Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 25, 2013 23:54:04 GMT -5
Anyone ever see reds and yellows inside dark blue rock before? I know that blueschist occurs in the Panoche Hills - and I also have been told that agatized blueschist is present, which entirely makes sense because both pieces of Area 54 blue I cut were VERY VERY hard - this little one killed off my 6" blade (it was on it's last leg anyway) - but this rock directly resembles a brecciated jasper - I use the term "poppy" very loosely because the orbicular pattern is not well defined etc. I didn't work on it very long but it seems to hold a very good shine from what I've seen . Anyway - positive thoughts are welcome. If you are pre-desposed to not believe in Area 54 then pass this by my friend - I just thought that many of you might enjoy seeing something out of the ordinary. Dark blue with reddish and yellowish "poppys" inside...
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 25, 2013 23:57:05 GMT -5
Just for giggles and grins I'll throw up a couple of pictures of the other Area 54 blue rock - polishes beautifully - I wish I had the cabbing skills to match :-)
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 26, 2013 19:53:23 GMT -5
sorry about the broken images earlier - someone (me) forgot to pay the domain registration HeeHee
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 26, 2013 19:59:45 GMT -5
I see the yellow spots, but nothing like poppies. can you get a sharper pic? what are the edges of the spots like?
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 26, 2013 20:18:52 GMT -5
Hi Daniel, I agree which is why I said I used the term poppies very loosely. I wouldn't compare this rock with a poppy jasper ... what would you consider the correct terminology for a jasper with red and yellow spots inside of it?
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 26, 2013 20:21:39 GMT -5
if the edge is hard enough, maybe "orbs". if the edge is ragged, then "crystals" ... but this is IMO.
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 26, 2013 20:24:28 GMT -5
I got ya. I'll try for a better close-up but I'm working with a cell-phone camera here so it might be as good as it gets.
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 26, 2013 22:18:23 GMT -5
OK this is about as up close and personal as I can get and still coax a focus out of the camera... If you click on the image it should take you to the full-size image on the web: and here's the full size version of the very first picture - click on the image to see it on the web - then you can zoom in a little depending on the browser:
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Post by deb193redux on Feb 26, 2013 22:21:02 GMT -5
I think they are crystals some look a bit hexagonal
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Feb 26, 2013 23:36:15 GMT -5
Hessonite garnets?
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 27, 2013 0:49:23 GMT -5
in a blueschist? hmmm... I can't find anything remotely similar. Interesting concept of the crystals though. I'm going to have to improve my magnification situation and take a closer look.
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on Feb 27, 2013 21:43:47 GMT -5
This is The Wikipedia definition of blueschist: Blueschist, as a rock type, is defined by the presence of the minerals glaucophane + ( lawsonite or epidote ) +/- jadeite +/- albite or chlorite +/- garnet +/- muscovite in a rock of roughly basaltic composition.
Those yellow spots definitely look like crystals to me, and garnets are definitely found in blueschist. The only way you'd see the lighter spots always roundish, or blocky or hexagonal - some do look hexagonal - would be if they were cubes or spheres or shaped like garnets. You said it was hard. Blueschist isn't that hard, but garnets are.
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barclay
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Post by barclay on Feb 27, 2013 22:24:25 GMT -5
Does the blue material look fiberous? If it does it could be tremolite (asbestos) which would be bad especially if you grind it. I also found some blue brecciated material up at Area 54. The collective minds here have not been able to Id it either.
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