ATTN: NORTH CAROLINA ROCKHOUNDS

Attention North Carolina rockhounds! The Ray Mica Mine site in Burnsville is now posted as a day use only area. It is also posted that entering any mine no matter depth or distance is under 'Emergency Temporary Closure', adding some confusion on whether surface collecting is still allowed.

According to a local rock shop owner in Spruce Pine, the sign was posted recently because a 'renegade' hunter camped up there for about a week, creating quite a mess outside the usual dig area. There are now blue flags on the trees, walking up the creek on the right which I'm assuming are creating an ok collecting area.

I think it is important to let this be known so people keep their digging reasonable and don't leave trash up there (there is a slough-box left behind which Rangers don't want to see). Something tells me collecting at this site could be on it's toes right now with the Forest Service, and installing their new signs could be a way a restricting it in the future.

Let's not let this site turn into the once Walker Creek Kyanite site that is now subjected to strict, no collecting laws.

Sam:
I can't comment on the day use restrictions, but if you look at the mine closure photo you attached the effective date is May 2011 until May 2012.
Are you sure that this wasn't as a result of the spread of white nose disease within the bat population?
It is currently prevelant here in the northeast. Perhaps it is the forestry services way of trying to stem the disease in the southeast.

There are three new signs at this location. The first states the hours of 6am-10pm. The second sign is a notice about the white nose syndrome. The third is the one in the photo that doesn't state anything about the bats.
I heard another story today that compliments the first. Someone had camped up there for a week and used dynamite to blast in the tailings, creating a huge mess. Apparently if you are caught digging there is a pretty large fine.

Hello Sam,
You may want to ask about this on the McRocks web site. Postings there indicate people have been surface collecting all winter, weather permitting. No one has indicated the area is closed or mentioned any abuse of the locality. That doesn't mean someone didn't camp out and make a mess. However, some of the local collectors down there would be very vocal about abuse as they do not want the Ray shutdown. The Ray is being monitored and no collecting in the creek is allowed. Some other areas may be restricted to keep collecting centered on areas of the dump. If there was big trouble at the Ray, it would only take a nanosecond for a clamor to show up on the McRock "rock talk" board. I will check it out further as some of the regulars at McRocks live very close to the Ray.
Regards,
Al O

Sam,

I live about 45 minutes from the Ray Mica Mine and have been there more times than I can count. The day-use (6am to 10pm) is a new restriction, but not one that should really affect anyone other than those who may have wanted to camp there because this time frame extends from before sunrise to after sunset even on the longest day of the year. Those who may want to do some fluorescent mineral hunting in the dark will have to go in the months when days are shortest. As to the reason why these restrictions were imposed, my guess is it was mainly to stop camping. I have seen messes left by campers on more than one occasion at the Ray. Also, a group of knuckleheads from Kentucky were dumb enough to set up camp, complete with a folding travel trailer and camp fire, in the gravel parking area at the head of the trail last year. Since the parking area is only large enough to accommodate 3-4 vehicles, these boneheads took it all up so others, including myself and Chrissy one day, had no choice but to park next to the public road below. While this wasn't a big inconvenience to us, I wondered what the USFS would do when they discovered that these individuals had turned the parking area into their own private camping spot, and now it appears my question has been answered.

Rockhounding is still allowed at the Ray. While no digging whatsoever is allowed along any creek or within its banks, there are large spoil pile areas on the slopes above the creek just to the north where excellent rock and mineral specimens may be found with some effort. If everyone adheres to the new rules, hopefully we will be able to collect at the Ray for many years to come.

Mike Streeter
www.McRocks.com