Online purchases also available at https://cherokee-ruby-mine-llc.square.site/

Groups will be seated with sufficient spacing between them for everyone’s comfort and safety, so depending on how many and how much spacing, we may end admissions earlier than 3:00 PM due to seating space limitations at the flume.

Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine was visited by The Crystal Collector – a popular YouTube videographer.  He has recently written an article about the mine:

http://wheretofindrocks.com/digging-ruby-crystals-in-north-carolina/

Please check out his video!

A visitor to the mine wrote an article!  Read the article:

https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-destinations-for-gem-hunting-4158268   

Like and share it widely!

Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine is the International Gem Society’s Number 4 Pick in the Top Places to Mine in the United States: https://www.gemsociety.org/article/mined-in-america/  https://www.gemsociety.org/article/mined-in-America/  (if hyperlink does not work, try cut&paste into your browser:  https://www.gemsociety.org/article/mined-in-america/  )

Ask the experts!! Ask around!! There are only two (2) gemstone localities in the entire world capable of producing the WORLD FAMOUS and WORLD CLASS “ investors” or “collectors” grade “Pigeon Blood” colored rubies. #1) The Country of Burma, and #2) The Cowee Valley gemstone locality of Western North Carolina, situated near the Town of Franklin, NC. Check out www.awesomegems.com to learn how gemstones are graded, and to examine their monetary values per carat. Experts also agree that within the United States and it’s outlying territories, there are only three (3) gem mines considered by experts capable of producing WORLD CLASS “investors” or “collectors” grade sapphires. The Yogo Gulch sapphire locality located in the State of Montana, the Gem Mountain sapphire locality also located in the state of Montana, and the Cowee Valley ruby and sapphire locality situated in Western North Carolina, near the town of Franklin, NC. Come enjoy the fresh mountain air, natural Caler Creek water flowing through our flume line, and the scenic and serene beauty of Cowee Valley, North Carolina!

OPERATION OF THE CHEROKEE MINE IS “WEATHER PERMITTING”. THE CHEROKEE MINE IS CLOSED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER AT THE ON-SITE MANAGER’S DISCRETION (i.e. Extreme Cold temperatures and / or rain and thunderstorms.) If the Mountain Area weather forecast indicates inclement weather, please call the mine at (828)349-2941 prior to your visit, to ensure that the mine is open. 

PLEASE NOTE: Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine accepts cash and credit cards. At the Cherokee Ruby Mine, we DO NOT and WILL NOT offer gemstone ore that is “Salted”, “Enhanced”, “Concentrated”, or “Enriched” with low grade, semi-precious stones from elsewhere on earth. All of our gemstone ore is 100% from our on-site excavation. We are the ONLY 100% unsalted mine in Macon County. Our two gallon buckets of ore contain a virtual treasure trove of naturally occurring Cowee Valley “gem quality” gemstones, including: WORLD CLASS and precious investors or collectors grade Rubies and Sapphires, the extremely rare Star Rubies, Star Sapphires, and Star Garnets, cabochon quality Rubies and Sapphires, and semi-precious gem quality Rhodolite Garnets, Pyrope Garnets, Moonstone, Rutile, Siliminite, Kyanite, Corundum, Clear Quartz Crystals and Smokey Quartz Crystals. These gems are native to the Cowee Valley gemstone locality, and again, many found are of facetable investors or collectors grade quality. Gemstones are like anything else in life…….it is the QUALITY that counts. Although “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” a ruby of the exact grade and quality, as well as many other gems and minerals, are much more expensive than diamonds. In fact, more and more women around the world are trending toward desiring rubies and sapphires, over diamonds, as wedding engagement offerings.

Each year, thousands of people from around the world flock to the popular Western North Carolina Town of Franklin to experience the thrill of finding rare gemstones in the rough.  Whether you are a serious or amateur rockhound hoping to fulfill dreams of finding hidden treasures, a teacher desiring a unique learning experience for your students, or a family seeking quality outdoor recreation, we invite you to browse our website to learn more about what the Cherokee Ruby and Sapphire Mine has to offer. See you on the flume line!!

* Please note that management reserves the right to end admissions prior to 3:00 PM based upon to operating conditions and capacity.

Gems

Ruby-red. The most important thing about this precious stone is its color. The name ‘ruby’ was derived from the Latin word ‘rubens’, meaning ‘red’. The red of the ruby is incomparable: warm and fiery. Two magical elements are associated with the symbolism of this color: fire and blood, implying warmth and life for mankind. So ruby-red is not just any old color, no, it is absolutely an undiluted, hot, passionate, and powerful color. Like no other gemstone, the ruby is the perfect way to express powerful feelings. A ring or pendant set with a precious ruby found by you at the Cherokee Mine bears witness to the passionate, unbridled love that people can feel for each other.

