Post by spacegold on Sept 21, 2006 3:07:29 GMT -5
Everybody knows beaches, river bottoms, and shores of large lakes are good prospects. Most know too that old gravel pits are good, partly because these are usually old alluvial deposits where water or glacier has rounded the rock and done half the tumbling job for you. Working pits that have a screening plant are also good. Think huge piles of 3/4 to 1-inch rock free of detritus and fines. With permission, of course, you can only really work the face of these, but your eagle eye should quickly spot the jasper, agate, and colored quartz. Right after a couple days hard rain is a great time to hit these piles, because any residual dirt or dust will be gone, revealing your gleaming treasures.
Pits that have crushers are worth at least a look after a good rain. Though crushed rock has its frustrating hard edges and deep innies, you can sometimes find nice stone that would otherwise have escaped your attention.
Now think where does this gravel go? Among other places it goes on gravel roadways and parking lots which become tremendous prospects during or after cleansing rains. So the rock on the inside of those piles gets spread out where you can see it all. Gravel thus spread and washed is a real favorite of mine. I have done almost as well collecting from that source as on ocean beaches. It is really remarkable how much very good polishing material ends up in concrete, hot mix, or just plain gravel surfacing.
Pits that have crushers are worth at least a look after a good rain. Though crushed rock has its frustrating hard edges and deep innies, you can sometimes find nice stone that would otherwise have escaped your attention.
Now think where does this gravel go? Among other places it goes on gravel roadways and parking lots which become tremendous prospects during or after cleansing rains. So the rock on the inside of those piles gets spread out where you can see it all. Gravel thus spread and washed is a real favorite of mine. I have done almost as well collecting from that source as on ocean beaches. It is really remarkable how much very good polishing material ends up in concrete, hot mix, or just plain gravel surfacing.
