|
|
Post by stephan on Jan 31, 2021 21:28:02 GMT -5
Hoping to get more info on the various Owyhee claims. Not sure which are open, which are closed. To my understanding, Owyhee is a generic term for picture jaspers coming from the Owyhee Mountains on the Oregon/Idaho border. Bruneau, Wild Horse, Cripple Creek, Rocky Butte, Spring Mountain... are different claims in that area. Horse Canyon is in CA, and is a moss agate. , Owyhee is basically a generic term for material from the area you mention but the bulk of the named "picture jaspers" including Owyhee actually come from Malheur County OR which is west of the Owyhees. (Side comment: the name Owyhee is actually a corruption of "Hawaii." A group of Hawaiians -- who were often conscpipted for early trapping and prospecting expeditions -- was temporarily lost in the area and that's how the name came about."Owyhee" was the pronunciation of the expedition leaders.) Hans Gamma has written a couple of very finely illustrated books on jaspers from that (and other) regions. They differentiate the types found in the region. Pay a visit to his excellent website: worldofjaspers.com/OwyheeEN.htmlThanks. The main thing I’m trying to figure out which claims are no longer producing (in other words, old stock), I had read about the Owyhee/Hawai’i thing before. It’s pretty funny. |
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Jan 31, 2021 21:33:49 GMT -5
rockjunquie rockhoundoz a little confused. Is unakite on the list, or still plentiful? rockhoundoz posted the shortened list for now. If you decide any of the others merit inclusion, LMK, and I'll add them.
|
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Jan 31, 2021 21:58:48 GMT -5
So, so many closed locations in the eastern states, more closed than open 😅, & a lot collected out as well. I think the specimens don't really make it out west, or even midwest, to where most users on this forum seem to live, but are still bought/sold/ traded as old stock back east. Just a few here... Connecticut: *southbury quarry for agate, amethyst etc. closed since 2000. It was well known to grant permission easily. There were a bunch of places with great beryl crystals, think the ones I went to in late 90's are closed now... Cant remember names at the moment.. Kentucky: *Excellent fluorite specimens from the fluorospar district, basically closed & high graded, very difficult to access even low grade material from mine dumps anymore. I believe this is true for Illinois as well. Maryland: *Various copper sites around Maryland, Howard, Carroll, Frederick counties. Vast msjority on private land, hard to get permission. *Amber sites near Annapolis, private land, basically nobody giving permission anymore. *Wire gold in quartz specimens & panning near Great Falls. Collecting was tolerated until recently. *Smoky quartz & Amethyst around Howard, Montgomery counties, Owings Mills etc, all built over with shopping malls, housing developments, reservoirs, state land etc, all closed to collecting now. Tennessee: *Paint rock agate, it's 99% on private land which is now all posted & basically no more permission being granted to any of those sites. Virginia: *Amelia County area, through the 1990's & maybe later, possible to find permission &/or pay-sites for amethyst, amazonite, aquamarine & other beryl, tourmaline, the ultra rare, once upon a time turquoise crystals, & much more, now basically 100% closed to collectors. *N.VA quarries with specimens of prehnite, copper & iron minerals etc, now closed or closed to all collecting, including Goose Creek, bull run & Centreville. Washington: *Lucas creek agate, carnelian, pet. wood, closed about 10 years ago or so after some guy apparently posted video of himself digging 😱🙄, which was a salmon no-no. Surprised nobody had put lucas creek yet. West Virginia: *Smoke hole geodes. Think the site is still technically open, but it's completely collected out. *petrified wood around South Charleston, under developments, on closed private land etc. Those are places I've collected that come to mind. But truly, gotta be thousands of closed & depleted sites in the east & I'm sure I'll remember more. Collecting, fishing & land access in general has changed a lot in the east over my few decades, really became a completely different place & people less friendly & less prone to giving permission in general unless you already know one another. Looking at this list, they all look to apply, I’ll add them shortly. |
