Rock ID

kimster

Greenie
Aug 19, 2011
11
5
Napa, CA
Detector(s) used
White's MXT Pro; Minelab E-Trac; Minelab Excalibur; Whites GMT; White'a CoinMaster; White's TM808
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting

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Thanks Loco Oro. The vains are translucent brown. I want to attempt to cut into one of the vains and shape a stone that will replace the black onyx currently in a silver ring. I think it will look nice.
 

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Several types of minerals are involved in the creation of this stone. Yes jasper is but part of the host stone. there might even be a form of opal, quartz, limestone, chalcedony, maybe even some petrified wood thats opalized.. But I'm leaning towards the "Yellow & Red" Moss Agate.

Excelent find
 

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Thank you for your comments StoneWhisperer. Your analysis is very comprehensive. My first thought, with my very limited experience, was that the translucent vains appeared to be a form of agate. I was busy doing something else when I found this stone and so did not examine the area very closely, but a quick glance around appeared to reveal that there were numerous samples of this stone scattered over a wide area.
 

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Due to the fragmented shape of the host rock I'd lean towards calling it a breccia. :)
 

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I took these photos with my iPhone and they are not very well done. Having looked at some examples of breccia, I'd have to say that this specimen does not seem to meet the criteria. It is a solid stone, tan in color, with marbling running through it that is a translucent brown crystal-like formation. I'm don't actually have a lot of experience with geology, which I'm sure is readily apparent (geology 101, better known as "bone head" geology was one of the requirements I fulfilled in the lower division work I completed for my degree, but with that and $5, you might be able to buy a cup of coffee - remember when it was 10 cents?!). I don't know if the marbling is truly referred to as crystallization, but it does have an agate look to it (something that I have picked up on oregon beaches in the past). :icon_thumright:
 

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