demihuman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2024
Posts: 125
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Post by demihuman on Jun 15, 2024 12:29:05 GMT -5
Hi All, I am very new to rock hounding and would like to get some clarification on identifying some rocks I have found. This rock looks to me like green jasper, but would you call it chert? Are the names interchangeable? The other day I went on a short hike to try and scout some rockhounding areas but just found some sketchy homeless encampments. I was pretty discouraged and then back at the truck there was a tilled up area and this guy was siting right there. What would you call this rock?
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 15, 2024 13:34:50 GMT -5
Where was it found?
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demihuman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2024
Posts: 125
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Post by demihuman on Jun 15, 2024 14:19:58 GMT -5
Oh Sorry, it was found around San Jose California, about 15 minutes north of Morgan Hill along Coyote Creek.
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ThomasT
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2022
Posts: 586
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Post by ThomasT on Jun 15, 2024 15:52:02 GMT -5
Looks a lot like jade... but I'm not familiar with your local stone.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 15, 2024 15:56:30 GMT -5
I was thinking jade, too. Plenty of people here are familiar with your area. I'm on the East Coast. BUT, I think I remember there being jade in the area.
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Post by chris1956 on Jun 15, 2024 15:56:41 GMT -5
Don't know what it is but it looks like it might polish nicely. Good find.
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Post by vegasjames on Jun 15, 2024 17:35:12 GMT -5
What is the hardness?
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Post by pebblesky on Jun 15, 2024 19:07:04 GMT -5
I picked some very small pieces along the CA beaches with the same color and texture and I called them jade.
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Post by RickB on Jun 15, 2024 19:17:46 GMT -5
Saw some on Ebay that looked like that described as "Big Sur Botryoidal Nephrite Jade Green Ocean Polish Bubble Gem Stone Monterey CA"
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Post by chris1956 on Jun 15, 2024 19:51:24 GMT -5
Saw some on Ebay that looked like that described as "Big Sur Botryoidal Nephrite Jade Green Ocean Polish Bubble Gem Stone Monterey CA" I thought you were joking about that name but looked it up. Must be someone got paid by the word to name that rock.
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Post by pebblesky on Jun 15, 2024 19:54:33 GMT -5
Saw some on Ebay that looked like that described as "Big Sur Botryoidal Nephrite Jade Green Ocean Polish Bubble Gem Stone Monterey CA" Guess they are trying to add as many keywords as possible so the chance of being found by search increases.
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demihuman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2024
Posts: 125
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Post by demihuman on Jun 15, 2024 20:08:14 GMT -5
Maybe it’s eBay jade? Here’s a more dry picture with some broken bits
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demihuman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2024
Posts: 125
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Post by demihuman on Jun 15, 2024 22:50:48 GMT -5
I don't know, but it's pretty darn hard. Harder than glass, but I can file it with a carbon steel file. Aren't jasper, chert and jade all similar levels of hardness? It's also very opaque.
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Post by Pat on Jun 15, 2024 23:15:18 GMT -5
Is it cold?
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on Jun 15, 2024 23:44:28 GMT -5
It looks to me like it’d take a good polish. Are you going to cut it?
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Post by vegasjames on Jun 16, 2024 6:49:15 GMT -5
I don't know, but it's pretty darn hard. Harder than glass, but I can file it with a carbon steel file. Aren't jasper, chert and jade all similar levels of hardness? It's also very opaque. Nephrite is a bit softer, 6-6.5. Jadeite is 6.5-7 and chalcedonies like jasper and chert around 7.
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demihuman
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2024
Posts: 125
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Post by demihuman on Jun 16, 2024 10:05:13 GMT -5
Maybe I’ll do a specific gravity test later today. I’ll take its temperature then too. I don’t have a great way to cut it so for now it stays intact. If I could sell it for $1000 on eBay I might do that, then I can buy a rock saw
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Post by HankRocks on Jun 16, 2024 10:51:54 GMT -5
I think Pat meant is it cool to the touch. I have heard that Jade is cool to the touch. Not very scientific but apparently that is true or so I have read in more than one place.
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Post by Pat on Jun 16, 2024 11:44:57 GMT -5
I think Pat meant is it cool to the touch. I have heard that Jade is cool to the touch. Not very scientific but apparently that is true or so I have read in more than one place. Exactly. Put several rocks in the same environment, place your hand on each one for a second or two. Jade is generally noticeably cooler!! Cool!😀
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,008
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Post by gemfeller on Jun 16, 2024 12:40:23 GMT -5
I think Pat meant is it cool to the touch. I have heard that Jade is cool to the touch. Not very scientific but apparently that is true or so I have read in more than one place. Exactly. Put several rocks in the same environment, place your hand on each one for a second or two. Jade is generally noticeably cooler!! Cool!😀 That's the way they search for jade in the creeks in the Big Sur area. They wade barefoot trying to find stones that are cooler than the others.
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