r/Rockhounding

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

this is the verse that has gotten me through the tough nights where I’ve cried myself to sleep, I pray that the Lord God grants this to a person who needs this, he or she can going through hard times, they could be going through a hard, emotionally, mentally or spiritually agonizing season or just need a shoulder to cry on, we’ll let me tell you something, brother or sister, you do have someone to hug and cry onto! His name is Jesus Chris, the living God, the LITERAL SON OF GOD! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?! He is there for you 24/7! All you need to do is cry out for him! “Father, Abba!” He’ll listen! He is always there for you, you may doubt that there is no God but on the contrary, there is a living, breathing God who has such an unfathomably gargantuan amount of love, grace and peace! His love is so vast that no number or word can describe it other than one word. INFINITE. The world may seem cruel, I get it! Because Satan is ruling over it but soon Christ Almighty will return, he will put an end to Satan’s rule, this earth will be eradicated and a new, clean, sinless world and A new heaven will be made Where agony, suffering and bloodshed will be no more! The Lord is here for you, always, as a brother in Christ, I love you all much.❤️

My wife and I have been together for 20 years now and have always had a fascination with gem hunting/rockhounding. We have been able to finally plan what would be our honeymoon, and have chosen to roadtrip or short flight to find the birthstones for our three kids. As we are really beginners, I have come to seek help from those more knowledgeable than myself.

What we are looking for:

Opal ( October, our first born)
Red/pink Spinel ( August, our middle son)
Moonstone ( June, our baby and only girl)

What I have fumbled through myself:

The opal, as she wants black, is pretty much limited to Virgin Valley in Nevada, and then to three locations with public access or tailings access

Moonstone we should be able to find in the eastern North Carolina area. I’ve found the area near Franklin has good reports.

As for the Spinel I am lost other than to hope maybe the North Carolina/ Tennessee area but nothing that gives me hope.

The ask:

Can anyone give any advice, recommendations, or suggestions ? Am I even on the right track? Trip is at the end of July, anything helps, thanks!