No Longer a Hidden Gem

NO LONGER A HIDDEN GEM Story & Photos by Jenn Agema

The Four Peaks Mining Co. Store is a wonderful treasure! Among the many loose gems and carved minerals, the shop offers beautiful jewelry and artisan creations from the local Arizona mines as well as from around the world. The store is filled with colorful eye candy including local Amethyst from the nearby Four Peaks Mine. What a joy to meander around the cases holding collections that feature a variety of birthstone options like stacking rings and bracelets along with a variety of educational materials, a kid-centered souvenir section, and so much more.

My visit to The Four Peaks Mine Co. Store was full of helpful tidbits as I was shown that my very own birthstone (garnet) comes in shades of tangerine orange to bright green and golds…not just the first shade to come to mind, your grandmother’s deep red! The shop is home to one of the largest special 80-carat amethyst stones (not for sale), and showcases the unique beauty of the Four Peaks Mine gemstone which is known to have a ‘red’ flash instead of ‘blue’ flash — reminiscent of the Siberian red-flash amethyst gemstones that are no longer mined, making it a very sought after quality of gem!

Along with the assortment of gem and mineral reference books and wall art, you’ll find the creations of local Lapidary Artists (an artist or artisan who forms stone, minerals, or gemstones into decorative pieces). Wandering throughout the shop stirs up wonder about how anyone can look at a raw stone and know exactly how to cut into it to elevate a gorgeous natural object into a valuable work of art.

While you’re there, don’t forget to take a walk through the interactive in-store Four Peaks Mini Mine Experience (#fourpeaksminimine) with black lights, a mining hat, and a checklist for a hands-on exploration to find gems and minerals yourself! The shop also offers the chance to crack open your very own geode for a special keepsake.

Visit the store’s website at www.fourpeaksminingco.com for a list of upcoming events. You can also learn more about the Four Peaks Mine helicopter tours that take place twice a year for a real up-close treat! A visit to Four Peaks Mining Co. Store is quite a spectacular experience with many unique opportunities to purchase that one-of-a-kind gift you’ve been looking for.

FUN FACTS: The Arizona Four Peaks Amethyst Mine is believed to have been the only precious stone mine in the United States that required a helicopter to transport supplies in and take mined materials out. Located in the most rugged parts of the Mazatzal Mountains, 46 miles from Phoenix, the mine is at the 6,800 foot elevation and between the third and fourth peaks. There is no running water or electricity and hand tools were used for the slow and tedious extraction of the amethyst. AZ

Four Peaks Mining Co. Store 9500 E Via De Ventura, Suite D-110 Scottsdale, AZ 85256 480-434-6074 | Sun-Sat 10am-5pm www.fourpeaksminingco.com