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Communities on this page:
- N. Wilkesboro / Wilkesboro
- Taylorsville
includes Hiddenite
N. Wilkesboro/Wilkesboro area Facilities
Note: telephone area code is 336
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Taylorsville area Facilities
includes Hiddenite
Note: telephone area code is 828
The Emerald Hollow Mine in Hiddenite
The Emerald Hollow mine has been in operation
since 1987. With about 30,000+ visitors per year, the Emerald Hollow mine is the largest Tourist attraction in Alexander county. This is a REAL mine and it is the only operating Emerald Mine in the world that allows customers to dig and keep what they find. 63+ different kinds of gems and minerals have been unearthed at Emerald Hollow, e.g., Emerald, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Smokey Quarts, Rutile and Tourmaline.
The mine is open 7 days a week from 8:30am until sundown year round (except Christmas eve and Christmas day).
There are three methods of mining available:
- Sluicing cost $5 per person you get one bucket of ore free and additional buckets range from $1.50-$100 There are salted (enriched) or NATIVE which is vein ore from the mine. Natives are not salted therefore not guaranteed.
- Creeking is where you can pan and screen in the creeks for gems. The cost is $7 per person and includes the Sluicing.
- Digging cost $10 per person and includes all 3 activities.
We have a REAL lapidary shop on site and can cut customers gems. We do not Switch or swap stones here what we cut actually belongs to the customer.
If you need more information, phone 828-632-3394 or e-mail mikew@sandtech.net
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