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Post by HankRocks on Oct 4, 2017 19:32:26 GMT -5
I am heading up in a few days before to do some Quartz Crystal digging and then the Dig Contest in Mt Ida. Was wondering if anyone else out here was going. 120 diggers signed up and two mines in the contest. Might run over to Magnet Cove and maybe Mufreesboro and Crater of the Diamonds to see if we can find any interesting tumbling material. Oh and I opted to carry a 1 gallon bucket for the diamonds!! 3 gallon seemed a mite optimistic! Managed a 3rd place last year, but it all depends if you find the right pocket on the first day.
Henry
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fishnpinball
Cave Dweller
So much to learn, so little time
Member since March 2017
Posts: 1,491
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Post by fishnpinball on Oct 4, 2017 20:00:33 GMT -5
Never heard of it. Can you link some info. There was a lot of jasper and some agate around the park, but most of the jasper would have been mono colored. It will take a shine and I have one tumbling that had a tic tac toe patter n on it. Hope the pattern remains when I finish it.
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Post by HankRocks on Oct 4, 2017 20:16:41 GMT -5
Here's the link idigcrystals.us/Believe this is my tenth entry going back about 20 years.
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fishnpinball
Cave Dweller
So much to learn, so little time
Member since March 2017
Posts: 1,491
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Post by fishnpinball on Oct 4, 2017 20:24:43 GMT -5
Will have to think about that really fast. I hope you can fill your 1 gallon bucket with diamonds (and give half to me for my warm wishes). I thought it was funny when my Brother in law wanted to go down there and I think was disappointed that we did not find a diamond. I was pushing for a stop in Mt Ida but we didn't get one in on that trip.
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Post by fantastic5 on Oct 4, 2017 20:36:43 GMT -5
Arkansas is on my short list, but not this month. Good luck and please post your finds!
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Post by Pat on Oct 4, 2017 21:57:24 GMT -5
My Ida is a must see. We drove there twice. Went to mines to find quartz crystals. Humid!!!!! Wrong time of year.
Next time went right time of year. Wrong time of day. We were on vacation. Slept in. Read the paper. Out for breakfast. THEN ready to dig. Wrong. Wrong time of day. Humid already.
The mines have their own shop in town. Feature large clusters up front, gradually get smaller at back of shop. A feast for the eyes.
Some shops had plastered their storefront with qtz xls!!!! Then spray painted them gold, or red, white, and blue. Gaaaag!😖 We came home with s trunk full of sticky red clay that showed promise of crystal. After cleaning them up, we kept one formation. Very glad we checked out the shops!!
Good luck with your diamond dig.
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Post by toiv0 on Oct 4, 2017 22:44:07 GMT -5
I think there is Novaculite around Magnet cove good for knapping. The whole mountain is magnetic I think and electronic things might not work. Lots of cool things in the creeks, was there 20 years ago before I was too much of a rock hound. www.rockhoundingar.com/magcove.php
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Post by HankRocks on Oct 5, 2017 6:48:11 GMT -5
Some of the Novaculite images I have seen do show some color and swirl patterns, not quite Flint Ridge but still attractive. Hope to pick up a couple gallons for tumbling. Hopefully the contact I have works out.
Henry
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Post by orrum on Oct 5, 2017 8:11:04 GMT -5
I get Novaculite from Steve at Dan Whetstone in that area. You can go there and he will let you pick thru his huge wooden 4x4 ft containers. Some has dpidewebbing. Some is pink, some has red spots, some is swirly black and white. Some of the wHite is translucent with milk cobwebs. I never tumbled any just knapped it. So I have a tumbler of Novaculite rolling now. I heat treated mine to 675 degrees.
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Post by orrum on Oct 5, 2017 8:12:23 GMT -5
His dad, Dan is s geologist. You should see his giant rocks from the old days!!! I love his Az Rainbow Pet Wood!
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 1, 2017 14:48:38 GMT -5
Been so busy I forgot to post the results from the Mt Ida Championship Quartz Dig last month. There were 135 Diggers in the contest. In addition to 2nd place in Points I managed 7th in Clusters and was 2nd in overall score, just behind the Grand Champion. Not a good first day, manged to find a good Quartz vein the 2nd day and moved myself up the standings. Waiting on pictures from the Chamber to post. It was a good week of digging, will post more pictures later.
30th Annual World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig - Top Award Winners: Grand Champion Dale Almond, Digger #121, of Yellville, AR Points Division 1st Place, Atanya Smith, Digger #107, of Dover, TN 2nd Place, Henry Marek, Digger #48, of Houston, TX 3rd Place, Michael Birch, Digger #90, of Bonne Terre, MO Clusters Division 1st Place, Bobby Lawrence, Digger #100, of Gold Hill, OR 2nd Place, Derek Brazauskas, Digger #125, of Carrollton, TX 3rd Place, Martin Gallardo, Digger #128, of Fort Worth, TX
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 2, 2017 14:35:20 GMT -5
Here's a few pictures from my Oct Arkansas trip. I do find that taking pictures while trying to dig and bang around on rocks is not very easy, too much going on to stop for pictures. Plus trying to protect the camera from dirt and rocks. Will add a few more of the Quartz Crystals we dug and some samples of the Novaculite and Tinguaite we collected in a few days. Have a load of the Novaculite and the Tinguaite in the Tumbler with 80AO. www.flickr.com/photos/67823965@N02/albums/72157686886978062Henry
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Post by fantastic5 on Nov 2, 2017 15:00:25 GMT -5
I like the action shots, now how about some pictures of those crystals?
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 2, 2017 15:09:55 GMT -5
Will try and take some tomorrow and post.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Nov 2, 2017 15:20:50 GMT -5
That looks an awful lot like work! Thanks for sharing.
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 2, 2017 16:18:14 GMT -5
Between the 3lb hammer-chisel work and using and old screwdriver to dig out tough clay down in narrow pockets, my wrists were sore for week after I got home.
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Post by HankRocks on Nov 2, 2017 18:15:09 GMT -5
Just found this picture of the Quartz Point I dug on the 2nd day. It water clear and perfect point, no small thing considering the knucklehead with the hammer and chisel!! my_good_point by Findrocks, on Flickr ![]()
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