bonafideslacker
Greenie
- #1
Thread Owner
Hello everyone,
Here's my (subjectively) short introduction to start, before I begin asking a thousand questions. ( Ha~ I'm only partially kidding. )
I'm Dana. I'm a mid-forties, south Texas gal who has moved to central coastal Oregon to live the life I've always wanted, which consists largely of growing things and being on the lookout for shiny stuff; I've always picked up keys I see on the ground, as well as shiny little stones and pieces of wood, leaving the pennies and their good luck for someone else, and I've always fantasized about being able to 'treasure hunt' in real life. I recently purchased and am learning to utilize a couple mid-range metal detectors and am learning to pan and sluice from watching youtube videos (the university of the 21st century middle-class, don'cha know).
It's been a dream for years to spend my days staring at the ground, rockhounding, gold panning, learning (auto-didactically), and now I've landed in quite literally the perfect place for a magpie like me - southwestern, coastal Oregon. I am quite literally surrounded in all directions with minerals deposits, gemstones, and the like... in a treasure trove of sorts.
I still don't really know jack about the geology of my new home in spite of hours of reading (been here ten months), but have done quite a lot of online research into alluvial and placer deposits, dry creek beds (one of which I have on my property), and common Oregon minerals like chalcedony (agate, jasper, quartz) to go along with the gold, silver, opal, and thundereggs. I plan to join the 'local' mineral/rockhound appreciation group this summer, but until then am left to my own devices, searching google for the best SEO-titled articles, and asking kind, like-minded folks like you all for assistance. (Yes, I've read about hardness tests and scratch tests and have ordered some
Locally, the name of the game is river and/or ocean stones like jasper, agate, and the et cetera. When the sun is out and the gravel beds are still damp from the tide moving out, I'm transfixed.
Except.
Except...identifying these little buggers beyond 'chalcedony' or 'jasper' or 'chert' seems nearly impossible, considering how many given names each of these minerals has, and the number of differences in the way, say a 'brecciated jasper' looks in relation to a 'fancy jasper' in relation to a 'jasper-agate' or 'jasper chert'. It's all a bit much, and I'm wondering if a) it really matters at all and b) if there is an actual reputable and respected source for the seemingly dozens of jaspers and agates and 'chalcedonys' (sheesh) in my area.
I'm hoping to gain some thoughtful insight, maybe even from another PNW or coastal NW expert or twelve, on things more detailed than, 'that's a jasper'. While I'm grateful for the Jasper Confirmation, I'm also very interested in increasing my geological knowledge, especially considering my new home has such pretty rocks on the beach. ~
If you're willing to take the time to help me in not only identifying the images I upload - thereby helping me disclaim the dozens of different names for many of these stones - it's a great help in educating myself in something I've had a lifelong passion and interest in and am only now able to realize.
(Most of these river/beach stones will go in my yard, garden, clear vases, on windowsills, and to everyone I know as gifts they will possibly not even want. But I know already I won't be able to stop and at some point will have to be taken away to a quiet place to contemplate the difference between brecciated jasper and fancy jasper.
Please feel free to send me links, advice, and/or whatever else you think may help me achieve even more joy in my finally-realized dream...I'll never be ungrateful!
Until then....greetings,
Dana
Here's my (subjectively) short introduction to start, before I begin asking a thousand questions. ( Ha~ I'm only partially kidding. )
I'm Dana. I'm a mid-forties, south Texas gal who has moved to central coastal Oregon to live the life I've always wanted, which consists largely of growing things and being on the lookout for shiny stuff; I've always picked up keys I see on the ground, as well as shiny little stones and pieces of wood, leaving the pennies and their good luck for someone else, and I've always fantasized about being able to 'treasure hunt' in real life. I recently purchased and am learning to utilize a couple mid-range metal detectors and am learning to pan and sluice from watching youtube videos (the university of the 21st century middle-class, don'cha know).
It's been a dream for years to spend my days staring at the ground, rockhounding, gold panning, learning (auto-didactically), and now I've landed in quite literally the perfect place for a magpie like me - southwestern, coastal Oregon. I am quite literally surrounded in all directions with minerals deposits, gemstones, and the like... in a treasure trove of sorts.
I still don't really know jack about the geology of my new home in spite of hours of reading (been here ten months), but have done quite a lot of online research into alluvial and placer deposits, dry creek beds (one of which I have on my property), and common Oregon minerals like chalcedony (agate, jasper, quartz) to go along with the gold, silver, opal, and thundereggs. I plan to join the 'local' mineral/rockhound appreciation group this summer, but until then am left to my own devices, searching google for the best SEO-titled articles, and asking kind, like-minded folks like you all for assistance. (Yes, I've read about hardness tests and scratch tests and have ordered some
Locally, the name of the game is river and/or ocean stones like jasper, agate, and the et cetera. When the sun is out and the gravel beds are still damp from the tide moving out, I'm transfixed.
Except.
Except...identifying these little buggers beyond 'chalcedony' or 'jasper' or 'chert' seems nearly impossible, considering how many given names each of these minerals has, and the number of differences in the way, say a 'brecciated jasper' looks in relation to a 'fancy jasper' in relation to a 'jasper-agate' or 'jasper chert'. It's all a bit much, and I'm wondering if a) it really matters at all and b) if there is an actual reputable and respected source for the seemingly dozens of jaspers and agates and 'chalcedonys' (sheesh) in my area.
I'm hoping to gain some thoughtful insight, maybe even from another PNW or coastal NW expert or twelve, on things more detailed than, 'that's a jasper'. While I'm grateful for the Jasper Confirmation, I'm also very interested in increasing my geological knowledge, especially considering my new home has such pretty rocks on the beach. ~
If you're willing to take the time to help me in not only identifying the images I upload - thereby helping me disclaim the dozens of different names for many of these stones - it's a great help in educating myself in something I've had a lifelong passion and interest in and am only now able to realize.
(Most of these river/beach stones will go in my yard, garden, clear vases, on windowsills, and to everyone I know as gifts they will possibly not even want. But I know already I won't be able to stop and at some point will have to be taken away to a quiet place to contemplate the difference between brecciated jasper and fancy jasper.
Please feel free to send me links, advice, and/or whatever else you think may help me achieve even more joy in my finally-realized dream...I'll never be ungrateful!
Until then....greetings,
Dana
