Morefield Gem Mine

Located in Amelia County, this is one of the most unique mines in Virginia. Morefield Gem Mine first opened in 1929 and is operated similarly to the way it was then. DMME does safety inspections and provides operator assistance at the site.

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Language: en

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it's<00:00:00.840> amazing<00:00:01.439> treasures<00:00:02.129> one<00:00:02.460> can<00:00:02.730> find

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it's amazing treasures one can find
 

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it's amazing treasures one can find
accidentally<00:00:03.990> that<00:00:04.650> was<00:00:04.859> the<00:00:04.980> case<00:00:05.190> for<00:00:05.220> Silas

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accidentally that was the case for Silas
 

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accidentally that was the case for Silas
more<00:00:06.210> filled<00:00:06.540> in<00:00:06.750> 1929<00:00:07.589> when<00:00:08.400> one<00:00:08.610> of<00:00:08.700> the<00:00:08.820> 80

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more filled in 1929 when one of the 80
 

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more filled in 1929 when one of the 80
minerals<00:00:09.809> found<00:00:10.080> under<00:00:10.380> the<00:00:10.500> earth<00:00:10.650> in<00:00:10.830> Amelia

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minerals found under the earth in Amelia
 

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minerals found under the earth in Amelia
County<00:00:11.519> made<00:00:12.360> its<00:00:12.540> way<00:00:12.719> to<00:00:12.750> the<00:00:13.049> surface

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County made its way to the surface
 

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County made its way to the surface
through<00:00:13.980> this<00:00:14.160> past<00:00:14.460> season<00:00:14.790> we've<00:00:15.120> marked

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through this past season we've marked
 

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through this past season we've marked
almost<00:00:15.870> 2,000<00:00:16.850> tonnes<00:00:17.850> with<00:00:18.600> shale<00:00:18.869> it's

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almost 2,000 tonnes with shale it's
 

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almost 2,000 tonnes with shale it's
2,000<00:00:20.490> tons<00:00:20.789> of<00:00:21.060> semi-precious<00:00:21.810> gems<00:00:22.439> like

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2,000 tons of semi-precious gems like
 

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2,000 tons of semi-precious gems like
amazonite<00:00:23.369> garnet<00:00:24.410> crystals<00:00:25.410> and<00:00:25.619> other

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amazonite garnet crystals and other
 

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amazonite garnet crystals and other
mineral<00:00:26.730> species<00:00:27.029> found<00:00:27.570> in<00:00:27.810> this<00:00:28.019> more<00:00:28.320> field

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mineral species found in this more field
 

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mineral species found in this more field
pegmatite<00:00:29.130> and<00:00:29.849> lines<00:00:30.150> of<00:00:30.449> absolutely<00:00:32.300> good

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pegmatite and lines of absolutely good
 

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pegmatite and lines of absolutely good
quality<00:00:33.989> amazonite<00:00:34.500> out<00:00:34.710> and<00:00:35.239> the<00:00:36.239> part<00:00:36.450> that

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quality amazonite out and the part that
 

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quality amazonite out and the part that
makes<00:00:37.350> more<00:00:37.649> fill<00:00:37.950> gem<00:00:38.340> mine<00:00:38.610> unique<00:00:39.120> the

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makes more fill gem mine unique the
 

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makes more fill gem mine unique the
Virginia<00:00:40.260> Department<00:00:40.379> of<00:00:40.739> Mines<00:00:40.980> minerals

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Virginia Department of Mines minerals
 

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Virginia Department of Mines minerals
and<00:00:41.790> energy<00:00:42.000> regulates<00:00:42.809> over<00:00:43.140> 400<00:00:44.040> mineral

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and energy regulates over 400 mineral
 

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and energy regulates over 400 mineral
mines<00:00:44.700> across<00:00:45.090> the<00:00:45.300> state<00:00:45.600> but<00:00:46.350> only<00:00:46.649> one<00:00:47.070> like

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mines across the state but only one like
 

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mines across the state but only one like
this<00:00:47.730> it's<00:00:48.559> operated<00:00:49.559> like<00:00:50.460> a<00:00:50.489> mine<00:00:50.879> may<00:00:51.149> have

