rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 24, 2020 18:27:44 GMT -5
In see a woman, hair in bun. She has a large nose. She is grabbing some type of flying creature. I love the moss in that chert. Fernwood, I think that sounds like a relatively similar description to what I saw, maybe, hehe. The moss is really beautiful, hard to capture the details in a photo too esp. without polishing... Rockpickerforever: I can't tell if we are talking about the same area since you mentioned the upper right, but the big picture I see could be construed like you explained, I believe π. Rocket: I completely see the crab now that you mention it, especially the outline of the shell & the eyes!! Mmmm blue-crab π€€π½ JasoninSD: lol, it's not a big stretch to imagine the crane being unleashed amongst all the flailing limbs in this slab π. Rockjunquie, thank you & glad to share those, if you're into the yellows, you would be one happy camper out in KY agate country- we have the yellows in all it's many splendors
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 24, 2020 18:07:04 GMT -5
Wow! What an awesome experience and I'm glad you persevered and got that sucker out and it's in safe hands now haha. Wish I knew someone within driving distance who could whack that thing for you. Yessir, dontcha know it . I appreciate the wish & wish the same- the biggest saw in my 'circle' is a 24"er & it didn't fit π
. My biggest fear was getting back out to where I hid it & finding that someone had recklessly smashed it apart. Too common a sad story in KY of beautiful large agates shattered to smithereens! Rockpickerforever: That is a great idea about the concrete cutoff saw rental! Hadn't considered that, bet I could get a reasonably flush cut even just to satisfy the curiosity & that could prevent a possibly expensive run on a big saw if it did turn out to be a 'dud'. I always wonder about the concrete saws that look like a chainsaw both for cutting in situ rock as well as whether one could fashion an 'alaskan (rock) sawmill' type creation. JasoninSD: Thank you! Glad to hear you enjoyed E-floating along down the creek π. That sounds so 2020 π€£. Rockjunquie: Much appreciated, thank you, I certainly will post it when I finally manage to slice it, here's to hoping it's not just a giant quartz plug in the middle, lol π€
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 24, 2020 14:01:07 GMT -5
Howdy all, decided to post a little trip report from last winter, a mission to extract this 93 lb brute of an agate nodule!! I discovered it in early December 2019, just a golf ball sized lump sticking out of the ground. After digging, prying, digging some more etc, finally unearthed the beast after probably 30 minutes of work. By that time, it was dark, & I had to stash the thing up on the cliff/ hillside, as I already had a full pack of stone & really there was no way I could carry it for 4 miles back up the creek & "mountain"side wirhout a larger & sturdier pack (which I don't own anyhow π) So a week later, I enlisted some trusty friends to go and help me carry the thing back out. We built a stretcher to distribute the weight, and set to carrying across the steep & rocky terrain. No go, after a bit of strenuous effort, it became clear we weren't gonna carry the thing out. We made plans to return in January after holiday travels & float it out on kayak π. Without further ado, a pictorial of the 5 mile float expedition back out: Here's me after recovering the nodule & dragging it back down to the water: The float begins: After putting the rock in my kayak & floating a bit, my kayak became extremely unstable & wanted to roll on me through every rapid. So I dragged the boat ashore & discovered the the hull was taking on water. Later (back at home) discovered a large hole on the bottom, but was unsure as to how the water was getting in during the float. I stopped every 20 minutes or so to drain the water at first, but then gave up on that & just did best not to dunk myself in the icy water, lol. With that said, carrying myself (bout 200lbs, 6'3"), 93lbs of agate, my gear, plus at least 20 gallons of water inside the hull- this $200 kayak rated to carry 300lbs or so performed like a champ/doesn't owe me a thing ππͺ. Warming up on the bank with hot tea: We made it out/back to the road just about dark:30 ππ. Some details of the nodule: As any experienced KY agate cutter knows, red exterior does not usually correlate to red interior. I see clear indications that this one will be yellow & pink/purple on the interior, but ya never know til ya cut it! As usual, I can't get the color to photograph well. I'm dying to cut the thing, but have yet to locate a large enough saw since the 36"er at Berea College went away π... This one is about 15"x12"x12". I also have a growing collection of other nice, large agates to cut in general. Anyone out there wanting to help cut or sell me a large saw please feel free to chime in π€π. Fun trip, thanks for checking it out : )
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 24, 2020 13:08:06 GMT -5
Time for a checkin here at the best rockhound forum ππ I picked up a hefty chunk of Missouri chert maybe 8 or 9 years ago & recently 'rediscovered' it in my garage in a bag of Missouri agate material. Was very pleasantly surprised after cutting it, as I was expecting something more boring. Would've guessed it was jasper from OR or whatnot if I hadn't picked it up myself in MO. Also, not collected anywhere near the Mozarkite zone. After cutting this slice, a large, clear action-scene image jumped out at me, anyone else see it ?ππΊ π Some more slices/ zooms from the same MO chert: Some KY material: I love the dark KY agates: One with wild red moss like I've never seen before: This blue stuff in this geode really surprised me, still not certain what it is- seems like some hybrid chalcedony/slaty thing π
& I've never seen such 'Montana-esque' dendrites in KY cuts before, kinda boring rock otherwise though, haha: If nobody can see/guess the picture in the Missouri chert, I'll post an image where I've traced the outline ;-). Thanks for viewing : ) !
