Okay this may be a dumb question here but how many of those are diamonds?? I would never be able to hunt for diamonds; I'm to into instant gratification finds 😂 You sir have stamina when it comes to literally chipping away for those crystals ☺ The smoky cluster is a beauty 😀
Hey Kaye, Never a dumb question. The herkimer crystal is called a diamond just because it can be just as clear as a diamond and comes precut naturally lol. Also I heard a story that the union civil war soldiers found the crystals and thought they were diamonds. Supposedly the north thought they could fund the civil war with them. Cool history.. thanks for watching HH.
@@RonJustDiggingLife oooh okay. So really the mine is not really a diamond bearing location as the name it's given? I finally understand! My sister, her husband and their friends went there quite a few years ago; I bet none of them know this 😊 Thanks so much for telling me about it 😀
No son diamantes son cuarzos cristales. En el único país del continente americano en dónde hay "diamantes verdaderos" es en Brasil, en el estado de Minas Gerais.
Hi Randy, Very cool! I wish I was digging for herkimer when I was younger. I had more stamina then lol... So awesome you still have them too. Thanks for watching and commenting.
"Dirty little Herk" Love it! Thank you so much for your videos. We are taking our little ones tomorrow and appreciate your tips, as well as your knowledge. Keep digging!
Hi Gale, Welcome to the channel. We do a bunch of different stuff here from metal detecting to RV camping. But by far rock hounding and even more Herkimer diamond are my favorite. I do love them, amazing pieces of art from the earth. Love to hear how you guys do. You going to KOA mines? Good luck and Happy Hunting.
Hi Brenna, I never had the chance to visit the mines when I was a young. I'm trying to make up for list time hehe. You will love it again I'm sure. Let me know how you do. Keeping Digging Life
In all honesty the past 3 times I've been up there, it is absolutely hard to find anything compared to when I used to go there with my Grandparents as a child.. As a child it was so much easier to find Herkimer diamonds compared to now💯 Because Back then they use to Drill out parts of the hillside and then let you find your Diamonds after they were done... Back then I was finding Herkimer diamonds in the mud, in the ground in the rocks! Now you be lucky to find anything!
Hi guy, I hear ya. I only wish i had a chance to go herk hunting back in the day. I read and heard stories of big pockets easy to get to and even people pulling herks out of the creek just wading. Man must have been an awesome time back then. Thx for watching HH
Hey Mudpie, Your right! Awesome catch.. I had to reply it 3 times to see it. Very cool, I wonder if it's still there?? The one that got away. Awesome thanks for saving it even tho I missed it. Keep Digging Life....
Dang. Those are some really nice diamonds! I was digging on the side of the hill by the bridge. Found all of them there. I have AA grade ( I belive that's how you grade diamonds) the size of my pinkeye. I had the whole so deep, a little girl came by playing hide and seek with her friends, was able to hide in it! That is an amazing place to spend the day. Once the pandemic is done, it really like to go got there again!
Hi, Thanks for watching. I love the diamond mines. So cool to think about how old they are and the hunt for the biggest, clearest one of all hehe. Awesome place to spend a weekend. I'll be heading back next season a few times. Thanks again
Hi bmessenger1022, The wedges I use are mainly old leaf springs. Probably find them free. Just cut them up different lengths and sharpen the ends so you can wedge them into the cracks in the wall. I do leave some unsharpened. They seem to lock in together when stacking them. Thanks for watching and good luck.
great video!!! I live on Long Island & would like to move upstate. I want to buy land in an area that has a high probability that theres Herks hiding away on the property. I'm looking at Herkimer County (obviously😋) but are there any specific geologic signs I should look for on a potential property? anything that would be a tell tale "AH-HA! there has to be Herks here" sign? I dont really know where to start ANY ADVICE would be greatly appreciated. thank you!
Hi Herbivore! Wow that would be awesome to mine in your own backyard. I'm unfortunately four hours from Herkimer county myself. I know of a few small family run mines in Herkimer that come up for sell now and then. I would maybe suggest a soil survey but definitely talk to the neighbors in the area. They know if the crystals are in the area. Thanks for watching and I'd love to hear more if you do get a place. Sounds awesome
Hello Ron this was very interesting to learn about the Herkimer diamonds. I am from Upper Michigan and find similar looking crystals in fossil rocks. Some I swear are diamonds. I am going to invest in a diamond tester, just to make sure I am finding crystals and not real diamonds. I would jump for joy if I have one real diamond. People have found them in Upper Michigan. Thanks for sharing :)
A friend of mine recommended going, she used to go all the time. I'm going for the first time in a few weeks. What basic tools should I bring as a newbie who can only carry 20lbs of weight due to medical issues.
