With two teens and two tweens in tow on an adventure to Mt. Apatite in Auburn I saw that even at their age, there was plenty of excitement over their discoveries.
“I like this rock because it’s see-thru and shimmery,” an 11-year-old declared upon finding a piece of clear quartz.
“I like this one because of all the colors. There’s black and purplish tones,” and as the 14-year-old turned over the rock she made another observation. “There’s some red in here too, look.”
“My favorite rock I found today changes colors when it’s in the sun. It gets all sparkly.”
But colors don’t have to be the only appealing feature. The shape of a rock can be just as important to the kids too.
“I like this one because it looks like an iceberg. And this one looks like stairs,” said my 13-year-old friend when I asked about the finds in her bag.
This day of rock hounding could have been considered a disappointment because we did not uncover any tourmaline, a gemstone several of the girls had hoped to find. But there were some great quartz stones in various shapes and sizes that the girls left jazzed about wire wrapping into necklaces.
In my attempt to prepare the girls, I took some time to talk to them about our trip to the quarry before we arrived to ensure everyone was in the right frame of mind.
* Don’t worry about finding valuable gems, look for what you like.
* Think about the possibilities of what you can do with the rocks you find. Would it make a good necklace? Would it make an interesting paperweight? Is it something you’d like to investigate to learn exactly how it was formed?
* Enjoy digging and getting dirty (a key point to remind teen girls)
When my kids were little, every single rock was an exciting discovery and did not require an explanation about its market value. When the girls were 5 years old (and even 9 and 10), if they found a gem they liked, it was automatically of value. Those days we left the quarry with a very full canvas tote bag. Now the girls are more selective and a gallon-sized plastic bag labeled with their names can usually cover a day of rock hounding. Although I miss those early days, my arms and back like their more discerning nature now.
Learn more about Mining and Quarrying in Maine
There is a collector’s guide on the state’s website that lists mineral collecting locations in Maine. Be sure when choosing a site make sure to find out if access permission is required before you arrive. www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/minerals
A suggested supply list
* Work gloves
* Gardening trowel for digging
* Hammer and flat head screw driver for splitting rocks
* Safety glasses (there can be a lot of flying debris when kids are splitting rocks with hammers, so be sure to protect their eyes. If you don’t have safety glasses, sunglasses work OK in a pinch.)
* Bandaids & antibiotic cream (rocks have rough edges and kids can get minor cuts when digging if they don’t keep their gloves on)
* Sturdy canvas bag or backpack to carry treasures home
Mining At Mt. Apatite
This is a favorite destination for my kids because it’s an easy half mile hike to the quarries. If you’re in search of some geocaching treasures (or want to give the game a try) there are several family-friendly boxes in this area. Go to geocaching.com for GPS coordinates.
To get the most accurate driving directions to Mt. Apatite, use this address: 64 Mount Apatite Rd, Auburn.
Once you park there’s a lot of weirdness with no trespassing signs. You can walk on the sand by the National Guard fence onto the trail. Once on the trail you have to stay on it - you can’t venture off onto the military-owned land.
To get to the quarry you follow the wide trail for about 1/2 mile. There are forks in the trail but stay on the wide trail that goes straight ahead (and it’s uphill but not too steep). Then you see a stone bridge at a fork in the trail. Take a left and follow that narrow trail to the quarries.
Mt. Apatite Trail
Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, June 2010 edition
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