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,591 
|
Post by gemfeller on Jan 31, 2021 22:02:11 GMT -5
stephan , Owyhee is basically a generic term for material from the area you mention but the bulk of the named "picture jaspers" including Owyhee actually come from Malheur County OR which is west of the Owyhees. (Side comment: the name Owyhee is actually a corruption of "Hawaii." A group of Hawaiians -- who were often conscpipted for early trapping and prospecting expeditions -- was temporarily lost in the area and that's how the name came about."Owyhee" was the pronunciation of the expedition leaders.) Hans Gamma has written a couple of very finely illustrated books on jaspers from that (and other) regions. They differentiate the types found in the region. Pay a visit to his excellent website: worldofjaspers.com/OwyheeEN.html Thanks. The main thing I’m trying to figure out which claims are no longer producing (in other words, old stock), I had read about the Owyhee/Hawai’i thing before. It’s pretty funny. I know a guy who can probably help with the claims/production issue. Problem is his name has momentarily slipped my mind. It'll come to me I'm sure. He has a website and lives in the area. Right now I'm "camping out" in a "forest" of moving boxes here in Dewey, AZ after our move from CA. All my books and reference materials are still packed as we deal first with essentials like food and the red tape involved with an interstate move. His name is on the tip of my mind. |
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Jan 31, 2021 22:31:52 GMT -5
Thanks. The main thing I’m trying to figure out which claims are no longer producing (in other words, old stock), I had read about the Owyhee/Hawai’i thing before. It’s pretty funny. I know a guy who can probably help with the claims/production issue. Problem is his name has momentarily slipped my mind. It'll come to me I'm sure. He has a website and lives in the area. Right now I'm "camping out" in a "forest" of moving boxes here in Dewey, AZ after our move from CA. All my books and reference materials are still packed as we deal first with essentials like food and the red tape involved with an interstate move. His name is on the tip of my mind. No rush.  This thread will be "live" for a while. |
|
|
|
Post by parfive on Jan 31, 2021 22:39:26 GMT -5
I don’t always buy old stock, but when I do I prefer Rockman69.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jan 31, 2021 22:43:06 GMT -5
stephan - what a massive undertaking with a TON of information being put forth by members! Kudos again to you for creating a valuable thread like this (and consolidating the tremendous amount of input) and kudos to all the contributing members! 
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,591
|
Post by gemfeller on Jan 31, 2021 22:52:40 GMT -5
stephan I rememered his name: Steve Schultz. I knew his Dad who was one of the pioneer miner/dealers in Owyhee materials. Steve's currently owner and miner of the following Owyhee-area materials: Carrasite Jasper, Cripple Creek Picture Jasper, Hidden Valley Jasper, Owyhee Mountain Dendritic Jasper and North Ridge Plume Agate. When time allows I'll contact him and some other acquaintances from my two times living just a few miles from Graveyard Point and try to establish other currently-producing mines in Jasperland.
