Sheffield Mine Homepage

Ruby, Rubies, Sapphire, Sapphires, Gem Mining, Mining, Native Stones, Fun, Kids, All Ages, Rocks, Lapidary, Gifts, Gems, NC, Franklin NC, Outdoors, Vacation, Groups, Field Trips, Jewelry, Western North Carolina, Mountains

Open 7 Days a Week
- Rain or Shine -
April 1st thru October 31st
10am to 5pm*

* Because Native Mining takes at least 2 hours,
We accept our Last Customer usually around 3 pm
BECAUSE - it REALLY takes that long for your
2 Starter Buckets of NATIVE DIRT!!!!
NOT HARD, just time consuming -
This is the Real Deal!!!!!
A Genuine NATIVE
Ruby & Sapphire Mine
~~~~~~~~
Please DO NOT use Map Quest, Yahoo Maps
or even a GPS to find us - You will most likely get sooo lost!!!!!!!!!!!

Sure, you can chance it and maybe your GPS is right on, but ... maybe not - and if not, you'll become frustrated and you'll lose as much as one or more hours of trying to figure out on your own just how you do get to us, so really, it's best to follow our diretions in the first place. There have been far too many people tell us that they've gotten lost with GPS directions and All of the Internet directions and only rarely have we been told that GPS brought them straight to us with no problems whatsoever.

If you're coming from the north, they will put you onto an extremely narrow, windy road that ends at a Gated Comunity - high upon a mountain in the middle of nowhere and you'ill have to turn around and go back to Hwy 441 without a clue as to how to find us from there and if that gate is open, then you'll end up in a maze of roads not knowing for sure which ones to take! From the south you'll travel extra roads that will take up valuable time!

Please Click Here for DIRECTIONS

*******************************************

Be Prepared - Wear OLD Clothes & OLD Shoes (This is a WET & DIRTY endeavor)
And Bring CASH - We do NOT take any form of Plastic at this time!!!

A Genuine NATIVE
Ruby & Sapphire Mine

- And So Much More!!!

Hey ya'll,
we know that the economy
isn't as great as it has been, but
You still NEED a vacation,
a Get-Away from it all!

Franklin, NC is one of the most economical destinations for you to consider. Franklin is where the GEMS are and in addition it is just a short hop to several other wonderful places to visit, like Asheville with the Biltmore, or Cherokee with their Casinos and Cherokee History at the Oconoluftee Indian Village, or Helen Georgia which is the birth place of the Cabbage Patch Doll (& YES you can still help give birth to your very own Cabbage Patch Doll at their factory and shop) and also a life-size re-created German community - Who said Weinerschnitzel and Beer?!! or Bryson City where you can Ride the Train to Dillsboro (where you'll find lots of eclectic shops with Stained Glass and other Mountain Crafts) and back to Bryson City on the Train you go or Chatanooga with Rock City and also their 2 awesome Aquariums (Penguins - they are soooo cute & JellyFish & even Butterflies - just sayin') and Lookout Mountain or Highlands where you can see breathtaking Waterfalls and shop in eclectic little stores or dine at one of their several Gourmet Restaurants or just relax and have ice-cream at Kilwins or Hike the Apalacian Trails of the Great Smokey Mountains or go Whitewater Rafting in the Nantahala Gorge ---- Franklin NC is home to the Macon County Historical Museum and the Scottish Tartans Museum, as well as the Franklin Gem & Mineral Museum which is housed in a really Old Jail - kids just love being locked up in the "Slammer" -

But Best of All,

Franklin is home to
Sheffield Mine
where the Honkers are still plentiful!

So stay in Franklin where room rates at the many Motels, B&B's and Campgrounds are reasonable and there are lots of places to eat from Country Cookin' to Gourmet and just about every Ethnic Cuisine you would want - Play in and around Franklin for a day or a weekend or a whole week if you can! We'll all be glad to see you!!!!

picture of ruby

So Far During the
2010 Season,
414 Honkers
were found along with
14 Super Honkers! -

Shannon Nesbit
found a 181ct Ruby
on July 12th

Woa Nellie!!!
We've still got over 3 months to go,
so it looks like we're gonna top the 2009 Season for total Honkers and Super Honkers!

- You need to get here SOON
so YOU can find a
HONKER or SUPER HONKER

Hmmm.....Wonder just
how big your Ruby
or Sapphire will be??!!

Open 7 Days a Week
- Rain or Shine -
April 1st thru
October 31st

10am to 5pm

For a comlete list of places to stay in FRANKLIN - Campgrounds Motels, & B&B's click here for the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce

A lady from South Dakota found 2 Squeakers and 1 Honker on August 22, 2004 - A man from Seattle Washington found a Super Honker on October 31, 2007 - so you see, people come from far and wide and many of them leave with a great souvenier!

~~~~

We know that money is tight,

But you NEED a Get-a-way!!!

GEM MINING REALLY IS A CHEAP THRILL!!!

