Hello!

[WoodSoup]

Just getting started on my rockhounding adventure...I even ordered a rock tumbler...just an entry level one to see if I should just buy polished rocks instead. :-)

Anyway, I am in Nelson County, Virginia up against the Rockfish River and I went searching for treasure this weekend for the first time, I found a lot of interesting things. Most of them I looked at and tried to guess what they were and then found out the mineral was generally found in another country not just another county...

That being said, I need a little help getting these figured out...I wont take pictures of all of them, but the ones that I was impressed with I will post...let's start with this one...again, Nelson County, Virginia, in the riverbed...

the colors in the picture actually came out really well...it is light blue with cream (and that may be debris)

Thanks!

 

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[WoodSoup]

regret...didn't mention size...it is roughly the width of 1 small paperclip and the length of 2 small paperclips...

 

[fuss]

Hi, that looks like it could be blue quartz, which is found out there. I bought a sample during a visit to a rock shop in Nelson Co while driving through the state to visit family there last spring, as well as found several pebbles that made there way down to the Chesapeake bay over the millennia. There is also the state rock of VA from your area called Nelsonite named after Nelson Co where it is found that you may want to add to your collection. Other stuff you can find is Amazonite a green microcline feldspar found at the Morefield mine and possibly other places. You are in a great collecting area for sure.

 

[WoodSoup]

I was thinking blue quartz...thank you so much for your response.

I am guessing you stopped at the VARockShop, David has some wonderful pieces there, I did stop by there too.

As far as Nelsonite, at first I was like, "Wow, it is all over my front yard, this is awesome!". Then this weekend I was standing in the river...."Nelsonite, Nelsonite, Nelsonite, oh keeper, Nelsonite, Nelsonite, Nelsonite, Nelsonite, ugh, why is everything Nelsonite...." I had a rough piece in my collection already, but the ones that the river worked down are nice and smooth and clean. It is my understanding that it is too fragile to be tumbled.

Thanks again for the input!

 

[WoodSoup]

and this one? Little green sparkles in the tan spots

 

[fuss]

Yes thats where I stopped, great little shop in an interesting old schoolbuilding. Love that area. As far as finding so much Nelsonite, that's interesting. I thought it was tougher to come across, its a very interesting rock being that it is made up of ilmanite and apatite as well as some other interesting minerals. I bought a couple samples from David while I was there as well. Next trip through I plan on finding some of these things on my own but didnt have the time last trip.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Spotted rock is porphyry, and igneous rock. Gary

 

[A2coins]

Great info Welcome to tnet