WCNC

The gem will be cut into smaller stones which will be polished and sold for as much as $2 million.

HIDDENITE, N.C. -- A man has found an emerald that a mining operation in Alexander County is calling the largest high quality emerald ever discovered in North America.

The whole crystal itself weighs in at 972 carats.

The gem will be cut into smaller stones which will be polished and sold for as much as $2 million.

It was found at the North American Emerald Mine near Hiddenite along with several other smaller gems.

The mine has produced more than 200 emerald crystals in the last nine years but experts said an emerald like the one found Wednesday is rare in any part of the world.

"This is a dream come true, it literally is. I've spent my life chasing these things chasing the dreams, chasing the emeralds. I've found a lot of emeralds in my life but this tops them all," said Jamie Hill, who found the emerald.

The emerald will be stored in a bank vault until it can be sold.