This crystal is growing a winter coat

Hello rockhound,

I hope this message finds you with dirt under your fingernails and a sparkle in your eyes—sure signs of a successful rockhounding adventure!

It’s been a great week of exploration and I’m excited to share some incredible finds with you this week.

Whether you're a seasoned collector or a curious newbie, there’s something here to ignite your passion for the wonders beneath our feet.

This week we cover

• A crystal that is growing a winter coat

• Barite “roses” that grow underground

• Rockhound Storage Wars!

• The incredible beryl family

• Much more!

Happy rockhounding!

Keith

A little sparkle to start

No, that amethyst isn’t growing a winter coat, this is a phantom ghost crystal! These crystals form when a layer of amethyst grows over pre-existing crystals, which pause in growth due to changes in conditions like temperature or mineral supply.

This process can repeat, creating a "ghost-like" appearance of layered crystals within a single specimen. What makes them particularly interesting is how each layer records a snapshot of the crystal’s growth environment, much like rings in a tree trunk.

Having two crystals formations in one is something I’m not going to complain about!

You can find out more about this find or add it to your collection here.

Other people won’t understand….

This is what my stairs would look like if I was left to my own devices….

Find of the week

Geology in bloom… Literally

No that isn’t a flower, it’s a Barite Rose (also known as an Oklahoma Rose Rock) found by Rock Chasing community member Amber near Stanley Draper Lake in Oklahoma County.

These “roses” are composed of barite crystals that form into a rosette shape thanks to the right combination of weathering, groundwater, and minerals. They formed 250 million years ago during the Permian era when that part of Oklahoma was the bottom of a shallow sea.

Red barite roses like this are unique to Oklahoma with their rounded “petals” and rose color. Similar formations can be found in other parts of the world but none quite like these.

You can see more photos on Amber’s Facebook page and Instagram @red.dirt.roses. She hand collected all the roses you see! Here is a photo of one of her collection sites:

Send me photos of your rocks and minerals!

I want to see what you’re finding and adding to your collection! Send me photos of the rocks and minerals that you’re discovering in your rockhounding journey or bought and added to your collection so I can share it with the community.

Send your best photos and descriptions to [email protected] or just reply to this email!

Geology Highlights

The 19 Rarest Gemstones in the World (With Photos)

We’ve covered a lot of different gemstones in this newsletter and collectively we’ve seen even more. However, there are some gemstones that are so rare I can confidently say that none of us has seen even half of them!

*If you have, reply to this email and let me know!*

In this article I cover the rarest gemstones on earth, what they look like, and even some of their uses. You’ve probably heard of a few of them but most of these are exceedingly rare.

There are some real beautifies in there.

Read the full story here…

Community Tips

Don’t forget a magnet

This week’s tip comes from Amber in Oklahoma, the communities resident barite rose expert:

The barite roses found near Stanley Draper Lake are typically smaller than the ones you can find by Lake Thunderbird, but the quality of them is much much better.

One of the pictures I sent shows a vein of roses that I was collecting from. When you find a really good one, it means there's more in that same spot! 2 steps to the left or right will have a completely different quality.

I've found the best way to clean the cement-like red clay off of the roses is to boil them, scrub with a nylon bristled brush, then repeat until clean. An ultrasonic cleaner works great too! It can take weeks to carefully clean a delicate formation specimen or cluster.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (OTA) has started working on a turnpike extension that is supposed to cut through the area where the highest concentration of the barite roses are found. It would destroy hundreds of homes, thousands of acres of Oklahoma's countryside, and displace all the wildlife in its path.

I'm part of a large group of Oklahomans that are against it. It's a complex situation, and if you're interested in learning more about it you can go to pikeoffota.com - they have all the info and recent news.

Amber

Every week one of our members shares a valuable tip or a big mistake they've made in their rockhounding journey. If you have a tip or mistake you'd like to share email us at [email protected] or just reply to this email!

Geology highlights

The 5 Types of Moonstones Out There and Where to Find Them

There are few gems out there more beautiful and interesting than a moonstone. While they don’t get as much credit as some other more expensive gems they are incredible.

While moonstones are commonly found in places like Sri Lanka, India, and Madagascar, they’re also found in various places across the United States.

If you’re curious about how to find moonstone, you’re in for a treat! This guide will dive into the wonders of moonstone, unveiling the best places to discover it, techniques to find it, and tips to recognize it among other gems.

Read the full story here…

Rockhounding

Finding some incredible agates and cutting them open

This is a great video from PaleoCris about where and how to search for agates. They show you exactly how they do it as well as cutting open some really cool finds.

A really fun video to watch and a great way to get better at finding beautiful agates. Who doesn’t need more agates in their life?

Watch the video here…

Geology Highlights

Jackpot!!!

An abandoned storage unit was recently purchased for $800 that turned out to be previously owned by a VERY prolific rockhound!

Inside the 400 square foot storage unit was HUNDREDS of specimens including the beautiful pieces in the photo above and the photo below. Talk about an incredible find!

I used to watch the show Storage Wars on A&E and dreamed about making a discovery like this!

Here is another photo of part of the haul:

Geology highlights

Red beryl like this one, is quite rare and incredibly beautiful (obviously). Often called "red emerald" for its vibrant crimson color, this gem forms in specific geological conditions where beryllium-rich gases interact with other minerals in volcanic rocks, creating its unique, fiery red hue.

Unlike its more common green counterpart, emerald, red beryl is found in only a few places in the world, making it much rarer and highly prized by collectors. The primary location for mining red beryl is the Wah Wah Mountains in Utah.

Its rarity and vivid color make red beryl a coveted treasure in the gem world.

Geology Highlights

The 8 Different Types of Beryl And What They Look Like

After showing you the incredible Red Beryl in the previous section I thought it would be a good opportunity to explore the whole incredible Beryl family. Every one of them is simply breathtaking.

We’ll dive into the 8 different types, look at some amazing photos, and talk about how they differ.

Read the full story here…