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A rock shop, one of the largest in the Midwest, containing thousands of pounds of minerals, fossils, and crystals,is one of the favorite attractions at Squire Boone Caverns near Corydon, Indiana.
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The selection at the Rock Shop is wide: Agate Bookends, Power Beads, Semiprecious Stone Necklaces, Stone Water Fountains, and many different types of minerals, and crystals. Large and small specimens are available to meet almost any budget. Next door to the Rock Shop is the Gem Mining Sluice. Young and Old alike can mine for fools gold and gems. Discover what is hidden in the sand! The Rock Shop and Gem Mining Sluice are open everyday from 10:00 to 5:00 from Memorial Day Weekend to mid August and weekends through Labor Day. The Gem Mining Sluice is also included in most Group Tour Packages. Each year, the folks at Squire Boone Caverns import over two hundred tons of minerals from all over the world to supply the inventory for rock shops at Disney World, Universal Studios, Six Flags, the Tampa Museum of Science & Industry, and many others. |
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| GEM MINING SLUICE FACTS: "Pikes Peak or bust!" This was the rallying call of the gold miners who were on their way to California during the gold rush. It officially started on January 24, 1848. A few struck it rich, but most people ended up with nothing. To mine the gold, the first miners used washpans made of iron. In this process, called panning, miners would get some dirt in the pan and then let stream water run in it. They would gently shake the pan, and since the gold was heavier then the sand and mud, it would fall to the bottom. They then poured the mud out and picked up the gold. This was very time-consuming, and eventually panning gave way to cradles, Long Toms, sluices and finally hydraulic mining. At Squire Boone Caverns, there is a 50-foot sluice in which you will be able to mine for Fool's Gold (iron pyrite) as well as many other gems and rocks. |