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Oct 30, 2019 14:19:33 GMT -5
I find these in Kentucky & other midwest limestone as well, my best guess is aragonite pseudomorph, replaced by limestone or dolomite etc. Here's a picture of aragonite crystals that I found online from 'science photo library' not my picture: I should add that I also find brown aragonite crystals in the same limestone, though never yet with this column type shape though...
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 15, 2019 11:48:12 GMT -5
They are really nice. Interesting your comment about the rock changing colour after you have sawed it, I have the occasional Queensland Agate that does the same. Starts out dull gery then changes to pink in minutes. I find that cutting Agates with Quartz layers or centres sharpens my blade. Gotcha, the quartz centers would also make sense since most of the Kentucky pieces have quartz centers. If that's the case, I wonder if it's caused by the multi-directional orientation of the quartz crystals. Also always cool to hear about Queensland agate! As I'm sure most rockhunters would agree, agate creek would be a dream destination for collecting. I always assume that the color changes are due to electron states of the metals that color the agate. KY agate often changes color when cut, & then again after being out in the sun. & thanks victor1941, should have some more to post before too long, jusy gotta make time for the saw : ).
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 13, 2019 16:00:27 GMT -5
I like the yellow/black and the moss one. Good to see the yellow & black one appreciated, it has some really interesting features, but I found it split open & left behind by some other collector. I wonder if those ones without distinctive banding would more accurately be called geodes rather than agate. If I had to guess from appearances, I would call that yellow/black one jasper, but I remember a knowledgeable geologist saying that jasper doesn't exist in Kentucky. Thanks greig & NRG, & yeah, finding the red one took my breath away too π±. Fossilman, I agree, KY's are a lot of fun to cut because each slice usually shows really different patterns in one stone. Another thing that I've noticed is that Kentucky agates are easy on my saw blade. Even though they are supposed to be on the harder side of the agate scale, my blade has showed almost 0 cutting edge wear after putting on a new one 8 years ago. Before that, while I was living in Washington State, seemed like I needed to put a new blade on every 2-3 years or so by cutting those Pacific Northwest rocks. Maybe the contrast of calcite and agate 'sharpens'/hones the saw blade somehow..
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 11, 2019 12:24:07 GMT -5
I'm glad ya'll enjoyed seeing those & thanks for the comments! Thanks for sharing your finds, I know how hard it is to find those things. That last one is definitely a terrific find. I like the banded grey agates as well, though. You've got a good variety on display there and, I agree, the KY moss is underrated. Yes, takes a lot of time & access to the right places to find those rare guys! & I think a lot of our KY material is underrated. But since life in rural KY is quite a bit 'different' than the more 'civilized' parts of the US, the agate & other gemstones are a real blessing for those of us living here. & also allikat, drummond I.R. & hummingbirdstones, that red one is certainly one of the very best rocks I've found anywhere, & it came from the little piece of land I bought in the KY agate zone which was very exciting! To Peruano, glad that you also like the smoky one, it's also very unique from my other finds. & quartz, I agree, the big yellow & red one is pretty wild in the middle! I need to polish it but it's really tricky since it has calcite, agate & some softer metallic stuff all combined, heh...
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 10, 2019 18:23:13 GMT -5
Here's a few examples of the KY agate I've collected this year. First, a good example of the most common color, yellow, but has some nice red/pink highlights: One with yellow & black. The KY material seems to often change color after cutting, with a lot of black colors fading to grey. This one, & usually ones with yellow & black, has stayed black: This is a common inky grey type from certain locations, but I like them: This one, grey & white, might look plain, but I find it very attractive & it makes me think of the smoke from a genie in a lamp π
. The crystal pockets are very sparkly in person & have metallic inclusions: Some often ignored red KY moss: A large & really pretty yellow & red one with brecciated/broken & reformed center of agate in calcite & some iron rich dark material: & finally, the best one so far, a nicely sized brilliant red one with many shades of red: Thanks for looking!
