Help to Identify this stone

[ProspectingForStone]

Hello. I am looking for help to identify a bit a stone I've found. I have found it out next to my house, in the state of Maine. From what I can tell of it there appears to be areas of red crystallization, as if there were perhaps garnets inside. It appears to be water worn, as if from a river, and when viewed closely in the light the base mineral looks gray like smoky quartz but not quite. When viewed from further and not within light the base mineral looks blueish. The stone was found naturally in the shape it is in an egg round shape, has not been polished in any way other than by hand which has not revealed much.

Here is an image, hopefully it is decent enough to view.




And another image with the stone by candlelight to hope to shed more light on the stone.




Thank you all for any help here.

 

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[DDancer]

River cobble stone is all I can say. Try natural light, day light, images and some closer views.

 

[ProspectingForStone]

Here are a couple other photos where more of the stones base color can be seen, as well as more of the red areas on the stone, if anyone has any ideas would be appreciated.
DDancer, yes I too was thinking about cobble recently, that doesn't explain still the areas of red. Hopefully the red areas are better able to see in these next photos.




And the next-

 

[DDancer]

The problem with your images are that they are to grainy or out of focus and the lighting is not really drawing any details up. I can see the reds in the images and some vugs but aside from texture and some color not much else. The reds seem to be associated with the vugs so a close up view in good light would help. Red could be a number of things~ mineral leaching or other minerals.

 

[ProspectingForStone]

Thank you for the help DDancer, unfortunately with the photos, this is how my camera is the first and last two photos were taken by my camera, and the second photo by my cell. Neither camera is very good. I do not think I know of a way here to get a better photo.

With this stone in particular, with the reds seemingly in the vugs as you said, I was considering if using a grinder and diamond paper and polishing it up would be a relatively better way to see if there are minerals/ crystals inside. Essentially what I am asking, is would polishing it does anyone think perhaps help? I have been considering doing this- polishing it up a bit, is there anything I should be aware of if I try doing this?

Thanks for your help DDancer, whether there is any mineral such as garnet, or anything like it or not is not too much the most important factor for me here. I actually really like this stone in particular either way- I feel a certain calmness about it. It has its own character the way I see it.

Take care.

 

[DDancer]

No worries maybe a polish will work. Seen more than a few members here show off work thats hand polished with sand paper. All I can say is give it a go and good luck Works out let us know.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Possibly a porphyry with a more mafic composition? Hard to tell, as DD said.

 

[ProspectingForStone]

Possibly a porphyry with a more mafic composition? Hard to tell, as DD said.

Possible, in Maine? Not too sure here. If after a grinder and diamond paper polish I do not find out more, I suppose my other option is to smash it and find out exactly what the crystals are.

Smashing is a very last option. I would like to be able to somehow identify without needing to, the shape is interesting. I was hoping to keep it intact.

It looks sort of like a red porphyry crystal, but also looks very crystalline, like garnet. My father suggested it is granite, and I am inclined towards cobble.

I have been for the most part looking for minerals, and stones that have been found in Maine already.

Garnet, tourmaline. Another individual suggested it to be an olivine bomb, do those occur in or have been found in Maine?

Eventually I will hopefully find the answer, even if I have to swing it over to a jeweler and see if they wouldn't mind giving it a look.

An actual geologist as an option doesn't at this time seem feasible.

Thanks for the help guys, if I find anything I'll let you all know.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Possible, in Maine? Not too sure here. If after a grinder and diamond paper polish I do not find out more, I suppose my other option is to smash it and find out exactly what the crystals are.

Smashing is a very last option. I would like to be able to somehow identify without needing to, the shape is interesting. I was hoping to keep it intact.

It looks sort of like a red porphyry crystal, but also looks very crystalline, like garnet. My father suggested it is granite, and I am inclined towards cobble.

I have been for the most part looking for minerals, and stones that have been found in Maine already.

Garnet, tourmaline. Another individual suggested it to be an olivine bomb, do those occur in or have been found in Maine?

Eventually I will hopefully find the answer, even if I have to swing it over to a jeweler and see if they wouldn't mind giving it a look.

An actual geologist as an option doesn't at this time seem feasible.

Thanks for the help guys, if I find anything I'll let you all know.

Well, why not? I'm not familiar with the geology there, but unless it's all sand- & limestone, chances are it could be.
Grinding it will not aid in the ID, unless you have it thin-sectioned and checked up under a polarizing microscope by a professional.
However, I doubt it's worthwhile just to still your curiosity.

Smashing it would be far more helpful, but as you say - it's destructive.
Without actually knowing the composition, or what minerals the rock is made-up of, it's all speculation..

Neither granite nor olivine, for sure.