And - WE'RE WITHIN 3 HOURS DRIVE or LESS, OF SEVERAL MAJOR CITIES - SO FOR MANY OF YOU, THIS CAN EASILY BE A DAY TRIP!

~~~~

If your kids are grown or you don't yet have any, then a Weekday trip to the mine during the Spring or Fall is advisable.

DIRECTIONS

What Will It Cost?

How to Dress

How Much Time is Required?

Marvin "Bud" Holmes
165 ct Ruby
5-11-04

This is a rare Twinned Stone
- If they were not conjoined,
you could probably see
6 sides to each one!

Anna Marty Maddox

No matter what your age, when it comes to rocks and dirt, we're all kids again; hoping that the thrill of discovery will brighten our lives!!!

And it DOES!!!

DON'T FORGET -
We open at 10 am daily!
Hope to see you soon!

NEW, NEW, NEW

As of July 2010
Custom T-Shirts
made while you mine!

As Seen on The TRAVEL CHANNEL

Treasure Hunting 3

This site was last updated on
7-26-10

Please understand that you
NEED to arrive at least
2.5 HOURS before closing time!!!!
Actually - the earlier, the better
- you'll have more time for FUN!!!

We are open from 10am to 5pm
and we take our last
Native Mining Customer at 2:30pm

- YES, YES, YES -
it REALLY takes that long for your
2 Starter Buckets of NATIVE DIRT!!!!

Ruby and Sapphire mining is not difficult and you don't need any special or fancy tools that God didn't already give you - Your Hands and Eyes! All you need is TIME - at least 2 and 1/2 hours.

If you only want to do a a couple of quick and easy Enriched RAINBOW Buckets, then 30 minutes before closing is OK - but bear in mind that you won't find NATIVE North Carolina, Sheffield Mine specific, Rubies or Sapphires in a RAINBOW BUCKET - Rainbow Bucket stones are Semi-precious Stones that come from all over the world - Rubies & Sapphires are Precious Stones and OUR Rubies & Sapphires come from this ground, right here -

Sheffield Mine
Rubies & Sapphires
are NOT imported

Rainbow Stones are imported!

Our "Claim to Fame"

is our NATIVE DIRT that might contain a RUBY or SAPPHIRE! And plain and simply, NATIVE Buckets require way more than just a few minutes!!!

- Sadly, if you do arrive late - within 2 hours of normal closing - you'll have a couple of options:

You can mine ONE Native bucket &
One Rainbow Bucket
Or you can mine TWO Rainbow buckets
Or there may only be enough time for you to look around, & we'll ask that you return the following day if possible or some other day in the future

By closing time - we've had a very long day that begins well before we open to the public and often ends hours after everyone has gone for the day and on top of that, just like you, we must also manage to eat a meal and get some sleep. So even if you have driven for several hours, please don't expect us to stay open for 1 or 2 more hours just for you - and also remember that while you were driving, at least you were in a climate controlled environment which we weren't and hopefully you enjoyed your drive in the beautiful mountains!

Don't plan on doing something else in the morning and then mining in the afternoon - if you really have to cram two activities into one day, then GEM MINE FIRST and save your second activity for the afternoon!!!!!!

Picture of Mine

Sheffield Mine - Franklin, NC
828-369-8383

Handfull of Rubies & Sapphires
Scroll down for a Life-size picture.

All Native Rubies & Sapphires!

*************

We're having
an AWESOME
2010 Season!

As of 7-26-10
414 Honkers have been found along with
14 Super Honkers
& there's lots more in the dirt still waiting to be found!!

Lapidary Shop

STONE CUTTING AVAILABLE!

Let us turn one of your Gemstone "Rocks" into a true Gemstone Beauty that you can proudly wear for years to come.
We can set your stone into Sterling Silver - Pendant, Ring, or maybe Earrings - depending on what you find.
And don't forget - it's not just Rubies and Sapphires that are worthy of cutting - MANY of the stones found in our RAINBOW Buckets are also beautiful when cut & polished and placed into Jewelry Settings!

We can Cut & Polish almost any Stone that you find (some stones are too small or too scragly - we'll let you know) - whether you found them here or even if you happened to find them somewhere else.

All Stone Cutting is at

VERY REASONABLE PRICES!

* * * * * * *

Please Help us!

We need
empty

FILM
CANISTERS

Film Package

For every Grocery Bag FULL of FILM CANISTERS,
we'll give you an extra bucket of Native Dirt for FREE!

Please do not bring medicine bottles - it is FILM CANISTERS that we use - medicine bottles are too hard for many people to open.

