SO New At This, Stuff Where We Live?

[Antje]

SO New At This, ' Stuff ' Where We Live?

I thought I'd ask for some help and hopefully hang around a forum where people know a lot ( although it seems a little shameless, not having a lot to contribute in return! ), since it's been fruitless looking around the internet forever trying to identify what we have here where I live! It's WAY too much fun ( whatever they are ) finding these and looking around for more. I've never lived anywhere this cool for a LOT of things- plants, trees, animals, birds, rock, minerals- some fossils. Winter is a pain because everything freezes and the big creek is usually way too cold to risk falling into.

If I post too many photos please write it off to being far too distracted with this stuff and not being convinced every acorn is a star sapphire? I've just lurked on a lot of forums and ma now awfully, awfully confused. Our books ( bought specifically TO help ) are confusing too! All I know is yes of course quartz- have to imagine a LOT are that. Almost positive we have some not-clear amber? OH and whatever it is which comes with something that looks lie petrified wood- is that common opal or chalcedony? You have no idea how many, many different answers are out there. Thought perhaps best to begin with training wheels on a forum, keep riding and maybe lose those one day.

If anyone doesn't mind? If there are too many please someone say so- it's just rampant enthusiasm not ' look at my dinosaur egg worth millions ', swear. OH- we live in Pennsylvania, unbelievably- please don't allow that to color impressions? We're not supposed to have fossils here either. We do- not the St. Clair kind although we live not incredibly far from there.

 

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[shaman15771]

I'm no expert, just learning too. But looks like mostly quartz of one kind or another. 6th one up from bottom may be something else. Need to wait until some of the experts get on line. They should be able to tell you. Looks a lot like what I have in Virginia.

 

[Antje]

Thanks very much! I always thought parts of Virginia seemed a lot like where we are. You have much longer stretches of this type of lushness though. Part of learning this stuff ( professional ' Stuff ' geesh ) is figuring out geography- crazy amount to learn. Where was I in college when missing the chance to take this? ( MANY years ago.... )

First pic- those feel different than normal rocks? If you didn't know better you'd think they were some weird man made thing, if they're smooth like that. Some are darker or have streaky dark sections. It's why I guessed amber- couldn't find anything else similar. No idea for certain since heck- only a guess so yes, experts would know. Have exactly no ego invested, here to figure this all out and go back out again. Some others- hope it's ok to do this? Been looking at these for so long it's tough not to. And honestly- quartz is as good as anything it's not knowing!

 

[DDancer]

The lot appears to be river worn quartz and quartzite material. The one with the fine crystals is neat. The one with the gray inclusions, possibly limestone, and white appears to be chalcedony. Some of the stuff should tumble nicely.

 

[Antje]

Thanks very much! For some reason we have quite a few rocks with small crystals, must find them! Most are larger than this and not red. Those were the only things I could say ' quartz ' with confidence.