What Are These Unidentified Rocks and Minerals I Found?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Panwasbipolar
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Rock
AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the identification of two unusual rock specimens found in different locations. The first specimen, a brown lump found near Niagara Falls, is suspected to be slag due to its magnetic properties and oily sheen. The second specimen, a pink piece discovered in the New Mexico Desert, is thought to be a type of glass, exhibiting a translucent quality and a copper-like luster. Participants express interest in sharing their own rock and fossil collections, with one contributor mentioning a unique rock that appears to contain something inside it, possibly resembling wood. The conversation also touches on the characteristics of quartz and granite aggregates, with suggestions that the reddish rock may be related to opal matrix found in the American Southwest. Additionally, there is a query about the reaction of opals to UV light, indicating a curiosity about the mineral's properties. Overall, the thread highlights a shared enthusiasm for rock and fossil collecting, along with a collaborative effort to identify and learn more about these geological curiosities.
Panwasbipolar
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Hi guys, I've a habit of looking for things on the ground but don't know what these are. The brown lump is slightly magnetic and has an oily sheen when it's wet. I'm guessing it's slag but am not sure, was found in farm country near Niagara falls. The pink piece is the oddity. I found it in the New Mexico Desert (middle of nowhere, away from highway towards chaco canyon) It's somewhat see through (guessing a type of glass) and has a sheen of oil also, The one side almost has the luster of copper. So in anyone's opinion, are they just piles of crap I keep around or something else? Thanks.


http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4530/php4txlc1am.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Both
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/1697/phpp24mw6am.th.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Closeup
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/9263/phpoqun65am.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
closeup
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
Cool pictures. After people make a guess, can I post an oddity of mine?

I collect odd rocks and fossils.
 
Evo said:
Cool pictures. After people make a guess, can I post an oddity of mine?

I collect odd rocks and fossils.

Sure I don't mind, I'd like to see them.
If I could have any fossil it'd be a crinoid, things are strange as hell.
 
I ned to get some better pictures of this. The rock is like marble, but there is something inside of it, the rock formed around something else, there are "strips" of rock where you can see what's inside between the strips, but I can't make out what is inside, it looks like wood inside, which can't be right.

fossilenclosedbs5.jpg


pdr0065em4.jpg


I have tons of crinoid stems. My largest was about 8 inches long as thick as my thumb. Unfortunately, I can't find it since I moved. My daughter did not inherit my fascination for rocks and fossils. :frown:

pdr00421ho6.jpg
 
Last edited:
Evo, that rock looks just like a type that was very common where I grew up, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. If I remember what my dad told me, they are a quartz/granite aggregate. Hard to say if it's the same thing, but that "rock strip" feature I recognized right away. Where did you get it?

Panwasbipolar, that's a beautiful specimen, I have no idea what it is. The color reminds me of coral.
 
lisab said:
Evo, that rock looks just like a type that was very common where I grew up, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. If I remember what my dad told me, they are a quartz/granite aggregate. Hard to say if it's the same thing, but that "rock strip" feature I recognized right away. Where did you get it?
Yes, quartz, I just looked at another thread where I descriibed it as quartz, not marble. It was dug up at a lot near me (in Kansas) where they were going to build a house.
 
The reddish rock in the OP could very well be from opal matrix found in the American SW and in Mexico. I have some that is similar in color and translucent, but more orange in hue.
 
Hey everyone, thank you for the responses.

Evo, when I first looked at that it reminded me of cave formations, and wondered what the chances were that a petrified tree would have calcium deposits formed around it, but then I remembered you said it was like marble.

Did you collect your crinoids or buy them, if you collected them, what states? They're so alien looking.

Lisab-thanks

Turbo-1 Do opals react to UV light? I did a google search on uncut opals and saw one that looked like it, but am not sure if it was just a photoshop job.

cheers
 
Panwasbipolar said:
Turbo-1 Do opals react to UV light? I did a google search on uncut opals and saw one that looked like it, but am not sure if it was just a photoshop job.
cheers
That would be entirely (I think) dependent on the admixtures in the opal. Some minerals fluoresce in UV, and significant levels might enhance the look of the stone in strong sunlight or high-frequency light.
 

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top