However, it has come to our attention that Diabetic Test Strip Bottles are also good to use. So if you can't get hold of any Film Cannisters but you would like to bring a bag of Diabetic Test Strip Bottles, we would appreciate it. Same Deal - we'll give you a Bucket of Native Dirt for each discount type store bag that you bring in that is FULL of either of these types of bottles or a combination
.

Come to
Sheffield Mine
Leave your cares behind,
Play in the dirt
& discover that .....

Gem Mining
truly is a
World of FUN
& it's for
EVERYONE!!!

Franklin, NC
is the perfect place to
Stay and Play!!!

There are tons of things
to do and see, all within less than
a day's drive of here!!!

Come - play in the dirt -
& be a kid again!!!!

We promise you'll have great memories
that will last a lifetime!

And after all,
at the end of the day,
MEMORIES are what
we all cherrish the most!!!

So go ahead and make those
MEMORIES while your
kids are still at home -
or
Gather your family for a Reunion at
Sheffield Mine and have something to talk about and laugh about together for years to come!!!

Largest Ruby Found
Since the new
Millenium began -
is 488 Carats
by Eugene King

This is one of only two places in the *Whole WORLD* to find *Native Star Rubies!*
	Largest Ruby found since 2000 is 488 cts!!!
is the *Home of the* *"Honkers"!*

Ti-Lea & Dennis Downing
on their Honeymoon - May 18th 2002

Ti-Lea & Dennis also went thru a Salted Rainbow Bucket - Even adults sometimes enjoy the variety of stones found and how easy a Rainbow Bucket is to work thru, especially compared to a Native Bucket -

But if you want
Rubies & Sapphires,
you still gotta go Native!

The 2010 Season has produced a lot more SPECIMEN STONES as well as loose Rubies and Sapphires! So there is more reason than ever to get ALL of your rocks absolutely Squeaky Clean!!

Specimen Rock found by Mandy Porter.

While Specimen Rocks do exist, you do NOT need to bust open rocks to discover them!!!! Once your rocks are adequately clean, you'll be able to see a glint of Purple somewhere on the rock if it's a specimen stone and you'll be aware that you have found an interesting stone indeed. Most of the time, it's not a good idea to pop-out the Ruby because they are still under too much pressure and you run the risk of destroying the ruby, so it's usually better to keep your specimen stone as a fabulous conversation peice! We'll advise you which way to go with the Specimen Rocks.

Specimen Stones are best displayed by getting them VERY clean - you can use a wire brush - it won't hurt the ruby. Once the stone is clean and dry, you can spray it with clear acrylic and use it as a paper weight or table top decoration and enjoy! And YES, even Specimen Stones have VALUE!

T-SHIRTS are here!!!!
Custom Designs and Sizes
to fit nearly everyone!

You can schedule a Field Trip
(15 or more actual Paid-Up Miners - $1 off per person)
In the SUMMER you can only schedule a Field Trip if your group is willing
to arrive no later than 9am - otherwise, you may have to wait like everyone else
and instead of sitting together, your group is subject to being split up ( 3 here, 4 there , etc)

1-828-369-8383

* Hunting for Rubies &/or Sapphires takes
a Minimum of 2 hours
- so plan your trip accordingly and
don't get here too late!

We absolutely sell NO Native Dirt one hour before closing! But you have until closing to finish up the buckets you already have or go thru Rainbow Dirt or Emerald Dirt.

Rubies are Red,
Sapphires are Blue,
Hmmm, that statement
Is not always true!

Sapphires come in every color of the rainbow and technically, all Rubies are actually Sapphires.

Rubies from Sheffield Mine tend to be "Pigeon Blood Red" or in other words a Reddish Purple. Our Sapphires are Pink.

Many of our Rubies produce a "Star" which dramatically increases their value. The "Star" can best be seen in sunshine or under a halogen lightbulb.

Jordan Fox
- 1999 -

Yeah, its a dirty job,
but hey, someone's
gotta have fun!

If your age is above 20, we dare you to forget it and join us for some fun playing in the dirt and being a kid once more - no experience necessary just listen to our 10 minute Introduction then go out there, shed your worries and your cares and have yourself some Mountain Fun!!!

So just what do Rubies
look like in the rough???

Here's a handfull of Rubies found
by Jack Porter in April 2002.
Notice that the picture is LIFESIZE!

Jack is one of the ones who seem to have a ruby-magnet somewhere in his genes!

Notice the PURPLE color peeping out thru the outer granite crust!

To find Rubies & Sapphires like these requires a lot of patience and perserverance and scrubbing and rinsing and scrubbing and rinsing of the rocks in your tray. The average person needs to Scrub-Rinse about 4-5 times per tray load, otherwise you will NOT get the rocks clean enough to discover that some of those rocks are actually RUBIES & SAPPHIRES!!!!!!!!

