tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 10, 2024 12:37:29 GMT -5
I thought I knew what Mary Ellen looked like, but after reading the looking at the pictures in the stromolite section I'm not sure any more. Is this Mary Ellen? ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1720633045/6WZ5EokvQ2CWlLTPI8n0BA_n8pmgn.jpg)
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 10, 2024 12:38:25 GMT -5
no
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 10, 2024 12:41:14 GMT -5
dang it! what the H is it then? Back to the research pile!
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 10, 2024 12:48:30 GMT -5
How about this one? Is this one Mary Ellen? ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1720633705/ufvUpfeZSvevsnwTo9qREA_vsy6ym.jpg)
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 10, 2024 12:51:32 GMT -5
Yes. Most Mary Ellen comes in green and red. Your looks to have the right colors. Is the green metallic? It kinda looks like it in the picture.
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 10, 2024 12:51:42 GMT -5
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 10, 2024 13:01:44 GMT -5
The agate lady is a good source for I’ding stones she wrote this book Agates inside Out
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 10, 2024 13:04:39 GMT -5
dreamrocks - thank you! So is Mary Ellen always with those very bright reds, or can it vary in color?
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 10, 2024 13:08:40 GMT -5
I imagine there is some variation here and there Others here could probably give you a definitive answer for sure or not.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 10, 2024 13:11:50 GMT -5
If it is metallic, it's not Mary Ellen. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png)
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 10, 2024 13:18:01 GMT -5
Looks like some form of banded iron. Damn, I wanted to add this to the stromolite thread. poops on a cracker.
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Post by cabby on Jul 10, 2024 13:26:04 GMT -5
I think we are opening a can of worms here… I don’t think there’s any strict criteria for what is called Mary Ellen vs other stroms, since no one really has say over that. I’ve seen various museums and collections show a variety of colors and patterns, but for people that live in the area Mary Ellen is typically used for bright red jasper plus shiny silver hematite. Other colors and patterns aren’t as easy to be sure of without doing a lot of testing. The red jasper plus hematite is specific to a certain time frame, so if it’s also swirly it’s easy to know why.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 10, 2024 13:26:53 GMT -5
This will cut some nice cabs. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Post by cabby on Jul 10, 2024 13:30:34 GMT -5
Looks like some form of banded iron. Damn, I wanted to add this to the stromolite thread. poops on a cracker. While banded iron isn’t the actual Cyanobacteria mats, it often is considered a type of stromatolite due to being a byproduct of the Cyanobacteria increasing the oxygen. The large formations of banded iron typically doesn’t have the Cyanobacteria in them, but there are some stromatolites that have the same appearance of banded iron and DO have the Cyanobacteria. I can’t speak for everyone, but I would consider those a type of stromatolite even if not specifically Mary ellen
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 10, 2024 13:31:15 GMT -5
This might be Biwabik Iron formation from the Mary Ellen mine in minnesota. Don't know what that does to the name, but I think it's still a stromolite. Maybe?
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Post by cabby on Jul 10, 2024 13:38:15 GMT -5
This might be Biwabik Iron formation from the Mary Ellen mine in minnesota. Don't know what that does to the name, but I think it's still a stromolite. Maybe? Congrats! Apparently the biwabik formation is well known for bearing stromatolites, according to the MN dnr. Your slabs have the right minerals, patterns, and location to be stromatolite bearing BIF
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 10, 2024 13:39:20 GMT -5
that means I can add to that thread! YAY!!!!
(insert happy dance here)
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