it's amazing treasures one can find
accidentally that was the case for Silas
more filled in 1929 when one of the 80
minerals found under the earth in Amelia
County made its way to the surface
through this past season we've marked
almost 2,000 tonnes with shale it's
2,000 tons of semi-precious gems like
amazonite garnet crystals and other
mineral species found in this more field
pegmatite and lines of absolutely good
quality amazonite out and the part that
makes more fill gem mine unique the
Virginia Department of Mines minerals
and energy regulates over 400 mineral
mines across the state but only one like
this it's operated like a mine may have
been operated back in the 1940s or 50s
perhaps that is most evident with the
way you get in and out of this mine and
that's on a series of ladders owner Sam
Dunaway credits his 48 years without a
lost-time accident in the last 19 years
of exemplary safety at this particular
mine with their own style of mining for
the reasons that helps that we've been
as safe as we are we have not been
mechanized mine inspector Damien Ferrer
has been watching over this mine for the
last 16 years
he says down away serves as an example
for other operators he thinks through
work before he starts whatever the
project is and make sure he's got the
proper tools and equipment and we watch
people and see what they're doing and
try to develop safe habits money of the
ever-changing situation
Dunaway sells some of these gems to
jewelers but uses most to educate
schoolchildren and the public on the
surface and for only a few months every
year he says that part of this operation
is worth the time underground that's one
things we're doing publicly the most I
think importantly doing about that
opportunity for young people to learn
about minerals more filled gem mines
celebrated 85 years of operation in 2014
now the way hopes the opportunity for a
good geology lesson and the chance to
find a bit of treasure or continue for
many more