rockpickerforever
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RIP Jean Bradley, you are forever loved
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Post by rockpickerforever on Nov 22, 2013 10:58:24 GMT -5
After getting the name from johnjsgems, I've done some research on the Brubaker-Mann quarry in Barstow. We can safely discard the incorrect name of "Green Monster" mine. I got that name from someone that didn't know what they were talking about. There are three Green Monster mines in the state of Cali, but this isn't one of them! Anyway, I have an old (1953) book that I picked up at the swap meet some time back for a buck. You never know when a reference like this can come in handy. It is a publication of the State of California Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mines. It is entitled California Journal of Mines and Geology (Volume 49, Numbers 1 and 2, January-April 1953). The amount of info in this volume is staggering! It includes all commercial mining operations, locations, what is mined/produced, maps, geologic maps and lots of references cited. Almost the last half of the book is a tabulated list of mines and mineral deposits in San Bernardino county. Look up a mineral, and see the names and map locations of all the mines producing that. Pretty cool! Once it gets light out, I'll take a few pics of the book and add them to this post. I will leave out a few of the details, but here is the pertinent info, circa 1953: Brubaker-Mann Roofing Granule Plant. Ownership: The mill site is owned by Lee Haney of Barstow, and is leased by Ronald Brubaker and William Mann, also of Barstow. "The Brubaker-Mann Company has been producing moderate quantities of natural colored roofing granules since mid-1950. Rock is quarried at various localities and processed at the mill. Green granules are obtained from a green andesite exposed about four miles north of Midway and 40 miles northeast of the mill. (This be the place!) Green rock is also quarried from an epidote-rich lime-granite contact near Stoddard Well, about twenty miles southwest of the mill. "Red granules are produced from andesite mined near Newberry. Pink and brick-red granules are obtained from volcanic flows and tuffs mined along the Barstow to Camp Erwin road, about 20miles northeast of the mill. Brown granules are produced from iron-rich siliceous limestone obtained several miles east of the mill. "The rock is sent successively through a primary jaw crusher, a set of rolls, a shaker screen, and a sack loading machine. A standard size granule of 1/2 inch to 8 mesh is produced, although sizes of as much as 1 1/2 inch are ground as ordered. Mill capacity is 20 - 30 tons per 8 hour day." I think it's a safe bet to say that this green rock is andesite!!! And no, I never did play with the acid, don't think I have to now. Edit to add- Here's a few photos of the book. Diagram of mine levels 60+ year old mining equipment Geologic cross sections This is the kind of stuff found in this interesting book!
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Nov 22, 2013 13:13:39 GMT -5
Wow awesome information Jean I love that you figured out what the stuff is.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 13:59:40 GMT -5
OK, what's today's excuse guys? Constipation, gout, athlete's foot attack, mange, galloping crotch rot, Brown Recluse Spider bite, space herpes, chupacabra infestation? ??......Mel No, it's freaking cold and rainy, plus I have a job! orrum, thanks you are a stud.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 14:03:43 GMT -5
RE: Andesite - while that may be what they mined, the material we picked up is too soft for that. Andesite at 60% SiO2 is gonna be harder than a knife, doesn't that material scratch with a knife?
Plus the crystals in andesite are not visible in the soft green stuff from Bru-Mann Afton Cyn north quarry. Unless I am wrong.
I wonder if this is verde antique?
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rockpickerforever
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RIP Jean Bradley, you are forever loved
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Post by rockpickerforever on Nov 22, 2013 15:39:17 GMT -5
RE: Andesite - while that may be what they mined, the material we picked up is too soft for that. Andesite at 60% SiO2 is gonna be harder than a knife, doesn't that material scratch with a knife? Plus the crystals in andesite are not visible in the soft green stuff from Bru-Mann Afton Cyn north quarry. Unless I am wrong. I wonder if this is verde antique? RE: Andesite - Scott, depends on the piece. Some of it is harder than others, the softer stuff will scratch, the harder stuff won't. But you're right, I don't see crystals like in the images on Google. EDIT to add - I did pour some muriatic acid on it, no effect. To be honest, I used one of the harder pieces. Under Dimension Stone it mentions that "Verde Antique also has been obtained northeast of Victorville." In the tabulated list it says: Verde Antique Marble, owned by Mojave Consolidated Development Co. (1906) Under remarks, it says: Northeast of Victorville. Verde antique quarry opened in late 1800's and operated intermittantly. Product was sawed, polished and sold as interior ornamental stone. There's mention of a "Three Colored marble" (mine or claim?) northeast of Victorville. The tabulated list says: Northeast slope Sidewinder Mts. Brecciated marble, mottled in green, black and white. As much as 200 feet thick. Worked only on a small scale. I have a piece of this, got it at a sale somewhere. (Spends next half hour looking for it to take a pic - can't find it, no surprise. Will get pic when I do find it.) I can see I'm going to have to peruse this book a bit more. It's a little bit dry, as far as reading material goes, but that's 'cause it's packed with info.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 15:44:31 GMT -5
tricolor marble is as described. It is a portion of a much larger marble outcrop. It is not a breccia. It is a conglomerate.
