• 8 am to 6 pm, Friday, October 1, 2010
• 8 am to 6 pm, Saturday, October 2, 2010
• 8 am to 6 pm, Sunday, October 3, 2010

• Park your vehicle in the designated area(at the end of the paved access road but not much beyond the woods to the right of this road). 
• NO child under the age of 12 years old is to be allowed on the mountain because of all the dangers involved. 
  CHILDREN WILL BE ALLOWED  DURING THE "Rock Swap and Digs" IF EACH CHILD IS UNDER  ADULT SUPERVISION!
• ALL pets must be kept under control and on a leash. 
• The caretaker, Junior Norman, has final and absolute say as to where you may safely work. 
• Ladders or power tools of any kind will not be allowed. (HAND TOOLS ONLY!) 
• STAY AWAY FROM ALL HIGH WALLS!! 
• NO REPELLING OFF OF ANYTHING! 
• NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLE ON ANY PART OF GRAVES MOUNTAIN BEYOND THE PARKING AREA! (The caretaker must accompany anyone driving beyond the parking area!) 
• EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE OFF THE MOUNTAIN BY DUSK. (Absolutely no one is allowed on Graves Mountain after dark.)

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Please protect our ability to field collect at Graves Mountain!
 
Report violations to: 
Clarence Norman, Jr
Norman C E Wrecking Co 
3333 C E Norman Rd
Lincolnton, GA 30817-3110 
706.359.3862 (his business) 
or 
706.359.2381 (his home)
All reported violations will be held in strict confidence.

You should not miss any opportunity to collect here because the rutile, lazulite, and pyrophyllite are said to be some of the finest in the world.  The collecting area at Graves is huge!  There are three main rock types here: quartz-sericite schist, sericite-kyanite-quartz rock (quartzite) and quartz conglomerate.   You may still be able to collect rutile, kyanite, lazulite, iridescent hematite, pyrophyllite, pyrite,  ilmenite, muscovite, fuchsite, barite, sulfur, blue quartz and quartz crystals with a hematite coating.  Don't forget the micro phosphate and phosphosulfate minerals that can be collected here.  Woodhouseite, variscite, strengite, phosphosiderite, cacoxenite, crandallite along with accessory quartz, pyrite, pyrophylite, dickite, jarosite and sulfur crystals.

You should bring a hand truck to move your buckets and tools to the collecting areas.  Don't forget to include a backpack.  You can bring scratching tools to surface collect and a rocker screen to sift for rutile at the top of  the mountain. Gloves, safety glasses, sledge-hammer and chisels will be needed to break the quartzite boulders for the lazulite and kyanite. You might also want a shovel and pry bar.  Don't forget the sunscreen, Gator Aid, appropriate clothing and something to eat.

 SPECIAL CONDITIONS: SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS—

WEATHER:  This location can become an unbearably hot place during summer months in Georgia.  Most local mineral societies restrict their collecting trips here to September through May.  If you decide to venture here during the hotter months, take precautions to avoid heat stroke.  Enough said!

QUARRY SAFETY:  This quarry contains very high and unstable walls.  Loose rocks can and will be dislodged by someone from above or even by the wind.  It is suggested that you wear a hard hat and that you stay away from the pit walls.  Proper footwear with good ankle support is a must when climbing around the rock piles.  Always examine the area above you for loose rocks and boulders.  Move the small stuff and avoid the larger ones.  Check for anyone working below you and be careful not to dislodge any loose rock.  Warn people below by yelling "ROCK", if anything starts going their way.  Ladders or power tools of any kind are not allowed.

Children younger than 12 are discouraged because of all the dangers involved at this quarry.

DIRECTIONS: From Atlanta's I-285, take I-20 east to the exit for Washington, GA SR 78 (SR 10, SR 17) and turn left. Travel north to Washington, turn right onto SR 378 and drive 11 miles to the Graves Mountain area.  From the Athens area , take US 78 east to Washington and take SR 378 11 miles to Graves Mountain. When coming from Washington, you will turn left at the first road (Norman Road) on your left past the Lincoln county line sign.  From Lincolnton drive 6 miles west on SR 378, past Graves Mountain, and turn right onto Norman Road.   Drive about 1/2 mile to C E Norman Wrecking Co (3333 C E Norman Rd) sign liability releases, and make your donations.

Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce's web site: http://www.lincolncountyga.org

Motels - 
Collars Inn, 140 Elm Street, Lincolnton, GA.  Phone 706-359-6161 29 rooms.
The Lincoln Motel, 688 South Washington Street, Lincolnton, GA.  Phone: 706-359-4311  20 rooms.
Soap Creek Lodge - Located on Clarks Hill Lake off Hwy 378 in Lincolnton 
                                      Cabins, restaurant and marina.  706-359-3124.
Elijah Clark State Park, 2959 McCormaick Highway.  Phone:  706-359-3458/800-864-7275 20 cabins.

Camping:
Elijah Clark State Park, 2959 McCormaick Highway.  Phone:  706-359-3458/800-864-7275 165 camp sites.

Area Lodging:
                Econo Lodge-Thomson, GA          706-595-7144
                Fishing Village-McCormick, SC     803-443-5577
                Hickory Knob-McCormick, SC        803-443-2151
                Savannah Lakes Village-McCormick, SC           800-544-8912
                White Columns Best Western-Thomson, GA    706-595-8821

Washington, GA and Wilkes County - Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 706-678-2013
www.washingtonwilkes.org

LODGING: (12 miles west of Graves Mtn.)

Red Land Motel, U.S. 78 & 378, Washington, GA
Phone: 706-678-3225
Special rates, free local calls, HBO & ESPN, pool, non-smoking rooms, two double beds in each room. 35 newly refurbished rooms. 

Jameson Inn, 115 Ann Denard Dr., Washington, GA
706-678-7925
Clean, comfortable rooms with modern amenities. 

For Bed & breakfast lodging information, contact the Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce

Graves Mountain Page