Rockhound Talk LIVE

Rockhound Talk LIVE

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The only LIVE rockhounding podcast! Guests include lapidary artists, miners, prospectors, mineral collectors, rockhounds, geologists, and more!

Amber Nichole & Ben Chorn


    • May 19, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 29m AVG DURATION
    • 23 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Rockhound Talk LIVE with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Rockhound Talk LIVE

    Mineralenwereld, European Prospectors

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2024 84:36


    For our Season finale, meet Daniel Middel and Kristian Egberts- two Dutch prospectors and best friends who came together to create the largest online Dutch-speaking community of prospectors [Mineralenwereld (Mineral World)]. Mineralwereld is a nonprofit organization with the goal to educate people around the world about prospecting for crystals by providing online content such as instructional videos, best practices, locations, as well as offer an experience to connect and share online as a community. Come listen to Daniel and Kristian talk about their prospecting adventures across Europe, their stories of friendship, and some of the difficulties collecting crystals in different countries.

    Wayne Binsfeld: Lake Superior Agate collector, lapidary artist and carver, and digital designer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2024 117:38


    Wayne Binsfeld has been hunting Lake Superior Agates (LSA) for decades. Wayne transforms some of his agates into beautiful carvings of animals, mushrooms, and more! He also does live shows online and is going to start teaching his ways. Besides making physical art, Wayne also creates LSA inspired artwork which he has transposed to stickers, shirts, and more which are available through his store (Wayne's World Agates and Fine Art)! Come learn about Wayne's creative process, the tools he uses, and the stories behind his agates.

    Dave Varabioff, Gold Prospector & Gold Mine Owner

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 102:48


    Dave Varabioff is a die-hard gold miner with 50 years of experience in the hobby and profession. Dave has been chasing gold since he was 11 years old and currently owns multiple mines. Since 1999, Dave has had a serious passion for crystallized gold which led to his purchase of the Colorado quartz mine which is one of the most famous mines in the world for crystallized gold. Come learn more about gold prospecting, what not to do with gold, and hear about some of Dave's adventures mining in the US and Mexico.

    Chase Pipes: Historian, Rockhound, and owner of Smoky Mountain Relic Room

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2024 159:16


    Chase Pipes is a historian, educator, lecturer, teacher, business owner, historical researcher, commercial paleontologist, documentary filmmaker, professional living historian (reenactor), experimental archaeologist, metal detectorist, meteorite hunter, rockhound, and bottle privy digger. Chase also prepares and restores fossils & artifacts. Anything involving history, Chase does it. The Smoky Mountain Relic Room is owned by Chase and is home to the largest and most diverse range of historical artifacts for sale in North America.

    Amos Cunningham, Beryl, Aquamarine, & Amethyst Mine Owner

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2024 80:34


    Amos Cunningham is a South Carolina beryl, amethyst, aquamarine, & smoky quartz mine owner, miner, educator, & mentor. Amos has been rockhounding for over 50 years. Over the last several decades, Amos has contributed to the community by helping establish a gem and mineral club for his region. He is currently the Vice President for the Upper Abbeville Gem and Mineral Club in Due West, South Carolina. He mentors and teaches those new and old to the hobby. His experience and research has led him to find incredible gems. Currently, Amos has a beryl gem in the Tellus Museum, as well as the University of Georgia museum.

    Tom Hebert, Director of The Earth Sciences Foundation Inc.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2024 129:07


    Tom Hebert is the Director and Founder of The Earth Sciences Foundation Inc. which offers dinosaur bone digs as a non-profit. Come listen to us discuss Tom's journey to starting his Foundation, inspiring kids and veterans, and the battles with mental health. We discuss topics from T-rex to car accidents to overcoming life's obstacles. Trigger warning- suicide and depression is discussed.

    Keely Sweeney, Paleontological Technician

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2024 66:57


    This episode we sit down with Keely- a paleontological technician who does fossil preparation. Keely started a fossil prep and sale company called Fossil Oasis. Her clients include paleontologists, museum curators, and other professionals who work with fossils. Come listen as we learn about Keely's journey from college dropout to fossil preparer, and her rockhounding adventures along the way.

    Sally, Montana Rockhound, Miner, & Lapidary Artist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2024 75:03


    Sally is a second generation Montana miner who enjoys off-trail hiking adventures. She has been Rockhounding and mining her whole life and has recently been learning and honing her lapidary skills. Join us in discussing her rockhounding adventures from childhood to adulthood, as well as tips for finding crystals and minerals in Montana!

    Kayla Johanson, Gold Miner and Jeweler

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2024 99:48


    Our first guest of the season is Kayla Johanson. Kayla is a full-time gold miner and jeweler. Kayla has been mining for gold for over 10 years. You may know her from Discovery Channel's Gold Rush: White Water (Season 5 & Season 6). Kayla also mines for other minerals and crystals. She uses a lot of her discoveries, including gold nuggets, to create handcrafted jewelry. Kayla's hardwork and creativity has led her to be very successful in both mining and crafting jewelry.

