47. Tourmaline Queen Mine, Pala, California
Display Case from 2008 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show
by Brandy Naugle
Tourmaline Queen Mine, Pala, San Deigo County, California, U.S.A.
"The Tourmaline Queen Mine has always inspired mineral collectors, high graders and geologists.
It was originally claimed by Frank Salmons and Associates in March, 1903.
Exploratory work yielded some 80 pounds of gem tourmaline.
The Queen immediately became the leading producer of tourmaline in the Pala district
during the period 1904 through 1914. With the collapse of the major Chinese market for tourmaline,
due to the 1911 overthrow of the Imperial government, the mines soon became uneconomical.
From about 1914 to 1971, the Queen was worked intermittently by high graders, with limited success.
Bill Larson talks to Dave Waissman in front of his caseWhen I first became interested in collecting in Pala in the l950’s,
I can remember how the local collectors, novices and experts alike,
made statements about how the Pala area was almost completely worked out.
Detailed questioning would produce facts and figures as to who tried what,
where and why they had failed to locate gems; but contrary to usual opinion and hard luck,
a few mines did produce gems during this era, keeping the prospectors dreams of riches alive.
A successful mineral collector knows one secret...
there is always something more to be found in every locality.
This knowledge, coupled with the notable Pala discovery of beryl
by Norman Dawson from the White Queen Mine, started many people thinking
more positively towards the other mines in the district.
The old negative attitude was gradually replaced by typical miner
optimism and foolish hopefulness.
Pala Properties International, Inc., became involved in the Pala mining district when
Ed Swoboda purchased the Stewart Lithia, Tourmaline Queen and Pala Chief Mines.
We had been mining the Stewart with mild success since 1968,
when we decided that it was time to make the switch up the hill to the Tourmaline Queen.
Originally our idea in mining the Stewart was to set up basic operations, learn the gem mining trade,
and then move up to the Queen which we were sure was more promising.
However, with the discovery of the famed lost tourmaline adit and
initial production of a few fine tourmaline crystals, we overstayed these original plans.
But without increased production, economics forced us to make the necessary move up the mountain.
After much talking and planning, Ed Swoboda arranged for a bulldozer to repair the road,
create a working pad and move the compressor. As luck would have it,
the bulldozer was delayed one week; and with a lack of anything better to do,
John McLean placed a final blast in the Stewart between two adits
where a rich zone of lepidolite was exposed. When the fumes cleared,
John checked, and lying in the rubble pile was a tourmaline
a full 10 inches by 4 inches looking at him.
In disbelief he muttered thanks to the mine spirits and took it out to show Jose.
Jose thought it was a quartz crystal.
Seeing the red, he started wildly jumping and celebrating.
And so it went – no one who saw this large crystal could believe it.
After three-and-one-half years, it was a crowning glory.
The crystal remains the largest and
finest tourmaline produced from the Stewart Mine."excerpt from "The Queen Reigns Again" by Bill Larson (Pala International)
Companion to The-Vug.com Film #72
< article 46 article 48 >All photos and design © 2008 Brandy Naugle, All rights reserved. Text courtesy Pala International Inc., All rights reserved.
Webdesign by Brandy Naugle, Copyright 2002-2008; The Vug; a division of Zzyzx Minerals