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Post by HankRocks on Nov 5, 2021 8:36:46 GMT -5
Probably not the rarest rock in the world but by far my favorite memory of collecting a cool rock that shouldn't have been where it was. I still have the 68 lb rock, uncut and probably will stay that way - even if I had a saw big enough lol. The rock is here - never figured out what exactly to call it. I found it by dumb luck - sat down to rest on an outcrop near the vehicles and there it was sticking out of the ground. Probably a hundred thousand rockhounds have walked by that exact spot in the N.Cadys and never saw it. The story is here: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/post/709548/thread That's a very nice piece, one can only wonder about it's formation history. It's almost as if nature had all these different formation materials left over and just kept dumping it in one spot, that and changing the conditions; heat, pressure, movement, etc, etc... |
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 5, 2021 8:47:51 GMT -5
That's phenomenal Tommy! I love the yellow sprays! |
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Post by miket on Nov 5, 2021 9:54:37 GMT -5
The most rare things that I find- and am constantly hounding for- are Fairburn Agates. I never get tired of the variety in patterns and colors... Just a few that I've been lucky enough to find.     |
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 5, 2021 10:37:41 GMT -5
The most rare things that I find- and am constantly hounding for- are Fairburn Agates. I never get tired of the variety in patterns and colors... Just a few that I've been lucky enough to find. I don't get what the big deal is. They are just rocks, bro. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 5, 2021 11:05:11 GMT -5
My absolute rarest material, to my knowledge, is the small pile of slabs of poppy jasper from a single piece found in the Skykomish river on the Olympic Peninsula in WA. A fairly short lived Ebay slab seller knew the person who found it, slabbed it, and sold the slabs for them, I was able to score several slabs, plus I bought her end cuts. Here's the only cab I've cut from it so far.   |
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Post by miket on Nov 5, 2021 11:12:13 GMT -5
The most rare things that I find- and am constantly hounding for- are Fairburn Agates. I never get tired of the variety in patterns and colors... Just a few that I've been lucky enough to find. I don't get what the big deal is. They are just rocks, bro. This is true. But then again, aren't they all?
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Post by Son Of Beach on Nov 5, 2021 11:31:45 GMT -5
miket I was just kidding, those are killer. That second one I want to just fall into and take a nap.
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Post by miket on Nov 5, 2021 11:37:45 GMT -5
miket I was just kidding, those are killer. That second one I want to just fall into and take a nap. Yeah, I was too, sir! They are really just rocks- but it takes a special type of person to appreciate their beauty! |
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Post by Starguy on Nov 5, 2021 11:56:15 GMT -5
I’m sure most have seen this before. The rarest rock I have found and polished is this oval star garnet. Twenty carats of Idaho goodness. I have bigger cabs but this one is un-cracked. They are formed under a lot of pressure and most crack when they get to the earth’s surface due to relief of the internal stress. On top of that, they are heat sensitive. I have felt and heard larger pieces crack while being polished. I have a wood spool polisher that doesn’t generate much heat.  |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059 
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 5, 2021 12:32:46 GMT -5
I've done a fair amount of field collecting but have never been fortunate enough to find really rare material. But I've acquired some rare materials in dealings here and there. One of the most rare is this Uvarovite garnet druse from Russia. I bought it long ago from a nice Russian lady at the Tucson gem shows. Uvarovite is not just rare, it's the most rare of all garnet species suitable for gem use. This piece, which I now regret selling, came from a Siberian chromite mine. It unfortunately occurs only in small crystals, seldom large enough to facet even tiny stones. It's the greenest of green garnets. It's a calcium-chromium silicate with chromium as its coloring agent. Druses like this one with sharply defined crystal faces are very attractive.  |
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 5, 2021 12:55:38 GMT -5
I’m sure most have seen this before. The rarest rock I have found and polished is this oval star garnet. Twenty carats of Idaho goodness. I have bigger cabs but this one is un-cracked. They are formed under a lot of pressure and most crack when they get to the earth’s surface due to relief of the internal stress. On top of that, they are heat sensitive. I have felt and heard larger pieces crack while being polished. I have a wood spool polisher that doesn’t generate much heat.
Those are just so pretty. No other word. They are they embodiment of pretty.
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 5, 2021 12:59:05 GMT -5
I've done a fair amount of field collecting but have never been fortunate enough to find really rare material. But I've acquired some rare materials in dealings here and there. One of the most rare is this Uvarovite garnet druse from Russia. I bought it long ago from a nice Russian lady at the Tucson gem shows. Uvarovite is not just rare, it's the most rare of all garnet species suitable for gem use. This piece, which I now regret selling, came from a Siberian chromite mine. It unfortunately occurs only in small crystals, seldom large enough to facet even tiny stones. It's the greenest of green garnets. It's a calcium-chromium silicate with chromium as its coloring agent. Druses like this one with sharply defined crystal faces are very attractive.
I had a gorgeous piece that I stupidly sold. Got it at a gem show from a Russian dealer. I need to get another for my case. It really is sparkly stuff and such a saturated nice green. I think only maw sit sit is a nicer green and that's saying something.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 5, 2021 13:21:13 GMT -5
rockjunquie , I still have a few pieces of rough Uvarovite left, not quite as nice as the one I posted, but nice. Hopeully I'll get my equipment set up again soon and will be able to cut them. And speaking of Maw Sit-Sit, I managed to get a few cabs including these, as well as a couple of nice earring pairs. I'm planning to go on a quest for more. Like you, I love those greens! This image is overexposed; the color in hand is much nicer.
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realrockhound
Cave Dweller
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
Member since June 2020
Posts: 4,483
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Post by realrockhound on Nov 5, 2021 13:41:15 GMT -5
Great posts. Seeing some material I wasn't ever aware of.
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 5, 2021 13:50:03 GMT -5
rockjunquie , I still have a few pieces of rough Uvarovite left, not quite as nice as the one I posted, but nice. Hopeully I'll get my equipment set up again soon and will be able to cut them. And speaking of Maw Sit-Sit, I managed to get a few cabs including these, as well as a couple of nice earring pairs. I'm planning to go on a quest for more. Like you, I love those greens! This image is overexposed; the color in hand is much nicer.
Can't wait to see you posting cabs again!
I love maw sit sit. I have a bunch and some rough because there was a ban on them and I never sold all of them.
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Post by miket on Nov 5, 2021 14:27:49 GMT -5
I’m sure most have seen this before. The rarest rock I have found and polished is this oval star garnet. Twenty carats of Idaho goodness. I have bigger cabs but this one is un-cracked. They are formed under a lot of pressure and most crack when they get to the earth’s surface due to relief of the internal stress. On top of that, they are heat sensitive. I have felt and heard larger pieces crack while being polished. I have a wood spool polisher that doesn’t generate much heat. I don't think I've seen these- so awesome! |
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Post by RickB on Nov 5, 2021 15:59:32 GMT -5
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Post by Pat on Nov 5, 2021 18:12:39 GMT -5
What an interesting and pretty thread! Thanks!
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,625
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Post by RWA3006 on Nov 5, 2021 18:20:44 GMT -5
Enjoying this thread! The rarest specimen I ever found in the field is this 60-70 pound muttonfat nephrite boulder in Wyoming which is well known for jade but not white jade.  I also scored some rare Hawaiian black coral and Victoria stone in an estate sale.   |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 5, 2021 19:31:02 GMT -5
RWA3006 That jade is a fantastic find! I'll bet it would bring a big price in HK. It would make a wonderful large carving.
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