Princess Sodalite Mine — Local services in Bancroft

We went here for the first time this weekend and had a lot of fun. We spent about an hour here, and while we didn't find anything substantial, we still found some decent little chunks of amethyst, rose quartz, as well as a couple other neat stones (Google is stupid and not showing the option to attach pics). The trick is to being proper tools and know what you're looking for. We arrived around 10:30am and it was already quite busy. What I didn't anticipate was how many idiots brought their 3 year olds, or other kids and don't watch them. You need to be alert here and are responsible for your own safety. The ground is literally rocks and unsteady, so take the precautions they recommend such as proper footwear and safety goggles. I was hit on the arm and cut by a rock projectile from a 10 year old who was running around unsupervised with a hammer smashing on random rocks. Also, I feel the need to point out how absolutely horrific the "bathroom" is here. It's just an outhouse that is filthy and I left there with other people's piss all over the backs of my legs (my reason for knocking off a star). Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and it was a good experience. I will absolutely...

I wanted to share with you an exciting discovery I made recently during my crystal hunting adventure. While exploring a small lot, I stumbled upon a treasure trove of unique crystals that I had never seen before. The experience was truly mesmerizing, and I highly recommend checking it out.

One thing to note is that safety glasses are mandatory at this location, so be sure to bring your own pair for added protection. The staff at the site have thoughtfully spread out all the stones for visitors to enjoy, allowing you to pick and choose your favorites. The setup is not only convenient but also quite enchanting, especially seeing how much joy it brings to children as they select their own treasures.

I must admit that while the crystals I found at the store were a bit pricey, the ones I discovered during my crystal hunting escapade were both unique and reasonably priced. It's a wonderful opportunity to add some new pieces to your collection without breaking the bank.

I believe you would thoroughly enjoy this crystal hunting experience, and I wanted to share the details with you so you can consider visiting this hidden...

I had a great time here. They dump a lot of junk on the pile, but there are some good finds to be had. My only goal was to get a few nice samples of blue Sodalite. Within a couple minutes I found some large cobbles with some blue. I broke them down and added the blue bits to my bucket. After 30 minutes I checked out other areas of the pile and found two excellent cobbles of blue sodalite. I broke them down and filled a 2 gallon bucket 2/3 full. I discarded the first pieces I collected. I found four drill cores as well, but the owner didn't know where they came from. She didn't know where other items came from either.

The place was packed with people cracking rocks open, including very young children. I frequent dig sites and have never seen children so young collecting. For the most part everyone was nice and pleasant with each other and I even observed some sharing. It was great.

I ended up with about 28 lbs of rock in an hour and a half. Next time I'm in the area I'll...