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on May 12, 2019 11:32:47 GMT -5
I will buy the box of whale bone please! Sending P.M. also.
Will pass on the agate, it sounds like a good deal but I have more agate than I know what to do with ; ).
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Feb 2, 2019 21:28:02 GMT -5
I like your idea. I've hosted four people here and I've been a guest once. I didn't actually provide housing (I would have been willing to), but I did give guided fossil excursions. I think most people would be glad to do the same if someone was in their area. I'm curious about Kentucky agates. I was under the impression that they are very rare. How likely would it be that someone would find some with you as their guide? What's that rock in the second to last picture? Some sort of fossil? Well, yes, given the small area where good KY agate occurs, & that it's 100% private land where you can legally collect, it is quite rare! Given the locations that I have permission for, & with my help, a person that has some agate collecting experience should be able to find a piece or 2. Also, the countryside is beautiful, & one can easily find some nice fossils, colorful lapidary quality chert & plenty of geodes. If one was unable to find any good stuff, I'd make sure they go home with something worthwhile. I'm hoping that someone with access to other rare locations will respond, but I'm also open to other ideas such as someone skilled in metalwork. I'm especially interested in silver casting. I figured that the star shaped piece is a fossil, maybe an echinoderm of some kind, but I don't really know, heh. There's a ton of Mississippian marine fossils at these locations though. Fernwood, thanks, I love that rock also! I'm guessing it's an algae or stromatolite type fossil. It's some kind of iron ore. I made a pair of earrings with it:
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Feb 2, 2019 19:14:05 GMT -5
No rules broken that I know of. Sounds like a great suggestion. I hope you have some takers. Your agates are beautiful! Thank you! & good to know the idea is 'above board' π.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Feb 2, 2019 16:00:29 GMT -5
Howdy all! I'm not sure if this will appeal to anyone, but just thought I'd 'test the water' & see if there's any interest. There's nothing better than traveling to new places to look for rocks & gems! While I enjoy camping & discovering sites on my own, I've been thinking it'd be fun to do a trade. The idea is that I host somebody on my own rockhounding home turf, in exchange to be hosted by you in a place that you know the rocky terrain. What I would offer is a couple days out in Kentucky agate country, with myself as a knowledgeable guide. The details could be open for negotiation, but just to give an idea, my thoughts were along the lines of this: I could pick you up at a local airport (Cincinnati or Lexington), provide (somewhat rustic) accommodations, & take you out on a couple trips to hunt the famous Kentucky rocks. In Kentucky agate hunting, there are 2 main difficulties which a local rockhound like myself can help you overcome. Firstly, it's difficult just to find a good, legal place to hunt KY agate. I know many excellent locations from decades of research & exploration. Secondly, once you get there, good KY agate is very difficult to identify. Without experience, you're likely to carry a pack/bucket full of look-alikes back up the hill. With my experience, I can make sure you only carry whatever good pieces you locate. It wouldn't be 'hand-holding', I'd be out there collecting for myself too, however, I would provide examples & some training to increase your odds of finding something good. Typical KY agate hunting consists of wading in cool water streams, searching the gravels for likely candidates. In order to make a fair trade, the rockhunting that you offer in exchange should be of comparable good quality. While I'm really a fortification agate guy, I'd also go for petrified wood, nice jasper, smoky crystals, garnets or any number of interesting lapidary material. If it's something that sounds good to you, try me, I'm up for many possibilities. I'd also consider trading you a KY agate trip in exchange for lapidary training, especially silver working! I know how to cut/shape/carve rocks, but my metalworking skills need a lot of work. Also, you'd be welcome to bring 1 buddy to join you if you wish. Feel free to PM if that's better for ya. Also, I'll make sure you don't go home empty handed! & please let me know if this sounds too crazy or breaks any forum rules π
. While I've posted most of these pictures on the forum already, here are some examples of what's out there, Most KY agate is this type of yellow material: But then on most trips I find one or two pieces that are of a more interesting/rare quality: Some fossil examples. There are lots of marine fossils, horn corals, 'death plates', bivalves, cherts with fossil inclusions etc:
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jan 31, 2019 19:37:20 GMT -5
Beautiful rock! Reminds me of Florida/GA agatized coral.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jan 31, 2019 18:43:28 GMT -5