Guess how we find our Sample Stones! - Too many of our customers half clean the rocks, decide there isn't anything worthwhile in the tray, throw out the half-washed rocks and leave discouraged. Then when a heavy rain comes to finish the washing job, we find the discarded Squeakers and Honkers on the other side of the flume line! - Sadly, it's too true!!! So please pay attention to us when we try to show you what to do and feel free to ask us questions at any time - that's what we're here for!!!

And while they just look like a bunch of purple rocks when you find them, they turn into beauties like these when they are cut and polished!

Can you see the STAR in the Man's Ring - 2nd picture from the right?

Look no further!
- We can Cut & Polish your stones -
Lapidary services available! Most Reasonable Rates around!!!!!

Charlotte with her Daughter Zoe -
of Robins, NC

Helping out is Mike Kovtuschenko
Summer 2001

As you can see, at Sheffield Mine, we like to
get 'em hooked on Rocks when they're
really quite young!

Zoe is is just 2 1/2 months old.
And what a cutie-patootie!!

And here's another cutie-patootie -

2 year old Jason
of Orlando, Florida
~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

We can always tell how much fun
a child has had by just how dirty
they are when they're done!!!!

- Heck -
That's true for the adults as well!!!
Seriously!!!!

Meet the "Board of Directors" of
Bucket-Pounders Annonymous

Left to Right - Vice President, Scott Franklin -
Secretary, Bill Stine - President, Eugene King

These fellows are addicted!!!
or maybe it's afflicted - we're not sure which!!!

Bill, of Norfolk, VA comes as often as possible and goes through 20 to 30 buckets in a day. He's fast because he knows just what he's doing and just what to look for. Most people should only attempt 10-15 buckets in an 8 hour day. Trust us! Most people who attempt to rush through the buckets at break neck speeds throw out most of the good stuff and we find them later after a heavy rain has finished the job, that in reality, they only started! Rocks need to be really really clean to be sure that you aren't overlooking any rubies or sapphires!

Scott, all the way from Maine, came vowing not to leave until he had found a Super Honker, which he did - 116cts, and then he stayed another couple of weeks just because, and of course found more rubies and sapphires! He estimated going through nearly 300 buckets of dirt. Occassionally, he'd skip a few days of coming to the mine to rest or do laundry or other sight-seeing. Scott was here from late July through mid September. His dilligence paid off! He left Sheffield Mine with well over 600 cts of Rubies & Sapphires including his Super Honker and an absolutely classic six sided beauty of a Honker that I was more impressed with than the Super Honker that he found.

And then there's Eugene from Canton, NC.
Scroll down, you'll find lots more to read about Eugene.

We Love Field Trips !!!!
in Spring or Fall

Gem Mining can be both
FUN & EDUCATIONAL
for people of all ages!

- Groups of 15 or more persons mining receive $1 off each admission per person!
- Scout Groups of 5 or more also qualify for the discount!
Each member of a Field Trip also recieves a Rock Hound Button souvenier.
And School Groups also recieve a brief history of Sheffield Mine
and the Cowee Valley of NC.

Reservations are required for FIELD TRIPS!
But it's so EASY to Book a Trip - Just call 1-828-369-8383
and let us know what date and time that you would like to come -
we'll consult our calendar and let you know if we have an opening
- if not, we can discuss alternate dates.

Keep in mind, we are able to open 1/2 hour early to accomodate your group so
that everyone gets started before the General Public begins to show up.

Meet Eugene -
The Ruby King!

He's a real Rock Hound's, Rock Hound.
A Bucket Pounder Extrordinaire!

From July 4th, 2001 until Nov.18th, 2001
this man has averaged visiting Sheffield Mine at least once a week. On Nov.18th, 2001 we weighed out his finds and you just won't believe it!

Eugene found over 5997 cts
of Rubies and Sapphires!

This was NOT from just one trip to the mine,
but from about 18 trips to the mine in the 2000 Season.

*~*~*~*~*

on May 2, 2002
Eugene found a 488ct Ruby

5997 cts
of Rubies and Sapphires

The largest ruby that Eugene
found during the 2001 season
was a Super Honker that weighed
242 cts!
While not the largest of the season,
he is still a happy man!

The bottle contains his Squeakers and Honkers, and you'll note 100's of chips and Pip Squeaks and his Super Honkers.
~~~

