I found some unique rock with a skin like crust. Help I.D. Please.

[dannyd200105]

I live in the Mojave Desert found these the other day. They were on the side of hill with siltstone like material amongst a large out-cropping of volcanic rock.

 

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[NGE]

Looks like petrified lizard skin.....nge

 

[dannyd200105]

I've spent hours researching the web and reptile skin was one of my searches but nothing turned up. I'm not sure if you can see it but they have a cream colored agate like interior. The color is solid and there is a good bit of clarity. One possible match was bony plates from a reptile. I also spent some time looking for possible coral or saltwater related matches. Whatever it is, it's one of the most unique items I found while rockhounding.

 

[StoneWhisper]

Try refining your search to include "petrified dinosaur skin"

 

[DDancer]

That's some neat looking stuff. Looks more like chalcedony formations but that is some strange patterning. Kinda looks like some opal formations I've seen as well. I wont rule out a fossil though. Hrm....

 

[JLeonhardy]

If there is any translucency, I would assume snakeskin agate.

 

[dannyd200105]

Yes, they are all transparent and solid in color. The interior ranges from light to darker taupe with a pinkish hue. I know this sounds weird but I'm an amateur and have a hard time describing what I see. I've been rock hounding for about 4 years or so from California to Georgia and have never seen anything like this. Pretty neat and glad to have it in my collection.

 

[JLeonhardy]

Google up some images of snakeskin agate, Danny. The patterns that come out when polished are amazing.

 

[mamabear]

Those are some amazing specimens! They would take center place in my din my rock collection. Please keep us up to date if you find what they are. Oh and I have found opal in the Mojave.

 

[PamDF]

Woah that look like dinosaur skin fossils?

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Very cool!

 

[dannyd200105]

Jleonhardy got it right, thanks for the help. I took the kids out to the spot yesterday after work and the three of us found some nice pieces, a total of 9 lbs. They are pretty small by comparison to other agates but their really neat. They range in size from 10 grams to 100 plus grams with most in the 20 to 40 range. Some have lost their crust but still bear the snakeskin on the agate. Im excited to polish some up. The shapes are quite different as well, some are cylinder like coral, some are seashell shaped and others are relatively flat. The majority have a solid interior color and although some may think only one color is boring, the translucent color is quite beautiful. Thanks for the replies and I will soon be posting some of my other desert finds.