jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 20, 2016 11:23:30 GMT -5
All heavily posted. Back in the day we could romp around in them. And they did not replant them making Grand Canyons for many miles. Darn the environmentalists. Geology limited to various clays, some laced with marine fossils and loads of shark's teeth. Target of trip was about a half a yard of the aluminum oxide rich clay for slurry for my rotary tumblers. Used as a combination slurry thickener and pre-polish in the coarse grind. Allows 2 step tumbling operation, one step in the rotary and one step finishing in the vibe. Found a few 500+ cubic piles in the woods, smidgeons left behind from giant stockpiles. Kaolin deposits are eroded felspar deposits at the base of the Appalachian mountains that also coincided with the beach line of an ancient ocean. In the east, there was Carnegie, Rockefeller and a little known fella called J.M. Huber. 'White trash' Huber probably made more money off of clay than the others combined. Note the tip of the little stockpile on the horizon at an adjacent pit some of the clays are full of marine fossils, no good scores this day. oysters and clams Old cracker house way back in the woods Straight down and seriously trespassing Little D-10 cat pushing some sticks down in the pit for an access, he must have radioed security as I heard a truck coming from a distance escape made in time as I drove off with security in rear view ha Great usage of old pit Local color and give ya $10 to ring his doorbell and run Gotta eat afterwards
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quartz
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breakin' rocks in the hot sun
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Post by quartz on Feb 20, 2016 11:46:21 GMT -5
It's good to see "local color" has handicap access, PC in the woods.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Feb 20, 2016 11:46:37 GMT -5
The loot in raw form crushing it down for hydration preliminary hydration and mixing, final mix using grout mixer. Then allowed to dry into final cake for easy additions to rotary tumbler
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 20, 2016 12:44:54 GMT -5
Great report! It's weird seeing so much light clay. I'm used to the red clay. And, you can keep your 10.00. Been there done that. I have friends with rock salt in there rear ends. Back in the day, I was a little faster.
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Feb 20, 2016 12:47:44 GMT -5
You are an amazing dude jamesp Every time you post a trip report - or post about a process of building something I learn something pretty cool.
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 20, 2016 13:10:15 GMT -5
James...a thrill a minute!!!!!!!
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
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Post by panamark on Feb 20, 2016 13:21:35 GMT -5
It's good to see "local color" has handicap access, PC in the woods. Larry, I think that ramp is just so he can drive his 4 wheeler right to the door. Or else he has a pickup window for his mason jar business.
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 20, 2016 13:59:19 GMT -5
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Post by Jugglerguy on Feb 20, 2016 14:17:52 GMT -5
The thrill of trespassing. and then posting it on the Internet. Cool report, thanks for taking us along for the ride.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Feb 20, 2016 14:27:56 GMT -5
Now that looks like something fine to be rolling around in on a hot day! Guess it wouldn't be a mud bath, but a clay bath?
Would make fer some fine wrastlin'.
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 20, 2016 16:10:54 GMT -5
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Thunder69
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Post by Thunder69 on Feb 20, 2016 18:50:43 GMT -5
Are you saying you wanta mud wrestle jamesp I'd pay a dollar to see that lol. Cool trip out James. The desolation is calming and beautiful in a way..John
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Post by rockpickerforever on Feb 20, 2016 19:29:55 GMT -5
Are you saying you wanta mud wrestle jamesp I'd pay a dollar to see that lol. Cool trip out James. The desolation is calming and beautiful in a way..John Oh no, no, Ed. I didn't say that! 'Sides, that's a women's sport - that men like to watch! LOL. John, only a dollar? Good thing I quit doing that, there's no money in it. Guess ya just hafta do it for fun!
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 20, 2016 20:07:53 GMT -5
Ok, I just wanted to make sure of what I was hearing. If James contacts you for a match, though, let me know. I wanta send John a dollar to get a picture for me.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Feb 20, 2016 20:42:46 GMT -5
Intheswamp, rockpickerforever says mud wrestling is a woman's sport. How many men in the bar would jump in the mud with those gals ? Us mens wish.... Thunder69/Ed Ole Jean may whoop me and ruin my reputation. Jugglerguy Don't be forwarding any of these photos. I think the name of the company is KaMin, link www.kaminllc.comrockjunquie We would have had a blast, or out ran a blast of salt let's hope. Tommy Thanks a bunch, gotta keep occupied with the strange and unordinary. OK, the last chunks are becoming hydrated, the drill motor gets hot, so it has to take break so as not to over heat. This batch should be ready after an over night soak and final mix. Then set in greenhouse and dried to a cake. It will shrink and crack. It could have gone straight in the tumbler without processing but it was fun playing with it.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Feb 20, 2016 20:49:44 GMT -5
It's good to see "local color" has handicap access, PC in the woods. Larry, I think that ramp is just so he can drive his 4 wheeler right to the door. Or else he has a pickup window for his mason jar business. That guy almost got stuck that loader down there. He was spinning trying to back out on the first push. Not taking ANY vehicles down in that slick spot. The reflection in those white pits is blinding.
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Post by toiv0 on Feb 20, 2016 23:47:49 GMT -5
I work with clay and I love this story. Part of my job is to source materials and I am led out of pits as often as not. I am getting too old though to crawl through gates and fences. Clays with high aluminum is perfect for fire brick and refractory, now for tumbling.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Feb 21, 2016 3:18:06 GMT -5
I work with clay and I love this story. Part of my job is to source materials and I am led out of pits as often as not. I am getting too old though to crawl through gates and fences. Clays with high aluminum is perfect for fire brick and refractory, now for tumbling. There is an issue in this clay pit territory Billy. The massive size of the mine properties still encompasses many public roads providing access to patches of private property. So they can not close the public roads. They wish they could. Many of the pits are dug right up to these roads and rarely fenced. Odd thing, a good bit of people camping in RV's along the pits on mine property. Curious if they were transient mine workers. I did collect some of the clay that fell off the trucks on the way to the processing plant.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Feb 21, 2016 8:24:39 GMT -5
captbob, this was the day trip Friday. Similar to a phosphate pit down your way. Kaolin in Florida too around White Springs where the Florida coral is so common. Clay minerals assist in silicifying coral. Would be interesting to do a chemical analysis to see if aluminum silicates and oxides leached into the coral making it so darn hard. Would like to do a knoop test on the coral to get a relative accurate hardness. I think quartz crystal is knoop 750 and garnet is knoop 1350. Guessing coral to be 1000-1200.
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Feb 21, 2016 10:56:48 GMT -5
James, you got me to thinking. There is a large bentonite mining and refining plant (American Colloid Company) about thirty miles north of me. I used to deliver tires there and in wet conditions you could slide (on your feet) for ten feet before stopping...you had to be very careful walking around...*very* slick stuff! It's got lots of uses, drilling mud, pond linings, metal casting, herbal treats(?), etc.,. 'Reckon it'd be worth trying? BentoniteUnless those roads can be proved to be vital for public passage from "Point A to Point B" when those private properties are gobbled up the roads will be shut down. Counties love to give up roads so they don't have to maintain them. But, hopefully there's too many folks like Cousin Jeb with the handicapped sign and the drive-thru mason jar business who ain't going no where.
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