Western North Carolina Gem Mines - Listed by County
From Left to Right: Shining Rock, Diamond Hill, and The Ray Mica Mine
Cherokee County Gem Mines
Nantahala Gem Mine
715 U.S. Hwy 19, Topton, N.C. 28781
1-800-468-7238
www.carolinaoutfitters.com
Minerals: rubies, emeralds, sapphires, garnets, topaz, amethyst, citrine, peridot, moonstones, rhodolite, apatite, aquamarine, turquoise, ametrine, Mexican opal, rose quartz, smoky quartz, chrysoprase (native, salted)
Haywood County Gem Mines
Pressley Mine Sapphire
Maggie Valley NC
828-926-5533
www.discovermaggievalley.com
Minerals: various (salted)
Old Pressley Sapphire Mine
Canton, NC
828-648-6320
Minerals: sapphire (white, black, blue, purple), amazonite, mica, zircon (native)
Mitchell County Gem Mines
Blue Ridge Gemstone Mine
McKinney Mine Road, Little Switzerland
828-765-5264
www.brgems.com
Minerals: amethyst, citrine, garnet, ruby, sapphire, emerald, tourmaline, fluorite, kunzite, morganite, aquamarine, opal, topaz (salted)
Crabtree Emerald Mine
Emerald Mine Rd.
828-683-1048
www.wncrocks.com
Minerals: emerald, beryl (green, white, yellow), tourmaline, fluorite (native)
Various Assorted Crystals
828-765-6463
www.emeraldvillage.com
Minerals: 60+ different rocks and minerals have been found, including Aquamarine, Emerald, Garnet, Smoky Quartz as well as Uranium and Fluorescent minerals. (native, salted)
Gem Mountain
828-765-6130
www.gemmountain.com
Minerals: Citrine, amethyst, topaz, amazonite, ametrine, quartz, emerald, beryl, aquamarine, rutilated quartz, iolite, fluorite, kyanite, garnet, aventurine, moonstone, sapphire, ruby (salted)
Rio Doce Mine
Highway 226N
828-765-2099
www.riodoce.com
Minerals: ruby, citrine, emerald, aquamarine, rose quartz, rutilated quartz, blue topaz, tourmaline, garnet, amethyst (native, salted)
Spruce Pine Gem and Gold Mine
Intersection of Blue Ridge Parkway and Highway 226
828-765-7981
www.sprucepinegemmine.com
Minerals: ruby, citrine, emerald, aquamarine, rose quartz, rutilated quartz, blue topaz, tourmaline, garnet, amethyst, sodalite, unakite (native, salted)
Macon County Gem Mines
Cherokee Ruby Mine
Franklin, NC
828-524-5684
Minerals: Rubies, Sapphires, Garnets, Moonstones, Rhodolite, Rutile and Sillimanite. (native)
Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine
6771 Sylva Rd., Franklin, NC
828-369-5271
Minerals: Ruby, Garnet (native)
Gem Mine at GemWorld
1884 Georgia Rd. Franklin NC
828-349-5411
www.rokgem.com
Minerals: garnet, ruby, sapphire, topaz, emerald, opal, quartz, smoky quartz, rose quartz, citrine, amethyst, (native, salted)
Diamond Hill Amethyst
9410 Sylva Road, Franklin NC
828-369-3905
www.goldcityamusement.com
Minerals: rubies, sapphires, citrine, gold, silver topaz, garnet, amethyst, emeralds, iolite, tourmaline, ametrine, and peridot. (native, salted)
Jackson Hole Mine
9770 Highlands Rd., Highlands, NC
828-524-5850
www.jacksonholegemmine.com
Minerals: various, (native, salted)
Mason Mountain Mine
5315 Bryson City Rd., and Franklin, NC
828/524-4570
www.tjrocks.org/masonmtnmine.html
Minerals: rhodolite garnets, kyanite, pyrope garnets, and quartz (native, salted)
Mason's Ruby and Sapphire Mine
6945 Upper Burningtown Rd., Franklin NC 28734
828-369-9742
Minerals: ruby, sapphire, rhodolite garnets, kyanite, pyrope garnets, and quartz (native)
Rose Creek Mine
115 Terrace Ridge Dr., Franklin NC
828-349-3774
www.rosecreekmine.com
Minerals: rubies, sapphires, garnets, citrine, amethyst, topaz, quartz (native, salted)
Sheffield Mine
385 Sheffield Farms Rd. Franklin, NC
828-369-8383
www.sheffieldmine.com
Minerals: ruby, sapphire (native).
McDowell County Gem Mines
Heather Grove Gold & Gem Panning
43 Polly Spout Road, Marion, North Carolina 28752
828-738-3573
www.heathergrovegold.com
Minerals: Gold (native), Gemstones (international)
A Real Rock Hound!
251 Lucky Strike Lane, Marion, NC 28752
828-738-4893
www.luckystrikegoldandgem.com
Minerals: Gold, gems (native, salted)
Thermal City Gold Mine
US 221, south of Marion, NC 28752
828-286-3016
www.huntforgold.com
Minerals: Gold (native)
Watauga County Gem Mines
Foggy Mountain Gem Mine
3452 U.S. Hwy 321 South Blowing Rock, NC 28605
828-265-3099 Minerals: Various (salted)
Greater Foscoe Gem Mining Company
Foscoe, NC
828-963-5928
www.facetsoffoscoe.com
Minerals: Emeralds, Sapphires, Rubies, Topaz, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Green Tourmaline (native, salted)
Magic Mountain Mini Golf and Gem Mine
1675 Highway 105, PO Box 2745 Boone, NC
828-265-4653
Minerals: various (salted)
Yancey County Gem Mines
Ray Mine Tourmaline
Ray Mine Rd, Yancey Co. US Forest Service. Forest Service collecting rules apply.
Minerals: Beryl (green, white, pink), Amazonite, Aquamarine, Tourmaline (green, black), smoky quartz, garnet, apatite, fluorite, many more. (native only)
