Welcome to Emerald Hollow Mine in Hiddenite, North Carolina—America’s only emerald mine open to the public for prospecting and a premier educational destination. .Since 1987, Emerald Hollow Mine has proudly presented one of North Carolina's finest Educational Programs. Each year, thousands of public and private school students, scout troops, YMCA members, church groups, senior citizen groups and other organizations visit Emerald Hollow Mine to participate in our popular educational field trip program.

We often see groups of students from Alexander County Schools, Iredell County Statesville Schools, Mooresville Graded School District, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Our educational tours provide hands-on, common core-aligned learning experiences that directly fulfill North Carolina Common Core and Essential Standards for 4th and 6th grade in science, social studies, and earth history. Offering a unique "hands on" learning experience in a spectacular nature-filled outdoor environment. Our field trips are more than educational.

At Emerald Hollow Mine, we transform textbook concepts into engaging, real-world science and history experiences. Students explore geological processes, mineral identification, and the rich mining history of North Carolina through immersive, outdoor, curriculum-aligned activities.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

A Hands-On Learning Experience Aligned with NC Common Core Standards

North Carolina Common Core Standards Alignment for 4th and 6th Grades

4th Grade NC Science Standards (4.E.2, 4.P.2)

Topic: Earth’s Surface & Properties of Minerals

Standard

4.E.2

4.P.2

Description

Understand how natural processes (weathering, erosion, and deposition) shape the Earth

Understand the composition and properties of minerals

Activity at Emerald Hollow Mine

Stream sluicing and mine tours show students real examples of erosion and sediment transport

Students identify minerals using hardness, luster, and streak tests during classroom-style mineral workshops

HELP US IMPROVE YOUR FIELD TRIP EXPERIENCE

At some point in your field trip you will most assuredly come across our gift tables. We do not have a gift shop on site yet. The purpose of these tables is to allow your students to acquire mementos to take home. All money raised from gift shop sales will be used for funding site improvements for the educational programs development. The items range from $1.00 to $25.00 and are chosen specifically for school field trips. We have larger items available as well! Last years gift tables helped us rewrite the entire program and add two new stops along the field trip experience. Those stops are the dig site walk through and the environmental speech at the pond. We were also able to create a new and more exciting surface collecting area and expand the paths to the dig site so your students are safe to walk in that area. We were able to create a new path to the creek and added a second creek location for student exploration as well as created a new picnic area with tables.