jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 5, 2016 8:14:44 GMT -5
This material was often larger than other Rio pebbles. Heavily bleached coating. Often dendritic, very conchoidal at breaks. Hard like Montana's or snake skin. Few fractures.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 5, 2016 10:03:29 GMT -5
Funny you should post that stuff James as I just finished sorting a big pile of Rios and separating out about 25 pounds of that same type agate. We just call those Montana-type agate but some are more like the Mississipi River or California Desert Rose type material. A few seem to have moss and some have bands or dendrites. Others have tubes, fortifications, eyes, or plumy swirls. Not real fancy stuff but kind of interesting. They could have originated up Toyah way, where I've seem similar stuff, though smaller but who knows. I'll have to take a photo of the pile and post it sometime.....Mel
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 5, 2016 12:32:17 GMT -5
Funny you should post that stuff James as I just finished sorting a big pile of Rios and separating out about 25 pounds of that same type agate. We just call those Montana-type agate but some are more like the Mississipi River or California Desert Rose type material. A few seem to have moss and some have bands or dendrites. Others have tubes, fortifications, eyes, or plumy swirls. Not real fancy stuff but kind of interesting. They could have originated up Toyah way, where I've seem similar stuff, though smaller but who knows. I'll have to take a photo of the pile and post it sometime.....Mel Thank you very much Mel. Montana was exactly what came to mind. That stuff would be a flint knapper's dream, very glassy and hardly any fractures. Some rich in cool dendrites. White clouds/black clouds. Guessing you will figure the source one day as it is very common toward Zapata. share photos if you get a chance.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 5, 2016 15:59:35 GMT -5
In Montana,we called them prairie and river agates....
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 5, 2016 18:01:36 GMT -5
In Montana,we called them prairie and river agates.... Montana's have a serious history. Goes way back. Greyfingers sent me an article about them. Seemed like a guy filled the basement of a bar with them. Shipped them on rail cars. You probably know all that.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 6, 2016 10:20:28 GMT -5
Howdy James, Here are some pics of the types of oddball Rio gates some of which resemble Montanas. They seem to fall into three categories, so here they are...Mel The larger ones are often the most Montana like and they come small too. Clear to included inside and some show tubes or fortifications or plumy stuff. The next group are usually very flat. Often they have tubes, eyes, flowery structures or botryoids. Some even appear to have dense black plume inside. hose are probably from up Marfa way. Often these are in pastel colors too. And finally, the third group are kind of a mix between small fortification types and desert rose type stuff. Clear to swirly opal looking inclusions inside and sometimes with pastels or grays or blacks in the nodules.
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 6, 2016 18:22:28 GMT -5
HOLY MOLLY Mel,I would cut into those in a heartbeat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Any for sale? ? Like the top photos..............
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 6, 2016 18:42:10 GMT -5
In Montana,we called them prairie and river agates.... Montana's have a serious history. Goes way back. Greyfingers sent me an article about them. Seemed like a guy filled the basement of a bar with them. Shipped them on rail cars. You probably know all that. Never heard that story James........ I do remember as a kid,that my Uncles had tons,I mean tons of Montana agates!!! This was in the late 50's and early 60's..... Now remember I was raised in Montana,everybody had Montana moss agates and could get them for a little of nothing and (or) free.. Heck we picked them up off the railroad tracks too,it was mixed it with the crushed gravel,the Railroad Companies bought.. Sold the agates to tourists that drove past our house....LOL I would still bet you a dollar to a donut that somewhere in Montana,is a rock hoarder,sitting on tons of Montana moss agates! If I didn't have that Gypsy blood in me (the travel and moving bug)....I probably would have stayed in Montana and bought up every rock I could get,plus hounded them too and buy all the old automotive merchandise,when the old dealerships went out of business.. I would be in hog heaven and making a living doing what I loved to do......HORSETRADING!!! LOL Told my brothers I would have three buildings full of crap!!! They said,heck,we would have helped you too.... It was always thought of,but never discussed,between my brothers and I.....oH WELL HUH......
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 6, 2016 19:30:15 GMT -5
fossilman, I believe the historical article had to do with Kehoe. In the 20's-30's. I could not find it on the net. As far as the Montana agate venture, hind sight always seem to come into play. Wouldn't it be fine if you could find a giant vein of some insane agate on your property that everyone would pay $30/pound ? Things of dreams my friend.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 6, 2016 19:37:56 GMT -5
Sabre52 Mel, the ones to the left and top sure look like the same material. They were consistently round and oval and not biscuit shaped. Bigger than the average cobbles. Black white translucent grey. and often with brown inclusions. They always had the cream colored patina that was consistently 1/8 inch thick with a sharp delineation line to un-patina ed material. Not the flashiest color, but Montana characteristics. Nice material.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 6, 2016 19:59:21 GMT -5
Fossilman: This is just more of the stuff the kids are bringing in. If you want a MFR box including all the big one's shown here and as much of the rest of the stuff shown that I can stuff in as filler, you can have it for tumbling material prices, $45 for the box delivered. I've got way too much agate stacked in front of my shop as it is *L*. Just drop me a PM if interested...Mel
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 7, 2016 18:18:22 GMT -5
PM'ed you Mel.........Heck ya'!!!!
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 11, 2016 23:42:48 GMT -5
Here is a couple of tumbles of this fine agate. No cracks, hard as hard can be. Takes super polish. Sabre52 fossilman
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 12, 2016 8:11:21 GMT -5
Yum, those are pretty tumbles...Mel
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