opisthorchis
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 19
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Post by opisthorchis on Aug 20, 2013 13:34:48 GMT -5
Evening all! Very, very new to the world of tumbling and rocks in general. Always had an interest in geology, but have only recently started to take an active interest. Mostly due to attempting to make jewellery (as a hobby, not a career change!). I was also intrigued by the agate that is found in this part of Scotland, and whilst I have managed to find some onyx agate, sadly it's about the size of a cherry and there's not much I can do to it except keep it shiny! I've not gone so hard core as to start digging for rocks, but have been taking advantage of the beaches here on the west coast which are covered in stones, so whilst I can get ready tumbled stone, is does make it harder to identify them - as I have been finding out! So far I think i have been able to identify lots of diorite, gneiss, granite (unsurprising given the proximity to Ailsa Craig) and what I had thought was snowflake obsidian....but it's more likely basalt with feldspar. It's a learning curve! One question i do have, and forgive me if this isn't the right section, but i recently snagged a load of what I thought was basalt with feldspar, but the snowflakes this time are not white, but gold in colour. So it looks flecked with bursts of pyrite. Has anyone attempted to polish this up? I'd like to retain the sparkle from the pyrite, but worried polishing will ruin it??? Then again, I came across so much of it, I guess I can afford the trial and error!! I have been enjoying reading this forum and long to continue! Thanks for reading
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Post by helens on Aug 20, 2013 16:23:23 GMT -5
Hello:). Post pix, and welcome to the forum, since no one else posted a hello yet:).
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on Aug 20, 2013 18:34:38 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. I hope the folks here will help you as much as they have me.
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Post by vegasjames on Aug 21, 2013 0:21:51 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Look forward to seeing pics of some of the stones from your area.
If it is an iron sulfide it should polish.
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opisthorchis
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 19
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Post by opisthorchis on Aug 21, 2013 12:51:06 GMT -5
Hi guys! Well I managed to take a few pics of some of the stones i've picked up so far, but I am getting a message saying the forum has exceeded its upload limit, so here's the link to the pics on flickr instead www.flickr.com/photos/hd-qld/sets/72157635176368648/ I'm thinking i have jasper, basalt with feldspar, but there's also basalt with bursts of pyrite (sp?), and another with gold/brassy veins running through it?? There's also a lot of serpentine to be found on the beach, so I will be trying to polish that. Any info regarding those stones is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Post by vegasjames on Aug 21, 2013 15:39:19 GMT -5
I agree, most look like basalts and the red one looks like it has some jasper in it. Those last two look like they would make some pretty nice cabs.
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opisthorchis
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 19
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Post by opisthorchis on Aug 21, 2013 16:03:23 GMT -5
I think I've managed to get quite a bit of jasper, red and loads of dalmatian. The last two are cool, but finding it very soft, but will see how it goes.
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Post by helens on Aug 21, 2013 16:44:16 GMT -5
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opisthorchis
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 19
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Post by opisthorchis on Aug 21, 2013 17:19:19 GMT -5
Hi Helen, The coral sounds interesting, but I'm quite a distance away from Salisbury, and in another country! Where I'm based is the central lowlands of Scotland, but Ayrshire in particular was highly volcanic back in the day. So there's lots of remnants of that to be found. About 10 miles off the coast is a large reminder of that, Ailsa Craig, also known as Faerie Rock. It's the remains of the volcanic plug which erupted about 500 million years ago. So the beaches have quite a lot of pink, green and blue granite as a result. the granite is traditionally used for curling stones. There's apparently lots of agate in this area too, but so far I've found one tiny bit of it! Should be plenty of fossils too, but so far only come across lepidodendron....but I'll keep looking!
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,803
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 21, 2013 19:04:02 GMT -5
Welcome from another Newbie to this forum. I'm sure you're already familiar with this website and book but I'm posting it in case others here might be interested in the fine agates found in Scotland. www.agatesofscotland.co.uk/
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 22, 2013 9:15:42 GMT -5
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Post by helens on Aug 22, 2013 9:21:38 GMT -5
Welcome from another Newbie to this forum. I'm sure you're already familiar with this website and book but I'm posting it in case others here might be interested in the fine agates found in Scotland. www.agatesofscotland.co.uk/OH WOW! I had NO IDEA there were beauties like this in Scotland!! Some of those look like Morrocan or Australian in the colorations. opis, if they aren't all collected, you are a lucky lady to be in an area with so many interesting agates:).