We say over, because Eugene had given away a lot of what he had found during the season to other miners who weren't having quite as much luck as he was having! And several of the stones that he gave away were Pip Squeaks and even some very nice Squeakers, so that would easily bring his total to probably well over 6200 cts!

And ironically, Eugene really is a King, since his full name is Eugene King! And if not a King, he is at least a Prince! One of the nicest men you could meet. Soft-spoken, intelligent, very generous and kind. We always look forward to a visit from Eugene!

Eugene has found the largest stones for 2 seasons in a row! Well, we told you that Eugene was KING
.... and we meant it!!

This Native Mine yields precious Star Rubies, & Star Sapphires - Our Rubies tend to be Purple/Pink, Purple/Red or Purple/Purple -
think PURPLE and our Sapphires, (though they can be any color in the

rainbow and not just the traditional blue) tend to be Pink! Remember, ALL RUBIES are actually Sapphires, though not all Sapphires are Rubies - It's just a matter of color!

Rainbow Buckets as well as Emerald Buckets and Fossil Buckets other Specialty Buckets are also available ranging

This mine is for both Seasoned and Amateur Rock Hounds of all ages!

Two Partially Covered Flume Lines.

Here you can see a covered portion of the 2nd Flume Line in addition to a part of the 1st Flume Line. We leave a portion of each Flume Line uncovered intentionally because there are some people who really like to be in the full sun. Full sun really helps you spot those rubies too!

If it's a cloudy day, we recommend that you purchase one of our High Intensity White Lights - just like you see us using in the office! The price is just $25 and worth every penny - useful for so many things - it puts out way more light than most other lights of a similar nature - we know, we've tried most of the other ones on the market and we decided that for the money and the amount of light, this is really the best!

You don't need any special equipment! If you have hands and eyes and PATIENCE, you'll most likely be successful.
We'll give you a 10 minute Lesson in the office (we request that everyone in your group who is going to mine Pay Close Attention to what we have to show you and tell you). Then once you're out on the flume line, our competant STAFF will come along to reinforce what you learned in the office. Our Collective Knowledge means that we are all pretty much interchangable - you can ask questions of whomever is not busy! If an employee is new, he/she will let you know that and will grab a more experienced employee to assist you in answering any of your questions. But even new employees know how to show you how to scrub rocks and can show you examples!

We'll also show you what a Leaverite is, what a Baseball Rock is and what Junkalite is.
Even if you came last season, PLEASE let us give you a refresher course - you'd be absolutely amazed at what some
"experienced" miners have throw over

the sides!!!!

Gem Cutting in our NEW LAPIDARY SHOP & Ready Made Jewelry available too.
Most Reasonable Rates around!!!!
Covered Picnic Tables
Snacks and Cold Drinks available at the Mine -
Frozen Entrees available also (we have a Microwave)

Or you might want to pack your own lunch, or stop at the
BP Gas Station on the way - they have a great deli!
Gift Shop - Jewelry, Tumbled Stones, Specimen Stones, Rubber Gloves, etc.

You want rocks?...
We Got Rocks!!!!
And some Fossils too!
As well as Bookends,
Cut Slabs, Rough Rocks,
Crystal Towers, and more!

If you need them,
we have Rubber Gloves,
Disposable Aprons
& Rain Ponchos
all at reasonable prices!

Clean Restrooms
We are Licensed by the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and comply with all EPA regulations

We are members of the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE
FROM THE PARKING LOT

BEEP 3 TIMES

and we'll send someone up in the
Red Mule to pick you up &
bring you on down!!!
- This Mule doesn't go "hee-haw" -
It actually has 4 wheels
& seats 4 people!

Red Mule

More Information &
Sheffield Mine History

DIRECTIONS

What Will
It Cost?

Lapidary Services
aka Stone Cutting

VERY REASONABLE PRICES!

Gary Dreading
with

743 Carat Ruby!

May 27,1990

Click below to meet others in the

"Super Honker"

Hall of Fame

Maybe you'll be the one to find the next
"Super Honker"!

You don't have to be a grown up to find Rubies, or even a
"Honker" of a Ruby! Alexis of Dunedin, Fla is proof of that!
She's only 9 years old, but her eyes were good enough to spot a
78ct Ruby on June 24th, 2001!
Alexis is holding her Honker and Certificate -
(The other young lady is her sister, Courtney)

We suspect that she had some parental help - because while the kids have great eyes, most do not have enough patience to work Native dirt - each Native Bucket should take a person at least 1 hour! If you work faster than that, we'll find what you left behind after a good rain and the "scrubbing" that the tailings get from the employees walking up and down the flume line to be of assistance to you.

At the end of October 2009, which was what we consider a slow month, Warren found 1455.5 cts!!! Including 18 Honkers, the largest of which was 88 cts!!!

How Should
You Dress?!

Wear OLD Clothes! And OLD Shoes too! After all, this is not the Opera! You are going to get wet and anywhere from a little bit dirty to very dirty! We promise that you'll have so much fun, that you won't mind a bit!

How Long does
Gem Mining Take?

Plan on at least 2 hours! The time passes very quickly! If you don't have at least that much time, then come another day. Many people arrive at 10am and stay until 5pm and even come back a second day! It's very relaxing and very addictive.

Looking for rubies and sapphires in Native dirt takes about 4 times longer than going thru Salted dirt - unless you don't care if you throw out "Honkers" and lots of smaller stones. You see, all Salted Stones have only been in the dirt you are sifting through for a matter of days, whereas Native stones have been in the same dirt for millions of years! The dirt with Native Stones in it really doesn't want to let loose of it's treasure - they have become good friends! So Scrub, Rinse, Scrub, Rinse, over and over again until the rocks are REALLY good and CLEAN! And they look clean before they really are, so you always have to scrub and rinse at least 2 more times than you would expect - but it's not difficult and if you do it the way we show you, it's not hard on your hands either.

