Other Rock Related Businesses Etc

Other Rock Related Businesses Etc. Around Victoria

Here are some businesses that I know of around Victoria and the area that are rock related or handle other items you might need :

(Businesses that I have dealt with and I can personally recommend have a *)

* The Rockhound Shop - 777 Cloverdale Avenue, Victoria BC. - (250) 475-2080. Books, Speciments, fossils, gift items, new equipment, supplies, silversmithing, findings and some rough material.

* Western Gem and Mineral - 5631 176A St, Cloverdale BC (604) 574-1980. Lots of rough, gift items, supplies etc. - also a really wide selection of pre-made waxes for casting. Located right across from the Library in Cloverdale.

*Mountain Gems 4611 Hastings Street, Burnaby BC. (604) 298-5883 - Large selection of silversmithing supplies, etc., variety of slabbed material.

*Nelson The Rocky Feller, Inc.- 1509 W. 6th Ave., Eugene Oregon, 97402, (541) 687-8100, Whew - everything from rough to gold dredging gear. Plus they produce this really funky 3-D pre-forming machine. I've always found something really interesting to buy there or to talk with them about.

*Richardson's Recreation Ranch -Gateway route Box 440, Madras Oregon, 97741, (800) 433-2680. (About 2 hours from Portland - Due south of The Dalles) As close to heaven as a rockhound can get with out dying first. Really nice people, and real rock nuts. They have digging for agate, thundereggs, and a lot of neat stuff. If you are not into digging for yourself they have the mother of all rock yards - and it is very reasonably priced. If you are just a collector of finished products - they have the largest selection of spheres I have ever seen. They produce them right there - ask to see Big Bertha! Equipment - you have your choice of a sphere grinder, dry sander (for agate nodules), bull buffs (I love mine) or other manufacturer's goods. Side note - this is a very scenic area - to the north there is a lovely river area, to the east - if you come up the river from Eugene you get a picturesque river area that goes up into the mountains and if the pass is open through a large lava flow - very cool. Also just south of Madras is a man-made lake in a large canyon - also very scenic.

*Spencer Opal Mines - P.O. Box 521 Salome, AZ 85348 (520) 859-3752 (Oct - Apr) - HC 62 Box 2060 Dubois, ID 83423 (208) 374- 5476 (May to Sept) - This place is literally on the continental divide. They are open in Spencer (on the map look just south of Butte) from Memorial Day (End of May) till mid-Sept. -not because they want too but there is too much snow otherwise. Not hard to find - you can see from one end of town to the other - as you come in off the highway - turn right and drive to the last building. You can dig your own opal weather perimitting (the mine is outside of town - call for details on what you need and what to expect) or poke around the rock yard. They also have lots of pre-trimmed bottles of opal and finished goods. Probably the best opal value around.

More coming - soon I hope.