Sapphire and Garnet Slobber Bags - Central Queensland Gemfeilds!

This is sapphire paydirt from the FNQ Gemfields around Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby vale and Anakie. Each bag contains raw sapphires, corundum, zircon, garnet and possibly other stones mined in the central Gemfields of Queensland.

The process is simple, the miners peg a $500 claim and start digging for river wash in long forgotten deep Leeds. The Stones in this dirt are from our friends at GemFest, the single best gemstone show in the Southern Hemisphere.

The river was is either manually sieved to concentrate the sapphires and other gemstones with the other heavier materials like ironstone. Or they use automated jigs to do the same thing.

Once concentrated it's a matter of flipping the sieve over and using your eyes to search for the precious stones. They can be as small as a pin head or as large as a tennis ball.

And I can tell you it's loaded!

Every spoonful I've done reveals dozens of gemstones. From raw sapphires and zircons to all other manner of volcanic mineral

You can either sieve it in a kitchen strainer, pan it in a gold pan or go though it by eye.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does this paydirt come from?

These bags contain genuine river wash from the Central Queensland Gemfields — specifically the area around Emerald, Sapphire, Rubyvale, and Anakie. The material is sourced directly from our friends at GemFest, Australia's premier gemstone show. This is authentic Australian gemfield dirt, not imported or synthetic material.

Is this searched or unsearched paydirt?

This is unsearched sapphire but we add our own dirt mix. The dirt is concentrated using sieves or automated jigs to remove the bulk of the clay and fine material, but it has not been hand-picked through to remove the gemstones before bagging. What goes in the bag is what you receive — no stones have been removed from your lot.

What will I find in the bag?

Each bag contains concentrated river wash that includes raw sapphires, corundum, zircon, garnet, ironstone, and other volcanic minerals typical of the Central Queensland Gemfields. Every bag will contain gemstone material — however, the exact quantity, size, and stone types vary naturally from bag to bag, just as they do across a real mining claim.

Is there a guaranteed minimum?

We don't make specific return guarantees because gemstones occur naturally and vary in concentration across every dig. What we can tell you is that every bag is packed from the same concentrated material — and from our own hands-on experience, every spoonful reveals gemstones. You are buying the experience of the find, not a curated collection.

What exactly do I receive?

You receive one sealed bag of concentrated Central Queensland river wash. Inside you'll find a mix of dirt, ironstone, and raw gemstones including sapphires, zircon, and garnet. You can process it using a kitchen strainer, a gold pan, or simply sort through it by eye on a white tray in good light. No tools or special equipment required.

Is this suitable as a gift or activity for kids?

Absolutely. Sorting through paydirt is a great hands-on activity for gem enthusiasts of all ages. Adult supervision is recommended for young children due to small stones.