Very small crystals that came loose while cleaning a mysteriously heavy rock!?

[Ontherocks]

I found several specimens of a rock in Shasta County, CA that initially had variating colors of clay red (thought to be petrified wood from first look...by a slight wood grain appearance and weight). But it had numerous striking patches of blackish green striating crystals (?) over surface areas.

Rock shop thought it was worth looking into as they said it was unusual and to have it assay tested. I haven't done so yet and figured I would research first.

Upon cleaning off the (red) dirt, I started doubting petrified wood as the bulk of the rock cleaned up to black and green. AND more awesome is that I noticed some shimmering crystals that must have dislodged during cleaning (looked black at first but is actually a translucent amber brown color and has multiple points unlike any other crystals I have found).

After researching, my best guess is that the host rock is an ILVIATE HEDENBERGITE (IH), but I am unsure as my specimens range in size up to 40 pounds...much larger than a typical IH?).

This is my very first post so go easy on me if I left out.

I would love to hear from community to help me id my find. I should add that the area I collected from is my quartz crystal hunting area and there is limestone and also volcanic rocks in the vicinity. I also have also found quartz inclusions on and within some.

The first photo is a couple of cleaned small (IH?) specimens. The second is one of the small crystals from a larger (IH?) specimen not pictured.

Thoughts? Rock on!

 

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[mcl]

Welcome to T-Net! Congrats on your find.

I wish I could tell you what it is. What I can do is offer a little advice! If you don't have any luck here in "What is it?", you might try out our Rocks and Gems subforum where we have plenty of rockhounds who would be willing to take a stab at this one.

Either way, best of luck!

-mcl

 

[Andrewstorm]

Amber

 

[Broken knee]

The one on the right looks like smokey quarts? HH
BK

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I think smoky quartz also.

 

[Ontherocks]

Thanks to all who have responded.

I just came across some semi-precious almadine garnet pictures (attached one that has similar structure). By chance could the very small crystals be garnet? I have found others at this site but nothing with this color or clarity. I will read up on amber as that is something I did not consider as well.

Can you give me some basics on how to tell smoky quartz apart from other? I have always considered it on the monochrome side of colors but I really haven't found any smoky quartz before...unless crystal in my other pic attached (that appear to be heavily oxidized with iron?).

 

[CoinFetcher]

Looks like garnets to me

 

[LexieTreasure]

p

 

[Tpmetal]

There is a process to identify minerals. You need a streak test on unglazed porcelain(underside of a coffee mug can work). then observations on color, luster, and crystal structure. A hardness test can help as well. A Google searching mineral identification process will help guide you

 

[TORRERO]

I don't know what all that is, but they sure are pretty !! 😳

 

[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet.

I vote grossular garnet too. It's reported from a number of regions in the Klamath Mountains area of Shasta County.

 

[dz302]

The one's on the left look like petrified wood.

dz

 

[giuhalftrack]

I will say garnet from the first picture... the rock have great importance in determining this, it's clearly a methamorfic rock.. those rocks are "other" rocks coocked at pressure and usually the Al form garnets in those rocks.

someone say amber, but amber is a "resin" it cannot form a crystal. crystals are in some ways the exibition in big of the disposition of atoms in the crystal lattice.