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opisthorchis
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 19
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Post by opisthorchis on Aug 22, 2013 12:50:11 GMT -5
yes the highlands are beautiful! the link does give some locations, specifically Dunure and Maidens beaches. Most of the rocks I've collected so far are from Maidens, so I'm hoping there will be more, larger agates in there, not just the very tiny onyx agate I've found so far.
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Post by jakesrocks on Aug 22, 2013 13:00:54 GMT -5
Good luck in your searches. Wish I could get back over there for a good rock hunt myself.
I rechecked that book, and it does give many locations. It might be a good investment for you. In fact I might order a copy for my own ever growing rock library.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2013 22:41:25 GMT -5
Greetings [opisthorchis], firstly may i welcome you to RTH from this side of the pond! Are you from Girvan too, [celt40] is,[jockstrap] from Irvine & [foogy] from Kilsyth. You may be interested that there three lapidary clubs in Scotland. Edinburgh Scottish Mineral and Lapidary club . . . . Leith Lapidary ClubBoth of them I am a member and they are within 1.6Km (1 mile) of each other. Glasgow West of Scotland Mineral and Lapidary Society Knightswood Community Centre, 201 Alderman Road, Glasgow, G31 3DD. Secretary: Mr. William McCririck, Tel: 01355 246272 Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from this monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
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Geoff
spending too much on rocks
Please add 1074 to my post number.
Member since December 2012
Posts: 446
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Post by Geoff on Aug 29, 2013 22:47:03 GMT -5
Cool, my boss is from Ireland, too! Heh. He loves when we hide Lucky Charms in his office.
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opisthorchis
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 19
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Post by opisthorchis on Aug 30, 2013 8:32:55 GMT -5
Hi ASI,
not too far from Girvan, Mauchline is the biggest place near me, but I head down to the beaches near there quite often to tire out the dog and keep an eye out for rocks!
Yvonne
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2013 13:02:27 GMT -5
Greetings [opisthorchis], Yvonne between Irvine & Girvan plus 15 - 20 miles inland Quartz Agates can be found, do you have a tumbler or any lapidary equipment? I currently have 3lb Beach rotary tumbler with 1.5lb & 3lb Evans rubber barrels, Lortone QT12/66 & C300 rotary tumblers with 6lb & 12lb rubber barrels, 2 Viking Virbrasonic with 2 6lb & 14lb hoppers & a 8" Evans diamond saw. See reply #7 for more info Looking for good rocks in Scotland. Please check out my Sticky's below. -- Please click images to open larger images in a new Tab, same with everything that is Underlined! I hail from (The Barony of Seabegs) Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, U.K, where aliens (15mb) sometimes come for a visit & about 4 miles west from this monstrosity! Sticky's: their contents are resource information 1#: Vendors worldwide (2mb), 2#: How to use the forum, 3#: How to identify rocks & minerals, 4#: Save money on expensive grits & polishes, 5#: Aussie Lapidary Forum: Rock Tumbling Guide!
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opisthorchis
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2013
Posts: 19
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Post by opisthorchis on Sept 1, 2013 8:28:56 GMT -5
I don't have a tumbler yet, not got the cash for one at the moment, so have been using pre-tumbled from the beach and grinding/polishing with a combination of grinder, angle grinder, dremel and good old fashioned by hand.
I've also been sticking with the rock I find easier to work with, which for me is mostly basalt and various jaspers. I didn't realise just how much of it was around! Keep finding lots of red and Dalmatian jasper. I really like the sparkle from the stones I find with lots of pyrite/mica in it, which I'm assuming is basalt. It does give a lovely shine.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Sept 1, 2013 22:00:06 GMT -5
Welcome to the board
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