Join Us On Facebook
Looking for an experience that’s “out of this world”? Emerald Village offers night-time underground mine tours that unlock vibrant hidden colors available only under ultraviolet light, commonly called black light. The brilliant coatings in the Bon Ami Mine are largely deposits of Hyalite Opal, a true form of opal found in this area. Under shortwave ultraviolet light, these coatings fluoresce or glow a vivid lime green. The effect, underground at night, is stunning!
There are other fluorescent minerals here, too, including Feldspar that glows pink to red, Manganapatite (?) that glows cream to orange, and a rare phosphorescent blue mineral which, so far, has not been identified. Here are some of the world’s largest deposits of Hyalite Opal, and the only known underground Hyalite Opal deposits open to the public.
The black light tours are only offered on 12 special nights, beginning at dark, and advance online reservations are required. The tour is a guided tour led by our professional staff, and collecting is not allowed! We use high-power shortwave ultraviolet lamps and provide safety glasses for our guests. Wear comfortable walking shoes and set aside any pre-conceived ideas of what you are about to see! The tour lasts about 30-45 minutes. Cost of the tour is $22.00 for ages 13 and up, $12.00 for ages 5-12, and free for ages 4 and under. The tours are generally conducted regardless of the weather, but can be suspended for lightning or extremely poor conditions, in which case a full refund will be issued. If the weather is bad bring an umbrella, and call ahead to confirm the tour is on. A light jacket is always a good idea. We hope to see you underground at one of the most unique experiences available, the Black Light tour at Emerald Village, home of REAL mines and REAL fun!
Remember that Emerald Village closes after daytime activities at either 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM depending on the season. We recommend you go out for dinner at a local restaurant and return for the Black Light tour. The gates open 1 hour prior to the tour and we suggest you arrive at least 30 minutes early to enjoy the exhibits and some unique shopping.