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this it's operated like a mine may have
 

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this it's operated like a mine may have
been<00:00:51.510> operated<00:00:52.289> back<00:00:52.530> in<00:00:52.710> the<00:00:52.770> 1940s<00:00:53.460> or<00:00:53.850> 50s

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been operated back in the 1940s or 50s
 

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been operated back in the 1940s or 50s
perhaps<00:00:55.320> that<00:00:55.469> is<00:00:55.530> most<00:00:55.920> evident<00:00:56.489> with<00:00:56.670> the

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perhaps that is most evident with the
 

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perhaps that is most evident with the
way<00:00:56.940> you<00:00:57.000> get<00:00:57.390> in<00:00:57.629> and<00:00:57.930> out<00:00:58.379> of<00:00:58.770> this<00:00:59.100> mine<00:00:59.399> and

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way you get in and out of this mine and
 

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way you get in and out of this mine and
that's<00:01:00.270> on<00:01:00.539> a<00:01:00.570> series<00:01:01.050> of<00:01:01.109> ladders<00:01:01.710> owner<00:01:02.609> Sam

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that's on a series of ladders owner Sam
 

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that's on a series of ladders owner Sam
Dunaway<00:01:03.510> credits<00:01:04.019> his<00:01:04.199> 48<00:01:04.799> years<00:01:05.100> without<00:01:05.339> a

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Dunaway credits his 48 years without a
 

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Dunaway credits his 48 years without a
lost-time<00:01:06.119> accident<00:01:06.299> in<00:01:07.110> the<00:01:07.650> last<00:01:07.890> 19<00:01:08.549> years

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lost-time accident in the last 19 years
 

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lost-time accident in the last 19 years
of<00:01:09.150> exemplary<00:01:09.659> safety<00:01:09.990> at<00:01:10.320> this<00:01:10.530> particular

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of exemplary safety at this particular
 

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of exemplary safety at this particular
mine<00:01:11.460> with<00:01:12.180> their<00:01:12.450> own<00:01:12.689> style<00:01:13.320> of<00:01:13.590> mining<00:01:14.159> for

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mine with their own style of mining for
 

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mine with their own style of mining for
the<00:01:14.520> reasons<00:01:14.970> that<00:01:15.119> helps<00:01:15.420> that<00:01:16.049> we've<00:01:16.200> been

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the reasons that helps that we've been
 

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the reasons that helps that we've been
as<00:01:16.500> safe<00:01:16.770> as<00:01:16.950> we<00:01:17.070> are<00:01:17.220> we<00:01:17.610> have<00:01:17.759> not<00:01:18.060> been

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as safe as we are we have not been
 

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as safe as we are we have not been
mechanized<00:01:19.549> mine<00:01:20.549> inspector<00:01:21.090> Damien<00:01:21.509> Ferrer

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mechanized mine inspector Damien Ferrer
 

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mechanized mine inspector Damien Ferrer
has<00:01:22.200> been<00:01:22.439> watching<00:01:22.650> over<00:01:22.920> this<00:01:23.159> mine<00:01:23.400> for<00:01:23.670> the

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has been watching over this mine for the
 

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has been watching over this mine for the
last<00:01:23.759> 16<00:01:24.600> years

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last 16 years
 

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last 16 years
he<00:01:25.530> says<00:01:25.770> down<00:01:26.040> away<00:01:26.310> serves<00:01:26.640> as<00:01:26.970> an<00:01:27.119> example

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he says down away serves as an example
 

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he says down away serves as an example
for<00:01:28.020> other<00:01:28.229> operators<00:01:29.040> he<00:01:29.640> thinks<00:01:30.060> through

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for other operators he thinks through
 

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for other operators he thinks through
work<00:01:31.360> before<00:01:31.990> he<00:01:32.820> starts<00:01:33.820> whatever<00:01:34.270> the

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work before he starts whatever the
 

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work before he starts whatever the
project<00:01:34.960> is<00:01:35.230> and<00:01:35.790> make<00:01:36.790> sure<00:01:37.060> he's<00:01:37.270> got<00:01:37.480> the

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project is and make sure he's got the
 