Color is a ruby’s most important feature. Its transparency is only of secondary importance. So inclusions do not impair the quality of a ruby unless they decrease the transparency of the stone or are located right in the center of its “table”. On the contrary: inclusions within a ruby could be said to be its ‘fingerprint’, a statement of its individuality and, at the same time, proof of its genuineness and natural origin. The cut is essential: only a perfect cut will underline the beauty of this valuable and precious stone in a way befitting the ‘king of the gemstones’. However, a really perfect ruby is as rare as a perfect love.

About the Cherokee Ruby Mine

The Cherokee Ruby and Sapphire Mine is a “placer” gem mine. The term “placer” refers to mineral bearing deposits of ancient sand, dirt, and gravel which were left behind by ancient glaciers, rivers, or other flowing waters, also known as “alluvial deposits”. The material of these placer deposits contain precious gems and other semi-precious gems and minerals. Only NATIVE Cowee Valley North Carolina gems and minerals can be found at our mine. We do not offer “salted“ or “enriched” or “rainbow” bearing gemstones to our mining customers. Throughout the years, experienced ruby/sapphire miners and “rock hounds” all know that the majority of the largest and finest “gem quality” Cowee Valley, NC rubies and sapphires have all been found at the Cherokee Ruby and Sapphire Mine.

For thousands of years, the ruby has been considered one of the most valuable gemstones on Earth. It has everything a precious stone should have: magnificent color, excellent hardness and outstanding brilliance. In addition to that, it is an extremely rare gemstone, especially in its finer qualities. The term ‘corundum’, which we use today, is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘kuruvinda’. The Sanskrit word for ruby is ‘ratnaraj’, which means something like ‘king of the gemstones’. Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum, second only to diamond, corundum is now considered to be the hardest mineral on Earth.

Sapphire is also a variety of corundum. Pure corundum is colorless. Slight traces of elements in corundum such as chromium, iron, titanium or vanadium are responsible for the colors of gemstones. Only red corundum is entitled to be called ruby, all other colors being classified as sapphires. Ruby, this magnificent red variety from the multi-colored corundum family, consists of aluminum oxide and chromium as well as very fine traces of other elements – depending on which deposit it was from. Millions of years ago, when the gemstones were being created deep inside the core of the Earth, chromium was the element which gave the ruby it’s magnificent color. Rubies of more than 3 carats in size are very rare. Rubies with hardly any inclusions are so valuable that in good colors and larger sizes they achieve top prices at auctions, surpassing even those paid for diamonds in the same category.

Some rubies found at the Cherokee Mine display a wonderful silky shine, the so-called ‘silk’ of the ruby. This phenomenon is caused by very fine needles of rutile. Now and then one of the rare star rubies is found at the Cherokee Mine. Here too, the mineral rutile is involved: having formed a star-shaped deposit within the ruby, it causes a captivating light effect known by the experts as asterism. If rubies of this kind are cut as half-dome shaped called “cabochons“ the result is a six-spoked star which seems to glide magically across the surface of the stone when moved. Star rubies are very precious rarities. Their value depends on the beauty and attractiveness of the color and, though only to a lesser extent, on their transparency. Fine star rubies, however, should always display rays which are fully formed all the way to the imaginary horizontal line which runs through the middle of the stone, and the star itself should be situated right in the center.

About Mining In Macon County

Mining for ruby and sapphire began in Macon County in 1870. Called corundum, low grade rubies and sapphires were mined commercially for abrasives (i.e. sandpaper) and gave work to many men. Corundum and other minerals such as mica and kaolin, were hauled to the railroad by horse and wagon and shipped out of Macon County in large quantities. William Earl Hidden, for whom the mineral “hiddenite” is named, was sent from  New Jersey by Thomas Edison to North Carolina to find sources of industrial  minerals.  W.E. Hidden is credited with the discovery of the variety of garnets known as Rhodolites, which he found during his explorations of the Cowee Valley. Tiffany’s purchased the entire Cowee Valley in the 1890’s, and then two other companies, American Prospecting & Mining Co. and US Ruby Mining Co., also began work hoping to find the source of the extremely high grade rubies and sapphires found within the corundum mines.  Do not take Coon Creek Road, Flowers Gap Road, or Ruby Knoll Road.. All three companies ended the search in the early part of the 20th century leaving the area open to rockhounds and gem enthusiasts.

The actual source of our rubies and sapphires has never been found – yet.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.