🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Garnets?

[Steve1236]

I'm guessing garnets but I thought I'd ask anyway, found it on a walk in the agua fria river this morning, anyone have have another opinion?

 

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[blauer]

Nice find.

 

[fuss]

Interesting and attractive looking rock. Is the matrix Mica? its tough to tell from the images. The included minerals almost look like they could be Corundum or Garnet looking at the close up photos.

 

[Buckshotnc]

Wouldn't rule out corundum, agree with Fuss, next guess would also be garnet.

 

[UnderMiner]

Looks like it.

 

[Steve1236]

Interesting and attractive looking rock. Is the matrix Mica? its tough to tell from the images. The included minerals almost look like they could be Corundum or Garnet looking at the close up photos.

Thanks, it's much prettier wet so I'm definitely gonna polish this specimen. I'm guessing garnets, corundum is found in Arizona but nowhere near where I found this, I do like the pinkish ruby look but again I think they are garnets. What do you think the host is, epidote, that's what I'm thinking 🤷‍♂️

 

[Steve1236]

Thanks, it's much prettier wet so I'm definitely gonna polish this specimen. I'm guessing garnets, corundum is found in Arizona but nowhere near where I found this, I do like the pinkish ruby look but again I think they are garnets. What do you think the host is, epidote, that's what I'm thinking 🤷‍♂️

Thought I'd show it wet. Not the best shot because I'm using flash.

 

[giuhalftrack]

more corundum to me, that "purple" shade, garnets are red or rarely green (uvarovite) the rock probably is a metamorphic rock derived from a sedimentary rock..
the excess in Al often shows as new crystal of that type

 

[Clay Diggins]

It looks like some of the pegmatite Beryl found around Little San Domingo and east to Picacho peak. Lots of big Beryl, Mica, Tourmaline and Feldspar crystals there.

There is one wash full of giant Beryl there. One really big Beryl sitting right in the middle of the wash is often used by Beryl hunters as a resting place. Most don't even notice the eight sided flat top "rock" they are sitting on is a whole crystal.

 

[RTR]

Heres a garnet attached to gold ,magnified 2000x .And another one dead center of 2nd. pix.

 

[Steve1236]

It looks like some of the pegmatite Beryl found around Little San Domingo and east to Picacho peak. Lots of big Beryl, Mica, Tourmaline and Feldspar crystals there.

There is one wash full of giant Beryl there. One really big Beryl sitting right in the middle of the wash is often used by Beryl hunters as a resting place. Most don't even notice the eight sided flat top "rock" they are sitting on is a whole crystal.

By chance do you know the name of that wash Clay, I'd love to hunt for beryl! I found this on a walk by my house at the agua fria river south of lake pleasant, literally at Thunderbird and grand ave, actually there's a giant man made dirt mound about a half mile long, I was searching the runoffs where the rocks were cleaned from the rain, I think it's from then they flattened the land for building these homes back in the 90s. I didn't know a redish purple beryl is found here, I thought only in Utah🤷‍♂️

 

[Buckshotnc]

have you checked to see if it fluoresces with a black light , just about all rubies at my place fluouresce.

 

[Steve1236]

have you checked to see if it fluoresces with a black light , just about all rubies at my place fluouresce.

No I haven't, a regular black light or a short wave?

 

[Clay Diggins]

By chance do you know the name of that wash Clay, I'd love to hunt for beryl! I found this on a walk by my house at the agua fria river south of lake pleasant, literally at Thunderbird and grand ave, actually there's a giant man made dirt mound about a half mile long, I was searching the runoffs where the rocks were cleaned from the rain, I think it's from then they flattened the land for building these homes back in the 90s. I didn't know a redish purple beryl is found here, I thought only in Utah🤷‍♂️

I seem to recall that short unnamed wash is just east of upper Trilby wash. There are many more deposits found on the line from the upper Trilby wash dike swarm to Sheep Mountain/French Creek to the east (almost to Lake Pleasant). That entire area has many dikes and associated pegmatites. More than likely that area is where your specimen washed down from.

This area is known world wide for it's truly giant crystallization. Just to the north of Castle Hot Springs road there is an approx 60 foot crystal exposed on a hillside. As you near the mines at the top of the pass look closely at the interfaces between the rock types. There is where you will find large light metal minerals. Look for mica schist to hold the more appealing and accessible crystals.

