There’s a good chance you’ve participated in the growing trend of gem hunting – also known as rockhounding or crystal hunting – without even realizing it. Have you ever found yourself stopping to pick up and admire a vibrant stone that caught your eye? Then consider yourself an amateur gem hunter. Whether they’re hidden along riverbeds and shores of sandy beaches or camouflaged by foliage on your local hiking trail, astonishing gems can be found all over Canada.
People appreciate gems for a range of reasons. Some are collectors. Others like to display them as home decor, and a growing number are interested in their healing and metaphysical properties popular in spiritual practices. And although the experience of gem hunting itself is priceless, you may just stumble upon something truly valuable if you’re lucky.
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Peterborough resident Beau Harper’s interest in rocks and minerals began at an early age and his family gifted him rocks and fossils to help grow his collection. Now an experienced gem hunter and owner of From the Ground Up, he sells rocks, minerals and fossils from around the world, as well as his personal finds from across Canada. “Collecting crystals is a whole different experience from buying them,” says Harper. “There’s something about being the first human to lay eyes on a crystal that you just can’t get from your local crystal shop.”