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Post by DirtCleaner on May 12, 2014 20:23:19 GMT -5
Had a rare day off with my wife and hit a rock show in Brainerd, MN. After that we drove a half hour to the Blanchard Dam just outside of Little Falls, MN. to look for cross rocks (Staurolite.) Some call them Fairy Crosses. There are only a few places in the U.S.A. where these can be found. Other folks have worried about parking and the best route to the collecting site. Just Google Blanchard Dam, MN and it will get you near there. Might be on either side of the river but it really does not matter, if you end up on the wrong side just walk across the bridge. Other concerns are water levels, especially in the spring. We just missed the worst of it and the Mississippi is receding a bit but still moving tons of water. Follow the trail: Below is a shot of the collecting area: We brought home a lot of Staurolite, this pile is about 2 hours of collecting for the two of us: You can sift or sieve the river gravel in your hunt for the cross rocks: While not very big, this is the best one we picked that day. It may end up as a necklace.
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 12, 2014 20:29:13 GMT -5
I got some staurolite in Michigan's U.P. near Michigammi. The stuff I found was smaller than yours and had to be chipped out of a large boulder. I have no idea how to remove it from the matrix.
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Post by DirtCleaner on May 12, 2014 20:40:12 GMT -5
I got some staurolite in Michigan's U.P. near Michigammi. The stuff I found was smaller than yours and had to be chipped out of a large boulder. I have no idea how to remove it from the matrix. Getting it out go the matrix is easy peasy. Patience goes a long way. Just let mother nature work on it for several thousand more years. The stuff in MN is found without anything attached but occasionally when looking through the bigger host rock it can be found still attached.
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Post by kap on May 13, 2014 21:23:10 GMT -5
I love fairy crosses! I collect them in North Georgia and N.C. I have some nice palm size I will try and find a picture of them.
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Post by fantastic5 on May 14, 2014 20:20:06 GMT -5
I have seen some of KAP's best Staurolite and he has some AMAZING pieces for sure!!!
I sure love your perfect maltese cross! My quest for the perfect maltese has not yet been fulfilled, but here's a shot of my best to date. These were all collected in Clay Co, NC.
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Post by kap on May 14, 2014 20:38:59 GMT -5
Here are a few of mine the biggest in this group is as long as my little finger. These all came from Ga. Thanks for looking Keith
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