Upcoming Field Trip Details - Willis Mtn Kyanite Mine


Official Field Trip Notice of the Shenandoah Valley Gem & Mineral Society


When: September 27, 2014

Where: Kyanite Mining Corporation, Dillwyn VA

Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Rendezvous location: To be discussed at club meeting

Details: Hello Shenandoah Valley Gem and Mineral Society Members. Below is a combined field trip notification. Due to size limitations, sign-up is required. Call (540-649-3572) or email the Field Trip Coordinator Dean Hostetter (deanboy@ntelos.net)

For anyone who has not been to Willis Mountain this is great experience and, yes, you will find lots of different minerals. Please read the below list of requirements. Foremost is safety and new MANDITORY safety regulations. Steel-toed boots, wheel chocks or put rock under tires, hard hat no more than five years old, good safety glasses and long pants.

NO ONE CAN GO TO THE QUARRY WITHOUT THEM.
VIOLATORS WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE !!!!!!!!!!!

The field trip falls on the weekend of our club show, which will be held at Augusta Expo on Friday Sep 26th 2-6PM, Saturday 27th 10 AM – 6 PM, and Sunday 28th 11AM -5 PM. We would ask if you go on the field trip on Saturday you volunteer to help with the show Friday or Sunday. Show volunteering sign-up sheets will be at the next club meeting or when responding to Dean, ask how you can help.

Remember don’t respond to this email but respond directly to Dean Hostetter.

Bob Helt/Club Secretary

OFFICIAL COMBINED FIELD TRIP
THE GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY OF LYNCHBURG, VA INC. (HOST)
THE ROANOKE VALLEY MINERAL AND GEM SOCIETY INC. (HOST)
THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY (HOST)


KYANITE MINING CORP. ------- ANNUAL FIELD TRIP
WILLIS MOUNTAIN KYANITE MINE


All club field trip leaders - send me a list of your total collectors so that I can compile a list and forward to the mine management by 9-25-14. There is a limit of 100 collectors from all clubs for this event so there should be room for everyone.

SAFETY: Everyone should arrive at the office parking lot between 8:30AM and no later than 8:45AM to sign the release form and hear the required safety briefing. Each Club field trip leader or their appointed replacement will act as safety observer and will be expected to be on the lookout for and correct all safety infractions from any collector. Keep in mind that this site is one of the few that is still open for collecting. Not obeying all the safety rules will cause this site to be closed to all future collecting.

DRIVING FROM THE ROANOKE AND LYNCHBURG AREA: From Roanoke, follow US 460 East to Lynchburg, to the Sheetz Station on US 460 and Rt. 811 in New London. Continue on the US 460 East bypass around Lynchburg and through Appomattox and take Rt. 24 North to the end at US 60 at Mt. Rush. Continue on US 60 East to Sprouses Corner. Turn right on US 15 South and drive 4 miles to Willis Mt. Plant Road. Turn left and stop at the stone mine office and park out of the way as not to block traffic. Allow 1 1/4 minimum hour driving time from New London west of Lynchburg.

GENERAL LOCATION and ASSEMBLY TIME: Everyone will meet at the mine office for sign-in and safety instruction - be there between 8:30 and no later than 8:45am. The mine is located north of Farmville, VA on Rt. 15 North. Proceed from US 460 North on Rt. 15 for a little over 12 miles to Willis Mt. Plant Rd. The stone mine office is on the right. If you approach from Rt. 60 at Sprouses Corner, then go south on Rt. 15 for 4 miles to Willis Mt. Plant Rd. and the office will be on your left. Wait in the parking lot and do not block traffic. Many trucks may be using the road. While you’re waiting, be sure to enjoy the beautiful blue kyanite boulder in the front yard from the old closed Baker Mountain.

COLLECTING: Willis Mountain is what's known as a monadnock. The kyanite exposure resisted weathering and, as the surrounding area was eroded and weathered away, the mountain outcrop was left standing. This is very much like the famous Graves Mountain kyanite mine in Georgia. The center of the mountain has been mostly mined away. We should be able to find plenty of white kyanite blades in the massive kyanite quartzite; pyrite; quartz; hematite with some iridescence, red mica, apatite and possibly some blue kyanite and pale green trolleite. Some of the white kyanite and quartz here have a beautiful light blue fluorescence.

EQUIPMENT: The standard quarry safety gear required is the following:

  • A hard hat with a manufacturing date not more than five years ago
  • Safety glasses
  • Wheel chocks - either purchased, home-made or a rock
  • ONLY STEEL-TOED BOOTS WILL BE ALLOWED - THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
  • Also required are long pants, gloves, hammer and chisels, wrapping paper, buckets, food and water

Every time you leave the car, turn off the engine, put in park and apply the parking brake.

If you do not have the required safety equipment, you will not be allowed to enter the quarry.

Be prepared for windy, hot or wet weather. We will be on the mountain top and it's always windy. We can drive to the designated collecting area, so hand trucks should not be needed. Bring a camera, as the view is awesome.

AGE LIMIT: There is no age limit, but all children must be signed for, supervised by an adult and have all the required safety equipment. No Exceptions!!!

WEATHER: The trip will be canceled in case of hard rain or a thunderstorm. Call to confirm if there is any question.

Note: If the mine is working, we may have to limit our collecting areas.

Thanks,
Dean Hostetter
Field trip Coordinator

Notes added by the web wrangler:


  • Link to mindat information about the location here.
  • Link to aother club’s field trip report can be found here.
  • Link to information regarding Kyanite Mining Corporation can be found here.