Mason's Ruby & Sapphire Mine, Franklin

My wife and I spent most of a day here. Having visited the salted mines and having fun but wanting to try our luck at native dirt we picked Mason's mine. It was well worth the cost. Even my wife, a true girly girl, was smiling ear to ear while getting dirty. Charlie is just as funny as he could be and very good with "newbies". The staff as a whole was helpful and constantly walked the sluice to help everyone find the sapphires. I managed to find a 3.6 ruby and 5.5 sapphire. total after a day we came home with 58.7 of sapphires and the 3.6 ruby. if they have them available and you plan on spending the day there rent the dolly it is well worth the 5 dollars and saved my back from having to carry 4 buckets of dirt per trip since they were just a little to heavy for my wife.

found a few stones bi enough to cut. The owners/employes were very helpfull and fun to be around. My son and I had a great time. Bill & Mike

What a friendly group of workers: Keith, Judy and of course Charlie. We have been mining at Mason's for the past five years. We are still making plans to return again in April. I have a beautiful pink sapphire ring from a stone I found at the mine. I have several other stones waiting for me to have set into more jewelry. We took our granddaughter last year and she found a 14 c sapphire. Now all the other grandkids are wanting to go with us. They have opened up more dig sites that we can't wait to explore. Every time I go to the mine, people follow me up to the dig sites to see where I am finding my stones. I look for the "right" soil that is the best kind to find the sapphires and there they are. Last year I even gave some of my scoops of dirt to other people and they found stones in the dirt I put in their screens. I love helping others find stones. Excited about my next trip and I can't wait to see my friends again on April 6, 2012!

My Grandson (Jake) and I just spent our 4th visit to Mason's and we are already planning for the our Spring trip. It just gets better every time. If you like it a little rugged, don't mind a little hard work, don't mind getting dirty and like the comfort of the mountains...this is the place for you. Digging your own dirt adds the fun of trying to locate a "honey hole". And if you're a little competative you'll like it even more. There are many treasures on the hill, but the best treasures are Judy, Charlie and Todd. They are the true gems. Their encouragement and knowledge adds to the fun. You get the chance to meet people from all over the country, but before the day is through you almost feel like everybody there could be your next door neighbor. Jake won our competition this trip when he found a 16.95 c sapphire, but I'll get him next time! If you want a guarantee that you'll find a big sapphire...go to a jewelery store. If you want a guarantee of an adventure and a good time...go to the mine. Hope to see you there. Pat Thomas, Simpsonville, SC

This place is FOR REAL. You get to go fill your buckets by digging them right out of the side of the hill! The staff were so nice and so helpful. Charlie helped us the entire time we were there. We all found sapphires, and didn't want to leave. We can't wait to come back!!

My husband & I had tried gem mining last year & found we had the most fun at Mason's Sapphire Mine. We only spent 1 day there last year & it wasn't nearly enough. We just got home after spending 5 days there this year. We had an absolute great time. Charlie, Keith, Judy and the rest of the staff are the absolute best people to deal with. We laughed & joked and just had a fun time. We did find some nice sapphires &one my husband found was 11.80 carats. We plan to visit whenever we can get away. It doesn't hurt that Franklin is a nice town located in some of the most beautiful mountains in the country. Sue from Pennsylvania

mason mine has new owners and started some larger stones

If you want to waste 30 bucks and a day in a mudhole this is the place to go.It is up for sale because the place is useless and the people running it are facing serious drug offenses

Today, T. C. and I mined at Mason Sapphire & Ruby Mine. Patsy, Norman and Scott were wonderful. With there assistance, we removed 71.55 karats of sapphires. I found a single stone that was 16.67 karats...and a bouns, 2 Garnet Balls! We dug 22 buckets in 5 hours. This was the very best value in the valley for a days outing. We hope to return soon and often.

I really am not sure what the folks who write bad reviews of this place were expecting. I bet those folks do not fish either, except at a fish farm. Maybe mining is a little like finding a needle in a haystack, but if you go in with the expectaion of rolling in jewels and making millions on your find, then this may not be the hobby for you. I had an absolute blast. I didn't find anything all day and the folks there were really pulling for me to find something. But at the very end of the day. A pretty 11 carat sapphire popped out of the bucket. The thing is, I was thrilled to be there even if I hadn't received that gift. I was happy all day rootin' around in the mud. One poster complained they were hot and dirty. Well...?? Again, you dig your own dirt. Drop all the pretense and uptightness and let yourself just enjoy the moment. Each and every one of them. These folks know how to show you a good time in the mud if you let them!!! :)