Post subject: Anyone interested in buying a red beryl mine?
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:07 am
Active Member
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:21 am Posts: 99 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Hello all;
Well this is a first for me. I have never started a thread on the forum before but just couldn't help myself. I was scanning a local popular posting and found a listing offering to sell the red beryl mine in the wah-wah's of southern utah for $1.5 million. I live in salt lake city and have been interested in prospecting this area for 2 years now. My sons and I have found some beryl in the topaz mountain area. It's all non-gemmy material. Years ago Kennecott Copper ran a shaft (maybe 40-50 feet) straight back into the mountain side. Of course they calculated that for the amount of ore needed to get x amount of beryl needed it wasn't profitable. At that time i think they were asking $22 million.
Anyway, I'm wondering if the mine owners would allow a group to do some prospecting at these claims in exchange for a fee and possibly an evential purchase. It's obvious they have given up trying to mine this claim themselves. Maybe they have good reason to believe the mine has run it's course of gemmy material. After seeing the claim for myself I'd say there is alot of rhyolyte (the host material) in this mountainside that hasn't been touched. I haven't contacted these people yet since i thought on my own they wouldn't take me seriously, but with enough interest they might consider something like this.
If anyone is interested in a venture like this please post it online. I'm not asking anyone to pledge anything other than an interest. I would also be interested in anyone's suggestions. My advantage is that I live here and have seen the claims and know what to look for.
Take care as always, bob miller
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:39 pm Posts: 3528 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
I could be in for .01%...
Seriously though, I have no capabilities to invest in such a venture, but I am interested if the mine ought to be viewed as a potential moneymaker or more a gemological curiosity.
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:21 am Posts: 99 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
This beryl mine has been a curiosity of mine for some time now. the current mine owners have a financial investment here but I still hope to persuade them to let us do some prospecting and maybe we can do that w/o a lot of financial outlay. I understand that many people, including myself do not have the position to act on something like this but wanted to put it out there. Actually I am more after everyone's ideas about red beryl as there has been a lot of discussion because of it's rarity. I know there are still some great mineral specimens coming out of these claims. Thanks for your .01 % worth. We only need 9,998 more 'cause I'm probably only good for .01% myself. Take care, bob
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:44 am Posts: 2056 Location: San Francisco
i talked to someone who used to cut that material for them.. it's very highly stressed so there's some chance it (probably a good chance) that it will fall apart once you get into the crystal.. only small pieces found as I've seen it.. I don't think if it was profitable they'd sell the only source for the rarest gemstone in the world!
On that note, if you want a double terminated bixbite specimen there's one on ebay atm. 5.88 cts
_________________ Custom Gemstone Cutting and various other activities!
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 6:00 pm Posts: 87 Location: northern ca
Redemerald.com has the history and ore reserve estimates along with the bulk sample results of 693 carats of cut goods from 7000 tons of ore, just under .01 carat per ton. http://www.redemerald.com/index.html
I will be carefull with what I say, because i dont want to misconstrue any specific information .this is what I gathered on info about the ruby violet claims (red beryl mine) I meet with the mine owner Ron Day about a year ago, me and a friend finally got his address and meet with him, we wanted to get access to the mine. I was told that on a recent mining process, they funded nearly one million dollars to mine, and didnt yield much material, mostly speciman grade material, and that in the process of mining, i guess there was a law suit filled, based on a different owner, saying they destroyed some crystals in the process. Mr. day told us that because of this they are not letting anyone on the mine. I would suggest trying to contact him in Delta, Utah if you want to learn anything else about this mine. From what i understand the mine is defunct and is not yielding hardley any gem quality material at this time and more than likley never again.
Last edited by hexagonalsphinx on Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:05 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:21 am Posts: 99 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Hello Matt;
Noticed your post but is late and I need to get up early. Thx for the info and i will look at your referred post tomorrow. I had lost interest the last few months about the red beryl mine due to the problems associated with being able to do any prospecting there. As I said before our real interest was in the rarity of the beryl there, not any potential profit. It's just that it seems it is the 'way of the world'. When one of my sons seen the posting to sell the mine we became interested once again in the possibility of doing some prospecting there. Sounds like some people have lost money there and aren't happy. i can understand that. Thanks again, BTW i have been faceting almost 2 years using an OMNI machine that i like. When you say you have access to fine grade rough are you offering a source or do you want to sell rough? Let me know what rough you have access to. I am interested in tourmaline, any beryls, sapphire and some garnets. take care, bob
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:21 am Posts: 99 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Wow; I was surprized to see some response on these old posts. I haven't done much prospecting of late but my sons have. One came back with an unusual specimen (though small) that he found on the west side of the St. Thomas range. It's only about 1cm square but sports a small crystal of red beryl (bixbite) in rhyolite. Attached to the crystal is a perfectly formed square crystal of bixbyite (another mineral discovered by Manyard Bixby. I've seen bixbyite in matrix with red beryl but this one perched on top of the red beryl is something to see. I haven't even learned how to post pics here yet but will try to come up with something. Ricks....... how long have you lived in Tooele and what's your interest in the red beryl? Welcome to the forum. There are some people here that are real experts and seem more than willing to help. Take care, bob dog
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