gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 14, 2014 22:00:34 GMT -5
I must have missed the Howardite thread Scott. Can you point me to it? It used to be marketed as Plaid Agate and I think I have one cab-sized slab left.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2014 21:43:00 GMT -5
I must have missed the Howardite thread Scott. Can you point me to it? It used to be marketed as Plaid Agate and I think I have one cab-sized slab left. It's actually not a howardite thread, but included discussion of the stone. I can;t find it. Perhaps rockpickerforever will know where it is. Jean put an image there.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 15, 2014 22:28:38 GMT -5
Thanks. Yep, that looks like the stuff I have. I'll try to get an image soon.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 16, 2014 11:21:26 GMT -5
Here's an image of my last little slab of what I presume is Howardite. It's photographed partially wet: the edges dried while I was changing camera batteries. It's interesting material. Anyone know if it's still available? The little "windows" are translucent and light will pass through them.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 16, 2014 11:58:54 GMT -5
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 16, 2014 14:17:34 GMT -5
Wow Jean, thanks for all that helpful and interesting research! I spent a little time looking into this material and I'm very skeptical to the point of disbelief about its meteoric origin. Two very knowledgeable sources say it's an unusual and rare form of opalized-silicated volcanic tuff from northern Nevada. That fits with the few facts I recall from the time I bought my material and the visual evidence of hydrothermal deposition, as from pulsating hot volcanic water which was plentiful in northern NV. And since Tonopah is in southern Nevada I question that as the area where it was found. There is a meteoric stone called Howardite but it you search for Howardite images you'll see it's very different.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 16, 2014 14:48:32 GMT -5
Rick, I'm doubting the meteoric origins theory myself. I'd go along with it originating in volcanic tuff, much more plausible.
They must be referring to some other stone of meteoric origin called Howardite. That's why common names can be so confusing.
I think someone may have had their wires crossed when they posted that. Either that, or I am totally misunderstanding them...
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 16, 2014 15:25:55 GMT -5
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 16, 2014 15:31:01 GMT -5
Yeah, I saw those. Now those pieces of "howardite" look like they are of meteoric origin. Same name, different animal? Although, I notice there are some of the drool-worthy types of howardite images there as well.
EDIT to add-
AHA! A little bit of elucidation:
from www4.nau.edu/meteorite/Meteorite/Howardite.html
A class of meteorite, not a semi(?)-precious stone found in Nevada.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 16, 2014 16:02:25 GMT -5
Exactly. If you click on the cab images from Sam Silverhawk and a couple of others you'll find the explanation I gave. The Denio-McDermitt area was an ancient equivalent of today's Yellowstone Park. In fact the Yellowstone "hot spot" was likely responsible for the extreme volcanic conditions that existed then and now in different areas. The hot spot doesn't move: the land does, pushed by tectonic forces, and it left a great lava scar across southern Idaho to Yellowstone's present land location. (See map.) The wonderful precious opals, agates and jaspers from that NV, OR and ID area were created by silica that dissolved from volcanic tuff and other silica-rich deposits left by the volcanism.
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 17, 2014 5:06:08 GMT -5
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