Star garnets are mined in a few places around the world. However, the six-ray star garnet can be found in only two locations: near Clarkia, Idaho, and in India. These semi-precious gems were formed by tremendous pressure during the Jurassic Period. As of May 2009, high quality star garnets could be worth $100 or more per carat.
The Emerald Creek garnet area is a part of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. This section of the forest is near St. Maries and Clarkia, Idaho, on Road 447. Parking is a half-mile from the dig site.
The St. Joe River Ranger District manages the garnet dig area, and charges $10 for adults and $5 for children per day, as of September 2010. Mounds of dirt are excavated for visitors to shovel, sift and sluice in search of garnets. Visitors may bring their own equipment, however all necessary tools are supplied by the Forest Service. The park is open from the Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Star garnets from Idaho are very dark purple or red in color. A "star" created by rutile, a mineral, can be seen in the center of the stone when light shines through it. Uncut star garnets may appear to be onyx until held up to sunlight.
