Ruggles Mine | Memories of Treasure Hunting in Grafton, New Hampshire

All too aware of the price tag for my college tuition, I decided to head to Ruggles Mine in Grafton, New Hampshire, to see if I could pay off tuition with one swing of the hammer. My brother Brian and girlfriend Geena went along for the adventure as well, the dollar signs in their eyes glistening brighter than the mica-riddled mine itself.

The route to Ruggles Mine pleases the eye with many scenic barns and old cemeteries, as well as a number of large wooden signs assuring potential miners they are on the right track. We were grateful for these; after we passed our fourth cemetery Brian was convinced Ruggles Mine did not actually exist. A seemingly endless back road leads you up a long hill to rewarding views of Mt. Cardigan and the surrounding landscape. Dubbed “the mine in the sky” Ruggles Mine is not your typical mining location. With its elevated position and open-air feel, it offers an inviting setting for claustrophobic visitors like myself.

The journey starts at the mine’s small, but informative museum where you’ll learn that Sam Ruggles first discovered mica here in Grafton in 1803. He secretly mined this valuable mineral for years and shipped it to England, where the heat resistant, transparent sheets were used for items such as woodstoves and oil lamps. Mica, feldspar, beryl, and uranium were mined at Ruggles for 175 years— and these can still be found and collected at Ruggles Mine today. Mica continues to be used in roof shingles, cement blocks, and sparkling items such as lipstick.

You first enter the mine through a long tunnel, which deposits you in the heart of a shimmering canyon. If the stars shone in the day, it might look something like this—blindingly beautiful. I instantly regretted leaving my sunglasses behind; since when do you need sunglasses in a mine? I sought shelter in the closest cave on the left, where mica reflected off a large pool of water, its cool darkness a refreshing escape from the sun.

We continued further on into the mine, exploring its caves and keeping our eyes open for cool stones and precious gems. Our finds included the abundant mica, which can be separated easily by hand into thin sheets, as well as quartz. Black mica was our favorite, sliding smoothly against your fingers like unrolled cassette film, with the same reflective darkness.

If New York is still considered the melting pot, this is the “Big Apple” of mines, with an array of people as diverse as its 150 minerals. We crossed paths and shared our finds with sledgehammer yielding couples, enthusiastic kids smashing any rock that glittered, and old men escaping the shaft of a West Virginia coal mine.

A knowledgeable guide could be found strolling around the mine, there to answer your questions and inform you that no, your shiny rock was not in fact a diamond, and was not going to pay for your college tuition.

Hunger had replaced our thirst for precious gems, so we decided to call it a day.

As we headed toward the exit, a boy bounded out of a cave, bucket brimming with rocks and minerals. His mother waited, seated on a nearby rock to ask how his search went. “Ask the bucket!” the boy responded, although his smile had already answered the question. It appears there are still riches in this mine after all.

NOTE: Ruggles Mine closed in the summer of 2016 and is now for sale.

Sean McGlynn

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