Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine

Useful Information

Location:	Horseshoe Bend Rd, Washita. From Mt. Ida highway 27 north, 800 m after Washita turn right on Horseshoe Bend Rd. Signposted. (34.662594, -93.523773)
Open:	All year daily 9:30-16. Weather depending. [2023]
Fee:	Adults USD 25, Children (10-14) USD 10, Children (-9) free. [2023]
Classification:	Quartz Mines Fee Mining
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine, 288 Horseshoe Bend Rd., Story, AR 71970, Tel: +1-870-867-0104. E-mail: Randy, Tel: +1-870-867-7014. Becky, Tel: +1-870-867-707.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Geology

This mine is different from other mines in the area, as the rock is not ordovician Sandstone, its shale. Nevertheless, there are quartz veins with empty spaces filled with quartz crystals or rock crystal. The difference for the minerals is that they have secondary minerals on top. Sometimes the crystals are coated in iron and limonite.

Description

Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine is located in the Ouachita Mountains north of Mt. Ida, Arkansas. Like numerous other sites it is an open cast mine with access to the quartz crystals in the Ordovician sandstones. There is no tour, this is a mineral collecting site, the fee is for the permit to collect minerals, you are allowed to keep all that you find.

The minerals on this site are different from other nearby sites, as the surrounding rock is shale, not sandstone. During the deposition material from the surrounding rock was added to the pure quartz, typically at a late stage, which meant there are rock crystals with secondary mineral on top. Sometimes the other minerals cover the crystal and people want to remove them. Before you do, think twice, the combination of different minerals ist often more interesting, looks better, and is probably even more valuable. If you still want to remove them, they have a page explaining this very detailed. The idea is quite simple though. Quartz is not influenced by most acids. Now just wash the cover away with an acid which does not react with quartz, but removes the covering minerals.

This site is very basic, there are a few benches, that's it. Make sure to bring all the sun protection, rain protection, tools, boxes, food and drink for the day.