Go Mining!
Purchase sapphire gravel to 'mine'
sapphires from the comfort of your own home. Makes a great gift idea!
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Does
EVERYONE
find sapphires?...
Dear Russ and Deb Thompson,
"Hello, this is Deana. My husband Clay, my girls and my obnoxious dog as
well as myself were there this past Monday and Tuesday. I just thought I'd
drop you a brief line to let you know that we found 20 sapphires totaling
38 carats, many of them 2 carats and over. We had a great time! I really
enjoyed myself. Thanks you." Deana
So, does EVERYONE find
sapphires in their shipment of gravel?
"We don't go through
each unit we ship and check to make sure each has at least one
sapphire stone in it. That would be impossible." says
Deb Thompson, owner. "However, stories like the one
above are normal and common."
Will we be able to order
from you as often as we wish?
"Yes," says Deb
Thompson, owner. "Unless the sapphires run
out. This is a natural deposit and there is no guarantee
that it will last for 10 years. We continue to ship gravels
out while the natural deposit lasts. When it is all gone, it
is all gone. Get your orders in before that time." |
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Faceting is the process of taking a
raw stone, such as sapphire, and turning it into what you and I think of
when we think of gems.
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IN THE RAW... |
FINISHED PRODUCT.... |
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| Here is a sample of what large
sapphire stones look like in the raw. |
Here is a sample of what
sapphires look like once they have been cleaned, polished, and faceted. |
You are welcome to send your rough stones
to Deb for grading first before sending to the
facetor. If you provide a self addressed
stamped return envelop, Deb will grade your
stones free (presently), identify them, and let you
know which ones would be worth finishing -then
return them to you in the envelop you provide.
There has been some difficulty
discerning quartz from sapphires - which is normal.
But we use the scale, hardness test, or bounce test to
distinguish the subtle differences. The facetor does not grade
rocks like Deb can. Deb can identify the different
minerals and as a cutter herself, can tell which gems have
a chance at turning out good. Some fractures can be
ground away and a good stone still salvaged. Others are
poor to begin with and not worth the time or effort.
A light table is helpful in
sorting your sapphire gravel. Quartz and agate are very
common. Sapphires can be sparse and easily overlooked.
At times the sapphires can be coated with calcium
carbonate or iron that makes them difficult to see. If
you think there are no sapphires left, be sure and look
again. Broad sunlight and water are still the best way to
sort through the sapphire gravel. And, this is about the
only way to spot gold nuggets.
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