WIND GAP, PA - The recent creation of the The Lucky Dutchman Gem Mine allowed Tom and Stephanie Henshue to take their love of gemstones, sluicing, and outdoors to the public. The Lucky Dutchman Gem Mine provides the area’s only portable gem sluicing to parties, events, schools and community organizations. The Gem Mine, built on a snowmobile trailer, is a “mountain” that features two troughs of run
ning water. Bags of sand and gems are available for purchase, and miners pan their sand in the sluice to reveal gems. The Henshue’s began their love affair with gemstones four years ago while mining and hunting gemstones during a trip to North Carolina. The trip led to more trips, to schooling, and to local gem and mining enthusiasts. The Henshue’s excitement is in both gem and stone education and the enjoyment children gain from sluicing. “I do it for the look on the little kids’ faces,” Tom explained. Other services provided by the Henshue’s include gem and stone cutting, jewelry setting, and gemstone jewelry sales. Settings and stones can be customized for each customer. Tom’s work with gem cutting began by chance, “I started cutting non-precious gemstones and found that [my wife] Stephanie loved wearing them to work to accent her outfit for the day, so I cut more.”
