Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Sapphire mine and rock shop.
Details
- Where
- 5360 Castles Road, Helena, MT 59602. Directions
- When
- 9am to 5pm Thursday to Sunday. Closed on Monday (summer); also stated open 9-5 seven days a week but no digging after hours.
- Season
- Open year around; digging best after July 4th through September.
- Fees
- Spokane Bar Monster Mine concentrate $100; El Dorado Monster Mine concentrate $125; Mother Lode concentrate $150.
- Access
- Screens, shovels and buckets provided. No small tools (screw drivers, pri-bars, rock hammers, whisk brooms). Helena ten miles; campgrounds and lodging within three miles. Dig option is also offered at additional cost.
- Walk-in or reserve
- Walk-in visits OK during open hours; dig option paid on-site.
- Phone
- 406-227-8989
- Website
- sapphiremine.com
- Managed by
- Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine.
Visitors find sapphires in many colors at the Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine. The natural Sapphire crystal structure is hexagon with triangle terminations which are often flat. The most commonly found color is green-blue. Blue sapphire is the best known color. Ruby is a red sapphire which is one of the most prized. Other finds, though uncommon, are diamond, topaz, citrine, and ruby.