Black Light Tour

Click on links to visit activities: NC Mining Museum The Gemstone Mine Gold Panning Crabtree Emerald Mine Black Light Tour Discovery Mill Building

Looking for an experience that’s “out of this world”? Emerald Village offers nighttime underground mine tours that unlock vibrant hidden colors available only under ultraviolet light, commonly called black light. The brilliant coatings in the Bon Ami Mine are largely deposits of Hyalite Opal, a true form of opal found in this area. Under shortwave ultraviolet light, these coatings fluoresce or glow a vivid lime green. The effect, underground at night, is stunning!

There are other fluorescent minerals here, too, including feldspar that glows pink to red, mangan-apatite that glows cream to orange, and a rare phosphorescent blue mineral which, so far, has not been identified. Here are some of the world’s largest deposits of Hyalite Opal, and the only known underground Hyalite Opal deposits open to the public.

THERE ARE 8 BLACK LIGHT TOURS IN 2013 8 SPECIAL SATURDAY NIGHTS BEGINNING AT DARK!   May 4 ---------- 8:30 PM May 25 --------- 9:00 PM June 15 ------------ 9:15 PM July 6 -----------9:15 PM August 3 -------- 9:15 PM August 31 --– 8:30 PM September 21 ------8:00 PM October 12 ------7:30 PM Adults - $15.00 Students - $10.00 Pre-School - No charge Reservations Recommended!

The black light tours are only offered on 8 special Saturday nights. Reservations are not required but are recommended. The tour is a guided tour, led by one of our professional staff. We provide the special lights, flashlights, and safety glasses. You provide comfortable walking shoes and a curiosity for unique experiences.

The tour lasts about 30-45 minutes and you can browse our shop and displays before it begins. Since it is necessary to have complete darkness for the tour the beginning time varies with the season. Cost of the tour is $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for students. The tours are generally conducted regardless of the weather, but can be suspended for lightning or extremely poor conditions. Bring an umbrella if weather is bad, and call ahead to confirm the tour is on. A light jacket is always a good idea. We hope to see you underground at one of the most unique experiences available, the Black Light tour at Emerald Village, home of the best Gem Mine Tours in North Carolina.