This year Mark and I added a bit more excitement to our annual trip to the Tucson gem show with a pre-show detour to the Deer Creek fire agate mine. The mine owner extended a personal invitation to the mine’s “Deer Creek Fire Agate Invitational” that we couldn’t pass up. We stayed at the mine overnight with one of America’s most experienced pioneers of the gemstone industry, mine owner David Penney, his family, and his mining Partner, Sarah Heather Scholz.
Deer Creek mine owner Dave Penny and S. Heather Scholz
We were able to rent the machine they call the “Gem-A-Nator” for an hourly rate. This is a thrilling experience! The Gem-A-Nator sorts and wets the rough before it comes down a belt where you can grab the chunks of rough fire agate. One of the professional miners will be scooping fresh material into the Gem-A-Nator using a backhoe. The miners take material straight from the best areas of the mine and pour it into the Gem-A-Nator. This is material that has not been touched or picked through, giving a rare chance at getting the best material the mine has to offer.
Mark on the Gem-A-Nator
Sarah and Mark have great eyes for spotting the higher quality rough as it comes down the belt…they had the front spots on the Gem-A-Nator.
Dave Penny getting another scoop of rough for the Gem-A-Nator
We also were able to explore the mine a bit with Dave and Sarah. We collected rough directly from the base of a small mountain with a wall of exposed fire agate nodules… some were loose enough to grab up and a few had to be removed from the rock with a small pick.
A couple of fire agate nodules Mark found at the base of a mountain at the Deer Creek mine
Mark could have stayed at the mine for days exploring and hunting for fire agate on the mountain.
Dave Penny, Sarah, Wendell and Mark with a bucket of hand-picked fire agate.
Our trip to the mine was the highlight of our trip to Arizona… it exceeded our expectations on many levels. We left the mine with over a hundred pounds of rough fire agate in various grades. We’ll easily be able to sell and profit from selling a small portion of our mine run. Our highest grade material will be carved into gems for our custom gold jewelry designs. We’re already planning for another trip to the mine next year!
These are a few examples of the exceptionally beautiful fire agate rough we got from our Gem-A-Nator run~
Dave Penny and S. Heather shared both their time and knowledge generously with us during our stay. We mined fire agate during the day and had very comfortable accommodations at night.
Were able to rent a fully equipped RV at the mine with internet access, a full size bed, a shower, refridgerator, coffee maker and more. Sarah also offers her delicious home-cooked meals… yummy! She had a small menu to choose from with steak, lamb, various seafood dishes and a vegetarian dinner as well. We had a great night while we were there….Dave built us a fire with wonderful smelling local mesquite wood and we sat comfortably under the stars while Sarah grilled our steaks. Sarah and Dave brewed us fresh coffee in the morning and fed us a huge breakfast to power us up for the day of mining. The mine is nestled in a remote location with a gorgeous view. I sat, drank my coffee and enjoyed the Arizona sunrise:)
The gorgeous view from our RV at the mine.
I was a bit apprehensive about my ability to be comfortable during our trip to the mine… I am currently 7 months pregnant and thought the rough conditions would be difficult in my condition. They made me completely comfortable and I enjoyed every minute of my time at the mine. Dave and Sarah are very genuine, honest people…. I can’t say enough about how impressed we were with them on both a personal and professional level.
A very pregnant Jessica, Mark, Dave and S. Heather in front of the Gem-A-Nator
This unique experience is being offered exclusively to professional jewelry and lapidary artisans.
Reservation time for this adventure is limited due to the personal attention given to each artist.
Normally many of the people who visit the mine are personally invited or are referred by friends/colleagues of the mine owner. This is a great opportunity to gem collectors, lapidary artisans and professional jewelers wanting top grade fire agate for jewelry designs! Space is limited and filling up fast… for serious inquiries about visiting the mine and rates for mining/accommodations write to Dave Penny and S. Heather Scholz at ep7@xmission.com.
PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT DAVE PENNY, PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR AN UPDATE IN CONTACT INFO. WHEN WE GET IT, WE WILL POST IT HERE.
Wendell Thatcher helping us during our time on the Gem-A-Nator
We’d like to thank our friend Wendell Thatcher for personally referring us to the mine owner. Wendell is a dedicated and experienced rockhound and a very talented fire agate carver. Many of the hand carved fire agate gems in our personal collection were purchased through Wendell.
Fire agate jewelry by Jessica Dow and Mark Anderson of Different Seasons Jewelry and Lapidary.
Deer Creek fire agate and natural alexandrite set in 14k gold.
Fire agate pendant collaboration by Mark Anderson and Casey Swanson.
“California Poppies” fire agate and spessartite garnet pendant by Jessica Dow.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
How much is a Fire Agate worth?
