Thanks @rockhounds. There are a lot more backstories I'll save for another time. Most dealers really work hard collecting, inventory, identification, etc. It's a lot of work. In fact as Sibel and I were looking at a specimen I was buying we discovered gold in it!
Keep collecting. Most of the dealers I know have been collecting for 30-40 years. Now it's like their retirement .
Yup thats my goal! It is a lot of work. I tried researching all the minerals that can be found on the shores of lake superior and its quite a lot! Especially trying to identify them in the field. I should have paid more attention in earth/space science class :p
Tell me about it! I grew up on the other side of the Pala Mining District famous for tourmaline, Aquamarine, Morganite & Kunzite. If only I had started collecting in high school!
I know the agates are good up your way, but what else? Fluorite right? I believe there are famous fluorite & copper mines up there.
I've probably done minimal research on the mines but from what I hear it's mainly Iron ore / taconite. Of course there's nickel, copper and platinum to be found. A buddy and I think we may have found copper before but never tested it. There probably are mines too but I don't think they're currently in use. There's definitely amethyst, jade and quite a lot of quartz and granite and maybe even marble to be found. To be honest, I've never seen rocky beaches with so many different gemstones before I moved here.