PaleoCris
Jr. Member
- Apr 8, 2015
- 82
- 492
- Detector(s) used
- Tesoro Tiger Shark, Vibra-Tector 730
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
I got out for some fossil and gem/mineral hunting, primarily targeting a very cool geological oddity we find here in Florida and Georgia, agatized coral.
This forms when the mineral chalcedony, a microcrystalline type of quartz, replaces the original calcium carbonate of the coral and eventually forms into agate. Grains of sand or perhaps pieces of the original calcium carbonate serve as a nucleus for the agate to begin forming radially around a point, leading to the botryoidal (grape-like) mineral habit you see on the coral we found.
Occasionally, an additional layer of druzy quartz crystals will grow on top of the botryoidal agate. We found two or three pieces of this.
If you don't want to watch a vid, here's some pics:
-PaleoCris
This forms when the mineral chalcedony, a microcrystalline type of quartz, replaces the original calcium carbonate of the coral and eventually forms into agate. Grains of sand or perhaps pieces of the original calcium carbonate serve as a nucleus for the agate to begin forming radially around a point, leading to the botryoidal (grape-like) mineral habit you see on the coral we found.
Occasionally, an additional layer of druzy quartz crystals will grow on top of the botryoidal agate. We found two or three pieces of this.
If you don't want to watch a vid, here's some pics:
-PaleoCris
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