Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 22, 2024 18:07:34 GMT -5
I've always thought Prairie agates are very underrated. Interesting patterns in very hard agate. Those are beautiful examples.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 26, 2024 15:54:06 GMT -5
Wow! Awesome cabs, even if from as cabbing master. The polish is outstanding!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 21, 2024 17:59:08 GMT -5
Howdy, Just go a couple of hours southeast of San Antone to a triangle drawn between George West Texas, Simmons City and Three Rivers. Miles and miles of gravel and dirt roads in the area oilfields that make good roadside collecting for petwood jasper, agate, limb casts etc. Hunt roadside ditches but get you a gem scoop so you don't have to reach into the foliage. Some of the largest rattlers I've ever seen in that thornbrush country. Google the are first to see what roads dirt are still or have good roadsides because lately they are topping a lot of the roads with caliche which tends to cover the good stuff.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 21, 2024 17:49:47 GMT -5
Wow, really neat find. I've only found banded specimens like that down near George West, Three Rivers, the Rio grande/ Uvalde gravels etc. I'm near Kerrville and except for the occasional geode in limestone or various banded cherts, no real banded agate at all I've seen. That being said I do find occasional hunks of pet wood and those can be casts so there is some potential for banded agate. Also, I suppose we have to remember that in ancient times Texas was home to huge rivers that could have transported material from a long way away. What surprises me is your specimen is quite rough which would seem to imply it was not washed a long distance by water but rather from a source relatively close by.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 4, 2024 17:03:59 GMT -5
That second pictured example is what we call "Pocket Rot Wood " in Texas. Quite a bit found in the George West area. Kind of resembles dino bone but it is actually a replacement of partially decomposed pet wood. There is another similar type that is very vuggy often with tiny crystals in the vugs, because the holes are not totally silica filled, that some call Ghost Wood. It's not actually palm or bog. but most likely some kind of conifer.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 26, 2024 17:43:53 GMT -5
Not surprising about the claim as I sold our ranch and moved to Texas 16 years ago so my info is dated.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 12, 2024 17:04:37 GMT -5
Lots of similar stuff from the Rio Grande gravel deposits too. I just call it brecciated agate. Lots of puddingstone type conglomerates in the Rio Grande rocks too but rather than angular patterns like the breccia, those are composed mostly of more rounded quartz, and jasper pebbles sealed together by agate. Both types tend to be very hard material and polish well.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Feb 12, 2024 16:55:32 GMT -5
I had a ranch in Hunters Valley which is the actual location for Hornitos Jasper. I collected it for years before I moved to Texas. Nowhere near the Morgan Hill area in the coast ranges. The jasper occurs all over the place in the in foothills of the MT. Williams range ( Sierra foothills) but the best areas my buddy and I found were NNW of Dream Ranch West off Detwiler Rd. Robin Trumbell has my best spots under claim last I heard but there are many areas not under claim on BLM land. Some of my best spots though, were all on private property. Our ranch had an old goldmine road crossing the hillside and the road was lined by big boulders with poppy jasper nodules in situ. I just got too dang old to hard rock mine those boulders and remove the nodules. Was much easier hunting n the north part of hunters Valley between Hunters Valley Rd and Detwiler RD.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 8, 2024 17:12:42 GMT -5
Very nice! We have the same type material on our ranch here in Gillespie County. It does make a fun tumble.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 2, 2024 14:46:25 GMT -5
Looks like the black jade from the Victorville, CA location near the Verde Antique marble location.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 20, 2023 16:29:35 GMT -5
What a variety! Absolutely stunning!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 30, 2023 12:16:39 GMT -5
Looks like an awesome Dryhead Agate colorwise but the matrix looks more like Mexican stuff, maybe a really fancy Laguna. Whatever, it's a gorgeous specimen!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 30, 2023 12:08:39 GMT -5
Wow, I love seeing pics of your finds from that area. I personally think Prairie Agates are very underrated. I've seen some beautiful scenic ones when cut and bubble gums make one of my favorite tumbles.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 24, 2023 9:49:37 GMT -5
Grandview Gold Mine site near Lucerne Valley, CA has lots but the color is kind of ehh, kind of gray and white tones. Area us full of Mojave Rattlers too.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 21, 2023 14:49:36 GMT -5
SOLD
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 21, 2023 14:48:36 GMT -5
Sold
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 20, 2023 15:56:37 GMT -5
Box is sold rockbrain. Another buyer barely edged you out. Sorry.....Mel
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 20, 2023 12:00:16 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Have another 20# medium flat rater for sale. This one is about 2/3 Petrified wood from Greer's Milky Ranch next to Petrified Forest or from over by Woodruff, AZ. Topped the box off with a few hunks of George West, TX wood. Emptied my AZ wood bin so I threw in a few tumble sized pieces left over too. $60.00 for the box shipping included. Pay Pal , U.S. only.. First Pm gets it. Thanks Mel AZ_TX wood mix by lonerider652000, on Flickr
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 20, 2023 11:51:48 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Have another 20# MFR box of wood for sale. These will likely require a ten inch saw. $60.00 shipping included. Pay Pal for payment, U.S. only. First Pm gets it. Thanks....Mel Md George west wood by lonerider652000, on Flickr
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 20, 2023 11:46:12 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Still emptying my wood bin. Have a MFR 20# box of larger sized George West pet wood for sale. Probably need 10 or 12 inch saw for these. I always try to cram a bit extra n these boxes if I have room. Again $60.00 for the box shipping included. U.S. only and Pay Pal for payment. First PM gets it. Thanks....Mel DSCN3866 Lge George West wood by lonerider652000, on Flickr
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