The San Diego Traveler

San Diego County - A Treasure for Gemologists

by Carole A. Lane on June 19th, 2007

Pala Indian Reservation

Do the stories of the California Gold Rush stir something within you?  Have you ever thought about prospecting for gems?  Well you can, right here in San Diego county!

You may not be aware of the Pala Mining District in North County San Diego.  Although various types of gems have been discovered in the area, today Pala’s mines are  most famous for pink tourmaline.  Tourmaline is harder than quartz, and has more color varieties than any other gem, pink, blue green and bi-color being the most valuable.  Pink tourmaline mined in Pala can be found in museums and jewelry throughout the world.

When I visited Gems of Pala, along the edge of the Pala Indian Reservation, I got a first-hand experience of gem prospecting that was interesting and relaxing, with the occasional bit of excitement.  There’s a certain Zen that I find when I take on a tedious task.  Panning for gems takes either great patience or that kind of a calm spirit in order to enjoy it.  Once I found mine, it was quite a nice day.

If you’d like to give panning for gems a try at Gems of Pala, you’ll need to call about a week ahead to get a reservation.  I wouldn’t encourage you to bring small children, as it’s a long day for little ones, and there’s really nowhere to play.

Due to regulations and insurance concerns, visitors  don’t actually get to tour the Stewart Mine, but a photo tour is available online.  What you’ll see when you visit Gems of Pala is a little store sitting behind large bins of rocks, piles of smaller rocks and pebbles, and tables under a shade structure.  For a small fee (starting around $15), you can shovel up, wash and sift through a bucket of underground mine gravel from Stewart Mine.  Screens, tables, water, and instruction are all provided.

The Stewart Mine was originally claimed in 1888, though the property was reportedly worked for two decades before that.  Lepidolite, which contains 5% lithium, was mined there extensively at one time, but lithium is found elsewhere less expensively today, so it is no longer the main reason for mining in Pala.  Pink tourmaline, quartz and spodumene were also discovered in the Pala mines.  Most of the pink tourmaline that was mined there in the 1890’s went to the empress of the Ch’ing Dynasty Imperial Court and her entourage. 

At one time, there were over seventy operational gem mines in the Pala Mining District, but less than a handful exist today.  In 1903, Frank Salmons and other farmers in Pala sold their lands to the government.  Native Americans and Mexicans from Bonsall, Temecula, Warner Springs, and surrounding areas were transported to the valley around the Mission San Luis Rey.  The Stewart Mine is surrounded by these lands, but is not owned by the government.

Gems of Pala is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays, March 15 - December 15.  (They’re closed Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and all major holidays.)  If you plan to go between December 15 and March 15, you’ll need to call for winter hours, which haven’t yet been announced.

 If you’d rather tour an operating mine, nearby Oceanview Mine offers scheduled tours and screenings for $60 ($50/child)  by reservation only on specified dates.

You can also stop by the Gem and Mineral Society Museum in Fallbrook to see specimens from the area, or check out the Gems & Minerals Show at the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar.

If you find that you have more than a passing interest in gems, and are thinking about a career in gemology, see the resources available at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).  GIA is the world’s largest and most respected nonprofit institute of gemological research and learning, and it’s located in Carlsbad.  They will also hold a Gem Faire on June 22-24 at the Scottish Rite Center in San Diego.  Their Jewelry Career Fair, the largest in the industry, will be held in Carlsbad in October.

Whether you’re looking for an interesting outing, or a career in gemology, San Diego County is a gem of a place.

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