🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Confirmation on Geodes? I see some crystalization inside these rocks

[sandfisher1]

I dug these in a trench where bulldozers have digging down sometimes 20 feet deep.
Found these in a 6 - 8 foot deep trench.
Also found a bottle dump going back to the 40's at earliest so far and close to it and just keep exploring this spot.
I heard it will be a run off area for water.
Any way there are a lot of these laying around in the trench took 3 home and opened them up.
Crystalization inside. Never found any before.
I just need confirmation to make sure it isn't something else.

I hope you can tell by the pics.

sandfisher1

 

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[Back-of-the-boat]

Google calcite geode that might be what you have.

 

[sandfisher1]

You nailed it. I brought home a bag of them today.
More than 30 and different sizes.
I believe them all to be geodes. Will be opening them all.
Just have to learn the proper way to break them open so they look presentable
and better looking than the first 3 I did.
This is a new experience and fun.
thank you.
sandfisher1

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

You nailed it. I brought home a bag of them today.
More than 30 and different sizes.
I believe them all to be geodes. Will be opening them all.
Just have to learn the proper way to break them open so they look presentable
and better looking than the first 3 I did.
This is a new experience and fun.
thank you.
sandfisher1

It would be best if you can find someone to cut them open. Look for a lapidary (rock shop) they can usually cut and polish them up for you. Or you could get a rock saw but I think it would be cheaper for them to do it for you.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Yes they are Calcite. Technically they are concretions but if you want to call them geodes I'm good with that. Geodes have a more resistant rind than the surrounding rock and have a void in the middle.

Calcite is only 3 hardness on the Mohs scale. Just slightly harder than your fingernail. I doubt you could get a clean cut with a powered lapidary saw - the sandstone/limestone and calcite will crumble before you finish the cut. Being the material is so soft a handheld wire saw or possibly a well controlled hacksaw with fine teeth and a gentle touch will half the concretions. The problem is not with the calcite but the sandstone/limestone it's embedded in will not take much physical shock before it crumbles.

Polishing calcite can be done but with the softness it's going to take an experienced lapidary to pull that off.

 

[sandfisher1]

It would be best if you can find someone to cut them open. Look for a lapidary (rock shop) they can usually cut and polish them up for you. Or you could get a rock saw but I think it would be cheaper for them to do it for you.

I would but I want the fun of doing it myself.
I'll see what they have at Home Depot to cut.
I have a chisel and hammer but the first couple rocks were rough after breaking open.

 

[sandfisher1]

Yes they are Calcite. Technically they are concretions but if you want to call them geodes I'm good with that. Geodes have a more resistant rind than the surrounding rock and have a void in the middle.

Calcite is only 3 hardness on the Mohs scale. Just slightly harder than your fingernail. I doubt you could get a clean cut with a powered lapidary saw - the sandstone/limestone and calcite will crumble before you finish the cut. Being the material is so soft a handheld wire saw or possibly a well controlled hacksaw with fine teeth and a gentle touch will half the concretions. The problem is not with the calcite but the sandstone/limestone it's embedded in will not take much physical shock before it crumbles.

Polishing calcite can be done but with the softness it's going to take an experienced lapidary to pull that off.

I'll try the handheld wire saw.
I'll go with geodes as this might be the closest I get in the city.