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Summary

You Can Dig For Precious Gems At This Georgia Mine & Make Jewelry With What You Find

Go home with over 45 types of crystals for just $15!

A person holds a precious gemstone from Outpost Gold & Gem Panning. Right: A cracked Amethyst geode.

A person holds a precious gemstone from Outpost Gold & Gem Panning. Right: A cracked Amethyst geode.

Contributor

Many people don't realize that Georgia is a treasure trove of old gems and geodes; in fact, there are actually some pretty amazing treasures hidden beneath the soil and plenty of places around the state where you can actually mine your own.

If you're looking for the ultimate gem mining adventure, Outpost Gold & Gem Mining Co. in the beautiful Helen, Georgia is a multi-faceted wonderland of hidden historical treasures just waiting for you to find them.

You can dig and pan for all sorts of gemstones, fossils, and even gold.

The Outpost provides buckets of dirt for you that each includes a mix of vibrant gems to dig for.

All you have to do is dump the contents into a screened sifter, and submerge them in water to discover the over 35 valuable crystals and minerals — including gorgeous turquoise Amazonite, Amethyst, Quartz Crystal, and Desert Jasper.

You're guaranteed to find plenty of precious jewels so you know your money won't go to waste.

If you choose to dig for fossils, you'll find historical prizes like sand dollars, sharks' teeth, or "Devil's Toe Nail."

Don't forget about the famous North Georgia gold to pine through and find the shiny treasures that come from Outpost's exclusive Georgia Gold Rush Paydirt.

If you want, you can end your visit by turning your findings into an accessory or keepsake. The Outpost can cut and polish your gems and crystals, turning them into jewels that can be worn as earrings, necklaces and more.

Outpost Gold & Gem Panning


Price: $15+, depending on the bucket choice

Address: 7901 S. Main Street, Helen, GA 30545

Why You Need To Go: Experience an exciting mining adventure to discover and keep tons of gems, geodes, gold or fossils for only $15.

Website

This article has been updated since it was originally published on November 5, 2019.

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  • Staff Writer

    Brittany Cristiano (she/her) was Narcity USA's first full-time Texas Staff Writer. She's a lifelong Houstonian but enjoys every corner of the Lone Star State. Brittany is passionate about highlighting the beauty and rarities in the places we live in or visit–whether it’s showing North American readers something they never knew existed in the South, or helping Texans appreciate the beauty that’s been there the whole time. Oh, and she also loves to spill the tea on the latest trending figures in Texas and beyond. She previously served as an Editorial Intern for Houstonia magazine and as Editor-in-Chief of the University of St. Thomas’ student newspaper.