Photo by Mark Mauthner December 2009, posted with ...
Description: Photo by Mark Mauthner December 2009, posted with permission. "The Oceanview mine near Pala in north San Diego County. On the 5th of December, late in the afternoon, Jeff Swanger (the mine owner), Steve Carter and I opened up a newly found pocket and extracted some of the finest kunzite unearthed in the Pala District in many decades. Kunzite is the pink to purple gem variety of the mineral species spodumene. This photo was actually taken last Saturday when a number of visitors were present and more gems were being hauled out of the expanding cavity. This is one of those pieces after it was briefly rinsed using the water supply we have underground; it is being lit by one of the miner's lamps."