jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Mar 31, 2013 7:10:05 GMT -5
Found on the Rio Grande in south Texas in the form of a well rounded pebble.Found more than one but was not common. Attachments:
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Post by Noosh9057 on Mar 31, 2013 7:55:08 GMT -5
Very cool. What is it.
Roger
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Mar 31, 2013 8:44:32 GMT -5
There ain't no telling Roger.The Rio is loaded with all kinds of agates and jaspers.
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gravelgrazer
noticing nice landscape pebbles
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Post by gravelgrazer on Mar 31, 2013 22:38:52 GMT -5
Looks like dino but not sure. It's cool!
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 31, 2013 23:46:42 GMT -5
I've got a big hunk of that too in slightly different color. I call it faux dino bone. I don't think it's bone but rather some kind of rhyoite. It is slightly softer than jasper or agate. I don't think it's any kind of fossil, wood, bone or otherwise, just one of those lookalikes. Pretty stuff though and I wish I'd find more. Those Rio Grande gravels seem to be full of every kind of rhyolite under the sun and many have orbs or that cellular look.........Mel
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 1, 2013 2:17:42 GMT -5
Good analysis Mel.It tumbles faster than hard agate and chips less waxy(slightly grainy).However that photo shows healing like chalcedony fill.And it has no air pockets so clear material has filled in.Is that common w/rhyolite?
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 1, 2013 9:08:16 GMT -5
James, Speaking from my experience, it's very common for extra silica to infiltrate rhyolite, often turning it into a rock that's for all intents and purposes, jasper. Most these vary in hardness, porosity and the amount of silica that has permeated the rhyolite, which is why some of them will only take a satin finish but man, some of them will polish like glass. I have some rhyoite from the Mojave Desert that is so full of silica it's glassy as all get out.....Mel
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 1, 2013 13:40:23 GMT -5
I found a lot of named agates out there-moss plume fortification,wood,etc.But the patterns and colors of the jaspers and rhyolites were the most interesting even if they were ugly or strange.Because of the endless variety and one of a kind behavior.May not make sense to you but kept me entertained.I have a gold mine spot to hunt out there.A bulldozer went over a lot of it to kill growth.The replant did not take due to drought so i have a perfect washed prep.The little farm is hard to find and not looked over by hounds.And the fellow likes me so i may have that spot for a long time.Thanks for the analysis as usual.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 1, 2013 15:40:10 GMT -5
James, No place I've ever been to hunt rocks is more interesting than those south Texas gravels. Literally, any kind of quartz gem can show up there. Sounds like you've got a good spot to hunt but man oh man, watch out for snakes. My wife found a dead rattler, picked clean to the skeleton by vultures and the remaining rib cage was more than 6 inches across at the widest point. Man, a rattler that large would hit way above your boots if he wanted to. I thought we had some big'uns at our California ranch but a Texas rattler with a skeleton that big could poop bigger than our California midgets *L*....Mel
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garock
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by garock on Apr 1, 2013 16:14:25 GMT -5
Mr Mel ! That's too funny ! :-)
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 1, 2013 17:54:53 GMT -5
You ain't right Mel:>.Do not want any of that snake.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2013 14:52:29 GMT -5
6 foot western diamond backs are relatively common along the Rio Grande. Mel, you wear boots in while rockhounding?
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 2, 2013 18:40:31 GMT -5
Scott, I wear snakeproof boots almost knee high when out in the brush here in texas. Got to admit, I often just wear hightop hikers when hunting the George West area roads which is probably stupid as H*LL *L*. I do use a Gem Scoop though, so's I don't have to stick my hands back in the bushes to pick up a nice hunk of wood. That would definitely be stoooooopid...Mel
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2013 17:49:41 GMT -5
I wear tennis shoes and shorts (unless in acacia country, then jeans) I was once climbing a rocky outcrop in the 1980's chasing a Banded Rock Lizard; and as I pulled myself up to a ledge, as my eyes passed over the esge, what did I see?? The largest Red Diamond Rattlesnake I have ever seen. 5 foot +. He stayed coiled, flicking his tongue at me. I said sh|t and slowly lowered myself down. Re-grouped came at him from another angle and scooped both him and his lady friend into a pillowcase. Carefully tied the not and went back to chasing rock lizards. Four months later she gave me a dozen little baby copies of herself. Sweet! Never had one show up at my feet though. I did pee on a rosy boa once. lol
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 4, 2013 18:21:04 GMT -5
Scott: You know, I made spending money during College by collecting snakes and lizards and those Red Diamond Backs out east of San Diego have to be the most docile rattlers I've ever encountered. Mojave rattlers are the worse I've ever captured. Really bring meaning to the phrase " Meaner than a snake!". Those rock lizards are hard to noose. I almost killed myself trying to catch one out by Palm Springs once. Hot spot for Rosy Boas used to be at Stoddard Ridge out by Lucerne Valley. Found three or four in one night there and not by night driving, by hiking. I was totally shocked........Mel
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2013 19:05:54 GMT -5
Mel, you totally have it covered. Stoddard Ridge is awesome! That is where I pee'd on a rosy boa!! The best money I ever made was the weekend I collected 150 desert iguanas and 60 chuckwallas in the Chuckwalla Mtns. $10 ea for 200+ lizards in 2.5 days. Gas was $0.80!!
Later, like last month, I was to learn that there is some very nice brecciated agates in the Chuckwallas. A dude in class is making (maybe done I missed a couple weeks) a basketball sized sphere from it. Not volleyball, nor soccer ball... basketball!
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 5, 2013 21:28:55 GMT -5
Scott, I was hiking up in Graham Pass, near the top, one time and found an old Indian Quarry where they had been digging some big hunks of agate and jasper. I remember it as being colorful but not if it was brecciated or not. I was hunting nodules at the time and way far from the car with a full pack so I didn't collect any. Guess I must have thought it was not all that special but I do remember there were huge chunks around the pit.
Sometimes I feel bad about all the collecting I did back in the old days but herps were much more common back then and I was a very broke college student. Even collected and sold rattlers for a few cents an inch. Did underwater collecting too for a biological supply house in Monterey. That was pretty good money and certain things like baby octopus, three winged murex, mantis shrimp, comb jellies and some of the fancy small fish paid real well. My collecting buddy and I were invited to collect whale lice and whale barnacles at the last active whaling station in the US at Pt. Molate. I went one day and then took a pass as I kind of like whales and it was just too gross walking around in two feet of blood and smelly guts while dodging flensing knives and the drag chains that pulled the meat into the grinders. My buddy kept at it and actually made enough money from the deal for a new dive boat ....Mel
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Apr 6, 2013 9:13:08 GMT -5
You guys have too much fun.I thought i was in critter land!A lot of outdoor lovers on this forum.Cool.Amazing experiences
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