jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Feb 3, 2015 13:31:45 GMT -5
Rocks are sawn in kerosene. Makes photos difficult due to water beading. Saliva works well.
Just thought you guys would want to know that tid bit.
Yes Ann, I will click some off of the outside of this one.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Feb 3, 2015 18:01:07 GMT -5
fantastic5 external photos, and a couple of others, perhaps chrome diopside and green basalt ?   chrome diopside ? crystal quartz scratches it, supposed to be mohs 6  maybe basalt ? 
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Post by snowmom on Feb 3, 2015 19:37:00 GMT -5
I never would have suspected either of those.. interesting! The lakes and glaciers do so much damage to the outside of the rocks here. Cutting helps me figure out what I should look for more of and what I should leave behind. Thanks for the pictures! What about dolomite for the last one? looks limestone-ish... Too hard?
Tandl has suggested Calc-sil for some of the things I find here. maybe he will chime in? It is my understanding that he finds some of the same glacial erratics as I find here, even impactites.
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Post by snowmom on Feb 4, 2015 8:35:52 GMT -5
Had to dig out the photos you posted of the small things I sent you and took a good look to see what these looked like before they were cut. I think that last one was a piece of my "wannabejade"... but not sure. Still no idea what it might be, is it hard and dense enough to be nephrite? In light of Ann's comment that Wayne thought one of the rocks I sent her might be jadeite, I am really curious about that one now... if I can be more curious and excited about things than I already am. wish I knew how to make that smiley with the tongue hanging out, it would fit here perfectly! Thanks for all, jamesp and fantastic5 I can't express my appreciation enough!
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Post by 1dave on Feb 4, 2015 15:38:09 GMT -5
1dave, it brings solace to my simple mind when these impactites are analyzed. I find they display evidence of cataclysm when found in obvious impact sites, time and time again. Same as the relatively undisturbed coral beds. Many reef sections still in tact. Left almost undisturbed. Why am I so closed minded to estimates of time, and dependent on physical evidence ? paranoia I suppose Perhaps because so much of "what we know for sure" is really just guesses soon to be proven wrong. It has only been 50 years since "scientists" began admitting impact craters from the past still exist and the continents are floating around. Perhaps 1 in 16 now believe that "hot spots" are actually asteroid/comet impact sites. Many of those ocean impacts caused huge tsunamis that are ignored by 90+ % We aren't near as smart as we think. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Feb 4, 2015 16:07:51 GMT -5
Firm believer in your last statement. This is a complex world. A miracle.
Fun trying to figure it out though.
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Post by snowmom on Feb 5, 2015 9:08:04 GMT -5
ran across this discussion accidently this morning, might be a clue regarding the rock with the spheres, seems that olivine as it ages can also morph into a material which is bright redorange. This might explain a few things we are seeing here. www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?t=3032 |
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Post by washingtonrocks on Feb 5, 2015 22:49:55 GMT -5
Well, any updates on the analysis of these oddball rocks?? You all have me riveted! The green banded material...  ...I'd be willing to wager that it's Pumpellyite. Very common to your area, snowmom.  |
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Post by snowmom on Feb 6, 2015 5:08:21 GMT -5
woohoo! I have noticed that crystal pattern and didn't recognize it (thought calcite with the cone shaped 'teeth)
thanks for pointing that out. I am going to have to look a lot harder at these things. My crystal recognition is nil. New area to study, that is great! thanks Chris!
I didn't think pumpellyite was common anywhere. About the only place it seems to be found in any quantity is Isle Royale, and its a no no to even touch it there. I know it is very sought after. I have one timy glacial erratic find from this summer I am sure of- about the size of my smallest finger nail. waking up to new possibilities here- thanks again.
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Post by snowmom on Feb 6, 2015 5:08:31 GMT -5
double post again, what is wrong with me that I keep doing this> rhetorical question, sorrily, I know the answer... sigh
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hornseeker
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 268 
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Post by hornseeker on Feb 11, 2015 10:38:50 GMT -5
I have no idea if it would related to this thread, but we found a rock on the Yellowstone the other day that is completely fascinating... I am going to try and get some good macros of it tonight and post them... the entire rock is composed of tiny (relatively speaking... maybe 1/2 mm...) spheres... ranging in colors from cream to red if I remember right... really fascinating... pics tonight! (I hope, Im trying to remember where it is!!)
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Feb 11, 2015 14:24:19 GMT -5
Well, any updates on the analysis of these oddball rocks?? You all have me riveted! The green banded material... ...I'd be willing to wager that it's Pumpellyite. Very common to your area, snowmom. I thought that looked like a calcite structure. Let me scratch it to verify. Talking about the white crystalized area... |
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Post by snowmom on Feb 11, 2015 18:27:48 GMT -5
the green rimming the brecciated red piece is the suspected pumpellyite. No word on analysis being done at the labs yet, all geology labs are notoriously backed up with way more than they can get to, and the big fires need to get put out first. I would suspect these are more just glowing embers.  patience is a virtue (one I'm short on but I'm learning!) would be good to know what the white part of that breccia is as well. Maybe some of the members who know their crystals will chime in? |
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Post by snowmom on Feb 11, 2015 18:29:50 GMT -5
I have no idea if it would related to this thread, but we found a rock on the Yellowstone the other day that is completely fascinating... I am going to try and get some good macros of it tonight and post them... the entire rock is composed of tiny (relatively speaking... maybe 1/2 mm...) spheres... ranging in colors from cream to red if I remember right... really fascinating... pics tonight! (I hope, Im trying to remember where it is!!) hope you find it, looking forward to seeing pictures- sounds really interesting ! |
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hornseeker
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 268
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Post by hornseeker on Feb 12, 2015 10:23:06 GMT -5
Here snowmom... I looked more closely at this rock last night, have it in my pocket right now. I really have no idea whatsoever what it is... But I did notice the spheres, and you'll see this, appear to be hollow inside. Maybe some sort of diatoms??? hereya go... not sure what these will look like full size, just viewed on phone so far... iphone6 pics...    Zoomed in, little blurry...  |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Feb 12, 2015 11:11:54 GMT -5
What have you there hornseeker ?? First thought was palm, next was coral, but there seems to be no grain or tubes following the orbs. Too regular, round and spaced to be diatoms I believe. I think it is not bone. Pretty sure it is fossilized something. Never seen bryozoans that look like that either. Don't think it is dino bone, but possible. The orbs have a center of another material or were hollow from the get go. Best if you stuck that in Identification and let others have a go at it. Would love to see that one sliced. Bet $4 it is a silicified fossil of some sort. The color banding is similar to what a bone would do. 2nd photo, green on left and right, then beige left and right, and then a gray center. That one deserves a prize, killer find and great fodder for the ID folks. I think they are to regular in size to be orbicular formations and not fossils like this cab  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2015 13:35:12 GMT -5
I think it looks most like oolite.
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hornseeker
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 268
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Post by hornseeker on Feb 12, 2015 16:01:35 GMT -5
Can you show some pics of what oolite you have seen that looks like that? I googled it and cant come up with anything like that. But it was what I first suspected. We are close to a lot of limestone...
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hornseeker
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 268
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Post by hornseeker on Feb 12, 2015 16:06:45 GMT -5
All the oolite I see is much coarser... and if it is oolite, it almost seems like it must be metamorphosed?? Its really hard. Here's an example... not sure of scale...  |
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hornseeker
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 268
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Post by hornseeker on Feb 12, 2015 16:20:21 GMT -5
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patience is a virtue (one I'm short on but I'm learning!) would be good to know what the white part of that breccia is as well. Maybe some of the members who know their crystals will chime in? 
