NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 28, 2019 20:17:56 GMT -5
Good day. First post here. I was hoping someone might know what this roundish, layered, kind of dense, heavy, potato looking thing might be. Background: Desert rock, found in some float, from the Horse Spring Formation (known for Stromatalites), next to broken chunks from a larger 300 foot vein of chert (or some chalcedony) I was following, all by itself, far off the beaten path, with no other like it. Details: Unfortunately, I can scratch it with a very sharp knife if I press hard. Unlike the other chert-like stuff (pictured) which is about 1-2 harder and a bit harder to scratch. It looks like it was formed in layers, sitting in mud. It also has a semi-hard, thin (1 mm) coating around it, and also some talc-like soft layer outside that. I don't have other ways to test it. At this stage of my rock collecting addiction, I seem to think that every rock is special and needs to come home with me. Sorry, I realize this is probably worthless, petrified mud, but I am stumped and was hoping someone could confirm it or not. Thank you! imgur.com/MWPUQkaimgur.com/xXb9NTvimgur.com/CRUO4mZimgur.com/yNQRmEzOther, likely worthless rocks, I picked up from the same specific location imgur.com/77RZaog
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 28, 2019 20:27:43 GMT -5
Hi and welcome to the addiction from Northern Arizona! It seems we all start out taking home all those "special" rocks - that is until you start amassing a pile that starts weighing in in tonnage. Then you start getting a little more selective (most of the time).
Unfortunately, I can't ID your rock, but vegasjames might be able to help you out.
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Post by MsAli on Jan 28, 2019 20:46:01 GMT -5
Other than it looks like a grouper got stuck in the mud, I cant help with ID
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 29, 2019 2:09:06 GMT -5
Good day. First post here. I was hoping someone might know what this roundish, layered, kind of dense, heavy, potato looking thing might be. Background: Desert rock, found in some float, from the Horse Spring Formation (known for Stromatalites), next to broken chunks from a larger 300 foot vein of chert (or some chalcedony) I was following, all by itself, far off the beaten path, with no other like it. Details: Unfortunately, I can scratch it with a very sharp knife if I press hard. Unlike the other chert-like stuff (pictured) which is about 1-2 harder and a bit harder to scratch. It looks like it was formed in layers, sitting in mud. It also has a semi-hard, thin (1 mm) coating around it, and also some talc-like soft layer outside that. I don't have other ways to test it. At this stage of my rock collecting addiction, I seem to think that every rock is special and needs to come home with me. Sorry, I realize this is probably worthless, petrified mud, but I am stumped and was hoping someone could confirm it or not. Thank you! imgur.com/MWPUQkaimgur.com/xXb9NTvimgur.com/CRUO4mZimgur.com/yNQRmEzOther, likely worthless rocks, I picked up from the same specific location imgur.com/77RZaogFirst rock looks like limestone (super common around Las Vegas) with some fossils, possibly small sponge or coral fossils. If you treat the gray with an acid like pool acid it should fizz.
The last photo is a mix of chalcedony and jasper.
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lookatthat
Cave Dweller
Whatever there is to be found.
Member since May 2017
Posts: 1,360
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Post by lookatthat on Jan 29, 2019 11:13:53 GMT -5
Looks like limestone with marine fossils to me too. I wonder what fossils are hidden inside? Wondering things like that gets me into trouble.
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Jan 29, 2019 15:08:44 GMT -5
Hello and welcome from Europe! We get a lot of stuff that looks similar around here. As others have already said, it looks like limestone with a fossil. Have a look at my fossil thread and compare: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/85998/kais-fossilsCheck the last post at the bottom of the thread, it has lots of photos. Two of them look really similar to yours.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 29, 2019 16:39:52 GMT -5
Robin: This is exactly what is happening to me. Luckily, my wife is still tolerant of it.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 29, 2019 16:43:22 GMT -5
Other than it looks like a grouper got stuck in the mud, I cant help with ID Alikat ~ This is exactly what I was thinking myself after I posted the pictures last night. Hehe.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 29, 2019 16:47:49 GMT -5
First rock looks like limestone (super common around Las Vegas) with some fossils, possibly small sponge or coral fossils. If you treat the gray with an acid like pool acid it should fizz.
The last photo is a mix of chalcedony and jasper.
James ~ Thank you for the ID's. I think they are all correct. Looking up "limestone nodule", I find some hits. I guess I will know more after I buy a trim saw and slice it in half some day.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Jan 29, 2019 16:53:57 GMT -5
Thank you all for these great replies! I wouldn't have thought "fossil". So now I look at the little guy differently.
And thanks for the link Kai. I have never really thought much about fossils, but the ones on that page are all really attractive. I was in Jerome AZ a couple weeks ago, and got a good lead on some fossils located atop the range behind one of the large Copper mines just out of town (ghost town).
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 29, 2019 20:59:43 GMT -5
The last photo is a mix of chalcedony and jasper.
James ~ Thank you for the ID's. I think they are all correct. Looking up "limestone nodule", I find some hits. I guess I will know more after I buy a trim saw and slice it in half some day. You don't need to slice it. What I do with these fossils is I soak them in pool acid (hydrochloric acid, "muraitic acid") to eat away the limestone. The acid does not affect the fossils, which are silicated. This way the fossil remains intact. With some fossils where I jsut want more relief I soak the stones only for a short time then check the stone and determine whether to soak longer. I keep doing this until the fossils are sticking out to the level I want. Do this a lot with crinoids and coral fossils.
If you want to control the reaction more I first put purified water in the container then add the acid so the acid is more dilute. This will slow the reaction.
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fuss
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2018
Posts: 250
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Post by fuss on Jan 30, 2019 11:17:13 GMT -5
Looks more like chert nodules in chalk/limestone. See if you can scratch the nodule with a knife and or a piece of quartz if you cant its chert/flint.
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