About Us

ABOUT US, 2-01-18

As of February 1, 2018, Board Camp Crystal Mine is OPEN for public digging!  For those of you wondering why the mine was closed most of 2017, here’s what happened:

First, some background: Since 2012, Board Camp Crystal Mine has offered an old-fashioned rock hounding experience to the public.  Mine owners, Orville and Cheryl Murphy, have become known for their warm welcome and customer appreciation.  They decided not to mine on a commercial scale, but rather retain the beauty of the natural environment of the mine for public enjoyment.  All crystals sold in their shop have been mined by hand and washed in spring water.  Board Camp Crystal Mine crystals have not been acid-bathed, cut, polished or otherwise altered, in order to retain their natural beauty and energy.  Located in Polk County, Arkansas, near the Oklahoma border, in the middle of the pristine Ouachita (pronounced “wash-it-taw”) Mountains and Ouachita National Forest, the surface mine (not underground) is located on a forested gentle slope on private property. The mine was discovered by the Murphys in 2008 and certified by the federal and state governments to be a public rock hounding site and opened to the public in 2012. The Murphys decided not to mine the land commercially using heavy equipment because they wanted to retain its natural beauty and the crystal energy.

It has been suggested to the Murphys that by retaining the natural energy of the crystals, the mine may have actually attracted a UFO encounter, which was the main reason the Murphys closed the mine, until they could find out what was going on.  The unexplained phenomena began the night of February 18, 2017, with a major “light event” witnessed by the Murphys and their son, Josh White, when 3 huge beams of light seemed to shoot up out of the crystal mine and about 300 feet into the sky!  The beams appeared, lasted about 10 seconds, then disappeared.  The report of this event attracted the attention of the MUFON’s (Mutual UFO Network) SAT (Special Assignment Team) of high level investigators.  It also attracted the interest of the Travel Channel, and is the site of where Josh Gates filmed Episode 4 of “Expedition Unknown: Hunt for Extraterrestrials”.  Since then, the strange phenomena at the mine property continues to manifest at night, in the forms of strange lights, orbs, and levitating rocks!  As you will see by watching Episode 4, Josh Gates actually filmed a “UFO” at the mine site! The Murphys prefer to approach this phenomena from a more scientific viewpoint, and there are many interesting plausible scientific theories which have been brought to their attention, as to the cause of the phenomena.

Since closing the mine to the public in May of 2017, yet having the need to run their business, the Murphys created the “UnXplained Tours” and decided to share their story with the world.  They felt strongly, agreeing with MUFON SAT leader Chase Kloetzke, that “knowledge should not be owned by anyone” but should be shared for the good of humanity.

The Murphys hope that further investigation will eventually lead to answers, not only for themselves, but for neighbors and others they have met, who have also experienced unexplained events in their own lives.

The Murphys, at first troubled by the unknown phenomena, turned to their faith for answers.  A daily devotional penned by Billy Graham, called the “Mysteries of God” offered comfort to the Murphys within 2 days of them witnessing the initial beams of light.  That comfort set the Murphys on the path of looking ahead to face the challenge of sharing their story, and presenting their amazing images caught on their game camera and cell phone cameras of the phenomena.  And now, since the tours opened, many visitors have also witnessed some of the phenomena for themselves. Skeptics are welcome.  Prior to their first experience, the Murphys themselves claimed to be skeptics that such phenomena was a reality.  But now, like many others, the Murphys have found themselves ushered into a new way of thinking and approaching such mysteries, because of their experience.

As the Murphys have always said, “We believe in God’s Word, the Holy Bible, and were delighted to find scriptural references to CRYSTAL!”

Rev 21:10-11 “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, Having the Glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as CRYSTAL… ”

Rev 22:1  “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as CRYSTAL, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

The Murphys’ prayer is that something good will definitely come out of the revelation of this phenomena. Meanwhile, they invite anyone who is interested to attend one of the “UnXplained Tours” and check out their crystal shop for the best Arkansas souvenir to be offered!  The Murphys are happy to reopen the Board Camp Crystal Mine for public enjoyment, to see old friends when they come back to visit, and to meet and make new friends!