valuable rocks found when classifying

[prospectordamon]

anyone find valuable rocks like sapphires and such will classifying? how can you tell what is what with your rocks? I can't seem to find a good source for identifying rocks. any ideas? Do you guys think sapphires would be in the creeks of Alabama?

 

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[oragonads]

I think I found a small diamond in my sluice once. Not sure but ut doesn't look like quarts

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

anyone find valuable rocks like sapphires and such will classifying? how can you tell what is what with your rocks? I can't seem to find a good source for identifying rocks. any ideas? Do you guys think sapphires would be in the creeks of Alabama?

Yes, I believe you could have sapphires, but I am not an expecrt on stones, just got bags full of them. And pretty little display cases for the nice cut ones.

I found a book at my local librabry one time, The treasure hunters discovery guide, something like that. It told of all the old, off the wall finds, all over the south. Gold, diamonds, precious stones, the N.carolina section was thick! There were actually 4 books to the collection. One for North, South, West, and Central US. I come to discover, 2 miles down the road, where I lived in Ga years ago, they had discovered rough diamonds, in the creek beds, we played in!

I have been meaning to go back to that library, just for that book. Ya'll don't let me forget.
I'll get it soon, and let ya'll know the exact name of it.
Yeah, I guess I shoulda said, get a book too. I got some, somewhere. Rock ID, that is.

 

[Goodyguy]

The more popular gems and collectible minerals found in Alabama are; agate quartz, star blue quartz, amethyst, andalusite, apatite, calcite, emeralds, fluorite, ilmenite, magnetite, monazite, onyx, opal, rutile, tourmaline and turquoise.

To identify them you could always get a gems and minerals field guide.
I carry mine in the truck.

GG~

 

[prospectordamon]

wow! the star blue quartz is beautiful!!! i didnt even realize that was our state gemstone! seems pretty rare from alabama though, majority of people that live here have never heard/seen of it. i want to find me some!

 

[Tuberale]

Gemstones have been found often in sluice boxes. During and after classification. Especially in Idaho, also known as the "Gem State."

Diamonds have been found in almost all states Western states. And diamonds are often found in sluice boxes and Long Toms.

 

[russau]

goto a good book store and they have books that have good color pics of mineral/gem stones. as your screening your cons its a good idea to look at everything while your looking for them gold specks in your screen/pan.

 

[Astrobouncer]

Here's some hematite crystals, beryl and staurolite I found while classifying:



And here's some emerald, tourmaline, ruby, amethyst, rose quartz, schorl, and peridot plus a piece of chalcedony or maybe some type of agate I dont know. Also havent ID'd the big green rock yet, the color is probably from some kind of copper inclusion. I dont bother to take pics of most of the gemstones i find anymore but these were some of the neater ones. Most of this stuff is from NC, with a couple of them from SC.



Here's some kind of crystal, and a big ol garnet, in a 14 inch gold pan.


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Heres some quartz points I found plus a big hunk of hematite.



Also, these weren't found by me but something to look out for as well:



I also have a collection of smaller then 1/4 inch zircon crystals, kyanite and a couple pieces of aquamarine plus lots of unidentified crystals.

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

astrobouncer, love those pics, they reminded me of a friend, in Helen Ga, said the creek that ran through their property, when he was a kid, he found a SLAB of rock, encrusted with garnets, the size of a kitchen counter-top. As an adult 40 50 years later, he can't find it, to save his life!

(I love N. Car. rocks. I figured since I got land in Mitchell cty Ga, I should buy some in Mitchell Cty, round Yancy way, N.Car. We did the Appalachian parkway, for about 3 months, when I was younger, Love that country!)

 

[Tuberale]

Remember reading from South Africa, that an application of fat or grease on the spill slide would (don't ask me why) attract and hold diamond crystals. Some of the best South African diamonds were supposed to have come from off-shore.

Neat pics, Astrobouncer!