Cherokee Ruby and Sapphire Mine adventure.

[@dizzystick9]

I just moved to Franklin and I have been wanting to go and try this out. I love the fact that you did not sugar coat this visit and showed what was most important and that is the time spent looking for tresure and the quality time with friends and family doing what you love to do. I was just telling my sister who is coming to visit that we are going and we might not find any thing however the fact we can just sit and relax, catch up while doing something unique and fun is going to be well worth the time and money. Great video!

[@firechicken455adventures]

Well said, my friend. Sometimes we find 'treasure,' and sometimes, we just enjoy the activity and spending time together. The thrilling part for us is that you might find something special along the adventure. Good luck! We hope to make it out that away again. Thanks for watching.

[@jeffharper7579]

I live just a little north east of Cherokee in TN, I have been finding small quartz crystals on my property some are just fragments to like a 1/4 to 3/8 diameter and a 1/4" to 2" long. I am not sure what to do with them but I think it's neat to find them, some are on top of ground or where I have dug down 4 to 5 feet to level out my hillside. Have not washed the dirt but wanting to. Thanks for your video.👍👍😊

[@firechicken455adventures]

You never know what you'll find in the dirt!

[@jeffharper7579]

True. Most of them I find by the sun light hitting them just right.

[@bradstoner7226]

I got a friend who dug there many years ago and actually did find a blood red, gemmy flattened ruby crystal just under 1/2" in diameter. I haven't been there in many, many years and I didn't do so good there myself. I've been collecting for over 40 years and I have to say that you have to watch some of those tourist type mines as they are salted with other materials but even the ones that say their buckets are "native" and unsalted might be fairly low yield depending if they are allowing you to get the material from a productive vein or source. You are probably much better off going to old mines, cultivated fields and scouting out your own locations but ALWAYS be sure to have permission where ever you look! Its getting harder to find good spots to collect no doubt and this draws people to go to places like these pay mines that make it all convenient with their little flumes and buckets of ore, etc. But there are places like the Chunky Gal mine and other old corundum prospects in the Macon and Clay county areas that with a little harder work might yield good results. The Propst farm in Lincoln Co., NC is always fun and usually rewarding. Even screening some of the local streams in those areas might yield a surprise find. I'm not a big fan of tourist pay mines unless they allow you full access to a site to dig your own materials. The idea of going through buckets already filled and stacked conveniently beside a flume for you pretty much says that it is unlikely that you will walk away with something more valuable than the asking price for the buckets. Once in a while, usually when these sort of tourist mines are not doing so good, they will actually let someone find a decent and somewhat valuable specimen just so they can build attention to the find in hopes that it will hit the local paper and TV news. This will draw more people in who usually aren't able to repeat that success. Thankfully not all of them do that though. Some keep it honest and what you find is what you find, good or bad. That's why I would rather do my own research, knock of doors and get permission and find something on my own. Still.....these roadside tourist mines are good places to get kids interested in the hobby and are always entertaining to visit and many have rocks for sale in their shops and if they don't have something that a serious collector would want, they can often give advice to who might. Digging rocks, fishing and being out in nature beats sitting at home and watching TV any day.

[@firechicken455adventures]

Thank you for all the great information. If I ever get back that way, I'll look into some of the places you mentioned. That was our first time looking for ruby and sapphires. Thanks for watching.

[@richardduke6930]

Mostly just a family social activity !

[@РечноеЗолото]

Thank you for the video. good luck ! I subscribed to be in the topic of your searches!🎉

[@firechicken455adventures]

I appreciate it, and thanks for watching

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks for sharing your real experience and not overhyping it or salting your finds. Sometimes you come away with nothing more than memories!

[@firechicken455adventures]

Well said. I have been to Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas three times through the years and have yet to find a diamond. The goal is find treasure but , I mostly come home empty handed. I like the thrill of chase and want to show what to expect. That is why most of my descriptions end with nothing ventured, nothing gained. I appreciate your comment. Thanks.

[@zacheryholder8196]

Thank you so much for helping us advertise. The next time you come, we will wave your admission fee and give you a free private tour of the property.

[@firechicken455adventures]

I was going back through comments on my channel. Thank you so much, that would be very cool and interesting. I'm hoping to make it out that way again sometime.

[@dizzystick9]

Looks like I will be coming with 6 or 7 friends and family! probably the 20, 21st or the 22nd this month! Looking forward to hanging out and having a good time! 😁

[@firechicken455adventures]

Let me know if anybody finds anything. I might make the trip next year again.

[@robertkaiser456]

Do yourselves a favor and go to Propst Farms, NC.. it's cheaper than those four buckets of junk you got and you'll find some of the most beautiful corundum Sapphire Ruby crystals. I've found them there almost as big as my fist! It's a lot more work you have to dig your own little pit and they're down deep, but it's so worth the treasures you'll find!

[@firechicken455adventures]

Thanks for the tip!

[@chrisrobbins2838]

Just a suggestion, but Mason Mountain Mine and Cowee Gift Shop in Franklin brings native dirt from an old mine site and you can all the buckets you can load, all day, for $40. It’s all natural and you find what you find. I can’t find a place to beat them! Great people too! I’ve found 2 ruby/sapphires over 1,000 carats apiece. Lots of great finds over the years.

[@firechicken455adventures]

Thanks for the information. I plan on heading back to North Carolina this year or next to try for a sapphire or ruby. I might go to Emerald Hollow also.

[@mineralhunter1]

A nice destination for a future US tour.

[@firechicken455adventures]

Good luck with your adventures! Thanks for watching.

[@canadiangemstones7636]

Tourist trap for sure, but fun. Hope they didn’t soak you for more than ten bucks.😂😂😂

[@firechicken455adventures]

A family of four found a nice ruby when we were there. I wish I would have got a picture of it.

[@Ava_Orchid]

It so weird that so many people on videos like this seem to think people are expecting to make it big or even recover the cost doing this. When you go ot the bowling alley or the movies do they expect someone to approach and tell them theyve won the cost of their ticket game back or a free trip to Hamaii?? Its an activity where you might find something

[@sadads7584]

looks like a waste of time and money

[@firechicken455adventures]

It is a hobby we enjoy and I got to spend the day with my daughter. So for me it was a win, win.