Himalaya Tourmaline Mine Gem Dig

My kids have always had a «thing» for digging and finding «treasure». They wanted a metal detector … so I got them one and after several hours of use we’ve found a few dollars in change. When we see those «bags of gems» being sold mixed with dirt and a few gem crystals my kids would go nuts for a chance with a bag! AND So — this brings my story to our visit at the Himalaya Tourmaline Mine.
Our friends invited us to join them for a visit to this true life Tourmaline mine. So you don’t actually get to enter any mine shafts or anything like that. What they say is it used to be that way — but not anymore. Today they dig up gem rich earth and haul it up to a clearing at the surface level — where you can grab as much dirt as you wish to filter with basic tools and devices provided by the operators. This means you’re using screens and lots of water to wash dirt away and save anything larger then the screen size filters.
My kids felt it was good fun but a LOT of work. for just a few gem fragments. Now — rumor has it some folks get some amazing gem fragments. Enough to pay for their cost of admission many many times over?! However — everyone in our group got a few fragments — well — many fragments — and I have no true idea of the value in our «haul». Pink tourmaline was found — along with a clear quartz about 5″ long the size of a large banana sliced to 5″. My kid went nuts when she found it and to my eye THAT was worth our admission price.
Now advice — it is a long long drive to get there. At least it was for us driving down from Los Angeles/​Ventura… and when you get there it may very well be super muddy. So a good idea is to bring a change of clothes for everyone who is digging/​mining. Also — since your shoes will get soaked in mud — bring junk shoes if you have any old ones. The shoes my kids used were NEVER cleaned. We just thew them away afterwards. My shoes — I covered in plastic shopping bags and managed to minimize the mud.
Now for something dumb — I brought our standard poodle puppy to the dig. So — on getting there I thought we might (rather … I might) just avoid the digging and just walk my dog around and maybe sit in the shade to read a book all day! And that is what I did! Mining this way is quite easy compared to real mining — and as easy as it seems it is a lot of physical work! So what is so dumb about bringing my dog? Well — it is super muddy the day we were day… mud everywhere!!! It had rained evidently the night before. Oceans and rivers of mud and patches of dry land … or vice versa! (silent grinning with a wink!) So I hand carried my dog through the mud to keep him clean… and I set him down near the picnic benches in the shade where dry ground was in abundance. Well — we also had patches of snow too… and mini snow ball fights were possible.
So would I recommend it — yes but not for the faint of heart. As a unique experience — for the adventurous and physically fit this will pay off. If you’re not up to working several hours in mud and hauling buckets and buckets of heavy dirt … maybe not. They provide EVERYTHING you will need. Rubber gloves — screens — shovels — simple work tables with water trays — … you might want to bring a plastic fish lure tray found at sporting goods stores, Target or Home Depot. This is to organize what gem fragments you find. However if you’re lucky like my daughter you’ll find monster sized gems too large — way too large to fit in such a tray!!!
Final TIPS and ADVICE … ask about the famous PIE place near by… it’s maybe 20 minutes drive away. It was quite good and a good part of the days’ adventure. At the entrance to the mine is a large camp ground… so you drive in and bear to the right — past the gate after checking in at the store/​restaurant by the road. Good snacks and hot food can be had here if so desired. We hauled in a ton to picnic with. I strongly recommend you bring a few giant trash bags to throw your muddy clothes into. FULL change of clothes + towels to clean muddy residue off BEFORE getting into clean clothes. ALSO — it is easier if you get a hotel somewhat near by the day before or after your «DIG» experience. It was pretty rough to drive down from Ventura county and back the same day… not to be done if you’re helping the kids dig all day. That or plan on resting a lot before driving the long way home the same day… OK?