Many people really enjoy gemstones produced from domestic deposits. Some mineral collectors favor certain localities, and some gemstone buyers (especially tourists) have a strong desire to purchase a “Montana Sapphire” or an “Oregon Sunstone” when they visit those states. This patronage strongly supports the price of stones from certain localities – far above the price of similar-size, similar-quality stones from anywhere else in the world. This patronage also supports a small domestic lapidary industry.

Many people who visit Arizona want to bring home a piece of petrified wood, and many people who visit upstate New York want to find a “Herkimer Diamond.” There is even one location in Arkansas, Crater of Diamonds, where anyone can become a diamond miner by paying a small fee. These are fun activities, many people enjoy them, and they support the small gemstone industry of the United States.