Rocks, fossils, minerals

[Michie]

@dqhall I thought I’d open a thread as to not overtake the admin notice. Here are a few of mine.

 

[Michie]

 

[Michie]

 

[jacks]

Wow you got quite the collection! Here's some rocks I tumbled.

 

[Michie]

Wow you got quite the collection! Here's some rocks I tumbled.
View attachment 298699

Those are very pretty! I’ve never tumbled rocks. Is it a difficult process?

 

[jacks]

Those are very pretty! I’ve never tumbled rocks. Is it a difficult process?

It's real easy to tumble rocks, but it is time consuming. You start out with course grits and then work up to finer ones. It takes about 4 to 5 weeks, 24 hours a day! Note: the ones in the photo were the first rocks I had ever tumbled. My next "toy" will be a rock saw.

 

[Michie]

It's real easy to tumble rocks, but it is time consuming. You start out with course grits and then work up to finer ones. It takes about 4 to 5 weeks, 24 hours a day! My next "toy" will be a rock saw.

Wow! I had no idea it took that long.

 

[jacks]

Wow! I had no idea it took that long.

I was surprised too, but basically you are trying to be a river or beach over many years. It can take even longer if the rocks you start with are very rough or hard stones.
The directions:
Coarse: 8 to 15 days.
Medium: 6 to 8 days.
Fine: 8 to 10 days.
Polish: 7 days.

 

[jacks]

Your rocks are really impressive. Did you collect them yourself? Can you identify them all?

 

[Michie]

Your rocks are really impressive. Did you collect them yourself? Can you identify them all?

I can identify some. Not all. Yes I have found quite a few. The bigger specimens were bought off an older gentleman that was closing his rock shop. Some others are ones I’ve found in or around the river as we live right on it. I have had an attraction for rocks and fossils since I was a kid. Never moved past it.

 

[dqhall]

View attachment 298697

I thought I saw your fluorite crystals, druzy quartz, calcite crystals, a geode, maybe black tourmaline. Fluorite was found in Illinois.

I have cassiterite crystals from Bolivia. It is an ore of tin. Cassiterite was mined in England during ancient times. The tin was mixed with copper to harden it as early as the Bronze Age before the Bible was written.

 

[Michie]

I thought I saw your fluorite crystals, druzy quartz, calcite crystals, a geode, maybe black tourmaline. Fluorite was found in Illinois.

I have cassiterite crystals from Bolivia. It is an ore of tin. Cassiterite was mined in England during ancient times. The tin was mixed with copper to harden it as early as the Bronze Age before the Bible was written.

View attachment 298735

Thats fascinating. I obviously do not have the knowledge you do. I have just enough to feel my way around. If I find anything else, I’ll post it here and tag you.

 

[dqhall]

Thats fascinating. I obviously do not have the knowledge you do. I have just enough to feel my way around. If I find anything else, I’ll post it here and tag you.

I had courses in physical chemistry, mineralogy, petrology, field and structural geology before dropping out. Economic geologists may study where economically important mineral deposits are located. Fluorite is used as a flux for steel and in fluoride toothpaste. One my dull, earthy minerals is scheelite. It is an ore of tungsten. That is a source used to make tungsten carbide drill bits for drilling concrete and masonry. Green malachite is copper carbonate. It is much denser and heavier than calcite (calcium carbonate).

 

[Michie]

So do any of you collectors have any of these?
Besides Looking Pretty, Some Minerals and Gemstones Actually Glow

 

[dqhall]

So do any of you collectors have any of these?
Besides Looking Pretty, Some Minerals and Gemstones Actually Glow

I have fluorite and franklinite. I do not have a black light, although I remember black light posters were popular in the early 70’s. Do you have fluorescent minerals?

 

[Michie]

I have fluorite and franklinite. I do not have a black light, although I remember black light posters were popular in the early 70’s. Do you have fluorescent minerals?

Not as far as I know. I might break out my black light flash light to check this evening though.

 

[DragonFox91]

I have a petoskey stone (the state's stone), & 2 stones I've got at church events.

 

[deanerenata32]

There is an antique store here in town and I actually found an amethyst chunk for sale in the store for only about $7 and in my opinion that was a steal so I bought it and now its sparkling on my shelf in my room. Truly beautiful to behold.

 

[dqhall]

There is an antique store here in town and I actually found an amethyst chunk for sale in the store for only about $7 and in my opinion that was a steal so I bought it and now its sparkling on my shelf in my room. Truly beautiful to behold.

Ebay advertises rocks, minerals, fossils and crystals. I added to my collection by using Ebay years ago. Now my displayed minerals are collecting dust. I do not imagine I can find anyone to buy them. Perhaps it would have been better if I collected gold or silver as these appreciated in value over the long term. Then again, better if I bought a cottage in a location near good jobs, shopping and infrastructure.

Matthew 13:
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The man who found the treasure in a field did not steal it. He bought the field, then he owned the treasure.

The pearl merchant bought only the finest pearl. All the others were misshaped, dull, or were otherwise of inferior quality. It is difficult to sell a common ordinary pearl.

 

[Treasurer]

Oh my golly Ollie I fell in love with all you beautiful rocks! And oh my stars you found a fully intact trilobite fossil! Normally I don't care for bugs but I like your bug .

You have an amazing collection. I love seeing new specimens. You have things I haven't gotten to see before.

Love you botryoidal. And crystals wow! So pretty!!!

I collect a lot of Moonstone in my area. It's either drawn to me or visa versa lol. I even found some on the beach when I went to St. Simon's Island, GA now that was a transplant via truck load for sure but still I found it.

I'm so glad you shared your pretties with me, thank you.