Recent rock hunt...what's this pink stuff???

[Intheswamp]

Made some time and went rock hunting.  Found a couple of types of rocks that I'm not sure about...some pink stuff and some quartz-looking stuff...  Here's some pictures of unknowns and knowns...the unknowns may well be leverites, I honestly don't know.  If you know what the unknowns are I'd appreciate and I.D.   More pictures are here: flic.kr/s/aHsksHTkYB

Pink stuff...unknown to me.  It seems to be layered, though solid.  This was busted up by heavy equipment. The long, slender piece is 12-14 inches long.  Seems to be hard...I don't think I'm scratching it with a knife but instead leaving a  metal mark...I think.  Is it worth getting more of it? More images of this stuff in the Flickr ablum: pIMG_9520a (Custom) by Intheswamp, on Flickr

This is some gritty, quartzy-looking stuff...unknown to me:
qIMG_9528a (Custom) by Intheswamp, on Flickr

Ok, I *think* the next three images are of pet wood (there's a few more images in the ablum of these):
wIMG_9536a (Custom) by Intheswamp, on Flickr
wIMG_9533a (Custom) by Intheswamp, on Flickr
wIMG_9553a (Custom) by Intheswamp, on Flickr

I was on my knees on a gravel bar, knee-walked sideways 12 inches or so and looked down to my left...about 3" long.   I was amazed that though it showed the dulling effects of tumbling in the creek that it wasn't busted to pieces:
zIMG_9567a (Custom) by Intheswamp, on Flickr

The pink stuff...anybody got an opinion on it as to what it is and is it worth getting more of?

[Jugglerguy]

I am horrible at identifying rocks, but I'm throwing out a couple of guesses.

Pink rock #1: feldspar

Pink rock #2: quartzite

[mohs]

that's cool layered pink Ed
i see those layers and I think sandstone
at least sedimentary
I'm sure I wrong
but I may be right

with me-- a little rock goes a long ways
get more!

mostly

[jakesrocks]

Not positive on the first one. It's worth getting more of if for no other reason than those blocks would stack well and make a nice border around a flower garden or some such. I'd try polishing a small piece. It might surprise you & be some interesting cabbing material. Just from the pics it looks hard enough to cab.

Second pic is a leaverite, unless you want it for a rock garden. It's what I call a blade buster form of quartz. It will crumble while cutting, and most likely ruin a good blade.

[herchenx]

I'm with Ed, I think that first batch is something sedimentary (sandstone, limestone, similar)

[herchenx]

oh and nice point!

[broseph82]

Intheswamp

Looks almost like sandstone. Get closer on the pics please. Does it sparkle when dry? Pm me where you got it. Am curious. Were you saying you found the arrowhead while hounding?

[Erich]

I'd have been stoked by finding that point!!!

[Intheswamp]

Thanks for the feedback, everybody.

Rob, I checked out some images for feldspar and it does look like the pink stuff that I've got. Supposedly 6.0-6.5 hardness. So might be a bit iffy for a newbie like me to work with...but something to tinker with, non-the-less. Thanks for putting me in a direction to head in!

Ed, I do wish I had gotten more while I was there...it's a bit of a trip for me, but I'm thinking about taking the ride for more. Interestingly, while I was at another spot a white suv drove up on the other side of the creek that I was at. I didn't think much of it. I went to a different site a little later and lo' and behold there was the white suv again. This was at the pink stuff site. He was parked a good piece from where I stopped but when I got ready to go I was going to speak to him out of the window of my jeep but when I pulled up to his vehicle he intentionally moved to the opposite side of it out of sight. Strange...I don't think I look like a serial killer... Anyhow, I took the hint and moved on. While I was parked it looked like he was talking to somebody about the rocks...

Don, when I finally get my "stuff" together I'm going to try cabbing some of it. We'll see how it works out. The leaverite I figured I couldn't do anything with, but the multi-crystals looked like it had been shattered or something. I'll call it an "accent rock".<grin>

John, Yes, I'm thinking some type of sedimentary rock from the plate-like shape...sure seems hard but yet will chip an edge if banged together. Yeah, the point was a definite bonus!

Jimi, did you look in the album? I there's a closer shot of the pink stuff in there...right now Flickr or my slow DSL connection is mucking around and won't let me in. Do you need a *really* close macro shot? Be on lookout for pm.

Erich, yeah, I was pretty excited about the point. With so many rocks on a gravel bar you have to look closely for what you want...that's what I was doing squatted down on the gravel...then I simply looked beside me and there it was! Really cool.

[Fossilman]

That 1st photo might be limestone,tried working fossils out of them,crazy hard stuff....... 2nd is a type of quartz,junk rock....

[jakesrocks]

Just from the shape of the chips out of the first stone I'm thinking not sandstone. It is a type of sedimentary, but possibly cemented with silica. More like the wonderstone from the north west, but without the fancy swirls & patterning.

[Intheswamp]

It seems pretty hard, like I said a knife didn't appear to scratch it. I had a thin piece (maybe 3/16" thick) and put a good bit of pressure on it to break it...didn't break, BUT...I didn't exert all my pressure on it. The freshly broken surfaces have a textured, fine gritty face to them, not a shiny, slick one but the old ends with "wear" are kind of smooth.

I may make the trip to the site and pick some more up so I can do some destructive testing to it...hopefully nobody has scavenged it all up for a patio floor or something...that would be a drag to make the drive and it all be gone.<groan>

[mohs]

well Ed I wouldn’t go to far out of your way for more
the first thing would be to cut a slab
and see what type of pattern is in the stone
that will give some indication of it polishing qualities for cabs

if it is sand stone-- it doesn’t particularly take a great sheen
but the patterns/layers can be excellent

you have a lot of have rock there already...

[Intheswamp]

Yeah, I got plenty to work with, that's for sure. I've got a guy wanting some that I'm indebted to and thought I'd grab him some and maybe bump my pile up a little bit. While I'm at it I can scrounge around and see what else I might stumble upon.

Speaking of cutting...which way would I cut this stuff? Never cut a rock before...I've got a 7" tile saw and the 6" Lortone combo-unit (not quiet ready for primetime).

Thanks for the feedback, Ed, you are spot on on what you said...mostly.

[mohs]

I'd cut a slab right off the end one of those rectangular pieces
that way the banding would be running vertical
looks like it would be ideal for the 7" saw
sit flat and slice off a couple slabs
take picture & post
fun Saturday afternoon project

I'm deep into the grind myself

[Intheswamp]

Made the ride and picked up some more of the pink stuff. Creeks were all full and running hard so didn't even attempt looking along them. Stopped at some road cuts and checked them out...picked up a few rocks (leaverites, I'm sure ). Went to the garnet hole and grubbed out a couple of pounds of them out of the gravel...got a lot of trash in with them, though, due to wetness from recent rains. I had a nice ride on a beautiful day. Tomorrow afternoon...maybe test the tile saw out.