Hi chocolateteandbooks, Thanks for watching. You will have a great time I'm sure. Tools you need depend on the type of hunting you would like to do. If you want to work the wall you need way more than 20lb of tools. But don't forget pull carts for your tools. I use one and still make two trips. A hammer and wedge is the least amount of tools needs. Depending on the mine you go you can rent them there. I would recommend a sifter of sorts. Old pasta strainers work. Sift though the loose dirt around the most busy spots and you will find some. As people break open the matrix the crystals fall out. I even bring buckets of the dirt home and sift through it at my leisure. Good luck and love to hear how you do. Keep digging life!
@@RonJustDiggingLife Thank you so much! I should have done this years ago. My husband always found it sweet that whenever we were able to go on vacation, I didn't want to go shopping, I liked going to areas where I was permitted to walk around and be able to take home any strange/different rocks, sea glass or crystals I found. We knew to bring something that I could safely get my finds back home. Every room in my house has my treasures. I am so looking forward to going. Subscribed to your channel and look forward to watching your videos :)
Hi Violeta, None of the herkimer crystals are real diamonds. That is just what they call the crystals because they are so clear and have natural facets. If they were real diamonds we be rich. Thanks for watching. Like and Subscribe i have some cool GAW'S coming up.
@@RonJustDiggingLife okay Ron...thank you so much...can i go there to dig also?I'm from Philippines Ron...and be safe ...God bless you all...fun diggers of cristal quarts ,🙋🙏👁️
@@RonJustDiggingLife okay Ron...thank you so much...can i go there to dig also?I'm from Philippines Ron...and be safe ...God bless you all...fun diggers of cristal quarts ,🙋🙏👁️
Thinking about doing this for my birthday... First year I won't be able to spend with my family :( Are there still good finds here, or has it been completely picked over? Also, do they provide wedges/shims etc? If not, where would you recommend purchasing these?
Hi Haley, They are closed for the 2020 season. At least Ace and KOA mines are. But I would highly recommend it any time. You can find crystals all through the season especially at Ace of diamonds. Let me know if you end up going. Love to hear how you do. Thanks for watching good luck and happy hunting.
@@RonJustDiggingLife Thanks so much for your quick reply! So, just to clarify, all the mines are closed for the season? If so, that's a bummer. Scavenging (rock-hounding, fossils, metal detector etc) is my favorite thing to do, and was hoping to distract myself slightly with a day of it haha.
Hey, Not positive about all of them. Some may still be open. I would check on them yourself but I am pretty sure the main ones are closed for the season. I go to Penn Dixie alot for fossil hunting. Love finding Trilobite. Good luck
The "mines" (KOA and Ace of Diamonds) are actually in the village of Middleville, so courtesy of Google Maps, ~150 miles/3 hours. Beautiful campground, never been there but drive by every day (live just up the hill in Fairfield). Seems to be LOTS of stuff for kids to do, and if you're a trout fisherman, it's located right on the West Canada Creek. Good luck...
Hi again, Ya i found some very small piece of fossilized plant matter. But not much else in fossils. I love Penn Dixie for my fossil hunting. BTW also a shovel if the mine lets you dig the dirt above the rock wall. Ace of diamonds does i do not thing the KOA mine lets you dig. Again good luck and keep digging life.
@@RonJustDiggingLife Hopefully they were honest with me. We're staying at KOA and they told me I could bring what I want as long as no tool weighs over 12 lbs.
@@RonJustDiggingLife Google had a fair bit on them. Too bad but my location is North /central bc so none to be found here but we do have Volcanic glass all around us.
@@RonJustDiggingLife It is and a tumbling really grinds them down. We are surrounded by 6 dormant volcanoes. Lots of columnar basalt as well and huge sheets of shale easily collected. Great walkways with basalt steps.
Hi, You are correct. The technical terminology is Vugs. I've heard them called voids also. As long as they have crystals inside it does not matter to me. Thanks for watching HH
Okay this may be a dumb question here but how many of those are diamonds?? I would never be able to hunt for diamonds; I'm to into instant gratification finds 😂 You sir have stamina when it comes to literally chipping away for those crystals ☺ The smoky cluster is a beauty 😀
Hey Kaye, Never a dumb question. The herkimer crystal is called a diamond just because it can be just as clear as a diamond and comes precut naturally lol.
Also I heard a story that the union civil war soldiers found the crystals and thought they were diamonds. Supposedly the north thought they could fund the civil war with them. Cool history.. thanks for watching HH.
@@RonJustDiggingLife oooh okay. So really the mine is not really a diamond bearing location as the name it's given? I finally understand! My sister, her husband and their friends went there quite a few years ago; I bet none of them know this 😊 Thanks so much for telling me about it 😀
@@RonJustDiggingLife I didn't know that story, thanks for sharing it! The Herks are so clear I can see how they made that mistake!
No son diamantes son cuarzos cristales.
En el único país del continente americano en dónde hay "diamantes verdaderos" es en Brasil, en el estado de Minas Gerais.
Went with my family when I was 7 years old. 58 years ago. I still have the Herks
Hi Randy, Very cool! I wish I was digging for herkimer when I was younger. I had more stamina then lol... So awesome you still have them too. Thanks for watching and commenting.
"Dirty little Herk" Love it! Thank you so much for your videos. We are taking our little ones tomorrow and appreciate your tips, as well as your knowledge.
Keep digging!
Hi Gale, Welcome to the channel. We do a bunch of different stuff here from metal detecting to RV camping. But by far rock hounding and even more Herkimer diamond are my favorite. I do love them, amazing pieces of art from the earth. Love to hear how you guys do. You going to KOA mines? Good luck and Happy Hunting.
I haven't done this since I was a child. I just told my husband I want to do this for my birthday. :)
Hi Brenna, I never had the chance to visit the mines when I was a young. I'm trying to make up for list time hehe. You will love it again I'm sure. Let me know how you do. Keeping Digging Life
Watching you scan around the loose rocks outside, the video picked up like 20+ shining moments where there was probably some diamonds haha crazy
Seriously all anyone has to do is just walk around and look. They are everywhere. Thanks for watching. Keep Digging Life.
that was fun, thanks for taking us along.
Hi Mike, It was fun but hard work. I am going for at least 3 days soon. I going to be exhausted. But it's fun. Thanks for watching HH.
We're heading here in a few weeks! This was helpful to know what to expect. Thank for sharing!
Awesome! so glad I could help. I will be heading to Ace of diamond mines at the end of August. Good luck and happy hunting
I’m heading up there at the end of October, and you’ve inspired the trip! I’m so excited to go, thank you for being awesome!
Very cool Jackie, You will have a blast. I'm going again this october. Maybe see ya there. Good Luck and Happy Hunting..
Looks like a fun hunt.A month ago I had to go to a red state to get a hair cut.
Lol Ron I hear ya. I don't mind to much. I had longer hair in my younger days. Just heats ya up more tho.. Thanks for watching man HH.
In all honesty the past 3 times I've been up there, it is absolutely hard to find anything compared to when I used to go there with my Grandparents as a child.. As a child it was so much easier to find Herkimer diamonds compared to now💯 Because Back then they use to Drill out parts of the hillside and then let you find your Diamonds after they were done... Back then I was finding Herkimer diamonds in the mud, in the ground in the rocks! Now you be lucky to find anything!
Hi guy, I hear ya. I only wish i had a chance to go herk hunting back in the day. I read and heard stories of big pockets easy to get to and even people pulling herks out of the creek just wading. Man must have been an awesome time back then. Thx for watching HH
5:02 (bottom right) just as you were saying “see if we can find some more” you can see one glisten in the bottom right corner
Hey Mudpie, Your right! Awesome catch.. I had to reply it 3 times to see it. Very cool, I wonder if it's still there??
The one that got away. Awesome thanks for saving it even tho I missed it. Keep Digging Life....
Dang. Those are some really nice diamonds! I was digging on the side of the hill by the bridge. Found all of them there. I have AA grade ( I belive that's how you grade diamonds) the size of my pinkeye. I had the whole so deep, a little girl came by playing hide and seek with her friends, was able to hide in it! That is an amazing place to spend the day. Once the pandemic is done, it really like to go got there again!
Hi, Thanks for watching. I love the diamond mines. So cool to think about how old they are and the hunt for the biggest, clearest one of all hehe. Awesome place to spend a weekend. I'll be heading back next season a few times. Thanks again
It’s hard work but totally worth it! Which mine is your favorite?
Nice lil haul Ron....got a feeling you're gonna hit the mother load next time out !
Hey, It was a good hunt. Lots of smalls this time. Ya next time I have to get beeper into the rock. I hope. Thanks for watching HH.
Great videos! Where can I find those thin wedges?
Hi bmessenger1022, The wedges I use are mainly old leaf springs. Probably find them free. Just cut them up different lengths and sharpen the ends so you can wedge them into the cracks in the wall. I do leave some unsharpened. They seem to lock in together when stacking them. Thanks for watching and good luck.
great video!!! I live on Long Island & would like to move upstate. I want to buy land in an area that has a high probability that theres Herks hiding away on the property. I'm looking at Herkimer County (obviously😋) but are there any specific geologic signs I should look for on a potential property? anything that would be a tell tale "AH-HA! there has to be Herks here" sign? I dont really know where to start ANY ADVICE would be greatly appreciated. thank you!
Hi Herbivore! Wow that would be awesome to mine in your own backyard.
I'm unfortunately four hours from Herkimer county myself.
I know of a few small family run mines in Herkimer that come up for sell now and then. I would maybe suggest a soil survey but definitely talk to the neighbors in the area. They know if the crystals are in the area. Thanks for watching and I'd love to hear more if you do get a place. Sounds awesome
@@RonJustDiggingLife excellent advice, thank you! I was thinking of a soil survey but I'm not sure what minerals etc I'd be looking for- any idea??
Hello Ron this was very interesting to learn about the Herkimer diamonds. I am from Upper Michigan and find similar looking crystals in fossil rocks. Some I swear are diamonds. I am going to invest in a diamond tester, just to make sure I am finding crystals and not real diamonds. I would jump for joy if I have one real diamond. People have found them in Upper Michigan. Thanks for sharing :)
Hi, That would be amazing to find some real diamonds. Love to hear about it when you test the.. Sounds fun. Thanks for watching HH
hi
can i ask u please
I heard Michigan is a good place to go rockhounding!
A friend of mine recommended going, she used to go all the time. I'm going for the first time in a few weeks. What basic tools should I bring as a newbie who can only carry 20lbs of weight due to medical issues.
Hi chocolateteandbooks,
Thanks for watching. You will have a great time I'm sure. Tools you need depend on the type of hunting you would like to do. If you want to work the wall you need way more than 20lb of tools. But don't forget pull carts for your tools. I use one and still make two trips. A hammer and wedge is the least amount of tools needs. Depending on the mine you go you can rent them there. I would recommend a sifter of sorts. Old pasta strainers work. Sift though the loose dirt around the most busy spots and you will find some. As people break open the matrix the crystals fall out. I even bring buckets of the dirt home and sift through it at my leisure. Good luck and love to hear how you do. Keep digging life!
@@RonJustDiggingLife Thank you so much! I should have done this years ago. My husband always found it sweet that whenever we were able to go on vacation, I didn't want to go shopping, I liked going to areas where I was permitted to walk around and be able to take home any strange/different rocks, sea glass or crystals I found. We knew to bring something that I could safely get my finds back home. Every room in my house has my treasures. I am so looking forward to going. Subscribed to your channel and look forward to watching your videos :)
how will you know if that is real diamond? i also love to dig in there...so fun...
Hi Violeta, None of the herkimer crystals are real diamonds. That is just what they call the crystals because they are so clear and have natural facets. If they were real diamonds we be rich. Thanks for watching. Like and Subscribe i have some cool GAW'S coming up.
@@RonJustDiggingLife okay Ron...thank you so much...can i go there to dig also?I'm from Philippines Ron...and be safe ...God bless you all...fun diggers of cristal quarts ,🙋🙏👁️
@@RonJustDiggingLife okay Ron...thank you so much...can i go there to dig also?I'm from Philippines Ron...and be safe ...God bless you all...fun diggers of cristal quarts ,🙋🙏👁️
@@RonJustDiggingLife ah...okay Ron...thanks for your reply...
