vb:literal>

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 23

Thread: Mining with kids..Help

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Bowdoinham, Maine
    Posts
    389

    Question Mining with kids..Help

    I am looking for places that we can take the kids that is mining friendly. My girls are rockhounds and can sit and smash them with a hammer for hours. I did find one place, Mt Apitite in Auburn, that actually encourages you to bring hammers and goggles and things to collect rocks and crystals. All the other places I've found are stste parks and you are not supposed to remove anything from them. Anyone have and secret place you know of. Even a small fee would be ok. Thanks
    Slowly but surely

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
    Posts
    5,965

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by FuddsGirls View Post
    I am looking for places that we can take the kids that is mining friendly. My girls are rockhounds and can sit and smash them with a hammer for hours. I did find one place, Mt Apitite in Auburn, that actually encourages you to bring hammers and goggles and things to collect rocks and crystals. All the other places I've found are stste parks and you are not supposed to remove anything from them. Anyone have and secret place you know of. Even a small fee would be ok. Thanks
    Ye Old Prospector would know where - but he probably won't reveal his own secret places! LOL!

    And this article by Wendy Almeida - who has done several articles on geocaching - should give you some pointers.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    3,968

    Default

    If you're ever up towards buckport you should stop at the "crack a geode" place, it's right after the big bridge. I don't think there's any mining, I think it's more of a, you buy a rock, you smash the rock, you take smashed rock home, kind of operation.
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Bangor Area
    Posts
    47

    Default

    Since most mines are privately owned there are not a lot of other options (besides the Maine Mineral Park you mentioned).

    There are several mineral clubs in maine that travel to various mines. If you pay a small fee you can "join the club" on their field trips. The cost of joining is about the same as most "tourist mining sites "charge for one visit.

    Zol
    The Adventure
    Continues . . . .

    - Zoltarus

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    ME
    Posts
    3,529

    Default

    When I was a kid I remember a counselor at Camp Hersey Retreat in Stockton smashing rocks and finding beautiful purple crystals. It is a fond childhood memory. There is a public beach in Stockton which runs to the point and there is also remanents of an old wharf and a cache location. Maybe that would be a site to check out.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Bowdoinham, Maine
    Posts
    389

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by WhereRWe? View Post
    Ye Old Prospector would know where - but he probably won't reveal his own secret places! LOL!

    And this article by Wendy Almeida - who has done several articles on geocaching - should give you some pointers.
    My google searching came up with this article, that's where I got the info I did. Thanks though. YOP huh? Haven't heard from him lately....
    Slowly but surely

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
    Posts
    5,965

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by FuddsGirls View Post
    My google searching came up with this article, that's where I got the info I did. Thanks though. YOP huh? Haven't heard from him lately....
    I've noticed that YOP has been lurking here occasionally, so he may speak up! LOL!

    But I know that several mines allow the public in for a fee, as I have friends who have done it. But I don't remember the name of the mine or the town, and they don't seem to be home today.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Gainesville, Georgia
    Posts
    3,893

    Default

    What's the name of that cache of Kacky's that is located near that Garnet mine? I broke a few rocks in that one myself when I was there caching.
    Just smile it won't crack your face

    The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
    suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best
    friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Topsham
    Posts
    360

    Default

    Deb,

    Go to the Highlands here in Topsham. If you turn right at the golf club house and drive in the direction of the CREA (Cathance River Education Alliance) you drive right by the old quarries and if you go on the weekend or after work hours there are no construction equipment moving around. They have been doing some new blasting in there and have exposed bunches of new rocks. There have been lots of people in there picking them over so you may have to fight for a spot.

    Tom
    I said WHAT!!! You just took me the wrong way......

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    1,972

    Default Here's one

    Ham and Weeks Mine GC79A8 It's on a back road in New Hampshire. Not far...but it's a cool place to venture and break a few rocks. There were two people there the day I found the cache.

    Hope this helps.
    Why not live life like it is your last day....instead of pretending to be a member of the Peter Pan Club and believing you will be around forever.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •