emyhro40480
starting to shine!
Rockhounding since I was knee-hi to a grasshopper.
Member since October 2014
Posts: 49
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Post by emyhro40480 on May 30, 2015 7:50:57 GMT -5
Hello my friends, Has anyone on this board had any experience with tumbling Ant Hill Garnet? I have acquired enough to do one tumbling process but don't want it to grind down to nothing. Any help from you guy's? Thank's, Ed M.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on May 30, 2015 9:52:14 GMT -5
I'm sure "James" and a few others have a recipe for that-Thumbs up!
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ringlord
starting to shine!
Member since May 2015
Posts: 31
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Post by ringlord on May 30, 2015 16:06:06 GMT -5
I'm no expert, but I've tumbled some tiny garnets for a month in 60/90 grit. Seems like it would be difficult to grind them down to nothing. The ones I did held their size pretty well.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on May 31, 2015 7:40:45 GMT -5
The problem is not going to be grinding them down to nothing. It would be getting them to grind enough as mentioned. Best luck I had was running 20-30% with a load of agates, like filler. In 60/90 coarse step. Them rascals are tough.
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Post by gingerkid on May 31, 2015 9:24:20 GMT -5
emyhro40480, would you please post a pic of your Ant Hill garnet rough? That's one that I don't have in the collection. Fascinating that ants 'mine' the garnets.
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emyhro40480
starting to shine!
Rockhounding since I was knee-hi to a grasshopper.
Member since October 2014
Posts: 49
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Post by emyhro40480 on May 31, 2015 10:04:32 GMT -5
In regards to gingerkid's response: I do not have any pics of the anthill garnet but google has some nice pics. Yes, the ants push the garnets to the surface along with other debri while tunneling, hence the chore of mining. I am not sure where this occurs although if my memory serves me right it was Arizona on one of the reservations. You can just pick them up off the ground. They are just a brown ugly color but have the distinct shape of a garnet. I got them a long time ago through a mail order place but the guy no longer has a website as I think he passed away. Thank you for the responses, I will try to tumble some and see what happens.
Ed M.
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Post by gingerkid on May 31, 2015 10:15:43 GMT -5
Thanks, emyhro40480! Sure wish you had pics of 'em. I hope you'll please post pics after you polish them. Good luck and have fun tumbling them! I think 1dave may have some photos of his forum friends collecting Ant Hill garnets on the forum. I hope he sees your post and uploads a couple of pics.
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