I think it's cool no matter what it turns out to be Iron concretion Coral Bacarella Hardasorus skin Yeah, very cool find. It does look like an exact match for the iron concretion example in your picture. This type of structure, which also occurs in your friends item, is very reminiscent of how iron acts in many instances, including in our blood: We have a wide variety of iron concretions in Kentucky too, but they're typically smooth, botyroidal, or just irregular shapes.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jan 30, 2019 22:47:58 GMT -5
It's a very interesting looking item! Is it certainly a rock, or mineralized piece, as opposed to some other artifact like weather hardened dried leather? As a 2nd question to consider, is this the type of friend who might 'pull your leg' with a modern created hoax object? π
I'm tempted to say that in nearly every case that I can recall, reptile scales are not random or nearly as erratic and variable in size. They tend to form in radiating, or alternating, or parallel, or gradiating series, not willy-nilly some round, some hexagonal, some odd shapes. I'd say its geological not biological, and you can give points or not for the fact that I spent a lot of time studying reptile scales as a job. Certainly that's true for scales, but as a leather worker, & also as seen in dinosaur skin fossils, the patterns on skin are much less regular or geometrically patterned than scales, and the pattern on skin could become even more irregular/wonky after exposure to the elements. Here's a picture collage, showing from left to right, pic of mystery item, pic of 500 year old bovine leather artifact, pic of modern 'top grain' cattle leather shoe, & finally, dried alligator hide. The mystery object is definitely consistent with the typical patterning of skin or leather. Assuming it's not a hoax, perhaps it's a dessicated animal part from a lost cattle (I mean, my elbow kind of resembles this mystery object just from dry skin π€£), let alone after being left out in the Montana elements. I could imagine it being a part of a leg. Or, maybe even an artifact from early humans, like a container. Severe dessication couId conceal stitching & openings. If it is really a rock, seems some sort of petrified animal or dinosaur part is likely. At 1st, I thought it looked like fossilized coral. It does vaguely resemble some of the diverse coral fossils I find in KY, Including many that have been replaced by softer minerals including phosphatic types. But nature does amazing things so fossilized mud wouldn't be too surprising eitherπ
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jan 19, 2019 16:29:37 GMT -5
Any chance you can walk uphill, upstream or up glacier to try to find the source? You might just have a spot nearby for some great collecting. Indeed, I tracked the occurence pretty far upstream & still have some public land above to continue π. It's a really old/eroded geology around here though, so I'm not even certain there'd be any in-situ outcropping left. May all just be eroded out in the gravel already. We also have deep soil, so if there is a vein etc, could be deeply buried. Thanks for the extra tips Stephan! Yeah, I often use the green grass for photographing my agate/jasper etc, but thought this blue/transparent stuff might be too influenced by green. Also, I did discover the WB features on my phone, & experimented with it in those last couple of photos in order to achieve a more accurate color : ). Gemfeller, ultimately I think I will submit a sample to GIA. Thanks for the info! $70 for quartz ID, so I think it's worthwhile. & to Swaver101, yes, ultimately my guess is chalcedony as well. However, given that, I have collected a few pounds of this stuff, and cannot see any evidence of conchoidal fracturing on any of it. Nor can I see any conchoidal fractures after chipping/breaking pieces myself. Also, I collect a ton of various chalcedony material, & I know it's not an accurate or precise gauge, but the texture of the surface of this stuff just doesn't feel similar to the various agates, cherts and jasper's that I collect. So I have a little doubt, but do expect that it will be quartz of some kind.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jan 17, 2019 18:15:13 GMT -5
Thanks for the updates. The different angles, light and backgrounds sure make a difference. Yeah, that's very true & also it's quite a challenge to get the conditions right for a picture to actually resemble the stones in person! I'm not actually sure if this picture is different enough to warrant posting, but it looks closer to an accurate color. Still low light near sunset, but slightly better.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jan 16, 2019 19:25:06 GMT -5
It looks very similar to a sample I found once in an abandoned quarry in Minnesota, which I had ID'd as prehnite.
Also, regarding the darker green stuff, I've seen many prehnite specimens associated with dark green epidote in a way that looks very similar to your piece, at least color-wise.
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 131
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jan 16, 2019 19:19:25 GMT -5
Are these two images taken in identical light and the only difference is the white paper? Yes, the only things different were the white paper, & also, unintentionally, the stones were rotated in a different direction. But they still have that color change in those conditions regardless of orientation of stones.
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