Discovery Kit
Discovery Kit — Product Specification
SKU: MMC-DK-001 Price: $39.99 Status: Pre-launch / In Development Last Updated: 2026-03-12
Overview
The Discovery Kit is McClane's Mining Company's entry-level product and primary gift SKU. Buyers dig through ~8 lbs of sand to uncover a hidden assortment of real gemstones and minerals, then use the included ID sheet to identify what they found. It's the core sluice-mining-at-home experience — designed to be fun, surprising, and giftable.
Target buyer: Parents and grandparents purchasing as a gift End user age: 4 and up (parental supervision required — sand and small gemstones are a choking hazard) Use setting: Indoor or outdoor (plastic tablecloth included for mess containment)
What's in the Box
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Sand-filled bucket | ~8 lbs of sand with hidden gemstones, in a 2-quart bucket with lid |
| Gemstones | Assorted real gemstones/minerals — see Gemstone List below |
| Sifting screen | Mesh sifter sized to fit over a bin or tub |
| Small shovel | Plastic — for digging and scooping |
| Gemstone ID sheet | Printed card identifying each possible stone in the kit |
| Plastic tablecloth | For mess containment; keeps sand off tables and floors |
Packaging Notes
- The 2-quart bucket serves as both the shipping container and part of the product experience (kids dig directly from it)
- The lid should be secure enough to survive shipping without popping open
- The ID sheet, sifter, and shovel ride on top of the sand under the lid, or in a separate sealed poly bag inside
- Bucket is branded via an applied label/sticker (not printed directly on the bucket)
Gemstone List
The Discovery Kit contains an assortment of real gemstones and minerals. The exact mix per bucket will vary — that's part of the surprise. We will develop our own selection and ID card rather than replicating a competitor's.
The following are candidate stones based on market research, availability, and visual appeal. Final list to be confirmed against Amazon/supplier pricing and availability:
| Stone | Notes |
|---|---|
| Amethyst | Purple — crowd favorite, high perceived value |
| Rose Quartz | Pink — popular with kids |
| Clear Quartz | Classic, versatile |
| Tiger's Eye | Brown/gold chatoyance — very visual |
| Sodalite | Deep blue — striking |
| Lapis Lazuli | Dark blue with gold flecks — premium feel |
| Green Aventurine | Green shimmer |
| Carnelian | Orange-red, smooth tumbled |
| Citrine | Yellow/orange — sunny appearance |
| Hematite | Dark metallic — heavy, interesting texture |
| Black Tourmaline | Dark, angular — contrast piece |
| Labradorite | Iridescent — "wow" stone |
| Rainbow Fluorite | Multi-color banding — highly visual |
| Orange Calcite | Warm orange, soft |
| Rhodonite | Pink/black patterning |
| Desert Jasper | Earthy, varied patterning |
| Moss Agate | Green inclusions in clear |
| Mookaite | Earth tones, Australian feel |
| Petrified Wood | Conversation piece — technically not a gem |
| Blue Quartz | Blue tone, accessible |
| Amazonite | Teal-green |
| Lepidolite | Purple mica, sparkles |
Note: Not every stone will appear in every bucket. The kit should contain a curated assortment (exact count TBD — see Open Questions). We need our own photography for all selected stones for the ID card.
ID Sheet
A printed card (or folded sheet) included in every kit. Purpose: help kids identify the stones they found.
Requirements:
- Photo of each possible stone with its name
- Brief fun fact per stone (1 sentence) — optional but differentiates from competitors
- McClane's Mining Company branding — logo, brand colors (#2D7A3A Shamrock Green / #1A5226 Shield Green / #9E9E9E Pickaxe Silver)
- No QR codes required at launch (competitor uses one — we don't need to match it)
- Size: US Letter (8.5×11"), folded once or twice to fit in packaging
Design status: Not started. We need original photography of our selected stones before this can be designed.
Pricing & Margins
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Retail price | $39.99 |
| Primary carrier | USPS Medium Flat Rate Box (~$19.60 commercial rate) |
| Target margin | 28–43% after shipping and COGS |
Note: Shipping at $19.60 is ~49% of retail price — the dominant cost. This leaves only ~$20.39 to cover all COGS and margin.
Partial Cost Model (known costs only)
| Component | Unit Cost |
|---|---|
| Bucket (2 qt, Amazon) | $3.00 |
| Sand (~8 lbs; $3 / 40 lb bag ÷ 5 buckets) | $0.60 |
| Sifter | TBD |
| Shovel (plastic) | TBD |
| Gemstones | TBD |
| Plastic tablecloth | TBD |
| ID sheet (printing) | TBD |
| Label/sticker | TBD |
| Known COGS subtotal | $3.60 |
| Shipping (USPS Medium Flat Rate) | $19.60 |
| Known total cost | $23.20 |
| Remaining for unknown COGS + margin | $16.79 |
Margin sensitivity — once all COGS are known:
| Target margin | Max total COGS allowed | Max COGS excl. shipping |
|---|---|---|
| 28% ($11.20) | $28.79 | $9.19 |
| 35% ($14.00) | $26.00 | $6.40 |
| 43% ($17.20) | $22.79 | $3.19 |
Flag: With $3.60 already spent on bucket and sand, the remaining COGS budget for gems, sifter, shovel, tablecloth, ID sheet, and label is roughly $2.59–$5.59 depending on target margin. Gemstone cost will be the deciding factor — this needs to be priced out before margins can be confirmed.
Sourcing (Current / Early Stage)
- Sand: Purchased in bags from local home center (~$3 / 40 lb bag)
- Bucket: Amazon (~$3 each)
- Sifter: Amazon (cost TBD)
- Shovel: Amazon, plastic (cost TBD)
- Gemstones: Amazon, raw assortment (cost TBD)
- Tablecloth: TBD (cost TBD)
- ID sheet: Home or local print (cost TBD)
- Label/sticker: TBD (cost TBD)
Safety & Compliance
- Choking hazard warning required — small parts (gemstones, sand). Not for children under 3.
- Age recommendation: 4+ (confirm against ASTM F963 small-parts requirements)
- Parental supervision required — should appear on packaging and ID sheet
- Sand should be clean, non-toxic, and free of sharp debris
Action item: Confirm minimum age and required warning label language with legal/compliance guidance before launch.
Product Tier Context
The Discovery Kit is Tier 1. The next tier up (name TBD) adds one animal-shaped gemstone figurine (e.g., elephant, tiger, turtle, frog) that buyers select at purchase — creating named SKU variants like "[Animal] [Kit Name]." The Discovery Kit does not include the animal figurine.
Open Questions
Cost / sourcing
- Gemstone cost per bucket (biggest unknown — will determine if margins are viable)
- Sifter cost (Amazon)
- Shovel cost (Amazon, plastic)
- Tablecloth cost per unit
- ID sheet printing cost (home vs. local print shop vs. online bulk)
- Label/sticker cost per unit
Product design
- Exact gemstone count per bucket (how many pieces total?)
- Which specific stones from the candidate list make the final mix?
- Do we guarantee any specific stones appear, or is every bucket a random assortment?
Business / legal
- Name of Tier 2 product (animal figurine kit)
- Confirm ASTM F963 age-rating and required choking-hazard warning label language (believed to be 4+, no children under 3)