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- 💎 A great find in an Ikea parking lot??
💎 A great find in an Ikea parking lot??
Hello rockhound,
Ready to embark on another geological adventure? This edition is packed with fascinating insights and discoveries that will ignite your passion for rocks and minerals.
Whether you're in the field or dreaming of your next expedition, we're here to inspire and inform your rockhounding journey.
This week we cover
Beautiful, featherlike formations
A lifetime's worth of geode finds
So many beautiful agates
A lovely find in an Ikea parking lot
The answer to last weeks quiz
Much more!
Happy rockhounding!
Keith
A little sparkle to start
Look at this fascinating Magnesium formation. These feather-like patterns, known as "dendritic magnesium" occur during rapid cooling and solidification, where magnesium atoms branch out in intricate, tree-like structures.
These formations are particularly interesting because they demonstrate the principles of crystal growth and pattern formation in nature. You don’t see a lot of Magnesium formations like this in collections but they are quite beautiful.
The patterns really do look like feathers! It also forms into beautiful wave-like patterns.
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
A childhood worth of geodes
This is an incredible collection of geodes left behind after the passing of a fellow rockhound’s grandparents. They spent countless days hunting for geodes with their children and collected them all in their backyard.
Can you imagine finding all of these without cracking them all open???
Some of these are nearly two feet in diameter. What a collection!
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!
Quartz cluster - Photo credit: Fossilera
One of the most common questions I get emailed is “what can I find in my backyard?”. Well, after answering this dozens and dozens of times I decided to put together a short article that would be useful to most people in the US.
No matter where you live in the country, there is a good chance you can find some pretty interesting and beautiful crystals and gems without going far from your backdoor.
Send me an email if I missed anything good!
Earth Enigmas
Last week we asked the question “Which of these is a common fluorescent mineral under UV light”. As a whole, the Rock Chasing community did a great job with most of you getting the correct answer of Fluorite.
As the name Fluo-rite hints at, it is a highly fluo-rescent material! Great job everyone, even though I know some of you just guessed!
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!
Which gemstone is created from the fossilized resin of ancient trees and often contains preserved insects or plant material? |
Community Tips
Keep an eye out for sharp edges
This week’s tip comes from Xavier in Tallahassee Florida:
I always look for sharp edges because they can be a sign of a recently broken or fresh specimen. Sharp edges indicate that the rock or mineral hasn't been weathered much by natural elements, which means it may be in better condition and more valuable.
Fresh breaks can reveal more about what it looks like inside the rock, helping to identify it more accurately. Additionally, sharp edges often lead to discovering unique and pristine crystal formations that haven't been eroded away.
So, next time you're out in the field, keep an eye out for those sharp, angular features—they're often the hidden gems!
Xavier
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
Agate is easily one of my favorite types of rock to find. There are so many different varieties, colors, and patterns.
They are also found in a LOT of different places. These are the 22 types you can find and what they look like.
Rockhounding
This is a great video that shows why you always need to on the lookout for great rocks! You never know what you might find, even in an Ikea parking lot!
Geology Highlights
Speleothems - Photo credit: Robbie Shone
Enormous speleothems (not mushrooms)
These enormous speleothems (mineral deposits formed from groundwater in underground caverns) were found hanging in Lechuguilla Cave in Carlsbad Cavern Park in New Mexico. No, they aren't mushrooms, they are 20 feet long!
Speleothems like these discovered in 1986 are very rare. With over 150 miles of explored passages, Lechuguilla Cave is the seventh-longest cave globally.
Have you had the chance to explore any caves like this?
Geology Highlights
Coming off of last week’s questions about fluorite I thought it might be fun to dive into how much it’s actually worth.
We all know it’s beautiful, but how valuable is it really?
Shower thoughts
Rhyolite is a nice rock, but it's often taken for granite…
