Treasure Hunting

What You Need To Dig for Opals and Sapphires

These articles refer to two businesses, Gem Mountain and Spencer Opal Mines, who have NOT paid for any promotion or in any way provided incentive for Xenite.Org to link to or feature or endorse their businesses. The information you find here is based solely on the author's personal experience and does not constitute professional advice on how to hunt for gems or how to use these attractions' resources. Consult with any tourist facility's Web site or staff before planning your trip.

Finding Opals at Spencer Opal Mines

People bring all sorts of equipment, it seems. And you can buy a few items from the cafe store. However, in my opinion, you need to be sure you bring the following items:

• Sunblock - SPF 30 or better. On a bright summer day, the sun will cook you slowly.
• Drinking water. The cafe sells water bottles but if you have a small lunch-size cooler that can hold some ice and a couple of water bottles, you'll do well.
• A hat. I wish I had worn one.
• A folding chair. Camping chairs work great. You cannot really hunt for opals from a chair, but you can set it up near the base of the rock pile and rest every now and then.
• A spritzer bottle. They provide free water for your spray bottles. These are the most useful tools in the trade.
• A Geologist's Hammer (or Rock Hammer). You can split rocks with a household hammer but the Geologist's Hammer works better. See the Amazon ad in the margin for a picture of one.
• A bucket. You need a bucket for your rocks.
• A full-color photograph of raw opal stones. 1-2 pictures should suffice. They should be no larger than wallet-size.
• Shoes suitable for walking on rocks and uneven ground.

I am sure there are many other tools you could bring, but frankly, this is not your day job. You need to make sure you don't get sick from the sun, too dehydrated, or too exhausted. But to find the opals you really just need a little water and an occasional bit of hammering.

Finding Sapphires at Gem Mountain

The Gem Mountain operation works very differently from the Spencer Opal Mines operation. They provide you with all the tools you need. However, there are some things you might want to bring.

• Sunblock - SPF 30 or better.
• A hat.
• A fly swatter. A BIG sly swatter. Barring that, maybe some sort of bug repellant.
• A small cooler with ice and drinks.
• A spritzer bottle if you want to be absolutely sure.

I would have killed for a chair but the tables are too high for our camping chairs. They have a few picnic tables but those are usually taken.

Last word

There are other tourist sites where you can dig for gems. Check with them to see what you need to bring. Just understand that you will probably be digging in uncomfortable conditions, so make sure you stay hydrated, protected from the sun, protected from insects, and that you can rest every now and then. This is about having fun, not killing yourself to prove your manhood (or whatever).