Field Trip Report:
Buck Creek
Clay County, N.C.
February 18th, 2005We had a great turnout today for the field trip to Buck Creek. I was surprised at how many showed up even though it was a Friday trip. I met with Troy, Rich and Dave L. at the Silver Armadillo at 9:00 this morning and proceeded to the Buck Creek area where we met with John D., Chris Moss, Robert C., Darrell and Charlene. One of the things that has become a custom of our club is the pre-dig "show and tell" where we all bring some of our latest acquired specimens to show off. Today was one of the best yet, Dave L. brought a superb specimen from the Crabtree Mine he recently found for his collection. It has huge emerald crystals on matrix. Chris Moss brought a 10 pound specimen of corundum in matrix from Georgia that he dug, it has a 3" corundum crystal sitting in the matrix. Troy had many nice pieces collected at Diamond Hill last week. John D. also had some nice amethyst to show. I should have taken pics of all this stuff, nice specimens, I'll show you what I brought, it is a 3"x 3" specimen of yellow/green corundum collected at the Mill Creek Mine. My friend collected it, out of over 200 pounds of corundum he removed from a vein he was working, this is the only yellow/green piece he found. It now sits happily on my corundum shelf 8^)
Translucent rough piece of Mill Creek Corundum.
Half Dollar size cabochon cut from the above piece.
At Buck Creek Road, getting ready.
Chris working a cut for zoisite and corundum.
John, Dave and Chris.
John D. sitting next to a large boulder covering the entrance to one of over a half dozen mines in the area. Rich squeezed past the boulder and reported that the mine is at least 40 feet deep with several bats inside. I was to big to squeeze through the hole, so no bat pics this time.
Looking past the boulder into the entrance, you can see why I didn't fit!
