Are these some kind of Opal...?

[curious kat]

...I think we do have some form of opal around here...is this some perhaps? It's different than agate, at least looks like it....thanks

 

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[curious kat]

...disregard that last picture, it's the back of a agate but I couldn't get it off...

 

[old digger]

Looks like what you have there is very nice specimen of Chalcedony, a variety of quartz. With all the nice varieties of semi-precious stone in your area you ought to consider getting some lapidary equipment and make some jewelry (earrings, necklaces, and rings) and sell it locally.

 

[backwoods tracker]

Looks like what you have there is very nice specimen of Chalcedony, a variety of quartz. With all the nice varieties of semi-precious stone in your area you ought to consider getting some lapidary equipment and make some jewelry (earrings, necklaces, and rings) and sell it locally.


View attachment 941061

Agreed. That stuff all over west Texas and New Mexico.

 

[curious kat]

...it's chalcedony eh? I've only found this one piece with the bubbles so tiny and pearly. Guess there are many different sizes...thank you guys!

 

[gunsil]

Yeah Kat, more chalcedony, or as is interchangeable, agate. The bubbly part is called a botroidal formation. Another cool specimen!!

 

[curious kat]

...thanks for giving the "bubbly" a name gunsil...lol ......always learning here!

 

[JLeonhardy]

Botroidal Chalcedony/agate -- yep. Sure looks like fire agate. Sometimes you have to grind it down to get color pay, though. You have some brilliant finds, lady!

 

[huntsman53]

I would definitely go with Agatized Quartz. Not too far off from Opal (which is also agatized) but lacking the main ingredient which is Silicon Dioxide.


Frank

 

[Bajahunter]

huntsman53
Sorry your info on opal is not correct.
http://www.minerals.net/gemstone/opal_gemstone.aspx

 

[Scubaman2]

No expert here by any means as I am mostly a gold prospector. However, sure looks like some fire agate forming. Nice

 

[chris rizin]

What a cool looking piece! I would love to find that! Opal does come in all shapes and sizes.. Some are very common and others are rare... So whenever you see stuff like that pick it up!



Here's a pic from online of a betryoidal opal..

 

[curious kat]

....thanks Scubaman and chris...always nice to share pics of what's found!

 

[golden sluice]

Hello. Opal to my knowledge was petrified tree branches that were caught in heavy mineralized sands over time.

 

[huntsman53]

huntsman53
Sorry your info on opal is not correct.
Opal: The gemstone Opal (precious, fire, black) information and pictures

Sorry, I was thinking the wrong way around the mineral compostion! Agatized Quartz is fairly close but missing nH2O (1 Atom of Nitrogen, 2 Atoms of Hydrogen and 1 Atom of Oxygen). Thanks for pointing it out!

Opal: Opal mineral information and data.


Frank