2024 Mine Tours - Purchase tickets now!
Mine Tours are available for purchase. See the links below to purchase tickets. Please make sure to choose the correct link (Thursday or Friday) for the day you will be attending.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Mine Tour Reservations
THURSDAY, August 1, 2024
FRIDAY, August 2, 2024
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can Kids Go On The Tour?
Yes! Kids can go on the Mine Tours with an adult. Kids under 12 years old are $15.
Do you cancel if it rains?
We do not cancel the mine tour trip if it rains. We recommend bringing a rain jacket or poncho just in case.
Is there any safety training?
Yes! The Quartz Corporation meets with our mine tour groups 30 minutes prior to departing for the mine to provide safety training and give out hard hats and safety glasses. Hard hats will be available for purchase if you prefer a new one.
What will we find?
Your Mine Tour will be at Pine Mountain Mine. Pine Mountain Mine is one of the largest operating mines in North America. Mining began in the 1950’s in the Pine Mt Mine for Feldspar. The primary ore is Pegmatite and Alaskite. The minerals that can be found there in large quantities are Quartz ( Smokey and Pink), Feldspar ( potassium and calcium), Muscovite mica, garnet, and Biotite schist. The mine is currently being mined for Feldspar, Quartz, and Mica and is active. It supplies both processing facilities at Minpro and Atltapass in Spruce Pine.
How do we get into the mine?
You will meet at the Festival site at 6:00 PM to check in, receive safety training and equipment before loaded vans that will take you to the mine and return you to your car at the Festival site. The tour ends at approximately 9 pm.
Do I need special tools?
Some of our mine tour participants have brought small picks and hammers to help break rocks into smaller pieces but you don’t have to bring any tools. You can simply walk around the mine and pick up items that you see. We will also have some items available to purchase.
About Quartz Corporation
About our mine tour sponsor
The QUARTZ Corp is a key supplier of High Purity Quartz Sand for the solar, semiconductor, and fibre optic markets. Our quartz is sourced in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where the unique geology of the landscape offers the world’s highest purity quartz deposits. From there, our products are shipped to Drag, Norway, where our state-of-the-art production facility enables us to produce quartz which is 99.998% SiO2.
