You can dig for your own rare gems and camp for free at this gem mine in South Carolina

While actual treasure hunts don’t usually roll around every day (or ever), you can give yourself a thrilling crystal-digging experience by visiting a gem site near you. There are several of these sites scattered across the U.S. where you can mine natural crystals and gems for your keeping. 

The south in particular is spotted with dozens of crystal mines. One of the premier spots is in South Carolina, the Diamond Hill Mine, located about two-and-a-half hours away from Atlanta [1]. The DHM was formed after a serious erosion in the Appalachian Mountains to the south, and it’s now a six-acre spot where anyone can mine gems for 365 days a year.

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The best part about this mine is that you can be certain everything you dig up occurred naturally. A lot of gem sites around the world are phony knockoffs where the management bury fake gems in the ground for people to find. It doesn’t quite feel the same as knowing nature put them there. 

At the DHM, you only pay a $20 fee to mine quartz, garnet, epidote, amethyst, smoky quartz and dozens of different kinds of gems. 

This mine switches things up by offering free camping, where guests get to sleep overnight and still search the grounds in the dark. If this isn’t the best way to feel like a modern-day Long Sliver John, then I don’t know what is. 

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Potential Benefits of Gemstones 

If you don’t see any reason why you should be hunting gemstones, here are a few surprising benefits of these beautiful crystals.

They are soothing: Some crystal/gemstone health practitioners advise people to wear certain stones on their necks or fingers to ward off negative energies that cause chaos. These stones would promote feelings of calmness and peace. For example, my soothing stone is amethyst. Purple is a cool shade and this awesome stone greatly helps to rid my mind of anxiety and restlessness. Other soothing stones are Angelite, fluorite, celestite, etc.

Connecting with your inner self: Rare gems help to improve meditation and promote a deeper sense of consciousness. They are not restricted to any particular religion, but several spiritual practices of connecting with one’s soul are centered on beautiful crystals.

Healing: There are tons of gemstones believed to possess healing properties. While they don’t directly provide a cure for a physical illness or mental condition, they have a more ‘mind-over-matter’ effect. The healing is coming from deep within your mind, championed by the presence of the stone. Some stones such as amethyst, garnet, aquamarine, and bloodstone will help your body generate positive vibes to make you feel better.

They are just beautiful: You can’t help but appreciate the radiating beauty of rare gems. Wearing them on your neck, finger, wrist, or ears would always a soft radiance to your appearance. They also look amazing when kept in bowls and trays at home or in the workplace.