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- 8/14/24
8/14/24
Hello rockhound,
We’ve got some incredible photos and great info for you this week. Come hang out with your fellow rockhounds!
This week we cover
Finding a 2 ½ pound agate
A meteorite with a 50-foot impact crater
Why being a rockhound gets some strange looks at the airport
Some incredible black rocks and minerals
A fun collection from a fellow rockhound
Much more!
Happy rockhounding!
Keith
A little sparkle to start
Photo credit: Fossilera
This is the Brenham pallasite meteorite, discovered near Brenham, Kansas, in 1882, is associated with a 50-foot impact crater. This meteorite is known for its beautiful yellow-green peridot crystals embedded in an iron-nickel matrix.
An estimated 4 to 8 tons of material from the Brenham fall have been recovered. Indigenous tribes even used pieces of this meteorite as a source of iron long before its scientific discovery!
Pallasite meteorites like the one this slab was taken from are quite rare and fascinating. These meteorites often display Widmanstätten patterns, revealing their slow cooling process in space.
A Quick Recommendation
Over the past few years I’ve been more intentional about taking care of my mind and body. Rockhounding is a great way for me to relax, get closer to nature, and get some good exercise.
I’ve also been looking for new ways to get regular reminders and ideas on how to stay connected, improve my diet, and de-stress.
Earth Conscious LIfe has been one of the ways I do that. They send me a weekly email with some good suggestions in a friendly, unobtrusive way.
I’ve found it to be well worth the minute or two it takes to read. Check it out by clicking on the button below. As always, we get a small commission for every signup which goes toward providing our free emails each week.
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Other people won’t understand….
Find of the week
This week we’re sharing more a collection than an individual find. Most of these beauties were found by fellow rockhound Estha around the Bastrop Texas area. There are some really fun finds in there!
Thanks for sharing Estha!
If you want to share your collection check out the section below!
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
While they’re often overlooked in favor of more colorful options, black crystals and rocks have their own unique beauty and history that draws a lot of interest from rockhounds.
We’ll show you the most impressive specimens out there!
Earth Enigmas
Each week we ask a fun trivia question here. We’ll share the answers and the community responses for everyone to read next week. Show off your rockhounding chops!
Last week we asked “Which of the following gems is known for changing color under different lighting conditions?”
Your responses were really great with most of you answering correctly!
Alexandrite changes color due to a phenomenon called "color change," which is caused by the way the mineral absorbs light. Alexandrite contains trace amounts of chromium, which allows it to absorb different wavelengths of light depending on the type of illumination.
In daylight, which is rich in blue and green wavelengths, alexandrite appears green. Under incandescent light, which has more red wavelengths, it appears red or purplish.
This week our question is a bit “lighter”:
Which mineral has the ability to float in water? |
Geology highlights
The Reynisdrangar sea stacks, located near the village of Vík í Mýrdal in southern Iceland, are towering basalt rock formations. These stacks rise dramatically from the sea and are surrounded by the black sands of Reynisfjara beach.
The highest of the formations, Langsamur, stands at 217 feet, with Landdrangur and Skessudrangur completing the trio.
The area is also home to numerous seabirds, including puffins, Arctic terns, and fulmars!
Rockhounding
A 2.5 Pound Agate!
Size isn’t the most important thing when it comes to rockhounding but sometimes it’s a quality all its own.
Check out the monster 2.5 agate that Katydid Rocks finds!
Geology Highlights
I bet you didn’t know that there are 12 different types of amethyst! Most people don’t! (I didn’t really either until I spent a lot of time researching them).
Check these out, they are all pretty incredible.
Geology highlights
The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in New Mexico covers 45,000 acres and offers an extraordinary landscape shaped by time and natural forces. Established in 1984, this area is known for its steeply eroded badlands that create a rugged, otherworldly scenery.
The terrain is composed of interbedded sandstone, shale, mudstone, and coal, forming strange rock formations like hoodoos and pinnacles.
This area is part of the Four Corners Region and provide a rare glimpse into a landscape that seems to belong to another planet!
Geology highlights
Calcite is one of those rocks and minerals that doesn’t get enough respect. It can be incredibly beautiful and easier to find than you might think.
We’ll show you what to look for and some good spots to try.