Gary & Donna Wood
with daughter
Leeann (age 9)
Gary Donna Leeann Wood
The Wood Family of Buchanan, GA found over 482 carats of Rubies and Sapphires on March 24th 2001 during a special Gold Prospectors Field Trip - The Western North Carolina, Otto Chapter of the Gold Prospectors Association of America, had the whole mine to themselves. The Gold Prospectors had so much fun hunting for Rubies that they return to Sheffield Mine year after year!

The Woods Family are what we at the Mine call "Bucket Pounders", meaning that they come at 9am and stay till 5pm and go thru as many buckets as possible - so don't expect these results with just one or two buckets! And even if you stay and "pound buckets" all day, we still can't gaurantee that you'll have the same results - but we hope you do and we'll do what we can to show you how to find what you're looking for! 482 Carats of Rubies Sapphires A Whopping 482 carats of Rubies & Sapphires!!!!
Even if you aren't as lucky as these folks, you'll at least have fun and make wonderful family memories!

What Should you do with the
stones that you find?

The best thing to do is to have them Cut & Polished to bring out their true beauty - otherwise, it's not much better than a peice of driveway gravel and it doesn't do you much good to have it stuck away in a drawer somewhere either! Cutting prices are really quite reasonable and it's only when a stone is Cut & Polished that it's true value & beauty can be revealed.

Stones Cleaned in Muratic Acid

But - if you don't want to or can't afford to have them cut right now, then you can clean them up somewhat by soaking them for 24 hours in any Cola product. Finish getting out any dirt with a wire brush (a Dremel works very well).

We Love Field Trips !!!!

Gem Mining can be both
FUN & EDUCATIONAL!

Let us show you how.

Sorry, but we don't have pictures of every group, but we'll show you what we
have. Click on a Group Name that is highlighted and enjoy the pictures.

2001 Field Trips

The Western North Carolina, Otto Chapter of the
Gold Prospectors Association of America - See pictures above

Girl Scout Troop (sorry, we didn't get the troop number -
we just thought of this after the fact)

Whites Creek Christian Academy from Cleveland, Georgia

Waynesville Middle School from Waynesville, NC

Grandma's Retreat (This wasn't the kids, it was the Grannys,
though in fact, most of them didn't look nearly that old!)

2002 Field Trips

The Western North Carolina, Otto Chapter of the
Gold Prospectors Association of America

The Body, Mind & Spirit Adventure Group -
Great Folks from all over!

Boy Scout Troop from South Carolina -
(Prefered Anonimity)

Macon County Center for Progress -
New Horizon's Head Start Program from Franklin, NC

The Atlanta School from - Atlanta, GA

Girl Scout Troop #112 from Snellville, GA

The Hermitage Church from Hermitage, TN
( Nashville, TN suburb)

UNC-Asheville Retirement Party from Asheville, NC

Franklin Highschool Earth Sciences Class
from Franklin, NC

The Nantahala School from Nantahala, NC

2003 Field Trips

Boy Scout Troop #158 from Simpsonville, SC

North East Georgia Mineral Society of Cornelia, GA

Franklin Highschool Earth Sciences Class
from Franklin, NC

The Western North Carolina, Otto Chapter of the
Gold Prospectors Association of America

T C Roberson Highschool from Asheville, NC

Boy Scout Troop 616 from Calhoun, TN

Cadette Scout Troop # 705 from Orlando , FL

Girl Scout Troop # 635 of Citrus Spring, FL

Camp Broadstone from Boone, NC

Hermitage Church from Hermitage, TN

Burke Tours

2004 Field Trips

Boy Scout Troop #159 of Simpsonville, SC

Heart of Florida Girl S

2005 Field Trips

Peachtree Elementary of Murphy, NC

White Creek Christian Academy
from Cleveland, GA

Miata Car Club

Norfolk Geology Club from Arkansas

YMCA Summer Program from Greenville, SC

The Hermitage Church from Hermitage, TN
( Nashville, TN suburb)

Boy Scout Troop #451 from Pace, FL

cout Troop #83 of Dunnellon, FL

2006 & 2007 & 2008 Field Trips

We had 'em, but sadly,
we didn't get them recorded.
If you came on a Field Trip during
one of these years and you have pictures,
please send copies and we'll be glad to Post them!!!

One almost final comment - We really like to "horse-around" and poke fun at people and we expect that you will do the same with us - we do not ever mean to embarass or humiliate, but we're human and sometimes things come out wrong - so PLEASE take everything that we say in the good natured spirit that we intend it! We work very long hours everyday and the heat can fry our brains and we need to relax with a good laugh from time to time and we want you to laugh too! We try on purpose to be zany and fun, but occasionaly that's not how some of you perceive us. If you can't take a little humor in your direction, then perhaps another gem mine would be better suited to your personality, because in spite of the few instances where our intentions have been misunderstood or underappreciated, we will continue to "horse-around" and poke fun at you our customers and at one another - we hope you'll join in and lets all have a good time. If there is something that you are very sensitive about, discreetly let us know and we'll not bother you except to help you find rubies and sapphires. We are truly caring people and don't want to tread on any toes or feelings if we are made to understand your circumstances.

