More pegmatite digging

[IAMZIM]

Went to an old pegmatite I have dug before looking for some moon stone on Saturday with one of my sisters and her dog, found some nice pieces, but it's hard to find chunks big enough to cut. (I think my sister found more than me!) But I also found a few nice smokey points, and my sis found a nice twined schorl with terminations, I don't have a pic of that unfortunately, this summer might uncover some good stuff! I'm feeling pretty excited!

 

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[Kray Gelder]

Nice finds! It looks like you are in the right spot for sure. Keep Digging!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Nice moonstone! I'd think its large enough to cut a cabb.

 

[DDancer]

I like the smoky on matrix myself Seems most of the other quartz is etched. Is it?

 

[IAMZIM]

I think there could be a little etching, but for the most part, I think what you might be seeing is some kind of inclusion, I'm not sure what it is, and because my phone, which I use as my camera can't take good macro pics, I am having difficulty capturing it. It looks like sand, if you could see it in person, you can see it all over crystals, and also inside them, though not as heavy as the outside, if that makes sense. My best guess is geothite, but that is a possibility bad guess haha!

 

[EricTheCat]

Nice finds, thanks for sharing. I really like smokey quartz.

Happy hunting,
Eric

 

[DDancer]

*nods* Better pictures Most likely feldspar inclusions not etching. I was curios because etching would lead me to look for fluorite as well at your dig.

 

[Ironmale371978]

I go to media pa a bit and have found a lot of blue quartz and feldspar in ridley creek but I am lookimg for moonstone where should I go please meal me at eyeremian265@gmail.com.

 

[IAMZIM]

*nods* Better pictures Most likely feldspar inclusions not etching. I was curios because etching would lead me to look for fluorite as well at your dig.

Wow, that really peaks my interest, in layman's terms, would you be willing to explain that correlation between etching and fluorite? Does it have something to do with the solution that can cause etching? I'm super curios about that, and am always keen on hints of what to look for as clues!

 

[IAMZIM]

I go to media pa a bit and have found a lot of blue quartz and feldspar in ridley creek but I am lookimg for moonstone where should I go please meal me at eyeremian265@gmail.com.

Moonstone is a feldspar, so if you are finding feldspar, you need to look for crystalization in the feldspar, not all feldspar has it however! There are many different kinds of feldspar around the area I am in, and so far, this is the only spot I personally have found that has the "moonstone" type. There is a sapphire mine near Helena Mt. that has orange and pink moonstones found with the sapphires, and they claim that they sell pretty well when cut. I suggest doing some reading on feldspar if you can find any references to look up. (I also wouldn't mind seeing some pics of your blue quartz, it's got me curious!)

 

[DDancer]

Fluorite contains the element Florine which is somewhat soluble in water. Florine etches silicates like quartz and glass. What you would see looks similar to the 5th picture as quartz when its etched shows planes in the crystal. One will also find rotted crystal, very holed and pitted many times to the point that it crumbles. Also deformed crystals. Fluorite is fairly easy to identify due to its cubit and octahedral crystals, softness and often is translucent with good colors.

 

[IAMZIM]

Fluorite contains the element Florine which is somewhat soluble in water. Florine etches silicates like quartz and glass. What you would see looks similar to the 5th picture as quartz when its etched shows planes in the crystal. One will also find rotted crystal, very holed and pitted many times to the point that it crumbles. Also deformed crystals. Fluorite is fairly easy to identify due to its cubit and octahedral crystals, softness and often is translucent with good colors.

Will Florine also etch topaz? I have seen where some guys here have found badly etched topaz, and even voids where the topaz was dissolved away!

 

[DDancer]

It will as topaz is an alumina-silicate. Florine is a very reactive element and source for one of the most potent acids on earth, Hydrofloric acid, but in nature its safe enough for us~ but rough on it neighbors.

 

[IAMZIM]

A lot of digging today, I didn't get skunked, but meager finds. I feel I may be close to a pocket though! I've got to break up some rock, that when I tap on it, it sounds hollow under it, it's going to take some hard work though!