Reel Mine | Mine Wisteria

 

The Reel Amethyst Mine near Iron Station, North Carolina has a very different history from the iron‑ore pits in the same area. Instead of being part of the 18th–19th‑century iron industry, the Reel Mine is one of the most famous gem‑quality Amethyst localities in North America, with a legacy tied to mineral collecting, remarkable geological conditions, and a few legendary discoveries.

​

The Reel Amethyst Mine was founded in the 1940s by the Reel family and became internationally known after a series of major amethyst discoveries beginning in the early 20th century, including a 165‑lb cluster found in 1972 .

 "John S White, former curator of Minerals and Gemstones for the Smithsonian, said that this locality is the source of the finest amethyst cluster ever discovered in North America"

​

​

​