. A lot of folks post their mines "No Tresspassing" and say "screw everybody else".
I bought some rocks off Bryan once and the order was very well priced and came quickly! Another thing I liked about DH was the camping and the experience. I hear that the camping is better and the toilet situation improved. (of course pooping in a yellowjacket nest would be preferable to that old outhouse... Yeeeaacchhh) so i say let the guy go. I live 600 miles away so even getting the chance to screen thru dumps is a huge privilage for me! Do I hope I get to dig some smokey pit one day? Sure! But if I do, thatll just be gravy on an already tastey turkey.
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Post by happytrails on May 1, 2011 16:40:41 GMT -5
If you go back and read the posts of those of us who raised concerns about the mine, you will see that there is NOT ONE WORD OF COMPLAINT ABOUT NOT FINDING STUFF. And anyone who actually knows me understands that I do not complain about not finding specimens. You pay your money and you take your chances. The real issue here, which has gotten lost in the discussion, is that the conditions for digging at Diamond Hill have been changed WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE CLUB PRIOR TO THE DIG. Several comments were made in this very thread prior to the dig which led us to believe we would continue to be able to access the pits.: “ the Smoky pit got really stirred up… The amethyst pit got stirred up well too.” “Things were stirred up real good over there around the amethyst pit” “The skeletal pit was not touched at all. Tailings piles from other areas are covering one side of it. The mud at the bottom is quite thick, so it will take some hard digging to get into good plates there.” “Today I just walled out the skeletal pit, opening up many areas of virgin dirt” Obviously, the last comment is from Bryan. So tell me Bryan, do you think you had an obligation to correct the idea that the pits would be open during the dig? I do. You all as the owners and caretakers have the right to do what you want with the property. But don’t pretend that everything is still the same. If you want to pillage the dump piles, have at it. If you feel the need to rush over to the mine at 6:45 am after a heavy rain to run across the dump piles before the rest of us could, it’s your mine. It’s your right, but it’s tacky to say the least. And don’t you dare call ME greedy.
Andrea
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Post by robwhaley on May 1, 2011 18:39:32 GMT -5
Bryan, You're doing a great job--don't let the naysayers get you down! Rob Whaley
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Post by sunshine on May 1, 2011 21:01:17 GMT -5
It's about time this got moved! It's a sad year in rock hounding, we lost a great site!
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Post by munchie on May 3, 2011 17:39:27 GMT -5
I do not post a lot but I feel that I should at this time.I come to DH to dig in the veins,But after I had a look around I had to try something else.It was the first time I had to bust bolders and dig in the dumps only. I am not saying I did not find anything but, I would like to have known before hand what to expect.I did have a good time and enjoyed everyones company. Magma is a great club and I hope this can be straighten out without hard feelings on either side. Mark
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Post by scintillator4u on May 3, 2011 23:25:00 GMT -5
I just wanted to update the condition at Diamond hill. I visited it on the way home from Graves Mountain. ( pre-arranged release form/permission). The spot we pitched tents is now a hole about 10 feet deep. The campfire area is half gone and 1/2 the stones circling it are ringing the new roped off hole. The holes we all dug at the rim of the amethyst pit are under at least 6 to 8 feet of dirt. Appears the upper rim has been raked back into the pit. Skeletal pit appears unchanged but a small vein is in place producing small 1/2 inch crystals at the very bottom and is in place. Site has huge areas of dump to go through that will last at least a few centuries. Large pile of trash left behind from numerous visitors seen in front by pit. Please pack your trash out!!! This is an accurate report of the current state of the mine seen 5/1/11.
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Post by booksmess on May 30, 2016 22:49:41 GMT -5
What state is this Diamond Hill in and were is it located. Or is this an inside joke. Because I'm a 58 year old mineral enthusiest.I am new to Nevada and am working eastern sierras round Verdi Peak and Dog Valley.There must be a million Diamond ? Hills.I know of one crystal mine in this area.There must be more diggings. Does anyone know this area for gemstones and crystal's.I'm doing lots of wheeling around the Humbolt-Toiyabe Nat Forrest. I could use the help. thanx,Booksmess
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Post by cassielouwho on Aug 29, 2016 9:21:17 GMT -5
What state is this Diamond Hill in and were is it located. Or is this an inside joke. Because I'm a 58 year old mineral enthusiest.I am new to Nevada and am working eastern sierras round Verdi Peak and Dog Valley.There must be a million Diamond ? Hills.I know of one crystal mine in this area.There must be more diggings. Does anyone know this area for gemstones and crystal's.I'm doing lots of wheeling around the Humbolt-Toiyabe Nat Forrest. I could use the help. thanx,Booksmess It's in South Carolina
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