The Little Gem Mine was discovered by local gold prospectors in 1886. An article in "The Mineralogist" written in 1941 describes the travel from Butte by covered wagon, to the Nine Mile Inn, then subsequent travel to the deposit where collectors "filled their packs with amethyst" during the original find. In 1958 a Claim was filed by Oregon Geologist Jerry Gray. Gray worked the surface sporadically for 30+ years, brought in heavy equipment to build road access in the early 1990's. His goal was to create a secure working environment protected from trespassers. He tunneled about 100 feet through solid granite to reach the core, where he then put a raise. The narrow raise follows an aplite zone upwards and east; the raise opened a series of pockets that he extended into a drift, which ran parallel to the core. The present owner, Russ Hage, purchased the claim after Gray's death. Hage and working partner Mike Uphus together brought to light innumerable fine specimens. In 2013 the old drift in aplite was de-roofed and its access buried. In summer of 2022, local prospector Paul Senn took over mine management working side by side with owner Russ Hage. Since 2010 it has been worked from the surface, primarily by hand aided by small scale blasting and an excavator. Current work has exposed many pockets containing fine amethyst scepters and jacare' texture amethyst. Jacare' is a Portuguese term denoting alligator skin texture.
This specimen is a beautiful miniature example of etched microcline with a protruding smoky quartz capped by amethyst, harvested in the 2025 season. It exhibits decent luster and color overall, but a fracture in the main crystal creates a distortion. The etched micocline is accented by pale green sericite mica, an alteration mineral present throughout the mine.
Thank you so much for viewing! Please message for any further information
(2.7 × 2.7 × 1.4 in - 6.8 × 6.8 × 3.5 cm) 3.0oz / 84g
ORDERS SHIP MONDAYS
The Little Gem Mine was discovered by local gold prospectors in 1886. An article in "The Mineralogist" written in 1941 describes the travel from Butte by covered wagon, to the Nine Mile Inn, then subsequent travel to the deposit where collectors "filled their packs with amethyst" during the original find. In 1958 a Claim was filed by Oregon Geologist Jerry Gray. Gray worked the surface sporadically for 30+ years, brought in heavy equipment to build road access in the early 1990's. His goal was to create a secure working environment protected from trespassers. He tunneled about 100 feet through solid granite to reach the core, where he then put a raise. The narrow raise follows an aplite zone upwards and east; the raise opened a series of pockets that he extended into a drift, which ran parallel to the core. The present owner, Russ Hage, purchased the claim after Gray's death. Hage and working partner Mike Uphus together brought to light innumerable fine specimens. In 2013 the old drift in aplite was de-roofed and its access buried. In summer of 2022, local prospector Paul Senn took over mine management working side by side with owner Russ Hage. Since 2010 it has been worked from the surface, primarily by hand aided by small scale blasting and an excavator. Current work has exposed many pockets containing fine amethyst scepters and jacare' texture amethyst. Jacare' is a Portuguese term denoting alligator skin texture.
This specimen is a beautiful miniature example of etched microcline with a protruding smoky quartz capped by amethyst, harvested in the 2025 season. It exhibits decent luster and color overall, but a fracture in the main crystal creates a distortion. The etched micocline is accented by pale green sericite mica, an alteration mineral present throughout the mine.
Thank you so much for viewing! Please message for any further information
(2.7 × 2.7 × 1.4 in - 6.8 × 6.8 × 3.5 cm) 3.0oz / 84g
ORDERS SHIP MONDAYS
