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Post by Michael John on Jan 18, 2009 15:27:10 GMT -5
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 18, 2009 16:18:46 GMT -5
Wow, MJ. Outstanding! Let us know as soon as you do that scratch test. From what I've read, and you probably knew this already, a penny is 3 and a fingernail is 2.5, if that helps. Jo
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Post by Michael John on Jan 18, 2009 16:50:50 GMT -5
I forgot about a penny ... I don't normally have a reason to test "soft" stones. Yeah, a penny is about 3.5 Mohs ... I just tried it and it will barely scratch the beige color in the stone, but not the other colors. So, yeah, it seems to be in the general hardness range of Indian Paint Rock, and the slightly varying hardness between colors is also an indicator.
Opinions? What would you folks say? Would you call this an Indian Paint Rock?
The chunks that I collected were from the outer surface of one of the outcrops. Do you think it's possible / probable that if I mined-in a foot or two that the material may be a little harder?
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Post by sitnwrap on Jan 18, 2009 23:18:27 GMT -5
That does look like Indian Paint to my amature eyes and the colors and pattern in the last pic are beautiful. I don't know anything about mining but I do know if I found stuff like that I'd be digging like crazy.
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Post by Michael John on Jan 19, 2009 1:52:23 GMT -5
I can park on the side of a gravel road and hike less than a mile on flat land to get to it, plus it's just a short drive from my house. I wouldn't mind having easy access to something good for a change LOL. It's also just this side of the Nevada/Cali border, so I don't have to ever worry about the damn Cali hippy tree huggers closing it off. There's probably other good stuff in that wash, too, but I just don't know/recognize it. I need to get Mel out here LOL.
Funny thing is, I've known about this stuff for a long time, but figured since it's kinda soft it wasn't any good. It was by pure coincidence that I just learned that Indian Paint Rock IS soft LOL. It fetches pretty good money, too! ;D
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 19, 2009 5:05:35 GMT -5
Good Indian Paint Rock will fetch several $/lb, but the stuff varies - like Wonderstone. Softer stuff is worth much less. Good IPR is about as hard as Print Stone out of AUstrallia or Starburst Jasper out of Mexico. The gray parts a little softer and the Red/Black/WHite a bit harder. ALso, like WOnderstone. the softer stuff often has a gritty grain to it, while the more silicified stuff has a texture at least as fine a Rhyolite. I would see what you can get for a few chunks before you drag out too many.
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Post by Michael John on Jan 19, 2009 12:01:20 GMT -5
I don't know about print stone or starburst jasper, but "the original" Indian Paint Rock out of Death Valley is 3.5 - 4 Mohs in the harder areas, a bit less in the softer areas, which is dead-on with this stuff. I haven't seen anyone make claims that their Indian Paint Rock is any harder than that. Rough generally is selling at $5 - 8.50 a pound, slabs at $3 - 10 each. Even if I only charged a couple bucks a pound, it would be worth it for me. I could easily drag hundreds of pounds out of there in a matter of hours. The only limitation would be how much I could sell. Also, I'm very aware of Wonderstone. I have a big chunk of it in my yard. If you pick it up, it gets all over you. The "Indian Paint Rock" looks remotely similar to this stuff but the Wonderstone is MUCH softer. Here's a pic I just went out and took of it:
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Post by Michael John on Jan 19, 2009 12:05:53 GMT -5
Hmmm ... I sure could use Mel's expertise here ...
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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 19, 2009 13:30:47 GMT -5
Howdy MJ: I did look at your pics and had not rendered an opinion because I just wasn't sure if I'd call it Indian Paint or not. As Daniel has mentioned, there are many similarities between some Indian Paint Rock and some wonderstones. Great variability in hardness and porosity in both materials and what makes them gemworthy is more a matter of how it works up and of course, that famous pattern you get in the Death Valley stuff, especially the presence of dendrites and a wild variety of reds and gold along with the black. I too have stumbled across several deposits of similar stuff in my wanderings but not quite Indian Paint. I'd say your find certainly looks very much like Indian Paint in it's pattern, though it seems much less solid in your pics. Myself, I'd try to work the deposit enough to get into some more solid blocks ( Nice thing about Indian Paint was the availability of good big solid blocks and vein hunks) and then slab it and cab some. Then, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, I'd call it a duck. If the cabs look like Indian Paint, I'd think it safe to call it Indian Paint. I'm sure similar conditions for deposits occur in many spots on the Mojave...Mel
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Post by sbreed on Jan 19, 2009 13:44:59 GMT -5
by golly! I need to go to Nevada!!!! Look out MJ..........here I come! lmao
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Post by Michael John on Jan 19, 2009 14:38:47 GMT -5
LMAO Sheri!
Mel, that sounds like good solid advice. Generally, the "outside" of an outcrop of most rock is more fractured and/or crumbly than the material further-in. Actually, this chunk seems very solid, but if there's even better, cool. When I go out there, I'll take my camera with me. Thanks much for the help!!!
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 20, 2009 7:53:52 GMT -5
Sherri, take your pick and shovel, 'cause it looks like you got some digging to do! LOL... Jo
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Post by Michael John on Jan 20, 2009 13:18:36 GMT -5
Hehehe I wish it were as easy as pick and shovel. This'll be hammer, chisel, and prybar. Not easy work, but hopefully it'll be worth it in the end.
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Post by Titania on Feb 5, 2009 10:22:55 GMT -5
Hey Michael John,
Would you like me to cab up a piece or two for you so we can see how it works?
-Nichole
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Post by Michael John on Feb 5, 2009 14:02:21 GMT -5
That would be GREAT, Nichole! I'd really appreciate that! PM sent.
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