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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 28, 2012 15:45:13 GMT -5
I'm heading to Marquette, MI with my family to visit my mother next week. I'd like to go rock hounding while I'm there, but I need some specific locations to check out. I emailed the Ishpeming Rock and Mineral Club, but they have a policy against making recommendations for liability reasons. I plan to check out Jasper Knob and Da Yoopers Tourist Trap in Ishpeming. The Ishpeming Rock club also suggested a gravel pit that sells Kona Dolomite, but it might not be open this early in the year. Does anyone have any other suggestions of places near Marquette or between there and the bridge that we could find some fun rocks?
Also, is there any interest in trading for Kona dolomite? Does anyone know if it tumbles? I'm guessing that it's too soft, so maybe I can shine some up like Petoskey stones on a grinder.
Thanks, Rob
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rattlehead
starting to spend too much on rocks
MI Rocks
Member since December 2010
Posts: 213
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Post by rattlehead on Mar 28, 2012 15:56:33 GMT -5
Just west of Au Train off the 28 is Old M-28. If you come in from the east just down less than a mile on Old M-28 is a little clearing you can park and walk down to the lake. It's loaded with rocks. Very pretty spot. Only bout a half hour drive from Marquette. Found some agates and some other nice rocks there.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Mar 28, 2012 16:37:51 GMT -5
We drive right through Au Train on the way there. We'll be sure to stop. Thanks!
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Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 1, 2012 21:52:42 GMT -5
Thanks for the great recommendation, Rattlehead! We stopped in Au Train today and my son said it was the most fun he's ever head looking for rocks. We found lots of unakite. My son was so excited that we got enough unakite to tumble a whole batch of it. We also found rhyolite porphyry, quartz, granite, basalt, amydaloidal basalt, sandstone, and chert. We didn't find any agates, but I'm not sure I'd recognize an unpolished agate if I saw one. It was a really beautiful beach. There were big boulders in one direction with small stones and a few boulders in the other direction. It was about forty degrees out, which is warm for this time of year. Another forty degrees and it would have been fun to wade in the water. Panoramic picture of the beach: 360.io/g4Mpx3
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 2, 2012 6:58:46 GMT -5
Hey Rob, very cool 360 picture. Those rocks look pretty smooth from all the wave action already they should tumble a lot quicker than hammer broken stuff. I did a couple cabachons with some Kona Dolomite last week and it is VERY soft. It grinds away very quick if your not real careful. Its a 3.5 to 4 on the moh scale. I have been looking to buy some more for cabs if your able to get some thats good quality please let me know. I do have some saw scraps from it in the tumbler too so I'll let you know how those work out.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 4, 2012 17:41:55 GMT -5
I met a woman from the Ishpeming Rock and Mineral Club, and she was nice enough to give us a couple pieces of Kona along with a few other nice rocks. There's a quarry in the area that sells it pretty cheaply, but it wasn't open. I'll be going up there again in June and I plan to bring back as much as my wife will allow me to. She's more reasonable than I am. I found another really cool place to visit in Ishpeming. It's called Jasper Knob. Here's some info from da Yooper's Tourist Trap, where they also have a rock shop: dayoopers.com/jasp.htmlIf you haven't heard da Yoopers, check them out while you're at their website. Here's a 360 degree panorama: 360.io/fn9QFwHere are some other pictures: gallery.me.com/abramr#100229Attachments:
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