Gemstone production in the United States is surprisingly low considering the large geographic area of the country and the large number of people who have a strong interest in finding gemstones. Three barriers stand between an interest in mining and the successful operation of a mine: 1) the cost of opening a mine; 2) the cost of labor; and, 3) government regulations related to environment and labor.
The cost of opening a mine in the United States is extremely high. Before mining can begin, a permit must be obtained. The permit is required to assure that the mine will be developed and operated with minimal impact on the environment, minimal hazard to employees, and in compliance with all local, state and federal laws. The research, data collection, planning, and writing that must be done to complete a permit application is enormous. This cost cannot be supported by the small-size deposits that are typical of most colored stone mining.
The cost of labor in the United States is very high in comparison with the cost of labor in other countries. People need to earn a decent wage as in any other industry. Much of the colored stone mining done in other parts of the world is supported by very low cost labor.
There are also many costs associated with operating a mine in compliance with government regulations. A significant investment must be made in safety planning, equipment, and procedures. A significant investment must also be made to control wastewater, erosion, dust, and many other problems associated with operating a mine. These can easily total more than the value of the gemstones that would be produced from a small colored stone deposit.
| U.S. Gemstone Production Values in Thousands of Dollars | ||||
| Gem Material | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| Beryl | 1,740 | 1,790 | 191 | 128 |
| Coral | 150 | 150 | 138 | 135 |
| Diamond | — | — | 49 | 61 |
| Garnet | 110 | 98 | 92 | 81 |
| Gem Feldspar | 756 | 757 | 698 | 684 |
| Geode / Nodules | 110 | 89 | 89 | 82 |
| Opal | 71 | 74 | 93 | 88 |
| Quartz – Macrocrystalline | 333 | 383 | 384 | 287 |
| Quartz – Cryptocrystalline | 248 | 261 | 199 | 226 |
| Sapphire / Ruby | 343 | 360 | 266 | 262 |
| Shell | 832 | 810 | 695 | 693 |
| Topaz | ND | ND | 8 | 7 |
| Tourmaline | 73 | 99 | 94 | 74 |
| Turquoise | 1,330 | 1,320 | 1,310 | 1,300 |
| Other | 4,950 | 5,140 | 5,270 | 5,380 |
| Totals | 11,000 | 11,300 | 9,576 | 9,488 |
| Macrocrystalline quartz includes: amethyst, aventurine, blue quartz, citrine, hawk’s eye, quartz, cat’s eye, rock crystal, rose quartz, smoky quartz, and tiger’s-eye. Cryptocrystalline quartz includes: agate, carnelian, chalcedony, chrysoprase, fossilized wood, heliotrope, jasper, moss agate, onyx, and sard. ND: Value not disclosed because it would reveal proprietary information of a small number of producers. Data from USGS Minerals Yearbooks. |