|
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Jan 31, 2021 23:12:34 GMT -5
stephan I rememered his name: Steve Schultz. I knew his Dad who was one of the pioneer miner/dealers in Owyhee materials. Steve's currently owner and miner of the following Owyhee-area materials: Carrasite Jasper, Cripple Creek Picture Jasper, Hidden Valley Jasper, Owyhee Mountain Dendritic Jasper and North Ridge Plume Agate. When time allows I'll contact him and some other acquaintances from my two times living just a few miles from Graveyard Point and try to establish other currently-producing mines in Jasperland. Thanks. That'll be good to know, as some of that Oregonian stuff fetches some pretty nose-bleed prices. |
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 1, 2021 7:53:23 GMT -5
rockjunquie rockhoundoz a little confused. Is unakite on the list, or still plentiful? rockhoundoz posted the shortened list for now. If you decide any of the others merit inclusion, LMK, and I'll add them. unakite is plentiful- sorry abt the confusion |
|
rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 130
|
Post by rockhoundoz on Feb 1, 2021 12:36:30 GMT -5
Looking at this list, they all look to apply, I’ll add them shortly. Awesome, thanks Stephan! Glad to see these once great eastern sites represented To second what rockjunquie had said, the unakite is still plentiful in Virginia, & in NC as well. Regarding Lucas Creek, I think the way you listed it is perfectly fine, although I will say that I'm sure no salmon have swam that creek for a century 😋, but it is indeed the technicality that was used to close the public access. The last time I was there collecting, maybe 12/13 years ago, a couple of mean shovel-wielding locals had tried to pick a fight with me & our small law-abiding group. I'm about as friendly and mild-mannered as it gets, so there was no fighting (beyond a few *choice words *, lol), but it was enough to sour my taste for the site & I never returned anyhow. Sad to let those folks "win", but sometimes it's just not worth it. rockjunquie, thanks for the vote-of-confidence on Virginia knowledge 😊, but I assure you that I'm a 'one-trick-pony' on your state & that was it, hehe. The Amelia mining district has captivated my interested since just a wee-lad, what an incredible array of mind-blowing specimens & mineral diversity! Of course, throughout the Piedmont from Connecticut to Georgia, if you dig deep enough in the many mineralized zones, you're just gonna find outrageous varied gemstones! |
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 1, 2021 12:45:19 GMT -5
stephan- Concerning the Youngite (WY). We had a board member from that area. I got a lot of Youngite from him that he found on the surface. I'm not too sure how available it is, but I see a lot of varying quality on ebay.
|
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Feb 1, 2021 12:53:32 GMT -5
stephan - Concerning the Youngite (WY). We had a board member from that area. I got a lot of Youngite from him that he found on the surface. I'm not too sure how available it is, but I see a lot of varying quality on ebay. I'll note that float *might* be available. |
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Feb 2, 2021 0:21:40 GMT -5
Canadian River Plume is from Texas. Obviously! Just like Nevada City being in California.  D’oh! |
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Feb 2, 2021 0:26:46 GMT -5
Okay, I thought I saw a post about some TX sites, but I can’t find it now. I remember Walker, Woodward and Big Bend ranches. Was there anything else?
|
|
|
|
Post by amygdule on Feb 2, 2021 6:35:25 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by roy on Feb 5, 2021 15:13:03 GMT -5
I have some that is called Horse Creek (sorry not canyon) is that like Wild Horse or different? I can’t find my reference to it, but there are lots of claims. I know horse canyon and sheep creek. roy ? ETA — sheep creek... another one for the list. LOL. if your refuring to that jasper nodule that was cut in half above the answer is no but i have seen jasper like that on mcdonald ranch up in ashwood oregon so there is a chance its from that area |
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Feb 10, 2021 15:45:17 GMT -5
ETA ones that came back to mind:
* Cold Mt. Thundereggs from San Jose
* Whale bone from Morgan Hill -- the collecting of whale bone , in general appears to be iffy and not well understood. Even the rangers at beaches where it can be found are not clear on this, or unified in their opinions.
* Copper minerals from Bisbee, AZ -- tons of other mines are also closed/restricted, I'm sure
|
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on Feb 11, 2021 9:58:31 GMT -5
Government demands that mines be returned to their natural state ruins the chance for more finds.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Feb 11, 2021 10:13:49 GMT -5
ETA ones that came back to mind: * Cold Mt. Thundereggs from San Jose * Whale bone from Morgan Hill -- the collecting of whale bone , in general appears to be iffy and not well understood. Even the rangers at beaches where it can be found are not clear on this, or unified in their opinions.* Copper minerals from Bisbee, AZ -- tons of other mines are also closed/restricted, I'm sure This kind of thing irks me beyond belief. There should be no ambiguity to this kind of thing. Or at least no ambiguity to the point where individuals who are supposed to be enforcing the laws and regulations don't even have a clear understanding... |
|
X - Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's rocks
- O Henry