May 2nd, 2002
Eugene tops himself and everyone
else by finding a 488 ct Ruby!!!!

That Ruby is in the
X-TRA Large Category !!

"Honker"
Score Board
This Score Board was
Last Updated 7-24-10
(2000 thru 2009 reflect a whole season!)

Year	Honkers	Super Honkers
2000	265	11
2001	325	17
2002	250	13
2003	283	16
2004	214	11
2005	383	13
2006	485	22
2007	502	23
2008	690	33
2009	392**	16**
2010	414*	14*

**Our 2009 Season saw fewer customers due to problems with the economy, so when that is factored in, it would appear that there would have been just as many honkers or maybe even more had we had more visitors. - So fear not - there are still lots and tons of rubies to be found - maybe you'll find a Honker!

* Our 2010 Season has seen even a few less people thatn our 2009 Season, and yet there are MORE Honkers and Super Honkers being found! Just all the more reason for you to come see us on or before October 31st so you have your chance to find a great Ruby or Sapphire BEFORE Winter sets in and causes you to have to wait until Spring!

There are thousands of stones found that are large enough to cut and polish, but we only record the ones that are 30 carats or larger. A stone that is about 4 carats is usually large enough to cut, unless it is too thin or fractured - we'll give you our honest opinion so you can decide what to do.

Largest Ruby found
During the 2009 Season -
240cts
found by Mark Elkins

Largest Ruby Found
during the 2008 Season -
300 Carats!
found by Jake Hertzog

Largest Ruby Found
during the 2007 Season -
345 Carats!
found by Steven Becker
on the LAST day of the season!

The largest Ruby Found
during the 2006 Season -
180 Carats!
found by Connie Farrell

OOPS - we forgot to list 2004 & 2005!

The largest Ruby Found
during the 2003 Season -
238 Carats!

The largest Ruby Found
during the 2002 season -
488 carat Ruby
found by Eugene King (above)

The largest Ruby Found
during the 2001 season -
472 carat Ruby
found by Fred Speier!!!

The largest Ruby Found
during the 2000 season -
320 carat Ruby
found by Alex Groves !!!

Squeaker -
Ruby or Sapphire that weighs
between 15 and 30 carats

Honker -
Ruby or Sapphire that is
30 carats or larger!

Super Honker -
Ruby or Sapphire that is
100 carats or larger!

MANY smaller stones are found that are large enough to cut, polish and turn into absolutely stunning jewelry!

Come find a Ruby or Sapphire -
maybe you'll even find a "Honker" for yourself !

Stone Size Chart

Donna Wood above left, found the 77 carat "Honker"!

The rest of these stones are just some of the ones pictured on the left, found by the whole family. Note the sizes are from itty bitty, all the way to quite substantial! But not a one of them qualifies as a
"SUPER HONKER"!
Beleive it or not, some of the smaller stones on the right hand side are still large enough to be cut and polished and set into jewelry!

Remember,
Don't expect these results
with just one or two buckets!

Keep in mind, this was 3 VERY LUCKY people, working really hard all day long - and while most people, though not all, find something, it's a bit unusual to find this much - but it did happen for the Woods Family and who knows, maybe it could happen to you too!!

When Marty Maddox of St. Pete, Fla. arrived, she told me that Gem Mining wasn't really her "cup of tea", but within an hour - she was hooked!!!! And for good reason - she found a "Honker" nearly right away. Well that got her fired up and she went to scrubbing dirt like there was no tomorrow! Good thing, because all that scrubbing paid off big time, as you can see at the right!	That larger stone is 6 sided and just might produce a STAR when it's cut and polished!
	This is most, but not all, of what Marty, daughter Anna, and husband Joe found during their 3 day visit. Rubies and Sapphires - all! Can you believe it! They were actually getting embarassed to come to the office to have them weighed!
Anna & Marty Maddox with their not so modest finds.	Poor Marty! After Anna and Joe stake their claims - pilfering Marty's stones as well as their own, she's left with an empty hand and a sad frown!
John Allen with Anna, Marty and Joe Maddox. John picked out buckets for his friends but didn't manage to find any "Honkers" himself - he just loves gem mining and wanted to share the fun with his friends! John - Thanks a million for coming back and bringing us some new friends too!!!! These people are real BUCKET POUNDERS!!!

NEW, NEW, NEW

As of July 2010

Custom T-Shirts
made while you mine!

Lots of Designs and Sizes to choose from!
We have Kid Sizes all the way to 3XL!

If you don't want one of our designs,
then loan us your Camera's Memory Stick
and show us which picture you would like to have on your T-Shirt.
Maybe the Grandkids at a birthday party or
just looking too cute and you caught it on film.
Maybe a picture of Your Sweetie.
Maybe a picture of someplace else that
you have been while on vacation.
Or even a Favorite Pet.

