Pick Your Own Emeralds

I heard from the North Carolina rockhounding group MAGMA (Mountain Area Gem and Mineral Association) with an announcement that the formerly closed Crabtree Emerald Mine has agreed to allow collecting there again. Now most of us are far from North Carolina and maybe a lot of us aren't rockhounds, but you have to prick up your ears at the thought of digging emeralds. And if that idea keeps tickling your brain, visit my rock collecting category and maybe this summer you can go on your first dig.