Pretty Valley
PRETTY VALLEY FOSSICKING TRIP
TRIP M - Sunday 14th March 2010
This trip takes you to a swampy section of Bladey Grass Creek which is renowned for its dog tooth sapphire crystals and brilliant parti-colour sapphires. Most of the cuttable stones found here are yellow. Few stones exceed 5 carats in weight except some of the larger opaque sapphire crystals (corundum) which can go to 30 carats. Good pink zircons are also found, along with high quality clear and smoky quartz. You can expect to find sapphire, zircon, black tourmaline, black spinel, possibly clear and pale blue topaz and clear and smoky quartz. A gem quality tourmaline crystal and a small gold nugget have also been found here so be prepared for anything.
The main thing in short supply is water for washing the black mud in which the stones are found. All participants must strictly obey the trip leader’s instructions on the areas to be used for washing.
Bring: shovel (preferably a long handled one), sieves, bucket (a steel drum is best so you can chop up the black mud before sieving it), tweezers, container for your finds (preferably plastic), crowbar, sun block cream, insect repellent, food and drink and sturdy footwear.