Red Beryl is not ruby. Beryl comes in virtually endless color combinations and shades. I don't know of any shade of Beryl that is unique to a single location. All rubies fluoresce but the fact that a sorta red Beryl crystal fluoresces does not indicate it is a ruby. What you have is pink Beryl in a Mica schist, pretty common for the area.

While you are rock hounding the area watch for fairly clear quartz pebbles with small black schorl crystals randomly embedded. These are really common in that area and bring a fair price from lapidaries.

One of the best fluorescent mineral locations in the US is even closer to your home base. The lead mines just north of the Hassyampa at the railroad bridge outside Morristown have beautiful multiple mineral/color combinations. Stay out of the mines/private property/mining claims as the area is very active and the mine owners do mine for the fluorescent minerals.

 

[Steve1236]

I seem to recall that short unnamed wash is just east of upper Trilby wash. There are many more deposits found on the line from the upper Trilby wash dike swarm to Sheep Mountain/French Creek to the east (almost to Lake Pleasant). That entire area has many dikes and associated pegmatites. More than likely that area is where your specimen washed down from.

This area is known world wide for it's truly giant crystallization. Just to the north of Castle Hot Springs road there is an approx 60 foot crystal exposed on a hillside. As you near the mines at the top of the pass look closely at the interfaces between the rock types. There is where you will find large light metal minerals. Look for mica schist to hold the more appealing and accessible crystals.

Red Beryl is not ruby. Beryl comes in virtually endless color combinations and shades. I don't know of any shade of Beryl that is unique to a single location. All rubies fluoresce but the fact that a sorta red Beryl crystal fluoresces does not indicate it is a ruby. What you have is pink Beryl in a Mica schist, pretty common for the area.

While you are rock hounding the area watch for fairly clear quartz pebbles with small black schorl crystals randomly embedded. These are really common in that area and bring a fair price from lapidaries.

One of the best fluorescent mineral locations in the US is even closer to your home base. The lead mines just north of the Hassyampa at the railroad bridge outside Morristown have beautiful multiple mineral/color combinations. Stay out of the mines/private property/mining claims as the area is very active and the mine owners do mine for the fluorescent minerals.

Thanks Clay, I really appreciate the help, and tips!

 

[Kray Gelder]

I seem to recall that short unnamed wash is just east of upper Trilby wash. There are many more deposits found on the line from the upper Trilby wash dike swarm to Sheep Mountain/French Creek to the east (almost to Lake Pleasant). That entire area has many dikes and associated pegmatites. More than likely that area is where your specimen washed down from.

This area is known world wide for it's truly giant crystallization. Just to the north of Castle Hot Springs road there is an approx 60 foot crystal exposed on a hillside. As you near the mines at the top of the pass look closely at the interfaces between the rock types. There is where you will find large light metal minerals. Look for mica schist to hold the more appealing and accessible crystals.

Red Beryl is not ruby. Beryl comes in virtually endless color combinations and shades. I don't know of any shade of Beryl that is unique to a single location. All rubies fluoresce but the fact that a sorta red Beryl crystal fluoresces does not indicate it is a ruby. What you have is pink Beryl in a Mica schist, pretty common for the area.

While you are rock hounding the area watch for fairly clear quartz pebbles with small black schorl crystals randomly embedded. These are really common in that area and bring a fair price from lapidaries.

One of the best fluorescent mineral locations in the US is even closer to your home base. The lead mines just north of the Hassyampa at the railroad bridge outside Morristown have beautiful multiple mineral/color combinations. Stay out of the mines/private property/mining claims as the area is very active and the mine owners do mine for the fluorescent minerals.

Great information Clay. I wish I lived out that way. I would need to check it out.

 

[Dr.Dig]

Have you checked the State's Geologic Survey map? That will show just about everything that is there. https://geomapaz.azgs.arizona.edu/

 

[Clay Diggins]

Have you checked the State's Geologic Survey map? That will show just about everything that is there. https://geomapaz.azgs.arizona.edu/

Or you could go to the Land Matters Arizona Geology map. You will see the same map information with links to a description of each rock type. You also have land status, geochemistry, mineral potential, mining features (with links to the mine history data), topographic mineral features, roads, a choice of base maps and the ability to directly download any or all of the other 43 geologic maps available for that area.

Geology mapping on steroids!

Heavy Pans

 

[Buckshotnc]

No I haven't, a regular black light or a short wave?

would think a black light would work