I can't find a pic online at the moment. When I photo cady's material I will include it.
Interesting acid had no effect. Points to andesite for sure!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 17:07:19 GMT -5
Sabre52, orrum - this is for you buds, and of course everyone else. My take largely consisted of a trip to Lavic (about 100#) and stuff from the North Cady Mtn. fluorite mine canyon (125# or so). The Cady stuff consists of 5 stones in all. Seems like a huge trip for 5 stones huh!?!? So, here ya go. This is a hunk of "brecciated bacon jasper". I haven't put acid on it yet, but I am betting it's red parts are calcite. This is 40ish pounds. breccia did not work out. Here is a little botroidyl pocket closeup of one end of a 5# hunk of jasper same stone different spot the right stone is over 50# and the left is about 40# closeups I'll put more up as I get it sliced up.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 22, 2013 17:26:55 GMT -5
Wow awesome finds Scott. Thanks for the pics. Those yellow and red examples definitely look like they are from an outcrop related to the plume beds and look like they might have some good areas of small plume in them. Sometimes the plumes appear as dots, or flowers when oriented so you are looking across them but then cut lengthwise show nice plumes. Sometimes the plumes are just in small lenses within the more jaspery looking stuff too. Can't wait to see your finds cut up and polished.....Mel
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 17:32:48 GMT -5
The photos aren't that great. It's my trusty old point and shoot and very dark here today. I think this one has great potential.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 17:35:29 GMT -5
oh yeah, forgot to add I have cured myself of the diseases Mel gave me earlier!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 17:42:04 GMT -5
I also forgot to add - here is a hunk of Owhyee (perhaps succor creek?) gifted by royand a fantastically spectabulously bitchen hunk of whale pet whale bone gifted by elementary on the scouting trip
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Post by wireholic on Nov 22, 2013 18:21:30 GMT -5
your trophies are great - can't wait to see them cut and I love the Owhyee (that color is almost edible looking!) But how do you tell the diff between dino bone, whale bone and whatever other kind of bone gets petrified?
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Post by orrum on Nov 22, 2013 18:34:57 GMT -5
Wow wow Scott you got some stuff that is huge n pretty. For speres perhaps? Glad u recovered from the flubuchus, grope, creepin crud! LOLOLO
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 18:42:48 GMT -5
Wow wow Scott you got some stuff that is huge n pretty. For speres perhaps? Glad u recovered from the flubuchus, grope, creepin crud! LOLOLO Grope ain't bad--------------------- is it??
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Post by wireholic on Nov 22, 2013 19:13:13 GMT -5
depends on if you're the grope-er or the grope-ee!
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panamark
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Post by panamark on Nov 23, 2013 2:21:02 GMT -5
Those are nice Scott. You definitely went for the big ones! Thanks for posting. Please also show some of the slab cuts - they should be good. I too wonder how one tells it is whale pet.bone?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2013 9:14:41 GMT -5
Whale bone will float. Jim
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Post by roy on Nov 23, 2013 10:39:14 GMT -5
nice finds scott and the piece you showed from me is old school rockey butte
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Nov 23, 2013 10:47:35 GMT -5
I'd be very curious about how to tell dino bone from whalebone too (And no pet whalebone does not float *L*). I've collected a bit of whalebone along the Ventura County beaches back in Commiefornia and the cellular structure, at least to my naked eye, sure looks like dino bone. Just as variable in pattern as dino too. Whalebone is, of course, not as colorful as some dino bone, being mainly earth tones but a cab of nice black and blue whalebone sure looks like dino of the same color to me.....Mel
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2013 15:09:02 GMT -5
I'd be very curious about how to tell dino bone from whalebone too (And no pet whalebone does not float *L*). I've collected a bit of whalebone along the Ventura County beaches back in Commiefornia and the cellular structure, at least to my naked eye, sure looks like dino bone. Just as variable in pattern as dino too. Whalebone is, of course, not as colorful as some dino bone, being mainly earth tones but a cab of nice black and blue whalebone sure looks like dino of the same color to me.....Mel Mel, do you suppose that we call it whale bone 'cuz it's found on beaches? Maybe it is dino! I wonder if this is what someone called "tribal knowledge" and not true knowledge. However, most of the old stuff in Cali is mammalian (La Brea Tarpits and elsewhere) and that is commonly whalebone, but not petrified. Classmates brought in a 500++ lb hunk of whale, but it is all bone, bot agatized at all.
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