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Post by rockhoundingwithkids on Apr 17, 2020 13:36:04 GMT -5
We'll go on a hunt for them in the next couple of days and I'll post what we find. Super excited to find something new!
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Post by 1dave on Apr 17, 2020 14:46:03 GMT -5
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Post by 1dave on Apr 17, 2020 15:21:29 GMT -5
I scrambled around and put these two images together
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Post by drocknut on Apr 17, 2020 15:32:02 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum from central Arizona. Sounds like Tommy set you on the right path. Hope you have fun and post lots of pictures of all the great rocks you and your kids find.
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Post by 1dave on Apr 17, 2020 15:49:03 GMT -5
Thanks for directing me to this research and Making My Day!
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Post by rockhoundingwithkids on Apr 17, 2020 16:31:12 GMT -5
Excuse my ignorance on this but is that second photo what it looks like... in the wild? rough? for lack of (me knowing) a better term...
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Post by 1dave on Apr 17, 2020 16:34:41 GMT -5
Excuse my ignorance on this but is that second photo what it looks like... in the wild? rough? for lack of (me knowing) a better term... Kind of - depends on the amount of wear. On the beach it will probably be a lot more rounded.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,683
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Post by Tommy on Apr 17, 2020 16:41:12 GMT -5
Excuse my ignorance on this but is that second photo what it looks like... in the wild? rough? for lack of (me knowing) a better term... The ones in my hand photo are what the local ones look like straight out of the ground, rinsed with water only (or licked but we won't go there...).
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Post by rockhoundingwithkids on Apr 17, 2020 17:01:00 GMT -5
Really?! I thought those were tumbled... which I guess they naturally are... Don't get me started, when we were hunting garnets I asked my husband "why are yours so shiny?" and he pulls one out of his mouth... he's constantly doing that or spitting on rocks to see what they look like...he's worse than a toddler. Excuse my ignorance on this but is that second photo what it looks like... in the wild? rough? for lack of (me knowing) a better term... The ones in my hand photo are what the local ones look like straight out of the ground, rinsed with water only (or licked but we won't go there...).
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Post by 1dave on Apr 17, 2020 17:04:43 GMT -5
A good read is at: geology.com/minerals/andalusite.shtml"Andalusite forms during the regional metamorphism of shale. It is found in schist and gneiss at some present and ancient convergent plate boundaries where the rocks have been exposed to the temperatures and pressures needed for its formation. In these rocks, andalusite is often associated with kyanite and sillimanite. Andalusite also forms during the contact metamorphism of argillaceous rocks. In this situation, it can form within the metamorphosed rock or in veins and cavities within the igneous rock. It can be associated with cordierite in hornfels, granite, and granitic pegmatite." "Chiastolite is a variety of andalusite that contains black particles of graphite arranged in geometric patterns. The graphite is pushed aside by crystal growth within a rock that is being metamorphosed. As growth occurs, the particles become concentrated at crystal interfaces. The result can be a cross-shaped pattern within the mineral - similar to the "cross-stone" shown in the photo here. People have known about these cross stones for centuries and have valued them for their perceived religious or spiritual meaning. Attractive specimens are often cut and polished for use as amulets, charms, and novelty gems."
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Post by RocksInNJ on Apr 18, 2020 21:55:15 GMT -5
Wow, that boulder is awesome whatever it is.
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Post by rockhoundingwithkids on Apr 18, 2020 23:46:17 GMT -5
OK Tommy, we really can't thank you enough... we had a GREAT day! As it turns out we've been on the Chowchilla side enough to have eaten at Taco El Grullense (just for their insane quesadillas!) and there's no way I think we would have ever noticed those rocks. Most were so dirty you have to spit on them to see if they were anything. So as it turns out the grass was waist high BUT they had recently mowed a good portion of it and there were lots of critter holes with fresh dirt piled up. That stuff was EVERYWHERE! We found our stash within 4 fence posts and we didn't stay long because our youngest fell asleep. Along our drive we stopped at the Raymond Rd. Cemetery (because our youngest was wide awake at that point and wanted OUT! and the oldest asleep) and found some owl pellets with intact mice skulls. We also got to see the town of Raymond (from afar) which I hadn't heard of but it seems to be something to see. We took the long way back and drove up through Coarsegold, another place I'd like to check out when all this is over...the whole drive was so beautiful! Excuse my ignorance on this but is that second photo what it looks like... in the wild? rough? for lack of (me knowing) a better term... The ones in my hand photo are what the local ones look like straight out of the ground, rinsed with water only (or licked but we won't go there...).
