Need help identifying a rock/minerals

kyleoflyman

Jr. Member
May 12, 2014
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Found this rock in Western Washington. It was below a rock outcropping that shows lots of signs of hydrothermal activity. Any ideas of what it is and what the colors in it are would be appreciated. 20140616_134025.jpg20140616_134010.jpg20140616_133959.jpg
 

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Nickel, yes? It looks like chalcedony - so the green could be classified as chrysoprase.
 

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Thats what I'm hoping it is. I took it to a geologist last week and they identified the rocks as being in the Garnierite family, primarily Pimelite. The fans of metal/crystal are likely Millerite. With that being said, would the chrysoprase just be the green colored quartz inside the vein and/or Pimelite?
 

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Chrysoprase is a green chalcedony coloured by Nickel. Chalcedony often has a waxy lustre.
 

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There are some portions that are waxy but those tend to dry out when exposed to air and become brittle and resemble a green talc. The rest of the green quartz remains sharp and shiny. Is that just where its fractured from removing it from the hillside?
 

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It does look like Chrysoprase to me.

Your towel is definitely made in China though. :icon_thumright:
 

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If it dries out and becomes brittle its something else. Chrysoprase doesn't do that.
 

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Its only on the thin edges where it becomes dry and brittle. Almost like the mineralized water was very thin there. Most of the crystal structure remains intact
 

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I sent the specimen with the metallic spray to the chemistry department at the University of Washington and they confirmed it as Millerite :)
 

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Yeah that blue lookin stuff I,ve been finding it out here in some big pegmatite. Hope you find out it,s valuable.
 

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