Whatever!
We can do it for a mere $15
($17 for XL sizes or Coloring Book Designs
Coloring Book Designs include Washable Markers)

Franklin, NC is Truly a
Vacation Destination
Extrordinaire!

In The Franklin Area
So Much To See - So Much To Do - So Little Time

HIKING- CANOEING -

WHITE WATER RAFTING -

GOLFING - HORSEBACK RIDING - HUNTING - FISHING -

ANTIQUING or ARTS & CRAFTS?

There's even a SCOTTISH TARTAN MUSEUM in downtown Franklin! It's quite good and complete with a gift shop. If you are unaware of your Tartan pattern, they will be glad to help you.
And if you think that your name doesn't sound Scottish and so therefore there is no Scottish in your ancestry, well you just might find yourself very surprised!

And don't forget about the WHISTLE STOP MALL; your one-stop Antique, Arts & Craft destination on Hwy 441 on the southside of Franklin! Just look for the Red Railroad Car!
The building is huge - you can't miss it! And it's been fronted with old looking store fronts from the turn of the last century!

And practically right across the street from us, on Leatherman Gap Rd., is the world famous PERRY'S WATER GARDEN where you can view acres and acres of the most beautiful Water Lillies
on the planet - Like what you see? They ship Water Lillies all over the world! When leaving the mine, turn left and the next drive on the right will take you there.

Or take a TRAIN RIDE in Dillsboro or Bryson City, on The Great Smokey Mtn. Railway and then visit one of the many quaint little shops in either of those communities.

Or visit nearby Cherokee, NC - The OCONOLUFTEE INDIAN VILLAGE is awesome! &/or visit THE MUSEUM OF THE CHEROKEE to learn the history of the Cherokee People,
or if you're feeling lucky while in Cherokee, then you might want to visit HARRAH'S CASINO - but come here first while you still have some money ;)

If you like Breathtaking Waterfalls, then travel over to Highlands - but drive slowly - Hwy 64 is really twisty so be VERY CAREFUL and DO DRIVE the SPEED LIMIT and don't
even think of passing! Once you're in Highlands, be sure to visit Kilwin's Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop. It's on the left side of the street as you go into Highlands from Franklin, and
the Ice Cream is heavenly! - The candy is excellent also! - but the ICE CREAM yum yum yum!!! and yum!!!! And there are some great restaurants and boutiques in Highlands as well as
a world famous Botanical Garden.

Or go a little further (ABOUT AN HOUR & 1/2) and see the BILTMORE ESTATE and GARDENS in Asheville, NC Be sure to visit Downtown Asheville too. This is a very eclectic,
Arts & Crafts Community that you will most certainly enjoy!

How about visiting a German Community? Travel just a little south of here (about an hour) on Hwy 441 and follow the signs to Helen, GA - where you'll find that the whole town looks
like you just crossed the ocean and landed in a quaint little "Old World" German Village. There are several boutiques in town and places to down a stein of beer and enjoy bratwurst
and saurkraut as well as several other tasty German foods. Even the grocery store is "Old World" and whether you need a loaf of bread or not, it's well worth a stop!

Speaking of German Communities; just to the north of us (about an hour) on Hwy 441 on the other side of the mountain from Cherokee, NC is Gatlinburg, TN - another recreation
of a German community, but this one has taken on a definite 21st century look. Here you'll find the RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT MUSEUM, RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF THE
SMOKEYS, the GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS MUSEUM, CHRISTUS GARDENS (a Biblical Wax Museum) and soooo much more including helicopter rides
and bungee jumping!!!! Restaurants and boutiques are everywhere you look. This is not exactly the place for Nature Lovers, though the nearby surroundings are quite breathtaking! And if you
want even more glitz and electronic amusements, go 15 more minutes north on Hwy 441 into Pigeon Forge, TN, the home of DOLLYWOOD and so much entertainment, you won't know
where to start having fun!

What People Are Saying About Sheffield Mine

How do I find Rubies & Sapphires?

How to Remove Mud Stains
from your clothing

Rock Hound Terms

Hungry?

Franklin has food for any appetite, from burgers to gourmet!
You won't go hungry, unless you just forget to eat!

Sleepy?

There are tons of Motels, Campgrounds and Cottages in the area!
Just check with the Franklin Chamber of Commerce

Fun Factoids for Kids

Coming Soon

Our Favorite Web Sites

Want to learn more about the various
Lapidary Arts?
(Stone Cutting, Jewelry Making and the like)

Spend a week at
Young Harris, GA
at the
William Holland School of Lapidary

Learn how to cut your own stones or learn intarsia or silver-smithing or several other
gemstone related crafts! You won't believe how reasonable their rates are! And what
you learn will be with you for life, not to mention the friends that you'll meet! People
come from all over the country to attend this school!

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