Tours of the gemfields

Jewellery Designers, Sapphire Miners & Gem Cutters

We first ventured to the Gemfields in 1988 while travelling around Australia. Whilst staying at the Anakie Caravan Park we tried our hand at fossicking at the �Glenalva fossicking area� where the first stone we found was a 35ct green. As you all know this is what they call a �sucker stone�. Stones like this turn normal people into Sapphire mad miners! We pegged our first two claims at �Divide� which was 45-foot ground (this means 45 foot to the bed rock, the layer of sapphire bearing wash is found just above this). We then bought our first working mining claim at Deep Lead for $2,000 including equipment, which was a mechanical shaker / Willoughby. The dirt was dug with a kanga jackhammer, shovelled into buckets and then dragged to the bottom of the shaft; it was then brought to the surface by a hand windless, where it was washed. After a few months of this, realism struck. The only way to find more sapphires faster was with machinery. We had arrived at the Gemfields in a Mercedes Camper bus, towing a large trailer, which was filled with tools. On top of this was seated a Daihatsu 4 wheel drive. This trailer was to become the base for a mobile mining plant. See Picture This first claim at Deep Lead was then �dug out� and we moved to our next claims. These we purchased on Bedford Hill. Here we mined for a while but did not have much luck, so we moved to another claim, back in the Deep Lead area. Whilst digging this claim we went from electric jackhammers to air hammers to dig more dirt, faster. This created a new problem, it was much harder work. So not fazed we then built an underground dirt breaker. This made digging the dirt much quicker and we could dig 5 metres in about 30 minutes. As you can see by this progression, mining is a matter of chasing your tail. As soon as one part of the plant is upgraded the next stage becomes too slow. Our next move was to buy a super sucker to move the dirt to the surface faster. Then we had to build a bigger plant to handle this greater quantity of wash. By the time we got to this stage we where just one stage from machinery mining, all we needed was the ground. We were then lucky enough to purchase a mineral freehold. The only one on the Central Queensland Sapphire Field. This is where we are currently mining.

Gem Shop and Fossicking Park for Tourists

When William James Prouds opened his first Prouds store in Pitt St Sydney in 1903, never did he imagine that one day Prouds the Jewellers would become the largest and most trusted jewellery chain in Australia. His vision, to make quality jewellery, watches and giftware affordable to all Australians, is still the fundamental mission today, more than 100 years later. Our range of jewellery, watches and giftware is the largest range in Australia and we take great pride in the selection of our stock whether it is a diamond from Belgium or a hand-made piece made in our very own factory. When you walk into any of our stores, you will not only receive the friendly customer service that our staff are renowned for, you will also take comfort in the fact that you can choose from the largest selection of quality jewellery in Australia. We deliver a guarantee to our customer that cannot be matched by other jewellers. With over 240 stores nationwide, our buying power means we can provide our customers the very best value and quality of jewellery. Prouds the Jewellers has been part of Australian's history for over 110 years and we will continue to be part of your history for many years to come.

Angus & Coote Emerald Jewellers is renowned for providing expert service and superior jewellery and giftware collections for treasured moments and special occasions. If you are uncertain about the right piece to buy for yourself or someone special, drop in and see us today.

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