7 – DAY TOUR OF
SAPPHIRE MINES IN MONTANA
Helena – Philipsburg –
Eureka Gulch
August 14 – 21, 2022
Duration: 7 Days Available Tickets: 18
What do rainbow sapphires, rainbow trout, fly fishing, and championship golf have in common?
They are all found in the Big Sky Country of Montana!!!
Join us for a seven-day unforgettable adventure in Montana where we will visit the alluring sapphire mines in the beautiful Treasure State. Organized by Gemstone Expeditions, the tour begins in Helena, where accommodation is at the Comfort Suites near the airport. Below is a brief overview of this unique and memorable trip.
Double Room $2,625
Sign up by July 4, and receive a 5% discount.
Single Room $2,875
Sign up by July 4, and receive a 5% discount.
Included in Price
•Transportation from Helena to the mines.
•Hotel accommodations with breakfast.
•Lunch and some dinners.
Not Included in Price
•Personal travel to Montana.
•Personal and travel insurance.
•Tips, laundry and items of a personal nature.
Sunday, August 14
Members of the tour will arrive at the Comfort Suites in Helena. Meet and greet in the evening. Most of the tour is in the mountains so be sure to wear comfortable and appropriate clothes and footwear. During the day you might want to explore the sites and sounds of the city.
Monday, August 15
After an early breakfast, we leave Helena for a long and scenic drive to Utica to visit Yogo Gulch, where the rare and beautiful Yogo sapphires are found and mined. These gemstones are prized by collectors and are akin to Kashmir sapphires in beauty and price. In the afternoon, we return to Helena for a group dinner.
Tuesday, August 16
Robert Kane accompanies us for a 20-minute drive to the “Spokane Bar” sapphire deposit along the Missouri River, followed by a 45-minute drive to “Eldorado Bar” to visit a few different sapphire mines. Lunch is an outside barbecue. After returning to Helena, the evening is free.
Wednesday, August 17
Robert Kane, who lives in Helena, welcomes the group to his office to talk about the previous days’ activities and mines, and will show us rough and faceted sapphires. After lunch, we journey about 90 miles to the historic mining town of Philipsburg. The afternoon is free to look around the historic little town and visit local shops selling sapphires, jewelry, and sapphire-bearing gravel—including the Gem Mountain sapphire shop, Montana Gems of Philipsburg, and the Sapphire Gallery. The very interesting Granite County Museum is also worth a visit. Accommodations are at the Broadway Hotel, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, built in the 1890s, in the heart of downtown.
Thursday, August 18
We travel to Rock Creek to visit the sapphire mines owned by Potentate Mining. At its office in Eureka Gulch, Warren Boyd gives a presentation on the processing methods, and then the group can witness the recovery and picking of the sapphires from the heavy mineral concentrates recovered the previous day. After a box lunch, we venture to the mining site where we visit the screening and processing plants.
Friday, August 19
Return to Eureka Gulch to see the processing of the previous day’s concentrate. Afterwards, we drive to nearby Gem Mountain Mine, also at Rock Creek, where you can try your luck sifting through gravel for these elusive and colorful gems. You will be able to purchase mine-run gravel, wash, inspect and pick your own sapphire rough. Late afternoon, we return to Helena and share a group dinner.
Saturday, August 20
Free day to visit Helena, and/or organize a private appointment to Robert Kane’s office for a memento purchase for yourself or your clients. For those of you who want to unwind on the links or spend the day fly fishing, these can be arranged for you.
Sunday, August 21
Departure day from Helena. FYI, the spectacular Glacier National Park is 3.5 hours north of Helena and the incomparable Yellowstone National Park is 3.5 hours to the south.
Space is limited so sign up early. For more information, please contact Joe Menzie via email or telephone: 917.703.3039.
For further reading on Montana’s sapphires, the following articles/links are recommended.
