NC Beryl Crystals
Ray (Wray) Mica Mine, Yancey County, N.C.
Ray Mica Mine, Burnsville, Yancey County, N.C.
The Ray Mica Mines are located on Hurricane Mountain, 4.0 km (2.5 miles) SSE of Burnsville, in the Bolen's Creek area, on National Forest land.The mine is actually a series of open cuts with 10 verticle shafts (which remain open) and stopes (an excavation in the form of steps) that extend in a muscovite, albite and quartz pegmatite that runs approximately 400 yards up the mountain. Garrett Ray (the mine’s local namesake) first worked the mine digging for mica in the late 1860’s.
The Ray mine was closed and reopened many times throughout the years until the Wray Mining Company abandoned it in 1944 after the U.S.G.S. included the mine as part of the Strategic Minerals Investigation Program. There are extensive tailings and cuts that extend from the top of a divide down a steep slope to a creek full of broken and jagged pegmatite rocks in this Yancey County forest. This site is famous for its specimens of Beryl in quartz-albite-muscovite pegmatite.
Specimens listed below are crystals and pieces that may be used as display specimens or as lapidary material for making jewelry. These specimens range in color from yellow-green to bluish-green (aquamarine). Some of these pieces have brown (rusty looking) stains which are actually Limonite stains which may be removed by cleaning. We always prefer to leave the specimens in natural condition rather than trying to enhance the appearance of the specimen. The pieces listed here are from an old collection which we were very lucky to find. This is your chance to own a piece of North Carolina mining history from a long time closed classic location mine.
Item # 9NCBeryl10192590
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$20.00
This specimen is a gemmy piece of green beryl with muscovite, albite and schorl. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 2.8 oz (80g) and measures 2 x 1.5 x 1 inches (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.9 cm)
Item # 10NCBeryl10193680
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$20.00
This specimen is a crystal of green beryl broken down at an angle (as shown in photos) with minor albite and schorl. It also has some limonite stains. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 2.5 oz (72.5g) and measures 1.9 x 1.3 x 1.1 inches (4.8 x 3.5 x 2.9 cm)
Item # 11NCBeryl10193460
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a gemmy piece of green beryl with minor albite and schorl. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 1.86 oz (54g) and measures 1.8 x 1.4 x 1.2 inches (4.6 x 3.7 x 3.2 cm)
Item # 12NCBeryl10190880
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$30.00
This specimen is a crystal of green beryl with a flat basil penacoid termination. It has some albite and minor schorl. It also has some limonite stains. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 2.6 oz (74g) and measures 2.1 x 1.2 x 0.9 inches (5.5 x 3 x 2.5 cm)
Item # 14NCBeryl10190440
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a gemmy piece of green beryl with minor albite and a limonite coating. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 1.3 oz (37g) and measures 1.3 x 1 x 0.875 inches (3.2 x 2.7 x 2.2 cm)
Item # 15NCBeryl10193930
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a piece of green beryl with minor albite, muscovite, schorl and a limonite coating. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 1.16 oz (33g) and measures 1.4 x 0.9 x 0.8 inches (3.5 x 2.3 x 2 cm)
Item # 16NCBeryl10194640
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$20.00
This specimen is a gemmy piece of green beryl. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 1.38 oz (39g) and measures 1.8 x 1.2 x 0.62 inches (4.7 x 3.1 x 1.5 cm)
Item # 17NCBeryl10196520
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a piece of green beryl with minor albite, schorl and limonite stains. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.74 oz (21.5g) and measures 1.3 x 0.9 x 0.5 inches (3.3 x 2.3 x 1.4 cm)
Item # 18NCBeryl10192670
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$26.00
This specimen is a gemmy piece of blue-green beryl with limonite stains. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 2.2 oz (64g) and measures 1.98 x 1.4 x 0.86 inches (5 x 3.5 x 2.2 cm)
Item # 19NCBeryl10196820
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$21.00
This specimen is a crystal of light green beryl with minor muscovite and limonite stains. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.84 oz (24g) and measures 1.6 x 0.74 x 0.65 inches (4.1 x 1.8 x 1.6 cm)
Item # 20NCBeryl10198320
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a piece of green beryl with limonite stains. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.7 oz (20g) and measures 1.4 x 1.1 x 0.6 inches (3.5 x 2.8 x 1.7 cm)
Item # 21NCBeryl10199030
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a piece of green beryl with schorl. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.7 oz (20g) and measures 1.5 x 1.1 x 0.5 inches (4 x 3 x 1.4 cm)
Item # 22NCBeryl10192020
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$18.00
This specimen is a crystal of gemmy green beryl with a flat basil penacoid termination and side contact damage. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.6 oz (17g) and measures 1 x 0.75 x 0.74 inches (2.7 x 1.9 x 1.8 cm)
Item # 23NCBeryl10199710
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a crystal of gemmy green beryl with light limonite stains. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.5 oz (15g) and measures 1.3 x 0.98 x 0.43 inches (3.3 x 2.5 x 1.1 cm)
Item # 24NCBeryl10199710
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a crystal of gemmy green beryl with minor limonite stain. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.54 oz (15g) and measures 1 x 0.87 x 0.56 inches (2.7 x 2.2 x 1.4 cm)
Item # 25NCBeryl10195510
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a crystal of gemmy green beryl with minor albite, muscovite and schorl. It has some limonite staining as well. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.4 oz (13g) and measures 1 x 0.8 x 0.56 inches (2.6 x 2.1 x 1.4 cm)
Item # 26NCBeryl10199110
Beryl Crystal from Ray Mine
$15.00
This specimen is a crystal of gemmy green beryl with minor schorl and light limonite staining. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
specimen weighs 0.34 oz (10g) and measures 0.9 x 0.8 x 0.45 inches (2.4 x 2 x 1.1 cm)
Item # 2789NCBeryl10199030
3 pc Beryl Crystal Set from Ray Mine
$18.00
These specimens are crystals of gemmy green beryl with minor muscovite and limonite staining. It is a rare find from an old collection we acquired.
3 pc specimen set weighs 0.9 oz (26g) largest piece is 0.9 x 0.8 x 0.45 inches (2.3 x 2.2 x 1.5 cm)