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Old Pressley's Sapphire Mine, home of the "Star of the Carolinas", the world's largest 1,445 carat blue sapphire, is located right here, in Haywood County. This stone is featured in the Guiness Book of World Records, and its sister, the 1,035 carat "Southern Star" comprised one of Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story"
Although sapphires abound, the mines of western North Carolina yield all manner of stones. Rubies, emeralds, and all the varieties of semiprecious stones, as well as gold are regularly found by visitors, making for exciting days of inexpensive family entertainment.
But visitor beware, gem mining, just like gambling, can be addictive. You never know, you may be the one to find the next "Star of the Carolinas" when you plunge your hands into that next bucket of dirt.
Note: Sapphires are found inside feldspar. Feldspar is white to beige in color with spots of shiny mica appearing on the outside.
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