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Post by 1dave on Apr 19, 2020 0:06:33 GMT -5
OK Tommy, we really can't thank you enough... we had a GREAT day! As it turns out we've been on the Chowchilla side enough to have eaten at Taco El Grullense (just for their insane quesadillas!) and there's no way I think we would have ever noticed those rocks. Most were so dirty you have to spit on them to see if they were anything. So as it turns out the grass was waist high BUT they had recently mowed a good portion of it and there were lots of critter holes with fresh dirt piled up. That stuff was EVERYWHERE! We found our stash within 4 fence posts and we didn't stay long because our youngest fell asleep. Along our drive we stopped at the Raymond Rd. Cemetery (because our youngest was wide awake at that point and wanted OUT! and the oldest asleep) and found some owl pellets with intact mice skulls. We also got to see the town of Raymond (from afar) which I hadn't heard of but it seems to be something to see. We took the long way back and drove up through Coarsegold, another place I'd like to check out when all this is over...the whole drive was so beautiful! The ones in my hand photo are what the local ones look like straight out of the ground, rinsed with water only (or licked but we won't go there...). WOWZERS! I'm proud of you!
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Post by 1dave on Apr 19, 2020 13:10:33 GMT -5
I would like to see more about your finds. 1. I am curious about the difference in growth pattern on both ends of your longest find, and: as Andalusite has Cleavage:{110} Distinct, {100}, Indistinct, {010} Poor; Fracture: Splintery - Thin, elongated fractures produced by intersecting good cleavages or partings (like hornblende). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleavage_(crystal)en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_index2. Do you have any idea the angle of fracture is on the center crystal fragment?
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,683
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Post by Tommy on Apr 19, 2020 13:10:42 GMT -5
OK Tommy, we really can't thank you enough... we had a GREAT day! As it turns out we've been on the Chowchilla side enough to have eaten at Taco El Grullense (just for their insane quesadillas!) and there's no way I think we would have ever noticed those rocks. Most were so dirty you have to spit on them to see if they were anything. So as it turns out the grass was waist high BUT they had recently mowed a good portion of it and there were lots of critter holes with fresh dirt piled up. That stuff was EVERYWHERE! We found our stash within 4 fence posts and we didn't stay long because our youngest fell asleep. Along our drive we stopped at the Raymond Rd. Cemetery (because our youngest was wide awake at that point and wanted OUT! and the oldest asleep) and found some owl pellets with intact mice skulls. We also got to see the town of Raymond (from afar) which I hadn't heard of but it seems to be something to see. We took the long way back and drove up through Coarsegold, another place I'd like to check out when all this is over...the whole drive was so beautiful! Holy cow! haha that's awesome. I was secretly afraid I had sent you to some muddy ditch to slog around in and leave disappointed - exactly the opposite! good job! I'm glad you guys had fun. If you find a good use for these please let us know - I thought about lightly tumbling them in a vibe tumbler then stringing them like beads... that's about as creative as I got with it haha.
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Post by 1dave on Apr 19, 2020 13:54:05 GMT -5
With all those fantastic finds, You have entered the Rockhound Path. I hope you make cabs out of them.
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Post by rockhoundingwithkids on Apr 19, 2020 21:51:23 GMT -5
HAHAHA @ tommy .. when I saw how high the grass was on the drive up I was only thinking about how many ticks I was going to be picking off of all of us! Fortunately that was ZERO.
@ dave I'll have to let my hubs get back to you on that one but I'll attach some more pictures of it to maybe solve the mystery. That's definitely in the favorites pile. We were calling it a fish bone pattern.
The larger not so unique pieces we are going to tumble and see what happens. When they're wet they all have really cool coloring so going to find a way to enamel them or such. We are really into displays so will probably do a shadow box with them arranged to show off the ends.
As far as the rockhound path we actually started with the wire wrapping with sea glass and turns out my hubs is really good at it and I don't have the patience. At least I got him to make me a cool couple of pendants before that stuff went away to grow cobwebs. We're buying our new tumbler/shaker this week (ours finally died) after I read a bunch of these threads and I'm sure when we clean out more of the garage a tile saw and cabbing equipment is next.
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Post by rockhoundingwithkids on Apr 19, 2020 21:54:20 GMT -5
HAHAHA @ Tommy ... when I saw how high the grass was on the drive up I was only thinking about how many ticks I was going to be picking off of all of us! Fortunately that was ZERO. @ dave I'll have to let my hubs get back to you on that one but I'll attach some more pictures of it to maybe solve the mystery. That's definitely in the favorites pile. We were calling it a fish bone pattern. The larger not so unique pieces we are going to tumble and see what happens. When they're wet they all have really cool coloring so going to find a way to enamel them or such. We are really into displays so will probably do a shadow box with them arranged to show off the ends. As far as the rockhound path we actually started with the wire wrapping with sea glass and turns out my hubs is really good at it and I don't have the patience. At least I got him to make me a cool couple of pendants before that stuff went away to grow cobwebs. We're buying our new tumbler/shaker this week (ours finally died) after I read a bunch of these threads and I'm sure when we clean out more of the garage a tile saw and cabbing equipment is next.
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Post by 1dave on Apr 20, 2020 1:03:07 GMT -5
Thanks! I appreciate the effort.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 22, 2020 10:01:30 GMT -5
Welcome!
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