Rock hounds? Couldn't find Frit's thread

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Messages 1 - 18 of total 18 in this topic

Brandon-

climber

The Granite State.

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 30, 2016 - 11:26am PT

So, over two days the past week (rain days, I get bored easily), I pulled a stone from the forest near my home.
I first saw it two years ago while walking the riverbank a half mile or so downstream from my place. The river doesn't have homes on it down through the rapids, so it's just game and fishermen trails. There, fifty feet above the river, was a sweet piece of quartz. I trundled it down to the game trail and left it there. At some point between then and now, I ran into the landowner at the dump and was given permission to remove the rock.

So, last Saturday, wallowing in the dregs of thanksgiving leftovers, it was time to get out and move despite the freezing rain. My wife and I grabbed the dog, loaded up the prerequisite greenery for the mission and headed off. We found the stone right where I left it, which was way farther than I'd remembered. Back to the house for provisions; cam straps, a sling, a biner, and a trash can lid. We returned, slung the stone, put it on the lid, started pulling, and failed. The modified lid made it halfway before both it and my motivation gave out. That sob is heavy, probably around two hundred pounds.

Today, it's raining again and work is called off, the bullshit garage roof will be finished tomorrow. It'll be nice to get back to new construction soon, because these little jobs leave the door open for weather disruption.

Anyway, I dubbed around in the kitchen, made pinto bean/beet/bulgur/walnut veggie burgers and was feeling restless after. I re-realized my mission and devised a better sleigh for my stone. I searched the barn and found an old horse grain feeding tray thing. Once a reinforcing yoke was installed, I cut holes above and below it on both sides to accommodate straps. The straps went to a power point that I attached to a double length sling put around my waist. This was my sledge. Now I had to pull it up through the trail free area. It was freaking hard, a quarter mile of pulling hard enough that you're grabbing the ground to help pull. Exercise is good.

Well, I got it up to the road, went and got the Volvo (318k miles), drove it over and brought it home. I bleached it, scrubbed it, etc, and now I'm wondering what to do with it.

It's not as clear as I remember, and there are cracks running through it. Additionally, there is a vein of something running through part of it. Should I just leave it be and enjoy it, or would there be any benefit to dismantling it and seeing what sort of crystals or other minerals are in there?

Any geologists want to chime in?

Edit; Sorry Fritz, didn't mean to misspell your name in the title.

Edge

Trad climber

Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO

Nov 30, 2016 - 11:34am PT

I think you should put it back.

Fritz

Social climber

Choss Creek, ID

Nov 30, 2016 - 11:42am PT

Brandon: I hate identifying minerals from photos, but your large rock looks like what I call milky quartz, that has been tumbled & polished by glacial action & erosion.

If you want to cross-post, here's the link to the Post Up a Rock On Tuesday thread. Don't let Edge guilt you. Keep the rock, you put a lot of effort into hauling it home.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=2577492&msg=2912069#msg2912069

Since that final photo shows a cavity in the quartz, that may once have held crystals, there's a chance of more cavities inside, --- or not. Be aware that when you start breaking quartz, you can get flying shards of quartz that are sharper than razors.

Brandon-

climber

The Granite State.

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 30, 2016 - 12:45pm PT

Loran, why should I put it back?

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Nov 30, 2016 - 12:49pm PT

Because you can, but only if you want to.

Brandon-

climber

The Granite State.

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 30, 2016 - 12:50pm PT

I'm just going to split that thing up. I'm familiar with both tile floor demo work and feather and wedge to split granite. So, following natural weaknesses and avoiding shrapnel will be in order.

clode

Trad climber

portland, or

Nov 30, 2016 - 12:54pm PT

Fritz is on the right track. It looks like hydrothermal quartz to me. If so, then it could well have some lode gold in it somewhere! Not like nuggets you'd find panning for gold, but little, twisty, shoestring-shaped lengths of pure gold! And if you start pounding on it, please wear eye protection, because like the man said, flying shards of quartz are basically like glass razors, eager to slit your skin wherever it's not protected!

labrat

Trad climber

Erik O. Auburn, CA

Nov 30, 2016 - 12:57pm PT

"I think you should put it back." x2

Why? For the next person to enjoy. Once a rock is moved nobody knows where it came from..... When you move or pass away nobody will care about it and it will be pushed to the side or dumped.

I have a yard full of quartz that the former owner collected. Lines around planter walls. Rock walls.

Never mind. Forget what I said. People have been doing this since the start of time. Enjoy your rock!

skcreidc

Social climber

SD, CA

Nov 30, 2016 - 02:22pm PT

I agree with Fritz on two counts; 1, I hate id'ing stuff from photos, and 2 it does look like a piece of a quartz dike (could be either metamorphic or plutonic). If you like it keep it. I still have 2000 lbs of rocks from my days of being a student and paid geologist so who am I to say put it back?

Edge

Trad climber

Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO

Nov 30, 2016 - 08:43pm PT

Brandon, I was just being a smart ass. I blame it on a concussion I got four weeks ago.

I personally am a rock collector extraordinaire, and I bring some back from most everywhere I go. Locally I find tons of milky, smokey, red, yellow, and tangerine colored quartz, and I am about to load 15 pounds of the best pieces in a tumbler.

You can't swing a dead cat by the tail (concussion talking..) without hitting quartz in my new home. Last year I kicked a baseball sized chunk of clear milky quartz that was buried in my aspen grove and then dug it out, only to find it about the size of yours. Luckily I didn't have to move it as far.

As for splitting it, I have a piece of quartz stuck inside my arm from leading a group of 8 alternative middle school students to an abandoned quarry in NH for Outdoor Ed. A shard flew off, through a fleece shirt, and lodged in my forearm where I can still feel it under the skin 5 years later.

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber

ne'er–do–well

Nov 30, 2016 - 10:12pm PT

Around 1988 at the boulder fields of Snow Creek (West of Palm Springs) I happened upon about a 15 foot deep pit - vertical wall(s) of large quartz crystals, but seemed like a death trap if you were to get in there and then not able to fire it(?)
I bailed - never to return again.

Fritz

Social climber

Choss Creek, ID

Nov 30, 2016 - 10:22pm PT

Yeah! Those old decayed pits (aka vugs) of large quartz crystals can be dangerous.

Luckily, this small crystal, which was about to be crushed in a landslide, & I, both survived. I managed to pack it 12 miles to my car.

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Dec 1, 2016 - 12:34pm PT

Geez, Fritz, with a crystal like that you should be living in Sedona!

clode

Trad climber

portland, or

Dec 1, 2016 - 12:38pm PT

Fritz and his "little" smoky quartz crystal! I'd like to see his BIG one!

Craig Fry

Trad climber

So Cal.

Dec 1, 2016 - 02:51pm PT

My words of wisdom
"Only keep rocks worth more than a nickel"

and unfortunately, that thing is worthless as rock hounding goes
but would make a good landscape piece

I would call that a granite boulder with an intrusion of quartz, feldspar and mica

neebee

Social climber

calif/texas

Dec 18, 2016 - 02:05am PT

hey there say... just a bump...

wow great piece of rock!
:)

Craig Fry

Trad climber

So Cal.

Dec 18, 2016 - 07:10am PT

I forgot to add:
It's probably an erratic from the last ice age

And!
it's for sure one tough bitch

you may have already found out by now, but hammering on it in hopes of cracking it open is futile, it will only chip off small pieces

it could split open if it had a weakness, but here probably isn't anything inside anyway, it's solid granite.

Keep it whole as a prized landscape piece.

Here is one dilemma I have with big rocks, do you bring it with you when you move?