About 50 miles north of San Diego lies the town of Pala just outside of Fallbrook, CA. In the mountains north of town are some of the richest, gem-bearing pegmatites in the United States. It is within these pegmatites that treasures such as Kunzite, Morganite, Aquamarine and, of course, world-famous tourmalines are found. Of the 73 historic mines that have been active in this area, there are only a few that are still in operation today. One of them is the OceanView Mine run by mine-owner Jeff Swanger and his crew. The other is the Pala Chief Mine run by mine-owner and long-time resident Bob Dawson. Both of these mines are located on historic Pala Chief Mountain but only the OceanView is open to the general public as a pay-for-dig site BUT ONLY with advanced reservations. This venue is so popular that the limited space they have available is almost always full so they do not accept any walk-in traffic.
At the OceanView Mine your pay-for-dig fee covers a full day of fun and adventure at the actual mine. You will be assigned one of the two dozen or so screening tables surrounding the "muck pile" - an eight foot pile of mine tailings brought out fresh from the actual mine tunnel just down the hill. After a brief overview (safety, best practices and what to look for) you are on your own. You set your own pace and there are always plenty of staff making the rounds to help you out if you need any assistance. One of the things that makes the OceanView Mine experience such a worthwhile trip is the fact that not only do you get to sift the fresh tailings from an actual working Pala mine, you also get an underground tour of the mine itself!!
If you've never been underground in an actual gem mine, there is no other experience in the world quite like this. Hard hats and lights are all provided for you and Swanger himself leads the mini-expeditions pointing out where pockets of gem crystals were discovered. If you're lucky and just happen to be there at the right time, you may even get to see an exposed pocket or two. All visitors get the option of going underground and Swanger's staff breaks everyone into smaller groups for this tour so that everyone gets a chance to see and hear Swanger. Top-side the facilities are excellent. Clean bathrooms, large shaded areas with water misters to keep the heat in check, picnic-style benches and even a working barbecue grill if you want to bring your own lunch to grill up fresh. There is also an on-site store where you can buy T-Shirts, gem crystals and selected pieces of jewelry.
Access to the mine site is possible with any car (4WD is not required) and is a short drive off of Route 76 and the nearby Pala Casino. On the way to the OceanView Mine you'll pass by Gems Of Pala, another pay-for-dig site, but this one is not affiliated with any working mine and does not include the underground tour. If you're in the area and are looking for an outstanding one-day mineral experience, you can't go wrong at the OceanView Mine. For more information on visiting the OceanView Mine, check out their website at: www.digforgems.com For more information on other historic mines in the Pala region, check out this
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