Idaho is known as the Gem State for good reason — miners have been coming here for centuries to stake a claim for gold, silver, and other minerals, and that has not changed one bit.
- A Treasure Valley man is still spending his time mining for rare rocks.
- Larry Ridley’s mine claim is for Willow Creek Jasper.
- Closed for winter, Larry now hits the road for Rock and Mineral shows.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Up a very dusty road and around a canyon, we come across Larry Ridley’s open pit mine.
“When I started rock hounding, they thought I lost my marbles,” Ridley said.
That was back in 1983 when a friend said he needed more exercise and told him of an old man who had a lease with the BLM for mining rocks.
“So, he brings me out here and nobody’s around,” Ridley said. “After a couple of trips, we better find out who has this, or we might get shot for claim jumping.”
Ridley gets the claim from the B.L.M and convinces his adult son to join him. “So, I told him this isn’t a job, it’s every little boy’s dream to play with equipment and move dirt.”