So we’re back from crystal mining and I’m now sitting down to try to round up all the content I collected while out on our magical Crystal Dig RV Trip. It truly was a rolling sacred biz trip.

Since I already gave you all the highlights in my weekly Glitter Updates, I’ll try to stick to just the actual crystal-digging in Hot Springs, AR here in this post.

NOTE TO SELF: FOCUS! FOCUS!

So this was the adventure of a lifetime. I’m so glad Frankie (my hubby) & I did it!

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In this video I:

  • compare & contrast the main quartz mines we went to, how to find them
  • show some of the crystals we hand-mined
  • give you digging tips
  • talk about the supplies you’ll need
  • explain why this was such a profound experience for me

My #BucketList Crystal Mining Experience

Why Hot Springs, AR?

You always hear about Sedona, AZ, right?

Well, let me tell you what’s so special about Hot Springs, AR nestled in the Ouachita Mountains and why I was called there.

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Arkansas is known for having the world’s finest quartz crystals, many are water clear and supremely powerful. The mining of quartz in this region is also considered to be economically vital to the area.

Not only are there abundant quartz crystal deposits throughout AR, but 1 particular area is known to be the single largest quartz deposit in the world; The Quartz Belt. It’s about 30-40 miles (48-64km) wide and extends a distance of about 170 miles (274 km) west-southwest from Little Rock, AR to eastern Oklahoma; the Ouachita Mountain region.

This magical spot came into existence due to the South American continental crust colliding with the North American crust, causing uplift — creating these mountains. Pretty wild, right?

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Planning it out was a big part of the fun! We carefully planned out our hot springs, caverns, and crystal dig RV trip meandering our way slowly out of Florida, through Alabama, Tennessee with Arkansas as the final destination. I did it old school style; real map, magnifying glass, and some crystal inspiration, of course!

The Hot Springs are all part of the quartz story here (and they really are HOT!)

The springs aren’t unaltered like in Yellowstone. Instead, they’ve been covered & protected (except for a couple of areas at the bottom of the mountain). They do this to keep them uncontaminated for public use. No pee-pee, please!

People have been using these hot springs for healing baths since ancient times. There are so many beneficial minerals in these waters, it’s like an Epsom salt bath super-amplified! In fact, the hot springs here have 53 ppm (parts per million) of silica! There you go. That’s the reason why quartz (silicon dioxide) is so abundant here.

How could I NOT go?

Why So Hot?

The average temp. of the water is 143º F/62º C. Surface-water sinks down through faults & fractures about 1 mile deep into Mama Earth getting heated as it goes by the natural geothermal heating of the earth. There’s some evidence (& rumors) that there may be a super-volcano in this area.

The main street in Hot Springs is lined with a group of bathhouses built between 1892-1923 that tap into the healing waters. They’re gorgeous & taking a dip in 1 of these places is a must. This spot ain’t nicknamed Spa City for nothin’! One thing I didn’t see on the spa menus was a Crystal Healing session. I think they should come up with an Arkansas Quartz Crystal Therapy Immersion! What do you think? I’d be all over that!

Final Destination

My ultimate destination on this trip was to hit the Jim + Ron Coleman Crystal Mines!

digging for clear quartz

TIP: Before you even start digging, keep your eyes on the ground as you walk around the property… even in the parking lot, there are smaller quartz points all over the ground, catching the sun’s rays, glinting and twinkling. These are great for jewelry or laser points to be used in crystal grids or energy work. Easy picking with no digging required!

Having now done this, I have a list of must-brings to share with you:

Crystal Dig Essentials

  1. hat
  2. sunglasses
  3. safety glasses (depending on what you’ll be chipping away at)
  4. sunscreen
  5. closed-toe shoes
  6. gloves
  7. small digging tools (with comfy handles, your hands will thank me!)
  8. bucket or container to hold your treasures
  9. something to sit on: a cushion, rolled-up yoga mat, folded towel, etc.
  10. lots of water
  11. healthy snacks
  12. change of clothes
  13. patience

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At first, they didn’t look like much. These are just a few of the many “diamonds in the rough” Frank and I mined with our hands!! But just brushing off a bit of the clay & holding them up to the sun I could see their untapped potential. It was so exciting! 🙂

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Mining Field Trip-Tip: after the first stop, I learned its a good idea to call ahead and ask if there’s anything special happeneing that day, tips or recommendations from the experts there and maybe even a specail coupon or rate.

I knew we had some gorgeous treasures. I couldn’t wait to get them home and clean them up. They turned out to be water clear + of supreme quality. I loved the experience of working really hard to birth these babies from the ground myself.

(I also mentioned in the vlog I’d link to my post on the ethics of crystal mining.)

Here’s a video montage of the actual dig sites:

In the vlog above I mention this video where I show you how to do an oxalic acid wash:

Here are some of the beauties we dug, rounded up, and cleaned at home…

digging for clear quartz

Photos never ever do them justice. Do they?

Well, that’s the culmination of everything & I’m so grateful to have you to share it with! Interested in visiting? You can check out the Quartz Crystals – Arkansas webpage for great info on the area and to plan it all out.

Have you already been or plan to go? Please tell me in the comments below, Crystal Hottie!

Crystal Blessings,

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P.S. Don’t miss the Crater of Diamonds State Park (the ONLY public diamond mine in the world!) which is relatively close-by (about an hour’s drive away from Hot Springs).