How to Pan Your Own Emeralds in Indiana

You can hunt for emeralds in Indiana.

Emeralds are precious gems that are brilliant green in color. They belong to the beryl family along with rubies and amethyst. They take their green hue from the trace amounts of chromium they contain. Although emeralds do not occur naturally in Indiana, you can still mine for them there thanks to the Copperhead Mine. At Copperhead Mine, you can get a bag of mining rough and sluice for emeralds and other gems that are yours to keep. The Copperhead Mine is one of the biggest family attractions in Indiana, and sluicing for emeralds is great fun for kids and adults alike.

Things You'll Need

• Bag of mining rough
• Gem identification card
• Small shovel
• Basket
• Bag for finds

Instructions

1. Visit the Copperhead Creek Mine in Nashville, Indiana. This outfit has a water tower and a winding viaduct called a sluice. You can buy a bag of mining rough, which contains sand and gems, fossils, arrowheads or minerals here and pan for treasures in the sluice.

2. Purchase a bag of mining rough from one of the rockers at Copperhead Creek. You can choose the size of bag you need, depending upon how long you want to pan for. You can also choose whether you want a bag with gems, minerals, fossils, arrowheads or a mix. If you're looking for emeralds, choose an emerald-enriched gem bag. You're guaranteed to find gems, but you aren't guaranteed emeralds. You may find peridot, ruby, quartz or amethyst instead. These gems are harvested from 12 other mines spread throughout the world and each bag has a mix of gems.

3. Take a good look at the gem identification card that came with your gem bag. This card has the names and pictures of all the gems you might find. It's worth it to study the pictures, because the uncut stones might not look the way you were expecting them to.

4. Take your bag and equipment, including the basket and shovel you get to borrow with the bag, to the sluice. Scoop one or two small shovelfuls of mining rough into your mining basket.

5. Dip the basket in the running water in the sluice so that the bottom is submerged, but not the top. Gently shake the basket back and forth so that the sand is sifted through into the running water and you are left with stones.

6. Remove your finds from the basket and try to identify them on your card. Don't forget to look at them from every angle. Keep your eye peeled for green spots so you can find your emeralds.

7. Work through your entire bag of mining rough slowly until you have segregated all your gems.

References

• Our Brown County: Copperhead Creek Gem Mine