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From the late 19th century through the first decade of the 20th, Southern California was the principal source of tourmaline in the world. In the 21st century, some mines not only continued commercial mining but also opened to the public who could try their luck on a fee-dig basis. One in particular is the Oceanview Mine. How did they manage during the pandemic? To find out, we caught up with Jeff Swanger, the mine’s owner at his Chief Mountain property near San Diego.
Over the last 125 years or so, many amazing gemstones have come out of Southern California. Gem quality tourmaline was first reported in 1872 at the Columbia Mine, and commercial mining began in 1898 with the discovery of tourmaline-rich pegmatite deposits that turned into the Himalaya Mine.
An early big boost to California mining came from China, where carving-grade tourmaline was in high demand. The lovely pink and red varieties of the gem were especially appreciated by the Empress Dowager Cixi, who controlled the Chinese government during the late Qing dynasty. As a result, many of the pieces that are on display today in the Treasure Gallery in Beijing’s Forbidden City came from mines in Southern California. Sales to China continued until the Chinese revolution in 1911.
As tourmaline was discovered in Asia, Africa, and Brazil, gem production in California began to fade. Yet, the 1950s saw a renewed interest in the glorious past of California’s gems. Starting in the 1970s and through the late 1990s, tourmaline was found in amounts close to the levels of the big boom of the early 20th century. Some deposits brimmed with magnificent rubellite crystals and some even had peach-colored morganite attached to them. They are among the most unusual and valuable mineral specimens ever found.
This resurgence in mining over the last couple of decades has been mostly at the highly mechanized mines of Oceanview, Pala Chief, and Elizabeth R (all three purchased in 2000 by Jeff Swanger), which produce a variety of gems. In 2005, significant quantities of morganite were discovered at the Elizabeth R Mine. In 2007, remarkable deposits of beryl—morganite and aquamarine—were found in the “49er Pocket,” named in honor of Swanger’s 49th birthday. Some crystals were even next to each other on the same specimen, and a few were bi-colored. From 2010 to 2012, the Oceanview Mine also produced several hundred kilograms of fine kunzite, including several notable crystals, while in 2011, the Pala Chief Mine produced hundreds of kilograms of straw yellow spodumene (triphane).
A year after purchasing the entire Chief Mountain where the three mines are located, Swanger opened the area to the public in 2001 on a fee-dig basis, so that rockhounds and other gem aficionados could try their luck at finding the elusive treasures. “The Oceanview Mine is open all year around, three days a week, and can accommodate 500 to 600 people a month by reservation,” explains Swanger. “We provide tour guides and the equipment for sorting and washing the gems.”
The Pala Chief Mine is open twice a month from October to June and is for those intrepid souls who bring their own tools and want a more rugged experience as they hike around the old mining dumps on the side of the mountain, looking for tourmaline, kunzite, morganite, aquamarine, quartz, garnet, and more.
Swanger lives in one of the two homes on the 60-acre mountain property, and enjoys a panoramic view of the San Luis Rey River basin. The site also includes The Miner’s Inn, perched on the top of the mountain, with spectacular views of Pala Valley and nearby Tourmaline Queen Mountain. Other facilities include an office, gift shop, equipment storage, and an area for visitors to sift through the dump piles that the miners haul out of the mine. Guests also get a jeep tour of Chief Mountain to see the famous Pala Chief and other historic mines.
Oceanview Mine not only attracts gem aficionados and collectors from all over the world, but also prominent members of the trade. “We have had gemologists and groups from GIA, Gem-A, Guild, and other labs and organizations as well as professional dealers come visit the mine,” he adds. “It is also popular with charter schools, which sometimes bring as many as 100 students, who have found some amazing gems over the years. The schools, however, stopped coming during Covid.”
While the schools temporarily stopped their trips to Oceanview during the pandemic, other visitors came out in force. “We didn’t close the mines during the lockdown and none of our miners or other employees got Covid,” he says. “We were anticipating a general slowdown in visitors but, unexpectedly, just the opposite happened. Last year was our busiest year ever. With so many indoor activities and businesses closed, people looked for ways to spend more time outdoors. Among our guests were parents with children of all ages, who came to spend a fun day on a mining site, hoping to find that perfect gem.”
When asked about the other mines in the area that also have fee-dig operations, Swanger responds, “They have all closed. We are the only ones left.” For this 40-year mining veteran and gem expert, he, too, is thinking about hanging up his miner’s hat. “We recently put the property up for sale,” he confides. “It’s been a lot of work and great fun, but the time has come to retire.” Until, then, there is no doubt that many delighted people will dig for gems in Southern California.
Images are courtesy of Oceanview Mine unless otherwise indicated.
