Most people may not realize that rocks and minerals that you shop for at your crystal shop could actually be very close by, patiently waiting in the earth for someone to come uncover their magic. Did you know that just outside San Diego, CA, some of the best watermelon tourmaline, black tourmaline, kunzite, morganite & lepidolite can be found?  Or that there is amethyst growing right now in the earth of South Carolina. It sure is! – but that’s for another blog… This one is all about gorgeous Clear Quartz Crystals growing deep in the earth in the heart of America.

For the past 2 years, I have had the pleasure of digging these beauties up from Mother Gaia and I cannot really describe the feeling it brings to find one yourself, knowing that you are the only human that has touched this powerful marvel. I hope every crystal lover gets to experience this magic in their lifetime & I am delighted to share my experience as well as tips for your first dig!

• Bring some tools if you plan to go to a mine that does not provide any for you. Be prepared for all kinds of dirt / mud / clay – a large brush (I purchased mine in the house cleaning section) , a screw driver (to pry the crystals without harming them) a small handheld shovel or a larger one.
  
• Buckets – some mines do provide them, but some do not, and it is nice to use for transporting but boxes could work as well.
  
• A gardening cushion or something soft to sit / kneel on
  
• A cooler with ice water, especially if you are digging in the summer heat
  
• A waitress apron or a tool belt – this was a new addition to my dig this year and totally worth it, as you’re digging up crystal babies you will have a place to put them & the more pockets it has the better, it will keep them from damaging each other
  
• Gloves to wear to keep your hands safe as crystals are as sharp as glass
  
• A small beach umbrella if you can – it really helps to give yourself a shady spot for when you want to dig in one area for a longer period of time

The easiest way to find a crystal is to walk around the mining areas and look for something shiny. This is a particularly useful technique if it has rained fairly recently as the rain will wash away a top layer of dirt exposing the crystals on top. You can also dig into the piles of dirt & look for clumps of clay. Break open all of the clumps as crystals are usually surrounded by clay.

Look for black (yes black!) in the mud / clay, because if a clear crystal is surrounded on all but one side with mud / clay, its face that is showing will appear blacker than anything.

If you are lucky enough to dig into a wall aka pocket digging, focus on one area for a while. Dig until you find a peanut butter like consistency to the mud. It may be very red with light gray clay mixed in too. Once you have found this you are likely to find a ton of crystals in that exact area.

If the earth is super dry, use a brush to move the dirt in order to expose the crystals without harming them with a shovel.

If you do spot part of a crystal, use a screw driver or something long and sharp to move the earth around the crystal – try your best to not get too close to the crystal with the sharp tool as you do not want to scrape or harm it! – so dig around it far away from what you see – the crystal could be a lot bigger than you think!