dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 13, 2024 10:15:52 GMT -5
I found this specimen about 20-30 feet up from the mouth of a creek that flows into a river here in Central Texas. I found it after a rain ~ 3 rains ago. We tend to hound the creeks a week after a big rain as it turns stuff over and you get some new finds. I threw this rock in a bucket thinking it was a nice quartz. I finally got around to cleaning up that bucket last night and was nicely surprised. This is by far my best find hounding in central TX. If I didn't find it myself I'd have a hard time believing it came from the creek I found it in. I usually find chert, quartz and satin spar in this creek, but this is definitely some type of banded agate. It is covered in a limestone concretion that is common in this area. There is a bridge about 1.5-2 miles upstream, but other than that I can't think of how it would have gotten in the creek if it didn't originate there. To me the closest thing it looks like is blue lace agate. If anyone has found stuff like this in central TX, or knows what it is please let me know. Pics of it dry: Pics of it wet:
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Post by drocknut on Mar 13, 2024 11:13:47 GMT -5
That is a really cool find.
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topperace
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2023
Posts: 22
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Post by topperace on Mar 13, 2024 11:35:22 GMT -5
Nice, I wonder what it looks like inside.
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hplcman
spending too much on rocks
Just getting into this....
Member since August 2022
Posts: 414
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Post by hplcman on Mar 13, 2024 11:57:02 GMT -5
Amazing find! I can't wait to see what you do with it. I would be over the moon if I ever found anything like that!!
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chris1956
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2022
Posts: 1,246
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Post by chris1956 on Mar 13, 2024 13:02:08 GMT -5
Nice find! I hear you about the rain and the creeks. We haven't had a decent rain in months. Change of tornados and hail tonight here. I will skip that but hopefully we will get enough rain to stir up the rocks and get rid of last fall's leaves so I can see the good stuff.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 13, 2024 13:35:48 GMT -5
Nice find! I hear you about the rain and the creeks. We haven't had a decent rain in months. Change of tornados and hail tonight here. I will skip that but hopefully we will get enough rain to stir up the rocks and get rid of last fall's leaves so I can see the good stuff. Here is to hoping!
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 13, 2024 13:57:59 GMT -5
Amazing find! I can't wait to see what you do with it. I would be over the moon if I ever found anything like that!! thanks! It's been over 2 years of hounding, and literally hundreds of pounds of stone, and this is definitely my best find. I have a little drawer full of quartz that may be topaz? If one does happen to be a topaz that would be the only thing to top this. Once I get a bigger saw I'll probably slab it - what for? I don't know.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 13, 2024 13:58:36 GMT -5
Nice, I wonder what it looks like inside. I think I will try cutting it some day.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 13, 2024 13:58:53 GMT -5
That is a really cool find. Thanks!
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Post by jasoninsd on Mar 15, 2024 0:00:46 GMT -5
To me, it looks like it was formed much the same way a fortification agate is formed... SUPER cool find Dillon!
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 15, 2024 11:48:39 GMT -5
To me, it looks like it was formed much the same way a fortification agate is formed... SUPER cool find Dillon! Thanks Jason
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ashleeannajones
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2023
Posts: 23
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Post by ashleeannajones on Mar 16, 2024 2:04:00 GMT -5
Is this balmorhea blue??
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Post by 1dave on Mar 16, 2024 6:26:49 GMT -5
Those that look have all the luck!
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 16, 2024 9:18:03 GMT -5
I don't know, but it is a good thought. Those that look have all the luck! Very true!
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 17, 2024 9:41:59 GMT -5
I did a little research on balmorhea blue. I am well out of the range of were that should be found. It does have that look though - I agree with you. There is a red area in the center that surrounds some type of mica-like mineral in terms of flat cleavage, but it does flake apart. Mystery continues.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,463
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 21, 2024 17:49:47 GMT -5
Wow, really neat find. I've only found banded specimens like that down near George West, Three Rivers, the Rio grande/ Uvalde gravels etc. I'm near Kerrville and except for the occasional geode in limestone or various banded cherts, no real banded agate at all I've seen. That being said I do find occasional hunks of pet wood and those can be casts so there is some potential for banded agate. Also, I suppose we have to remember that in ancient times Texas was home to huge rivers that could have transported material from a long way away. What surprises me is your specimen is quite rough which would seem to imply it was not washed a long distance by water but rather from a source relatively close by.
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Post by Pat on Mar 21, 2024 18:04:32 GMT -5
I wonder what the ingredients are, especially the red. Also want to know how it came to be. Are all the colors the same hardness?
Neat lucky find!
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 21, 2024 19:35:13 GMT -5
I wonder what the ingredients are, especially the red. Also want to know how it came to be. Are all the colors the same hardness? Neat lucky find! They appear to be similar hardness. Inside the red is a "mica-like" inclusion that is hard yet exhibits a flat cleavage. It is not flaky though.
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dillonf
fully equipped rock polisher
Hounding and tumbling
Member since February 2022
Posts: 1,595
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Post by dillonf on Mar 21, 2024 19:49:07 GMT -5
Wow, really neat find. I've only found banded specimens like that down near George West, Three Rivers, the Rio grande/ Uvalde gravels etc. I'm near Kerrville and except for the occasional geode in limestone or various banded cherts, no real banded agate at all I've seen. That being said I do find occasional hunks of pet wood and those can be casts so there is some potential for banded agate. Also, I suppose we have to remember that in ancient times Texas was home to huge rivers that could have transported material from a long way away. What surprises me is your specimen is quite rough which would seem to imply it was not washed a long distance by water but rather from a source relatively close by. Yeah I've been in that creek before, and several areas around central TX, and I've never found anything similar. My wife did find a banded Jasper once (not in the same creek), and we went back and Haven't found anything similar to that either. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/post/1209715/threadThis was before I used cloudinary, so you gotta click the link.
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