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Post by texaswoodie on Aug 21, 2007 14:25:25 GMT -5
Hi Folks I promised my grandson that I would take him crystal hunting before school starts, so we left early yesterday morning. I have always wanted to dig quartz crystal out of it's natural habitat, so to speak, so instead of going to the Arkansas mines, I took him to the Kiamichi Mountains in Oklahoma. We were about half way there when I discovered I forgot to take my camera. We stopped at some roadcuts and picked up a few singles and small clusters, but I still wanted to dig virgin crystals out of a mountain, so we went on down the road. Finally at a large lake, we found a hillside made of Stanley Shale with quartz veins running all through it. Perfect! We found a spot with some crystals showing and started digging. This is where my grandson excused himself and went swimming in the lake, leaving me to do the digging. I found a couple of pockets and dug out some nice crystals and was surprised at how clear some of them were. One of the larger crystals with hematite inclusions This was the find of the day. It was broken so didn't have a perfect shape, but my gosh, it's the clearest crystal I have ever seen, much less found. OK, so I dug some crystals out of the mountain. Next time I think we'll go to the crystal mines and let them dig them out. ;D Thanks for looking! Curt
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horsinaround
spending too much on rocks
If you don't lick rocks...you ain't cool
Member since November 2006
Posts: 315
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Post by horsinaround on Aug 21, 2007 14:29:33 GMT -5
Nice find......the clear one is like glass...WOW WAY TO GO Steve
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Post by flintfish on Aug 21, 2007 15:59:55 GMT -5
Fantastic finds Sir, wild or not! It's always nice to grab somthing fresh from the landscape, a true treasure Well done! Hope your grandson was suitably impressed too. Cheers, Harry
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Post by BuiltonRock on Aug 21, 2007 17:08:01 GMT -5
Very cool trip! I bet he was having a ball with his Granddad!!!!!!!
You almost made it here! john
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Post by Lady B on Aug 21, 2007 17:10:12 GMT -5
Neat finds, especially that crystal clear crystal. Even if your grandson wasn't actually right there digging them out with you, what wonderful memories you have given him. Neat granddad, too.
Lady B
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Post by texaswoodie on Aug 22, 2007 6:37:13 GMT -5
Thanks guys! This little guy is only 9 years old, but he can spot a piece of petrified wood a hundred yards off. I tell him everything I know about rocks and he retains about 99% of it. He's a pretty amazing little feller.
Curt
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fossilman
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2007
Posts: 256
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Post by fossilman on Aug 22, 2007 7:11:12 GMT -5
what a great experience!
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Post by creativeminded on Aug 22, 2007 7:24:04 GMT -5
I would love to go crystal hunting, there is one place in Arkansas that I would love to go. In mid October they actually have a competition that you can win money and you get to keep all the crystals you dig up, or as they put it you can buy crystals in our shop for $1.00 all the way up to $10,000 for a 500# cluster. Tami
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Post by texaswoodie on Aug 22, 2007 7:50:45 GMT -5
Tami I've always kind of considered the mines as cheating. They dig out the crystals, keep the best of the best and dump the rest in a tailings pile. After actually digging up crystals out of their original bed, I can say without doubt the way to go is the crystal mines. :-) You can literally carry home 5 gallon buckets of nice clear crystals and clusters.
Curt
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Post by Tonyterner on Aug 22, 2007 10:07:49 GMT -5
That is one clear crystal. Aint kids grand.
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rockinmom
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2007
Posts: 481
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Post by rockinmom on Aug 22, 2007 23:25:34 GMT -5
So special. Lucky grandson.
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Post by rocklicker on Aug 23, 2007 1:05:54 GMT -5
Cool rock finds. Sounds like a fun trip. Looks like you've got a rockhound in the making too. Steve
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turnedstone
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 766
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Post by turnedstone on Aug 23, 2007 19:32:45 GMT -5
Mt. Ida Ark. has the worlds championship quartz dig every october. It is on the 9th, 10th, and 11th this year. George
i have been there 3 times while it was going on
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luv2hound
freely admits to licking rocks
I try & I try, but dang it! Those rocks just keep ending up in my pockets
Member since June 2007
Posts: 890
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Post by luv2hound on Aug 23, 2007 21:23:00 GMT -5
Beautiful clear crystal. Your grandson is a lucky kid.
~~Mitzi~~
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