NC Town Yields Record-Breaking Emerald
Friday, August 27 2010
by Jessica Jones
Jeremy Loeb: A miner in North Carolina is planning to sell the largest cut emerald in North America. Jessica Jones reports.
Jessica Jones: Terry Ledford found the rough, two-inch stone in a footwide vein in the town of Hiddenite last August. He and his partner sent the stone to a gem cutter in New York who turned it into a 64.83 carat masterpiece. Ledford says they're thrilled to have broken a record with this emerald.
Ledford says it will be nice to make some money from the proceeds, but he doesn't plan to change his life much. His house is paid for, and he wants to keep on mining. The town of Hiddenite is well-known for its underground emeralds- another miner has made several famous discoveries over the last decade. Jessica Jones, North Carolina Public Radio, WUNC.
