Public Gold & Gem Mines in Georgia
Georgia is home to one of the United States earliest gold rushes. Long before the 49ers headed west in search of gold in California, gold was found in the Southeastern U.S. Dahlonega was a bustling mining town that brought wealth to the area.
The excitement of finding gold is still alive today, and many of the creeks and rivers in Georgia still produce gold today.
Below are a few commercial mines that you can visit and do some gold panning for yourself. You will want to contact each of these mines directly to get detailed information about costs and hours of operation. Some of them also cater to those looking for crystals and gems as well.
One vacation destination in North Georgia’s region of Dahlonega that offers many fun opportunities is the Consolidated Gold Mines. With the help of friendly and knowledgeable staff members, your 40-minute underground adventure laced with unending tales of ancient miner’s struggles to uncover gold is an experience worth remembering.
After the trip, you will have the chance to meet some expert gold panners who can give you some panning instructions. You will then get a chance to try panning alone and if lucky, strike it rich!
Since the first gold was discovered in the North Georgia’s mountains, panning has attracted lots of individuals who have wanted to strike it rich. The Crisson Gold Mine offers some great opportunities for folks who want to find a little bit of gold today.
You can purchase buckets of concentrates that you pan out and recover gold dust and maybe even a picker or nugget if you are lucky. They have larger mining equipment available too. You can even rent a trommel for a day to hasten your job.
The Diamond Hill Mine offers a unique experience for treasure hunters in Georgia. Unlike many of the other mines, they do not “salt” their diggings with material for people to find. So you are truly discovering the items that you dig up.
This is also a crystal mine, which produces a variety of quartz crystals and other rare minerals. Over the years, there have been a lot of eager gem and mineral collectors that have made some nice finds here. Besides collecting crystals, visitors can camp here as well.
Are you looking for a great family outing at a serene camping location while trying your hand at gold panning? Then perhaps you will want to check out Gold n Gem Grubbin’, where you will comfortably sit and pan under the shade.
Gold N Gem Grubbin’ has trained staff will take you through the entire process of panning, helping you identify the worthy gems. You can buy buckets of concentrates that are guaranteed to have gold in them. This is a great choice if you have kids and want to make sure everyone finds some gold. If you’d prefer a more realistic mining experience, you can rent suction dredges or highbankers and do some mining along the creek too.
Graves Mountain is one of the most popular mineral collecting sites in Georgia. Large multiple twinned rutile crystals that include rare but beautiful gems are found here. In fact, Graves Mountain has been hosting lots of gemstone enthusiasts since 1920 where virtually unlimited number of gems is collected. Some of the most popular include barite, quartz, rutile, kyanite, limonite, sulphur, hematite, and many more.
The collecting sites on Graves Mountain are on private property, so you must contact the caretaker to get access to the area. There are some rules and regulations associated with collecting here, so do your research prior to visiting this area.
Georgia’s Hogg Mine offers private digging areas where gemstone lovers can dig for beautiful aquamarine beryl crystals. This mine offers many digging opportunities, and for an extra fee you can even dig on days when equipment is working, ensuring that you are exploring when new crystals are exposed.
Bring your mining tools along and follow the rules of the mine and you are good to go. Hogg Mine’s rates are favorable and offer a unique opportunity in Georgia to search for rare varieties of crystals.
Additional Reading about Mining in Georgia:
Gold in Georgia
The Gold Rush to Georgia
Gold Prospecting in the Southeast
The excitement of finding gold is still alive today, and many of the creeks and rivers in Georgia still produce gold today.
Below are a few commercial mines that you can visit and do some gold panning for yourself. You will want to contact each of these mines directly to get detailed information about costs and hours of operation. Some of them also cater to those looking for crystals and gems as well.
Consolidated Gold Mines
One vacation destination in North Georgia’s region of Dahlonega that offers many fun opportunities is the Consolidated Gold Mines. With the help of friendly and knowledgeable staff members, your 40-minute underground adventure laced with unending tales of ancient miner’s struggles to uncover gold is an experience worth remembering.
After the trip, you will have the chance to meet some expert gold panners who can give you some panning instructions. You will then get a chance to try panning alone and if lucky, strike it rich!
Crisson Gold Mine
Since the first gold was discovered in the North Georgia’s mountains, panning has attracted lots of individuals who have wanted to strike it rich. The Crisson Gold Mine offers some great opportunities for folks who want to find a little bit of gold today.
You can purchase buckets of concentrates that you pan out and recover gold dust and maybe even a picker or nugget if you are lucky. They have larger mining equipment available too. You can even rent a trommel for a day to hasten your job.
Diamond Hill Mine
The Diamond Hill Mine offers a unique experience for treasure hunters in Georgia. Unlike many of the other mines, they do not “salt” their diggings with material for people to find. So you are truly discovering the items that you dig up.
This is also a crystal mine, which produces a variety of quartz crystals and other rare minerals. Over the years, there have been a lot of eager gem and mineral collectors that have made some nice finds here. Besides collecting crystals, visitors can camp here as well.
Gold N Gem Grubbin
Are you looking for a great family outing at a serene camping location while trying your hand at gold panning? Then perhaps you will want to check out Gold n Gem Grubbin’, where you will comfortably sit and pan under the shade.
Gold N Gem Grubbin’ has trained staff will take you through the entire process of panning, helping you identify the worthy gems. You can buy buckets of concentrates that are guaranteed to have gold in them. This is a great choice if you have kids and want to make sure everyone finds some gold. If you’d prefer a more realistic mining experience, you can rent suction dredges or highbankers and do some mining along the creek too.
Graves Mountain
Graves Mountain is one of the most popular mineral collecting sites in Georgia. Large multiple twinned rutile crystals that include rare but beautiful gems are found here. In fact, Graves Mountain has been hosting lots of gemstone enthusiasts since 1920 where virtually unlimited number of gems is collected. Some of the most popular include barite, quartz, rutile, kyanite, limonite, sulphur, hematite, and many more.
The collecting sites on Graves Mountain are on private property, so you must contact the caretaker to get access to the area. There are some rules and regulations associated with collecting here, so do your research prior to visiting this area.
Hogg Mine
Georgia’s Hogg Mine offers private digging areas where gemstone lovers can dig for beautiful aquamarine beryl crystals. This mine offers many digging opportunities, and for an extra fee you can even dig on days when equipment is working, ensuring that you are exploring when new crystals are exposed.
Bring your mining tools along and follow the rules of the mine and you are good to go. Hogg Mine’s rates are favorable and offer a unique opportunity in Georgia to search for rare varieties of crystals.
Additional Reading about Mining in Georgia:
Gold in Georgia
The Gold Rush to Georgia
Gold Prospecting in the Southeast
Get this Highly Recommended New Book:
The Gold Prospector's Field Guide:
A Modern Miner's Handbook for Successfully Finding Gold