Mining for Gems

Running water trough



Sifting away the dirt

 

Having fun finding pretty gems



The different gems you can find



My Amethyst necklace Shell made me



After we toured the caverns, we went back to the gift shop and bought our souvenirs for our memories.  You can buy a bag of dirt and there are gems among the dirt. There is a long wooden trough across from the gift shop.  You pour the dirt into sifter boxes and put the box down in the trough of running water.  The dirt washes away and you have big and small gems. Chuck had bought us a bag of dirt and we shared the fun but when we each had these great gems in our sifter boxes, we wanted more. It was just too much fun!! Chuck went back in and bought us another two bags.  We each ended up with some pretty big gems.  There was a sample box of what the gems were and they also gave you a post card with pictures of the gems on it.  I was hoping to find a ruby but didn't.  Shell found a big amethyst.  When we got home, we wheeled and dealed on our finds and I traded Shell a couple that I had that she wanted for the big amethyst she had.  After we each spread out our finds and picked out what stone we wanted for a necklace, Shell figured out how to wrap wire around the stones and made them to hang on a chain.  What great souvenirs the three of us ended up with for such a fun day spent in Northern Alabama.