Picking Minerals in Active Mines or Commercial Operations

[divinefool]

When a mining operation comes across minerals other than the ones they are seeking, who do they sell these to? What does it take to get gems or minerals out of these mines? Money? The right connections? Does this happen at all? If so, how competitive is it? Or do they just sell them themselves? Any feedback is appreciated.

[Hoser John]

Some mines run pay to play ops and sell buckets of gravels. Pala tourmaline used to. There are some back east and in Arkansas you can find diamonds,a great series of posts here on that particuliar subject. With insurance companies gouging folks most have quit as costs more than they can make. Roaring Camp here in kalif has a op/cabins/camping for gold mining. Your best bet is small local yokel gem/mineral, detecting or gold clubs as most have claims/access to many places. Great retired folks who do like to help a newbie through them first faltering steps in learning-John

[divinefool]

Thank you.. I think I've watched too much game of stones haha. I

[Haderly]

There are lots of variables. Some of the big copper mines have auctioned off collecting rights for mineral specimens and lapidary materials. A good amount of specimens are collected by the workers but most of the time without permission. Sometimes clubs can get into active mines to collect but with the high liability those occasions are becoming very rare.

[divinefool]

There are lots of variables. Some of the big copper mines have auctioned off collecting rights for mineral specimens and lapidary materials. A good amount of specimens are collected by the workers but most of the time without permission. Sometimes clubs can get into active mines to collect but with the high liability those occasions are becoming very rare.

Thank you.. Never thought of the insurance side of it. Makes sense.