@@violetamendoza589 These crystals are found in herkimer NY in the US
Thinking about doing this for my birthday... First year I won't be able to spend with my family :( Are there still good finds here, or has it been completely picked over?
Also, do they provide wedges/shims etc? If not, where would you recommend purchasing these?
Hi Haley, They are closed for the 2020 season. At least Ace and KOA mines are. But I would highly recommend it any time. You can find crystals all through the season especially at Ace of diamonds. Let me know if you end up going. Love to hear how you do. Thanks for watching good luck and happy hunting.
@@RonJustDiggingLife Thanks so much for your quick reply! So, just to clarify, all the mines are closed for the season? If so, that's a bummer. Scavenging (rock-hounding, fossils, metal detector etc) is my favorite thing to do, and was hoping to distract myself slightly with a day of it haha.
Hey, Not positive about all of them. Some may still be open. I would check on them yourself but I am pretty sure the main ones are closed for the season. I go to Penn Dixie alot for fossil hunting. Love finding Trilobite. Good luck
@@RonJustDiggingLife Great, thanks!
Very well Very good Very nice
Hi Rock Star, Glad you like. Herks are a awesome crystal. Thanks for watching.
@@RonJustDiggingLifeYou Are Most Welcome Respected Sir🙏🙋♂️💎💎👍💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎
I like this job ilove this job
Hehe If only I could get paid to dig crystals and make videos.. Thanks for watching.
Can you bring a cordless chipping hammer there???
Hi, I wish we could. But sadly no power tools. Just brute force. The best tool I can recommend is a friend or friends. Hehe. Thanks for watching.
And how far is this from Rutland Vt.?
The "mines" (KOA and Ace of Diamonds) are actually in the village of Middleville, so courtesy of Google Maps, ~150 miles/3 hours. Beautiful campground, never been there but drive by every day (live just up the hill in Fairfield). Seems to be LOTS of stuff for kids to do, and if you're a trout fisherman, it's located right on the West Canada Creek. Good luck...
Forgot to ask, have you ever found fossils while there?
Hi again,
Ya i found some very small piece of fossilized plant matter. But not much else in fossils. I love Penn Dixie for my fossil hunting. BTW also a shovel if the mine lets you dig the dirt above the rock wall. Ace of diamonds does i do not thing the KOA mine lets you dig. Again good luck and keep digging life.
@@RonJustDiggingLife Hopefully they were honest with me. We're staying at KOA and they told me I could bring what I want as long as no tool weighs over 12 lbs.
@@chocolateandbooks I never heard of a weight limit on tools lol. I bring a 20 lb sledge with me opps.. No power tools at the KOA too.
@@RonJustDiggingLife I figured I'd wait on the power tools for my second trip ;)
This is the first I have heard anything about these ! Google time eh.
They are Crystal's. But can be as clear and cut like a diamond. They are said to be one of the strongest healing Crystal's. Thanks for watching HH.
@@RonJustDiggingLife Google had a fair bit on them. Too bad but my location is North /central bc so none to be found here but we do have Volcanic glass all around us.
Cool !! volcanic glass! That sounds amazing. Love to see some of that formation. Must be very fragile.
@@RonJustDiggingLife It is and a tumbling really grinds them down. We are surrounded by 6 dormant volcanoes. Lots of columnar basalt as well and huge sheets of shale easily collected. Great walkways with basalt steps.
I have some stones but I don't know if you contact me please
COMO.SAVER QUE SON DIAMANTES POR FABOR😘😍😘😍😘😍😘😍🙏🇨🇺🙏😘😍😘😍
Hi Vicente, The name herkimer diamond is kinda false. They are crystals that are as clear as diamonds. Thanks for watching.
They are silicon dioxide crystals (quartz). Not diamonds.
That is true. The mines love the name diamond more than crystal I'm sure. But either way I love digging them. Thanks for watching.
♥♥♥💑🙏💑♥♥♥
They’re not pockets. They’re called Vugs.
Hi, You are correct. The technical terminology is Vugs. I've heard them called voids also. As long as they have crystals inside it does not matter to me. Thanks for watching HH
Too much work, it isn’t even diamonds.
Very true they are not diamonds and it is a lot of work. But it's fun. Thanks for watching.