jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 3, 2022 13:15:00 GMT -5
Wine color yellow orange mix
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 3, 2022 13:09:16 GMT -5
Well preserved. Nice find.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jul 1, 2022 6:06:52 GMT -5
I roll at that speed for only step 1, then finish with a vibe. Just fill the barrel to 80% and add slurry thickener. Better to roll slow for 500-1000-polish steps Patty. what a cool machine.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 29, 2022 10:13:16 GMT -5
jamesp that conglomerate is ultra cool! I couldn't find the conglomerate photo album. The Texas Gem Trail book does specify the CJ Young ranch on the Brazos River just west of Dallas as a large source of conglomerates. Since the Brazos flows directly into the Gulf of Mexico the Rio conglomerates are coming from a different source. One of the conglomerates had equally spaced BB sized agate chips frozen in crystal clear chalcedony. The ones with the white/beige matrix were similar and highly sought after but unfortunately infrequent. Not the best Robin: this matrix color was most common:
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 29, 2022 6:26:07 GMT -5
Wood or root judging from the knots. Looks like lots of alteration thru silicification has occurred. In many cases the surface of the cobble will display wood patterns but after cutting you have to wonder if it is a plant at all. As if the wood served as a carrier for color and distorted patterns. Exposed patches of limestone or caliche covering 1/4 to 1 acre often have a petrified collection of a similar wood pattern as if in situ. Nice moss bi-color. probably better cut rotated 90 degrees to show plumes better Some of the conglomerates are bright and amazing. This on on the dark side. From past trip with white matrix: Banding
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 29, 2022 5:37:12 GMT -5
Ooh, cut that green and gold plume the other way. Yall chopped across the plume ends. Should show great plume cut parallel to the tips. I see exactly what you are saying. It can be tricky knowing how to saw parallel to the plumes judging from the surface as you know. I'll give that a go. Thanks
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 29, 2022 5:34:12 GMT -5
Great Googalee Moogalee those "cobbles" are just stunning! I think the variety of material from the Rio makes it one of the greatest hounding areas I could imagine! Just Wowzers!!! It is a massive deposit of so many varieties Jason. The Rio drainage covers a large area known for these quartz rocks. They all washed down and covered the flat lands of south Texas. The deposit runs for at least 100 miles. I'm collecting on just a few of those miles ! You never know what will be found from minute to minute.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 29, 2022 5:26:48 GMT -5
That fall colored moss is unreal James Chad the moss agates come in about every color but blue. It must be the chemistry of that area that makes such nice mosses and so many of them.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 28, 2022 1:31:16 GMT -5
I would love to get back to that area again rockpickerforever Jean. I hope Bob can come out too. We each had a strong focus and interest in finding the best we could. I do have to get a feel for how the landowner feels about inviting a guest on the private lands. It might be a sensitive issue. Ha, yes the Japanese Jeep would be the choice since it seems reliable enough to get it done. It's a big deal for an easterner to collect the rocks from the west. A shame it is so far away. I have yet to contact the fellow I met that got me permission to collect on his land and his relative's lands. That was a big deal from a collecting standpoint since there was so much land that did not seem picked over. The land out there is about all Latino owned and I get the feeling they were glad to show their Latino hospitality to a visiting Georgian by allowing me on their properties. It was as if they liked Atlanta folks. I never spent time in a border town but I sure liked the people there. Actually I liked them very much and developed a big soft spot for their values and kindness.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 26, 2022 8:32:41 GMT -5
jamespJames, is that you and your contraptions in the pictures posted by 1dave? Exposed ! Them crazy engineers know not what they are doing
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 24, 2022 10:52:22 GMT -5
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 15:17:47 GMT -5
A favorite of mine porcelain jasper. Probably washed out from Chihuahua province of Mexico. Fairly common at L Falcon. A small bicolor Not so pretty but interesting Love that porcelain jasper! Glad to hear your going on another rockhounding adventure. I assume with Captbob. As a spectator, I can't wait. Don't forget us- we need another couple epic threads. Yes the porcelain is so varied and good hard shiny material. It is mined in or close to a silver mine. There are still some loose ends doing the trip. Mainly connecting with land owners.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 15:08:06 GMT -5
liveoak Patty Found a video about shark's teeth in Alabama. Can't link it as it is blocked from sharing but you can find it on Youtube. Search Youtube : Fossil Sharks of Alabama bout 52 minutes long It is a young doctorate student discussing ages, types and locations of a whole gamut of teeth found mostly in south Bama.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 14:40:19 GMT -5
A favorite of mine porcelain jasper. Probably washed out from Chihuahua province of Mexico. Fairly common at L Falcon. A small bicolor Not so pretty but interesting
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 13:48:47 GMT -5
I got frustrated with rolling the big ones rockchip and made five small barrels like 5 pounds each out of PVC pipe. My tumbler machine would roll all five at a time so I would stick a 1 to 3 pounder in each barrel with all smaller rocks and roll five at a time. It kept the operator busy though but those tumbles ended up being top shelf items.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 13:41:56 GMT -5
jamespWow James! I think that picture as well as others I’ve seen of your stuff begs the question, what do you do with all your finished product?! Most are given to kids when people are picking the fire pits I sell. Kids love tumbles. And many have more interest in rocks that adults. New age kids seem to have more interest in science. Younger parents too. Parents must be concerned about their children's technical skills in this modern world. Probably a good strategy.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 7:24:11 GMT -5
Looks like New Mexico wonderstone rhyolite. Always well silicified rhyolites that polish well. stolen from upstream thank you Looks Woodward and an old chip off of a big cobble. Travel 400 miles to Big Bend Rio and see park agates as big as basketballs. Dark moss Closer, note gold like inclusions(old iPad pro does OK) Bicolor moss a world within Another dark with longer plumes, milkier chalcedony
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 6:41:00 GMT -5
Question is, what is that crystallized rock behind it ? looks like magnetite Thanks Bob. Those metallic like specimens are a challenge to ID for me anyway.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 23, 2022 6:38:12 GMT -5
Share and share alike mohs. RTH is made interesting by a wide range of personalities with similar earth and social interests. RTH has been a fine haven for many folks. Glad that it has served your needs well. We all must be in the same boat. The caliche was a new experience for me. Talk about reflecting light and cooking your armpits ! I spent a lot of time sampling the agate density in caliche at various locations. The agates jaspers and petrified jewels were locked into the caliche within a half mile of that Rio Grande river channel. Much of it requires a hammer and screwdriver to chisel and pry agates out of it. The gravel yards would scrub the glue-like caliche off of the gravel if they wanted it clean. No surprise your Native folks used it for construction. Looks like I am planning another safari out to the Rio. I am sawing these Rio's for the fun of it but also to re-familiarize myself with reading the skin of each cobble. The patina lends to deception as to what beauties lie within. There is mega quantities of agates at the cool lakeshore but they have all been painted with a white (alkaline ?) coating. Well camouflaged from the eye of the collector, hidden treasured covered with earth paint ! Cobbles with these formations almost always guarantee fine plumes and mosses(include a conglomerate and a striper): This one shows the point of infill, a homemade glass agate
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
|
Post by jamesp on Jun 22, 2022 13:29:46 GMT -5
It really looks like palm mohs. Compare to surface shot above and it really looks identical. But there are plenty of calcium carbo critters that could have left those pits. Even sponge boreholes can leave such but usually in seashells. All these Rio cobbles are found in caliche. I guess all caliche is a sedimentary deposit - asking ? Does AZ have caliche(better known as 5000 psi ash concrete ) ? 100% glass, a slagger for sure. Question is, what is that crystallized rock behind it ?
|
|