Tag: gem and mineral club

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Uncovering a Herkimer Diamonds Pocket

American Geode


Summer 2016, the American Geode uncovered a Herkimer Diamonds pocket, a trophy and a prize of fine Herkimer Diamonds in Fonda, New York. For more background on Herkimer Diamonds, go to American Geode’s page dedicated to the Herkimer Diamond.

Be prepared to have essential tools & tips ready for your Herkimer Diamonds rockhounding trip. Necessary tools for rockhounding include: a good Estwing crack hammer, small chisels, wedges, buckets, and a wire screen. Basic Tips include: Bring plenty of mosquito repellent, snacks & water, ear & eye protection, gloves, and check the Weather! A small 1200+ watt generator and power breaker will greatly increase your odds of finding large Herkimer Diamond pockets. A 4-6 foot long pry bar is also a great tool to have handy when trying to leverage against large stubborn rocks. For the more serious miner, a 65lb Jackhammer which can be rented at local hardware stores. “Professionals” often use set up water pumps during the rainy mining season and also as the escavation depth gets closer to the water table. Local miners will often trade lesser findings with a bit of friendly talk and easily show off their best finds of the day. Mining is hard work, be prepared for 3-4 hrs of serious rockhounding. Enjoy the outdoors, enjoy the nature, enjoy the wonderment and delight when you discover Herkimer Diamonds! It’s a great time to turn off your phone and absorb the outdoors.

Are all Herkimer Diamonds double-terminated quartz crystals? The answer is yes. Does that make all double-terminated quartz crystals Herkimer diamonds then? The answer is no. Herkimer refers to the location of these unusual quartz clusters found in hollow “pockets”. Herkimer County is about a 4 and a half hours drive north of New York City. The name Herkimer comes from an American Revolution General named Nicholas Herkimer who died in battle in 1777.

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Rockhounding in Key West, Florida

Contact American Geode directly through our site for specifics, details and suggestions on where to drink, dine, party and explore Key West!

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Rockhounding Key West
Rockhounding Key West

Rockhounding in Key West is a special trip because there is not a helluva lot of rockhounding to be done in Key West! We did find one crystal and mineral store, took pictures of the finest pieces which were NFS (Not for Sale) alas, but the store did have those trophy pieces worthy of the visit, and photos. The store is called The Crystal Menagerie, and it is very easy to find.
Now for natural rockhounding we did go to the big park, the Zachary Taylor Fort and Beach Park. The shells that wash up are pretty common and standard. There are also no outcrops that we discovered, and we walked, nearly the entire island.

So for a trip to Key West, I recommend making your focus the sun, the sea air, the great drinks, and the historic significance of the area. President Truman’s “Little White House” is a historic treat. I consider myself learned in US History, but the significance of Key West from Truman to Clinton was a surprise to me.

Key West has some magnificent old homes for touring, full of original antiques, history and interesting docents, so I highly recommend those tours as diversions to get you out of the sun if it’s unbearable, or out of the rain if a tropical depression is roaring.

A pleasant surprise was that you can walk around with your drinks. So it’s like New Orleans that way, but there is not even the restriction to keep your drink in a plastic cup. So have fun bar hopping in Key West and start each morning with a bloody morning.

The only point I would caution against, is flying into Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, as we did, and driving down Route 1. It is not the romantic drive you expect. If you get behind a garbage truck, you are slowing down to 20 MPH, and you are behind a garbage truck. Even though you cross over the famous 7 Mile Bridge, the extra time it takes to drive is not worth the time you could otherwise be spending in Key West. So fly into Key West Airport, and you can leave your chisel, pick-axe and rockhounding preparedness kit at home this trip!
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Key West
Key West

Keep updated on the best shows with the American Geode gem, mineral, jewelry and fossil show newswire and calendar!
Watch a short video here for gem, mineral and fossil show tips from the experts!

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American Geode talks to youngsters about geodes and Indiana geology


American Geode speaks to youngsters
American Geode speaks to youngsters

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American Geode spoke in spring of 2016 to a group of youngsters in Indianapolis, Indiana about the geodes from the Hoosier state, and the geology of Indiana, formed by the glaciers that sat atop the state during the Ice Age. Indiana geodes and Midwest minerals, gems and geodes are the specialty of American Geode. We visit rural and remote Indiana at least once a year to excavate the sedimentary geodes that washed out from the world famous limestone found in Southern Indiana.
For more information about geodes, gems, minerals and geology, please go to American Geode.
We are a source of geodes, minerals, gems, and fossils for collectors, academics in geology and paleontology, museums, and even interior design professionals. Rockhounding for unusual geodes, beautiful minerals, rare gems, and beautiful exotic crystals with positive energy keep us motivated. Some of our favorite finds are Indiana Geodes, NY Herkimer Diamonds, Connecticut Garnets, Kyanite, and Apache Peridot. We use a variety of tools for rockhounding including crack hammers, sledge hammers, demolition hammers, and 65lb jackhammers (lots of rockhound hammers) as well as diamond saws and soil pipe cutters. We enjoy researching and mining rocks and roadtrips while rockhounding across the USA.

Our Geodes are some of the finest natural Geodes on Earth. We specialize in Indiana Geodes and all Geodes are for sale and sourced directly from rockhound sites in Indiana, USA. Our Geode sizes range from 3 to 18 inches in diameter. Finding Geodes is hard work and we hand crack them to show the natural geological beauty inside these mysterious natural wonders. Hidden inside include fractal Quartz crystals, white Chalcedony, red chalcedony, blue chalcedony, Baryte minerals, Citrine, and various other favorite gems. Every cracked Geode is truly unique, collectible, and a wonder.

If you would like more info on local Mineral shows and rockhound clubs click on our News page for up to date listings and links to Gem Show, Mineral Show, and Fossil Show announcements. We update our rockhound news twice an hour and showcase the top mineral shows and rockhound news in the USA and the World. Also, follow us on Twitter for even more rockhound events, commentary, and laughable quips from American Geode.