Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,472
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 25, 2009 20:39:09 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Well since some of you are newcomers and I don't know how far you've gone back to look at old posts, I figured I'd post some of my cabs from awhile ago when I had the Hornitos ranch and used to mine lots of poppy jasper from a large number of different deposits, more that twenty varieties in one small region. Used to be a hard time getting back to some of these old pits but man it sure was fun hunting up there. I couldn't find my Stinky Horse Hole Jasper pics or pics of the brecciated Hornitos Jasper. I'll show some slabs of those again another time. Anyway, thanks for looking....Mel Sierra Primrose Jasper from my own ranch: cabs: Rough nodular form: Small orb and strawberry jasper slabs: cabs: Cosmos Jasper: Old Flora Claim Jasper: Firefly Jasper: Slabs from what we called the Holy Grail pit: couple of pics of my rikers with some holy grail cabs included:
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Apr 25, 2009 20:53:05 GMT -5
Wow Mel, this stuff is phenomenal! I can't even imagine mining that from my own land. What a treat!
Nate
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Post by Bejewelme on Apr 25, 2009 21:05:41 GMT -5
Mel: :drool: :drool: Now you are really getting me all excited! Man, that red material is incredible, I don't think I can pick a favorite! And that came from your own land? What a thrill, keep digging up the old stuff, this is a great treat to see and read! Amber
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Apr 25, 2009 21:28:10 GMT -5
Awesome!!!!!! Some true masterpieces... I love the Holy Grail pit stuff. The three slabs you've posted are as good as it gets. Boy would I like to cut some master discs from those.
The poppy jaspers from this region are among my favorite all-time materials. The white border of the poppies really creates a great contrast. Man, this is an awesome post.
Dan
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,472
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 25, 2009 21:43:04 GMT -5
Amber: Only the Primrose jasper came from our own place. The Cosmos and small orb varieties came from a series of veins on my next door neighbors place and the ranch across the road from him. A road and house sit on top of that site now. All the other sites are on BLM land a couple of miles down canyon from our old place but it really pops up all over if you know the strata to look for. My buddy and I even found a huge monolithic mountain of red, black and purple brecciated jasper that was so solid we couldn't even get a hammer into it. Plus it was so far down canyon as to be impossible to pack much out. Oddly enough though, someone had sunk a gold mine tunnel right into the base of the deposit. Now that was some dern hard work for sure!.....Mel
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onewomanarmy
has rocks in the head
Carpe Silicis!
Member since January 2007
Posts: 645
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Post by onewomanarmy on Apr 25, 2009 22:13:19 GMT -5
Goodness gracious, Mel - that's like rock-porn for those of use who live amongst limestone and sandstone. Those are just stunning. I'm bad enough about sorting through the landscape pebbles we have in our yard - I'm guessing if I had those rough nodules of primrose jasper around my house my neighbors would never know how tall I was... What a nice way to go to fall asleep tonight - with poppies in my eyes!
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Post by Woodyrock on Apr 25, 2009 23:08:27 GMT -5
Mel: Did you ever dig the tailings from the gold mine adit? That could have saved some hardrock mining yourself, but then all that jasper may well have been blown to hell by the miners getting it out. Aside from that, what a treat seeing all thses poppies one one page. Thankyou for resposting these. Woody
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,777
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Post by adrian65 on Apr 25, 2009 23:34:00 GMT -5
That display box looks like a box of candies. And what candies :drool: !
Adrian
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Post by texaswoodie on Apr 26, 2009 7:10:52 GMT -5
Wonderful material Mel! I hope you brought a truckload to Texas with you. Curt
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,472
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 26, 2009 8:55:00 GMT -5
Woody: The waste from the adit was pretty much grown over with thick brush in the 140 years since the mine was worked plus the amount of tracks and scat present showed lions were using the tunnel so we pretty much stayed clear of that area. California's moratorium on lion hunting has the cats pretty much fearless as far as humans are concerned now. Brush growth in that area is really amazing. I had cut a path into the firefly digs one year and the brush totally covered it again in about two years. We actually had to carry clippers to clear the road into the area so we could get our fourbys near the pits. My buddy and I had actually hiked by the Holy Grail pit for a year before his dog showed him where the pit was by going back in the brush and coming out soaking wet from bathing in the pond that filled the old pit. I wish I'd had more time in the area as every time I crawled into the manzanita, I found a new type of jasper. Arguably the most interesting and difficult area I've ever prospected.......Mel
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stoneviews
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2009
Posts: 1,864
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Post by stoneviews on Apr 26, 2009 9:54:10 GMT -5
Very nice, looks like you like red, I like them all and can't deside witch ones I like the betst.
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Apr 26, 2009 11:42:05 GMT -5
I rememeber these very well....and they all look as good NOW as they did back then! Some true treasures there Mel! Steve
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Post by frane on Apr 28, 2009 7:56:09 GMT -5
What a difference in all the poppies! You have such a beautiful collection, they all just amaze me! Fran
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beaddot
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2008
Posts: 266
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Post by beaddot on Apr 28, 2009 9:58:10 GMT -5
All of the cabs are gorgeous and no way could I pick a favorite!
Dot
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pporky
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2007
Posts: 1,932
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Post by pporky on Apr 29, 2009 6:42:08 GMT -5
thanks for posting all those pics that sure is some great material, I especially like them old flora cabs great work,
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