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Post by Jugglerguy on May 19, 2012 21:22:13 GMT -5
I think this might be an agate. The problem is, I found it where I don't think there are supposed to be agates. I was in Petoskey State Park looking for Petoskey stones in Lake Michigan when I found it. So what do you think? Have I found my first agate?
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 19, 2012 21:28:59 GMT -5
Nice find. Looks a lot like some the lake superior agates I have. Does not have the banding or eyes but should tumble great with good color. Now find about 50 more to fill the barrel
Chuck
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Post by gr on May 19, 2012 21:33:22 GMT -5
Yuuuup! thats agate
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 19, 2012 21:36:14 GMT -5
I thought agates weren't in Lake Michigan though.
Isn't that banding on the left side of the first picture?
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Post by gr on May 19, 2012 21:39:21 GMT -5
yes it is!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 19, 2012 21:43:48 GMT -5
not sure if this helps but heres some pictures of some lake superior agates that are next in line for our tumblers. I just noticed yours might have more of an orange color where most of the superiors we have are red from all the iron I think. out of 15 lbs only about 30-50 percent have good banding and eyes but they all have great color and all polish great since they are so dang hard. Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 19, 2012 21:58:38 GMT -5
Holy cow, that's a lot of agates, Chuck! Mine is not as red as those. It does have some parts that are redder than others though.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 19, 2012 22:27:28 GMT -5
It looks like a lot but we will lose 40 percent in 60/90 trying to get them perfect. I love to let the boys find there own stuff but honestly with the price of diesel fuel these days ebay and rock shed for tumbling rough is much easier on the wallet. I think I got those for about $40 with free shipping and that dont buy very much fuel! sure would like to find a bunch like the one you posted though. Very cool.
Chuck
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jason12x12
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2011
Posts: 798
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Post by jason12x12 on May 20, 2012 6:26:52 GMT -5
You need to take special care of your first. and i see banding there make it beutimous
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2012 15:55:36 GMT -5
you would go nuts here in Wyoming. About a month ago I picked up seven agates without moving my feet. Do you have your bags packed yet? lol Nice find Jim
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 20, 2012 18:08:07 GMT -5
That would be fun, but I bet they're not Lake Superior agates. Then again, I guess this wasn't either, it was a Lake Michigan agate.
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rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
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Post by rockingthenorth on May 20, 2012 21:46:46 GMT -5
you will really be hooked now
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cdfcal
having dreams about rocks
Member since June 2011
Posts: 59
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Post by cdfcal on May 22, 2012 6:44:12 GMT -5
Nice one, did you find many petoskey stones?
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Post by jakesrocks on May 22, 2012 8:59:15 GMT -5
Agates can be found just about anywhere around the great lakes. They were brought down from the north by glaciers during the ice age. Lake Superior agates can be found as far west as the eastern edge of South Dakota. Rare as hens teeth, but they're still found over here.
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 22, 2012 18:53:20 GMT -5
I only found four Petoskey stones. I found two small ones at the state park, and a couple on other beaches. I was in Petoskey early this spring and found a dozen or so. I went wading for them and the water was just over freezing. I went to that same place hoping to spend a lot more time, but the rocks had all grown a thick layer of algae. I went to about 8 beaches and the only one without algae was the state park. Unfortunately there were tons of people there and very few rocks, mostly sand.
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on May 23, 2012 0:06:16 GMT -5
In the end it may all just be semantics, but Lake Superior Agates display fortification banding. The agate you have found, from what can be seen, does not. Now that is not to say it isn't a Laker, there are other kinds of Lakers, but if you look hard you can find images of banded agates found in the LP of MI that are not Lakers. None of which has any effect on the beauty of your agate - it's just a name. The map shows the general distribution of Lakers, but some are found beyond those limits.
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 23, 2012 9:19:21 GMT -5
Can you define "fortification banding"? I thought that banding was the parallel stripes found on some agates. On the left side of the first picture, there are two parallel lines. Are those fortification bands?
I love this site and the people here. It's fun learning new stuff!
Thanks, Rob
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Post by jakesrocks on May 23, 2012 9:32:22 GMT -5
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Post by Rockhobbit on May 23, 2012 9:53:55 GMT -5
Congrats on your first agate! Now you will have agate fever............one is NEVER enough and we stay on site until we find 100's or drop in exhaustion trying! LOL
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Minnesota Daniel
freely admits to licking rocks
A COUPLE LAKERS
Member since August 2011
Posts: 891
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Post by Minnesota Daniel on May 23, 2012 11:22:17 GMT -5
Good link to fortification agates! They are called that because they look like the outlines of an old fort. Very distinct, sharp parallel lines. Not always perfectly parallel, but nearly so. Lakers typically have bands that are clear, white or reddish/orange, and very often in a given agate, some of the banding is thin bands of clear alternating with similar width bands of white, like my avatar. Here are a couple pics of a variety of Lakers from Minnesota that I have found and polished: There are other kinds of Lakers that are less common, so the fact that yours doesn't look typical doesn't mean it isn't a Laker. In my opinion though it probably isn't a Laker -- not that it makes any difference. What you have though is absolutely a banded agate. Now that you know what to look for, I think you'll find that they get easier and easier to see, the more you find.
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