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project is and make sure he's got the
proper<00:01:38.140> tools<00:01:38.470> and<00:01:38.860> equipment<00:01:39.130> and<00:01:39.580> we<00:01:39.730> watch

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proper tools and equipment and we watch
 

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proper tools and equipment and we watch
people<00:01:40.270> and<00:01:40.600> see<00:01:40.840> what<00:01:40.870> they're<00:01:41.110> doing<00:01:41.140> and

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people and see what they're doing and
 

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people and see what they're doing and
try<00:01:42.190> to<00:01:42.250> develop<00:01:42.460> safe<00:01:42.970> habits<00:01:44.550> money<00:01:45.550> of<00:01:45.760> the

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try to develop safe habits money of the
 

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try to develop safe habits money of the
ever-changing<00:01:47.040> situation

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ever-changing situation
 

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ever-changing situation
Dunaway<00:01:50.920> sells<00:01:51.340> some<00:01:51.700> of<00:01:51.820> these<00:01:51.910> gems<00:01:52.360> to

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Dunaway sells some of these gems to
 

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Dunaway sells some of these gems to
jewelers<00:01:53.170> but<00:01:53.440> uses<00:01:53.830> most<00:01:54.100> to<00:01:54.310> educate

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jewelers but uses most to educate
 

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jewelers but uses most to educate
schoolchildren<00:01:55.690> and<00:01:55.870> the<00:01:56.320> public<00:01:56.830> on<00:01:57.010> the

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schoolchildren and the public on the
 

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schoolchildren and the public on the
surface<00:01:57.880> and<00:01:58.180> for<00:01:58.990> only<00:01:59.170> a<00:01:59.350> few<00:01:59.710> months<00:01:59.860> every

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surface and for only a few months every
 

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surface and for only a few months every
year<00:02:00.610> he<00:02:00.820> says<00:02:01.090> that<00:02:01.360> part<00:02:01.720> of<00:02:01.840> this<00:02:01.990> operation

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year he says that part of this operation
 

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year he says that part of this operation
is<00:02:03.310> worth<00:02:03.640> the<00:02:03.850> time<00:02:04.090> underground<00:02:04.720> that's<00:02:05.290> one

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is worth the time underground that's one
 

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is worth the time underground that's one
things<00:02:05.830> we're<00:02:06.010> doing<00:02:06.160> publicly<00:02:06.850> the<00:02:06.910> most<00:02:07.180> I

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things we're doing publicly the most I
 

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things we're doing publicly the most I
think<00:02:07.930> importantly<00:02:08.800> doing<00:02:09.209> about<00:02:10.209> that

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think importantly doing about that
 

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think importantly doing about that
opportunity<00:02:10.869> for<00:02:11.260> young<00:02:11.410> people<00:02:11.800> to<00:02:11.950> learn

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opportunity for young people to learn
 

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opportunity for young people to learn
about<00:02:12.160> minerals<00:02:12.760> more<00:02:13.510> filled<00:02:13.780> gem<00:02:14.020> mines

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about minerals more filled gem mines
 

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about minerals more filled gem mines
celebrated<00:02:14.890> 85<00:02:15.580> years<00:02:16.000> of<00:02:16.120> operation<00:02:16.780> in<00:02:16.950> 2014

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celebrated 85 years of operation in 2014
 

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celebrated 85 years of operation in 2014
now<00:02:18.640> the<00:02:18.700> way<00:02:18.880> hopes<00:02:19.180> the<00:02:19.390> opportunity<00:02:20.110> for<00:02:20.350> a

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now the way hopes the opportunity for a
 

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now the way hopes the opportunity for a
good<00:02:20.680> geology<00:02:21.430> lesson<00:02:21.880> and<00:02:22.209> the<00:02:22.660> chance<00:02:22.930> to

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good geology lesson and the chance to
 

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good geology lesson and the chance to
find<00:02:23.380> a<00:02:23.500> bit<00:02:23.709> of<00:02:23.860> treasure<00:02:24.160> or<00:02:24.670> continue<00:02:25.240> for

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find a bit of treasure or continue for
 

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find a bit of treasure or continue for
many<00:02:25.690> more