Hello everyone, Please note that we are currently not in touch with the mine owner Dave Penny. When we get his current contact info we will post it here for you. Thanks for your patience, Jessica and Mark
One of my items on my bucket list is to mine for the great Fire Agates. The main reason for this is my passion I have aquired for the Fire Agates. What excites me the most is revealing the differant colors and strange formation seen through the clear agate window. It seems like I spend most of my mad money and any money I make selling some of my other rocks to buy as many fire agates as I can “Im addicted to the fire agates” .
In four months my wife and I are moving to Arizona to mainly be closer to family, myself, I want a chance to dig at your mine, only then will my dream will come true. I will be looking for you at the 2011 Tucson show “WE WILL BE THERE”
Jim & Judy Piepgras
Currently in Longview Texas ( only 4 more months and counting down)
would like info on how much it cost for the day.can you use hammer and chisles thanks
teel
I too would like more info on how to be referred to the mine owners. I live in arizona and we are supposed to be buying a used camper this week. I’ve been cabbing and betroital carving Mexican agates for 10 years and have yet to get one with the color I’ve seen on this page. I use a foredom flex shaft for the perfect carving and shaving layers off experience. Please send mine reservation information to deborahstrole@msn.com
Due to heat exaustion issued (medical condition) I can only rock-hound in the winter and fall. I also go metal detecting for gold nuggets so I know my way around cactus, snakes, scorpions, etc.
Thanks,
Deborah
Prescott, Arizona
I will get you an email address for Dave. He bought property down the mountain on the main road coming in from Willcox. He is my neighbor out there. I am currently in Afghanistan, but have contact with the other neighbors in the area. Give me a couple of days and I will see what I can get for you.
-Chad
I’m looking into finding a current e-mail address for Dave Penny. I’ve heard they aren’t currently at the mine. I will do some research and get back to all of you about how to make contact ASAP. Thanks!!
Would like info on Minning @ Deer Creek w/Dave and Sarah
could not locate them at ep7@xmission.com
I would like to contact them, any help is appreciated-
714-970-0186 Yorba Linda, Calif.
MY QUESTION IS HOW MUCH IS THE STONE WORTH PER CT.
This sounds like a great outing. Last winter I had a great trip to Burro Creek with a great group of rockhounding friends. I am looking for my next trip for this winter. This might fit the bill. How far is the mine from Quartzite? I am hoping to go to Quartzite to sell a new material I found here in Canada.
are reservations required, or is it on a walk-in basis? Is there camping available? How much per hour does it cost to pick agates by the navigator? Is there a phone number where I can reach you? My phone number is 2187601245. Thanks in advance for answering my questions.
Brings back memories! My husband mined with Dave Penney back in the early 80′s. He would remember Jim Brickey…(Desert Diggers) Jim was probably the 1st original Carver of the stone, as he worked with the companies to develop the Diamond tips used to carve Fire Agate…it actually took the companies some time to get it right…they would send Jim the tips, and he would test them and tell them what they needed to do to make them better….I remember him experimenting with Tooth picks and diamond grout when he first started because before the 80′s most of the stones were cabochoned wasting so much beauty, that my husband decided there had to be another way…we did a lot of shows, and demonstrated cutting, sold lots of rough from both Deer Creek and Slaughter Mountain, Jim taught many people to Carve the stone in my kitchen in Safford. I just came across some of the original instructions that we used to give out with our orders and sales. I lost Jim in September to Cancer, but feel he left his mark on the world with Fire Agate. Most of the Old Timer’s would remember Jim and his dad…and even our son Quentin, as he would have Quentin grinding the stones during Demonstrations at the shows…(He was 3 at the time) It truly is a beautiful stone
Do you have an email address for Wendell, I think I went to Navy boot camp with him back in the 60′s
ive bought some fire agate from wendell off of ebay and love the stuff. very cool dude
Very well written story Jessica and Mark (and Pebbles),
We had just as much fun as you, and can’t wait until you come back. We thank you for bringing us out of the outback and getting us on a blog. We can’t wait to see your creations. Loved meeting you and sharing the Gem A Nator with you.
Yes Lauren.. it’s more than worth it. We’ve been purchasing both rough and finished fire agates for years and the price is actually low in comparison. We got well over a hundred pounds of rough from one hour and at least 20 pounds of what we got was medium-high grade material. Top quality finished fire agates can bring in very high prices…. so something like this is a very smart investment for people who cut their own gems. But even if you re-sold the rough you’d come out ahead.
I recently had a customer send me some fire agates to polish so I am going to have to do some research on how to polish fire agates as they usually can’t be worked like I usual work a cab.
I saw a listing on ebay for this mine – one hour for $1400!!! Wow. Is it really worth that?
Sounds like a blast, and an excellent reason to visit AZ by itself. I can’t wait to see some of your lap work with the new rough and of course the jewelry that is to come.
)
I bet that little gem in the oven will get a kick out of the pictures latter down the line
Did you bring me back a javalina?
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