Can you help me identify these rocks?

[anfreema]

I had a landslide at my farm and in the mud were hundreds of these boulders, some weight up to 220pounds. They look like some sort of agate but I'm not sure.
The pictures are from the pieces I could carry out of the mud.
Some look like they have high iron content while others seem to have an Opal like sheen.

Any ideas?

 

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[JasonG]

Interesting stuff, definitely get it positively ID'ed, might be worth mining!

Start with a hardness (scratch) test. In a couple places. Some looks like chert or agate and some opal, hard to tell from the fracture.

 

[Mrdigz]

What state are you from. What's the local geology of your area?

 

[Mrdigz]

Labradorite is a rough guess. Awesome though!!

 

[anfreema]

Im not from the states, I'm in Australia, the property is within an old shield volcano, so there is a lot of basalt around and volcanic soil. But I have never seen these sort of rocks before.

 

[anfreema]

I think I will, it looks like it should polish up but I have no experience, some of the clear parts scratch with a bit of effort, but there are some definite Iron coloured material that doesn't seem to budge.

Ill look up the Mohs scale and how to do it properly.

Thanks for the advice

 

[JasonG]

Yeah man, good luck. I think you definitely have something worth investigating further! I have my guesses but I think you owe it to yourself to get it professionally ID'ed and keep a tight lid on until then.

 

[old digger]

Welcome aboard to TNET!

Your rocks look like they may have some calcedony and quartz mix. It almost looks like an opaline mixture also.

 

[Mrdigz]

Im not from the states, I'm in Australia, the property is within an old shield volcano, so there is a lot of basalt around and volcanic soil. But I have never seen these sort of rocks before.

Your best bet is to find someone local that can help ID. If there are smaller pieces made up of the same material take those to a geologist or gemologist in the area.
Worst case scenario, you have a really cool coffee table

 

[hvacker]

It looks like you have a conglomerate with a number of different minerals. A Mohs scale would probably give a
number of different results. I might ask for a volunteer to crush and pan the results or at least break one up
and see what results.
I also would keep looking deeper. You have a lot of mineral quality.

 

[Eu_citzen]

It's an interesting piece for sure. My first hunch says chalcedony. Get a pic of the materials dry, as well, they look wet to me which hides their natural luster.

 

[omurcelik]

as far as i see this is hydrothermal vein material includin quartz chalcedony some opal and 3. pictures pink material contains mangenese rhodonite or rhodocrosite vs vs vs... if i am right this maybe silver or gold ore good luck..

 

[Moesia]

You have a combination of quartz chalcedony and opal. It is hydrothermal in origin so the opal in it is unlikely to be of precious variety although it is not unheard off. Use a pocket knife to scratch the rock to differentiate compact silica from loose rock. Opals are fairly large and could be worth something it all depends on luster, color, transparency and absence of inclusions. Your rocks look good, but they are drenched in water and this is a photo, both of which add to the true luster of a specimen. You should be able to find the fault which feed the silica in the rock. It should be near by and stick out a little. Good luck.

 

[anfreema]

Brilliant, thank you, I will scratch around and see what I can find and keep you updated.

 

[anfreema]

Wow ok, well maybe i'll have a proper dig around and see what turns up!!

 

[Moesia]

Do not try to dig around, you will just get tired without achieving much. Just take a walk around see what you can find. Take a hammer with you and brake some rocks. Opals have a glassy like surface and usually have a shell like fracture in them. You will probably find a lot of chalcedony. It has a more murky appearance, is not as smooth and sometimes appears as a combination of colors. Follow streams as they accumulate rocks of all kind. If you find opals in them, expect that you are near of the source because opals can not survive long transport on account of their brittleness.

Do not try do dig, just take a hike. Good luck.