Rock ID needed !

[SCBUZZ]

Hey guys. Need help on an ID for this rock. Found it in a creek . Saw it from about 10 feet away in about a foot or so of water. We where there to sluice and pan for gold so I know its there. But is this a gem or something I need to look for ?
My first idea was alexandrite but duno about in the us. I did try to see how hard it was . It will scratch quarts and steel. Which would be consitant with alexandrite. Any ideas?

I have another rock I need ID on as well but I will post it later. Thanks for your help.

 

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[Astrobouncer]

Buzz you might try posting those pictures here: http://www.mindat.org/msgboard-11.html There are several geologists there and I haven't found a rock yet they couldn't ID.

 

[SCBUZZ]

Done. figured I would get some bites here.

 

[alpha105]

let us know.

 

[SCBUZZ]

The rock has been identified . It is Actinolite schist. link to a simular piece.
http://oaklandgeology.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/612/

 

[Astrobouncer]

Well here's the thing. That rock had some unusual characteristics that stumped both of us (I was there when he found it). I told him to do a hardness test and a streak test on unglazed porcelain to see what it could possibly be. He came back and said it scratched quartz. Which judging by that + the unusual striations in the rock and the character, I figured it was probably some type of gemstone.

Hunting for gold is what we were doing at the time, but you gotta be aware that there are plenty of other valuable minerals and gemstones out there that are worth picking up too. Collectors will pay good money for unusual specimens and rare ones. And the locale we were in is notorious for all kinds of gemstones so best to cover all bases.

Also, that same trip I got some decent size garnets, and I was so curious about where they came from, the next trip back there I looked around a bit until I found a host rock for them upstream of where we were.

http://img263.imageshack.us/g/rustygarnetshostrock3o.jpg/

In the first picture you can see all the garnets I found, the fourth picture you can see them as inclusions in the rock (and some of the other pics if you look close).

The rock has been identified . It is Actinolite schist. link to a simular piece.
http://oaklandgeology.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/612/

Good to hear. Those guys always come through for me too. A schist definitely explains all the garnets in that area. I would guess that's what the rock I found is as well.

I did a little research on that Actinolite and found this quote,"One type of actinolite is known as nephrite, one of the two minerals commonly referred to as jade." From: http://www.olympusmicro.com/galleries/polarizedlight/pages/actinoliteschistsmall.html