Fieldtrips

Combined Lynchburg and Roanoke Clubs and special invited guests.
Mineral Collecting Field Trip
Saturday May 29, 2010

Sign-up required. Call me, email me or sign up at the meeting.

We may need to carpool and or limit the size of the group due to the private nature of this site and respect for the landowners living there.

We will explore an old rutile quarry in Nelson County and will be able to collect some massive rutile, ilmenite, feldspar and blue quartz. Some beautiful rutile crystals have been found here before. This material is hard and will make beautiful specimens and will take a good polish.  In addition to personal specimen collecting, please help the Lynchburg Club in its quest to collect hard solid material to make bookends, rock candles and spheres for sale at our two fund raising events.

We will meet in Amherst, VA, Saturday morning, at the Hardies Restaurant on US 29 business no later than 8:30 A.M. We will decide if we need to carpool and I will distribute maps.  We will depart from there promptly 9:00A.M.   From Lynchburg and Roanoke, follow US Rt. 460 east / US 29 north by-pass several miles east of Lynchburg.  Take the new US Rt. 29 north by-pass across the James River and proceed north to the Amherst US 29 business exit.  The Hardies is in the Ambriar Shopping Center at this exit.  Come early and have a bite to eat. We can determine if carpooling is necessary and leave any cars here.  From this point, it should take about 30 minutes to arrive at the quarry. Be sure that you are fueled up and ready to leave by 9:00 A.M.  If you are coming from the north, the US 29 business exit will be about 2 miles south of the US 60 exit.  If you live in Lynchburg, it might be closer to just follow US 29 business thru Madison Heights to Amherst.  The Hardies will be on your left at the new US 29 bypass interchange, just before you arrive at the town of Amherst.

Dress for the weather that day and be sure to bring food, water, bug spray and warm clothing. Wear boots, gloves, long pants and safety glasses. Hard hats will not be required. 

SAFETY NOTE…DO NOT CLIMB UP OR DOWN THE QUARRY WALL.  THIS IS UNSTABLE, UNSAFE AND THE QUARRY IS FULL OF WATER.  DO NOT WONDER OFF BY YOURSELF.  TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU.  STAY IN SIGHT OF OTHERS.  THE SITE IS OVERGROWN AND YOU WOULD BE HARD TO LOCATE IF YOU NEEDED HELP.   IF YOU LEAVE EARLY, LET YOUR LEADER OR A CLUB OFFICER KNOW.

Bring a hoe or something to turn rocks and watch where you put your hands.  There may be a surprise waiting underneath. Hopefully the kudzu has not over grown everything this early in the year.

Bring a hammer and chisel to break rocks, buckets and newspaper to wrap any delicate specimens you might find. Digging tools and a sledge may come in handy. We can drive into the quarry if it is dry. A low-slung car or 2-wheel drive may bottom out and get stuck.  We will make that decision when we observe the situation that morning.  It may be wet and will be slick and muddy if there has been a recent rain. There is no age limit but children must be supervised.  There are NO restroom facilities at this site.

More information will be available at our next meeting as well as samples of what you can expect to find. 

We must arrive together but you will be free to leave at any time. 

For more information contact: David Callahan, Field Trip Leader 
Lynchburg Gem & Mineral Society Inc,
Roanoke Valley Mineral & Gem Society Inc.
Phone 540-297-1853 Cell 540-874-5201    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it