Finds This Year - Opal, Magnetite & More

MrLee

Sr. Member
Mar 25, 2012
492
273
Tokyo & OC
Detector(s) used
Google Earth, BS Detector, $$
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I don't post much here anymore because I am so busy, but I thought I'd share some cool finds so far this year. I am a dealer in Japan and come back to California to dig & buy every 2 months.

Spencer Opal - been on a binge for Spencers. The opal banding and the nodules the come in are awesome for specimens. I acquired this beast off an old dealer from San Diego. It was stunning and I am kicking myself for selling it to another dealer in Japan.
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Magentite Crystals - ever seen magnetites like these? Octahedrons and a stack with siderite and apatite from Utah
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California opal-AG - these babies are FIRE!
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Rainbow Chalcedony, Nevada - beautiful material.
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Baxter Blue - a blue, gem chalcedony colored by dumortierite so it doesn't fade.
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I am buying US rough material if anyone is selling, agates, gemstones, etc.

Happy hunting!
 

IAMZIM

Bronze Member
Apr 23, 2011
1,567
2,160
Butte City, Montana
Detector(s) used
ace 250/garret pinpointer, garret AT Gold
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Awesome stuff! I am planning a trip to Spencer next month! Nice color bar in that second pic!!!:headbang: I would love to see what it looked like if it was cut and polished down to it!!!
 

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smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,721
40,803
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
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XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have the biggest morganite ever found (and not destroyed) in the US. Unfortunately, I gave it to my daughter. Fortunate for her. You've got some nice stuff there. I used to have a big collection. Not anymore.
 

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OP
OP
M

MrLee

Sr. Member
Mar 25, 2012
492
273
Tokyo & OC
Detector(s) used
Google Earth, BS Detector, $$
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Awesome stuff! I am planning a trip to Spencer next month! Nice color bar in that second pic!!!:headbang: I would love to see what it looked like if it was cut and polished down to it!!!

I have been thinking of taking a trip up to Spencer, but i can buy material cheaper than it costs to go up there and I'm not too confident the tailings haven't been salted. Would like to know how you do.

The salmon side had intense fire that didn't show up so well in the photo. The color bars on the side were amazing too. It was a very nice, higher end piece that I got from an old timer which I then sold to the organizer of the gem shows I am in in Japan. I am forever going to be looking for a replacement of that piece now. :BangHead::BangHead::BangHead::BangHead:
 

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OP
OP
M

MrLee

Sr. Member
Mar 25, 2012
492
273
Tokyo & OC
Detector(s) used
Google Earth, BS Detector, $$
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have the biggest morganite ever found (and not destroyed) in the US. Unfortunately, I gave it to my daughter. Fortunate for her. You've got some nice stuff there. I used to have a big collection. Not anymore.


No **** Smokey? Do you have a photo of it? There is a documentary of Bill McGee who was a miner in the Pala district. His son made it and one of the highlights was a large morganite he pulled out of the mine, I believe it was the Stewart mine. I really love Morganites.

My prized possessions are my benitoites and my red beryls I personally dug out of Topaz mountain last year. The red beryls were small, but just the fact that I found them makes them prizes in my book.
 

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