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Post by perkins17 on Oct 25, 2021 9:10:56 GMT -5
The outside of the purple rock looked just like the white skinned Montana agates in this photo:  I am confident that the purple rock came from the Yellowstone river. If it were clear agate and not purple, it would look like a classic dendritic Montana moss agate. The purple is the only thing that sets it apart. The second rock I posted (looks like a Montana agate on outside, but more like agatized pet wood on the inside, it a tougher call. Holy crud! I want that box! |
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 9:13:29 GMT -5
The outside of the purple rock looked just like the white skinned Montana agates in this photo: I am confident that the purple rock came from the Yellowstone river. If it were clear agate and not purple, it would look like a classic dendritic Montana moss agate. The purple is the only thing that sets it apart. The second rock I posted (looks like a Montana agate on outside, but more like agatized pet wood on the inside, it a tougher call. Holy crud! I want that box! You're in luck! It is currently listed for sale on Ebay as an auction... www.ebay.com/itm/334191386920?hash=item4dcf5be128:g:7YcAAOSwu8xhc2EXBased on size and quality, I suspect it will end up selling for $3-$4 a pound. Looks like nice material but more tumble size that cutters. |
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Post by perkins17 on Oct 25, 2021 9:20:24 GMT -5
Cool! I wish I had a bigger rock budget. |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 25, 2021 9:33:37 GMT -5
That second one looks very similar to the Virgin Valley Conk Wood, which is an ancient conifer that has been opalized. I would guess that the same wood could be agatized and form that beautiful rock.
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 11:50:07 GMT -5
That second one looks very similar to the Virgin Valley Conk Wood, which is an ancient conifer that has been opalized. I would guess that the same wood could be agatized and form that beautiful rock.
It sure does! Thanks for the info. |
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 11:58:35 GMT -5
More photos for those who are interested in Montana agate vs. Montana pet wood vs. somewhere in between. 1. River worn pet wood from the Yellowstone. No real agate characteristics, just pet wood.   2. Well agatized pet wood from the Yellowstone. I would still call it pet wood and not Montana agate.    3. A group of white and light skinned Montana agates. Can you guess which one is very purple and which other one is slightly purple?  4. The very purple one exposed. (I recalled it having a white skin. It is light colored, but not white.)  5. The rest exposed, showing all look like typical Montana agates. The one on the bottom left also has a purple tint.  6. The slightly purple one. Other than the hint of purple, it absolutely looks like a Montana moss agate.  I searched through a few hundred pounds of Montana agate and I did not see any others that looked purple or potentially purple. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 25, 2021 14:19:00 GMT -5
Thanks for the edumacation. I never knew that the MT agate we love so well are limb casts.
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Post by MsAli on Oct 25, 2021 15:11:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. I have buckets I bought at an auction on Agate and wood. I'll have to go through them one of these days and see if there is any purple
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 15:56:41 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. I have buckets I bought at an auction on Agate and wood. I'll have to go through them one of these days and see if there is any purple Please report back on what you find. The very purple one I posted did not look purple until I cut it however, so unless yours have been windowed by nature, you might have to cut them to find out what's inside. |
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 15:59:30 GMT -5
rockjunquieI remember being surprised when I found that out as well, but it seems to be the general consensus among those who know more about rocks than me and have spent some time investigating the issue. Once you know they are limb casts, you will start to see subtle clues in many of them.
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 16:02:05 GMT -5
rockjunquieI remember being surprised when I found that out as well, but it seems to be the general consensus among those who know more about rocks than me and have spent some time investigating the issue. Once you know they are limb casts, you will start to see subtle clues in many of them.   Could be agate banding, or could be tree rings.
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Post by amygdule on Oct 25, 2021 16:35:53 GMT -5
Beautiful slices holajonathan That second one looks very similar to the Virgin Valley Conk Wood, which is an ancient conifer that has been opalized. I would guess that the same wood could be agatized and form that beautiful rock. A Virgin Valley Conk Opal that I found in an old reject pile at the Virgin Valley Ranch.  |
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 16:36:53 GMT -5
That second one looks very similar to the Virgin Valley Conk Wood, which is an ancient conifer that has been opalized. I would guess that the same wood could be agatized and form that beautiful rock. A Virgin Valley Conk Opal that I found in an old reject pile at the Virgin Valley Ranch. That stuff is bizarre in a good way. If that's a reject, i'd like to see the keepers. |
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Post by amygdule on Oct 25, 2021 17:01:53 GMT -5
A lot of the wood opal from VV is sensitive to moisture and doesn't display any color until you dry them out.
That piece didn't have any fire when I first cut it.
Here's a video that's not mine. But I used to own the opal before it was sliced up.
The fire is much better in person.
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Post by catmandewe on Oct 25, 2021 18:20:06 GMT -5
Very cool!
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 25, 2021 19:20:16 GMT -5
Makes you want to go dig through your pile, doesn't it? |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 25, 2021 22:14:45 GMT -5
Beautiful slices holajonathan That second one looks very similar to the Virgin Valley Conk Wood, which is an ancient conifer that has been opalized. I would guess that the same wood could be agatized and form that beautiful rock. A Virgin Valley Conk Opal that I found in an old reject pile at the Virgin Valley Ranch. The reject pile? 
That stuff is sooooo rare and soooooo expensive! Good on you for rescuing it.
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lunker
Cave Dweller 
Member since April 2021
Posts: 430
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Post by lunker on Oct 26, 2021 7:39:47 GMT -5
That purple is awesome, so are the rest. Pics 6 and possibly 9 could be good candidates for the iris effect you are looking for. It comes from refraction between those lines of banding. There's a link to a good article on it. www.minsocam.org/msa/collectors_corner/arc/iris.htm |
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Oct 26, 2021 10:03:03 GMT -5
Very cool Jonathan! When I was going through my Montana agate phase I cut a lot of them and found some very cool patterns including one that had orange/red dentrites, but never purple agate.
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Post by holajonathan on Oct 26, 2021 10:19:35 GMT -5
Very cool Jonathan! When I was going through my Montana agate phase I cut a lot of them and found some very cool patterns including one that had orange/red dentrites, but never purple agate. I think many of us have gone (or are still going) through a Montana agate phase. Cutting them is a lot faster than cabbing them, however, and at some point I'm going to have to do something with all these Montana slabs. |
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