    Dykanite, Volcanology PhD student & Geologist

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2023 121:48


    For our Season 2 Finale we speak with Denali, aka dykanite- a geoscientist and LGBTQ science advocate. Join us as we talk about her research on volcanoes around the world, some of her most popular Tiktok topics, and the LGBTQ community in STEM.

    The Miner's Girl, rockhound and abandon mine explorer

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2023 65:04


    Carolyn, known on social media as The Miner's Girl, loves exploring abandoned mines. Hear her story about how she got interested in rockhounding, exploring abandoned mine tips, and how she educates the public on mining.

    Bethany Burke, aka BK Bones, a Paleontologist & Fossil Preparator

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 106:24


    Bethany Burke, aka BK Bones, is a paleontologist and certified fossil preparator who shares her passion for the prehistoric with engaging talks and lively demonstrations designed for school-aged children. BK Bones is a big proponent of STEAM education and makes questioning, exploration and creativity the heart of her approach. Hear her many stories about searching for fossils around the US, as well as educating others.

    Dustin Twiss, Fairburn Agate Rockhound & Artist

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2023 73:50


    Dustin Twiss, of the Oglala Sioux, in South Dakota is a rockhound and artist. He collects Fairburn agates and uses the patterns of Fairburn agates for his "fortification art" which has won multiple awards. As Dustin says, "I combine my appreciation of nature and culture within my artwork to help share traditional Lakota knowledge.”

    Kelsey Darnold, Lapidary Artist

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2023 73:11


    Our first lapidary artist of the season is the well known TikToker, Kelsey Darnold. A stay-at-home mum of 4, she became a social media sensation about 4 years ago when she purchased her first tumbler. Kelsey is a lapidary art instructor for children, an entrepreneur selling cabs and polished specimens, as well as a popular lapidary artist on TikTok.

    Jake Anderson, owner of Royal Peacock Opal Mines

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2023 67:50


    The Royal Peacock Opal Mines are a 4th generation Opal mining company in Nevada. The mines are known for having gorgeous black and fire opals from the Virgin Valley. We'll chat with Jake Anderson, the current mine owner, about the history of his mines, and the gorgeous gemstones that the public can collect.

    Moha Mezane, Fossil Field Guide & Rockhound

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2023 58:29


    Moha Mezane has been hunting fossils and minerals in the Sahara desert of Morocco for over 15 years. Moha also organizes geological field trips across Morocco and is most famously-known for the new shark species he discovered in 2020 from the Devonian Period. This new species is even named after him, Maghriboselache Mohamezanei.

    Greig MeMiner, Canadian Prospector

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2023 69:46


    Grieg is a Canadian prospector who has been hunting & collecting minerals for over 25 years! With a gold claim in British Columbia, Greig's main focus in prospecting is collecting precious metals, specifically silver and gold. Greig spends a lot of his time collecting in abandoned silver mines in Cobalt, Ontario.

    Zeke Holder, Ruby Mine Owner

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2023 72:19


    Zeke Holder is part-owner of the “Cherokee Ruby Mine” in Franklin, North Carolina. Zeke is an Earth/Space science teacher with a Masters in Education, turned mine owner. He's gone from teaching science to high schoolers to teaching Rockhounds how to mine rubies and other precious gems.At the Cherokee Ruby Mine, you can find rubies, sapphires, garnets, moonstone, rutile, kyanite, & sillimante. This famous mine once supplied gems for Tiffany & Co.!

    Joe Soukup; The Elusive Herkimer Diamond

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2023 66:39


    Joe Soukup, an experienced Herkimer Diamond miner, invited Rockhound Talk Live to his private mine. In this episode we discuss Joe's journey with finding Herkimer Diamonds and starting a mine, as well as tips and tools for collecting Herkimer Diamonds.

    Arkansas Crystal Girls

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2023 83:16


    Meet the Arkansas Crystal Girls- two adventurous best friends who love to travel the beautiful state of Arkansas searching for quartz crystals. After a few viral videos on TikTok this past year showing some of their digging adventures, these besties have made it their goal to help encourage others to enjoy the hobby.

    The Agate Dude

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 81:31


    The Agate Dude collects and sells agates from around the world, but specializes in Lake Superior Agates. Join us to discuss his journey, tips for finding Lake Superior Agates, and finding your community.

    Elley Ringo from Elley Knows Rocks

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2023 122:38


    We start our first episode of Season 2 with an incredibly talented geologist, Elley Ringo. Elley is a geological consultant, an actress, and model. You may know Elley from her 12 episodes on “Frozen Gold”- Weather Channel. Elley also creates content for many social media platforms, such as YouTube and TikTok as “ElleyKnowsRocks.”

    Season 1 Finale with special guest and new co-host, Ben Chorn (professional geologist)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2023 75:54


    Finale to Season 1 where we sit down with Ben Chorn- a professional geologist and new co-host of Rockhound Talk Live. We discuss Ben's journey in geology, rockhounding basics, and answer some questions from viewers.

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