sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on Nov 2, 2013 9:05:28 GMT -5
Since I started this obsession a couple years ago, I've relied on several sources to help me identify various kinds of rocks/slabs. I've used members of this forum, The Rock Forum and the Gemstone Lapidary Forum, the excellent compilations of Elementary et al, three books - Simon & Schusters Rocks and Minerals, the Smithsonian Handbook on Rocks and Minerals, and Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals, and opinions from other rock collectors. I've found that approximately 50% of what I put on the forums are not able to be identified, not even with a cross check of my other sources listed earlier.
Are there other good sources somewhere I can go to to compare what I have in an effort to identify a slab? I have an awful lot of slabs that range from plainish to beautiful that I've not been able to ID and there is no way to sell them and get fair value for something that is unknown. Any suggestions?
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Post by johnjsgems on Nov 2, 2013 9:14:57 GMT -5
Good luck. When I first started I foolishly thought I could use rock and mineral books to identify rocks. They were of very little help. Sometimes if you know the location you can identify the specific rock. There are so many variations of agates, jaspers, and jasp/agates that unless it is a very specific example (Bruno, Montana moss, etc.) you are going to have a hard time pinning them down. Best thing to do is catalog everything you collect yourself with location and buy rock from identified locations. Some of the "old location" rocks you can buy from estates in mixed buckets are really a matter of experience to identify.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2013 9:37:45 GMT -5
In addition, there are a huge number of rocks that do not have a name even though you have a location. That was the biggest problem I had when I started looking for answers about stones here in Wyoming. I posted a lot of rock photos here and searched books but unless it was a specific mineral there was no name because nobody had picked up enough quantity to give it a name. I have given one stone a name because I found enough of it to pass around and probably could give a couple of others names too.
I can now ID a lot of stone here now that I have been at it for a few years but they are common things like quartz, aventurine, feldspar, Montana agate of a couple of varieties, etc etc but most of it does not have a name and I have learned to accept that. I sell it as unknown north central Wyoming agate/jasper/wonderstone/etc. Jim
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2013 15:57:10 GMT -5
There are hundreds (thousands?) of names varieties of semi-precious gem stones. Usually named by the mine/quarry source. That is great for those few stones. Linda Marie Plume agate is just that plume agate from the Linda Marie mine. Lavic Jasper is jasper from the lavic siding region of Cali. Same for North Cady Mtn Sagenite, except that is a specific variety of agate found only in one region of the North Cady Mtns (get ready to climb hills guys). The problem is this. There are brazilians of unique stones out there in the field. You can drive every dirt road in the Mojave/Arizona/Texas... and find materials. Some generic, others unique. Jasper, Jasp-agate, yellow moss agate... if you happen upon a previously unnamed source of unique material you get to name it - like I did for Tommy's "Sunset rhyolite". But when you find that unique piece and go looking for a name online or in books, it is most likely that there simply ain't one. The names are man-made and if it hasn't been named by someone else, until you name it, it's just a rock; or a jasper or an agate..... The only solution I offer is giving it a descriptive name - Hwy 84D, mile 54 agate... at the very least. Rio Puerco Petwood is an example of this named by others.
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Post by 1dave on Nov 4, 2013 17:52:15 GMT -5
. . . and 20 guys digging on the same hillside give it 50 different names . . .
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Post by 150FromFundy on Nov 4, 2013 18:56:30 GMT -5
Another interesting discussion.
What's in a name? From what I've learned about human nature by selling pendants at craft sales over the past few years is that the only people that really care are are people like us!
I've always prided myself on including an interpretive tag with a name, location, and some interesting tidbit of trivia (or lore)about the rock that I made the pendant from. In the eyes of the public, it all comes down to whether they like the purple one, or the green one. They don't care about the breakup of Pangaea, tectonic forces, hydrothermal solutions, or the presence of trace impurities and oxides in their silica.
What's in a name? It depends on whether you are selling to the public, or a rock hound. LOL
Darryl.
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Post by pghram on Nov 5, 2013 15:24:19 GMT -5
So true, most people just like pretty rocks.
Rich
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Nov 5, 2013 15:54:02 GMT -5
The problem is this. There are brazilians of unique stones out there in the field. Okay Scott, you are starting to sound like Archie Bunker, LOL. I have yet to see a Brazilian out there. A couple Panamanians though. Mike Stivic: You know, you are totally incomprehensible. Archie Bunker: Maybe so, but I make a lot of sense.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2013 16:29:25 GMT -5
haha!
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Post by johnjsgems on Nov 8, 2013 13:00:05 GMT -5
I think he meant "bazillion". As it isn't a real number it really doesn't matter. When we sold jewelry at shows my wife kept a "properties of rocks" list handy for those that believed in that stuff. We had quite a few people ask what kind of rock is that? Always best if selling to have an answer even if it is really general like "agate from the Mohave Desert".
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2013 13:21:31 GMT -5
Thanks John, I did mean Bazillions, by way of Archie Bunker. Brazilians!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Nov 8, 2013 14:03:01 GMT -5
Scott, you're not old enough to remember that show, are you? Yeah, Mike was a real meathead, lol!
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Nov 8, 2013 14:15:59 GMT -5
Sheltie: I've always just used Mel! LOL For general categorization, I've liked this: web.sahra.arizona.edu/education2/fossEH/Session1/ROCKidentification_ho.pdfThat doesn't really help you looking for specific material names. Scott: You've reminded me about a joke about a former president. Advisor: Mr. President, I regret to inform you that 3 Brazilian men died fighting in Iraq today. President (turning pale): Oh, no! That's terrible! Tell me again; how many in a brazilian? Chuck
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Post by DirtCleaner on Nov 8, 2013 18:08:35 GMT -5
Thanks for posting that link Chuck. There is plenty of info. there.
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