Good morning! It's a beautiful day in Connecticut. So, for those of you who don't know us..here's a little more about what we do and who we are:
We absolutely LOVE gems and minerals. When Pete and I first met, the first thing that drew us together was my extensive rock collection on my desk at work. (side note, he promptly dropped one and broke it! AGGGHH!!) We began to compare notes and realized just how much we had in common. While he adores natural crystals, my passion is for the copper minerals (malachite, azurite, chrysocolla) and jaspers. The colors and patterns of the different jaspers are amazing.
Growing up in New Hampshire, Pete went on a lot of digs with his family. They found tourmaline, beryl crystals, and other assorted minerals. I began collecting "rocks" as a child, after one of my father's friends gave my oldest sister his rock collection. I was hooked! My kids grew up with a love of gems and minerals as well. They always aced that part of their science classes!
We started mining for black tourmaline, muscovite and biotite in Acworth, New Hampshire. We went to an old quarry and dug in their tailings.
Pete also had the opportunity to mine for green fluorite in the old Wise mine. Tough mining and loads of amphibians, so I never went with him. We also tried our hand at Fluorite mining in Westmoreland, NH in the hydro-thermal vents off Poocham Road. Although the green nuggets were fascinating in color, we never found an entire fluorite crystal.
So, how did we get hooked on Herkimers? Both of us had mixed feelings about them. I always assumed they were cut and polished when I saw bowls of tiny AAs at gem & mineral shows. One of Pete's mining partners convinced him to dig for Herkimers. Once we started - we were hooked.
Limestone is a boring, flat, gray hard rock. Who would have guessed what you can find inside?
It is truly exciting when you see that tiny little hole in the rock and know there is more below!
This is hard work, let me tell you. By far, it is the most rewarding mining we have ever done. Some days we come home with nothing, but every empty, barren chunk of limestone we move brings us closer to the real prize.