There are some deposits of garnet stones on the east coast -- I
believe it is one or both of the Carolinas.
The best garnets - star garnets - are found in India and North
Idaho near the town of Emida (about 70 minutes south of Coeur
d'Alene, Idaho). You can dig them yourself outside the commercial
digging spots, or some of the commercial spots (there are only 2or
3 at the most) will rent you a shovel and sieve for a day for a low
fee. The garnets are found in the banks of Emerald Creek, but
smaller, sand-size garnets are found in several drainages in that
mountainous area.
After the start garnets are polishes, you can clear see a weird
structure in them that is in the shape of a six-legged star. Some
of them are gorgeous. I have seen some of these garnets that are
the size of a small walnut. They sell for quite a bit of money.
Also, these garnets are part of the reason that Idaho is called
the Gem State. There are also deposits of high quality opal, and
beryl is mined commercially over the mountain ridge south of the
garnet location.
