Scott's Red Rose Quartz

Scotts Rose Quartz Inc., History.

Samuel Scott, a mining engineer, surveyor and assayer arrived in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1875. He built the first cabin there in 1876 and was one of the founders of Rapid City. After this he moved to Custer in 1893 and worked many of the mines of the area including the present day Scott Red Quartz Claim. The mine has been owned and operated by the Scott family since that time. The claim to the mine was patented by his son George W. Scott, in 1942. This mine is now under the operation Samuel Scott's great-grandson.

The Scott Red Rose Quartz mine is located southeast of Custer. It is probably the best known for its largest deposits of high quality rose quartz in the United States. It is also one of the few rose quartz mines still in operation.
The mine has yielded the most desirable colored rose quartz in the US and is recognized worldwide as a source of deep rose colored quartz. For many years the best material from the mine was sent to Germany and China for carving into ornamental objects and cutting into beads for necklaces and other jewelry. A beautifully carved bowl from rose quartz out of the Scott mine was donated to the Field Museum in Chicago by Edna Scott, widow of Samuel Scott.

It is difficult to estimate the amount of rose quartz shipped from the mine, but more than likely several thousand tons. A recent appraisal of this pegmatite deposit indicates a reserve of 107,500 tons. Other minerals found in the mine are feldspar, mica, beryl and tourmaline.

For nearly a century the Scott Red Rose Quartz Mine has produced colorful, high quality rose quartz for gems, monuments, tile, decorative, landscaping, and building materials. The mine is an open face quarry type operation. Present emphasis is on the production and sale of high-quality rough material. There are no immediate plans for the manufacture of fininshed products.
To see some photos of Carl's mine Click Here