NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 These were all found in the Bay Area & is the accumulation of my collection so far. Never dug more than a few inches, just casually over the past few months have been grabbing anything that catches my eye. I can recognize a few, although I am a complete beginner. Any & all accurate information would be appreciated for future reference. Will dremel & polish in a few weeks & will update photos for better accuracy. If taking any photos wet will help please ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSilicate Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Not trying to be rude but, before someone goes to any trouble trying to identify your rocks, may I ask why you would collect them? Is it just for pieces to tumble? I don't see any that look unusual or gem quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 53 minutes ago, DarkSilicate said: Not trying to be rude but, before someone goes to any trouble trying to identify your rocks, may I ask why you would collect them? Is it just for pieces to tumble? I don't see any that look unusual or gem quality. Mainly to keep & give anything decent I can make to anyone close, made in my free time.. Not trying to start a store or anything. Learning To trim polish & carve anything that would be unusual or gem quality is my goal… grabbed anything I found I thought wasn’t common & figured even if I brought home low quality crap I could get my bearings for when I find something nice. Nothing looks good at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pondmn Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 You would be wise to join a rock club in your area. If you PM me your location I can advise of a rock club near you. I belong to Motherlode Mineral society in Modesto. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSilicate Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 I'm no expert but to my eye they all look like microcrystalline varieties of quartz. Fairly common in some locals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 (edited) The big green one I believe is serpentine. Edited August 14, 2021 by NorthernCaliRockhound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 They are all leaverites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotAU? Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 It’s cool to collect rocks, and the Bay area and coastal California has some amazing geology! So from your collection, I see serpentine, granite, quartzite, marble. Get a scratch test and hardness testing kit, a good mineral id book - I like Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals (Peterson Field Guides) https://www.amazon.com/dp/039591096X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Y99G377KW9PG3WJKRF21?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 If you are doing any grinding, wear a high quality particle filter mask better than a N95, silica dust from most of them is bad, and serpentine also contains asbestos. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_day Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 (edited) 12 hours ago, DarkSilicate said: I'm no expert but to my eye they all look like microcrystalline varieties of quartz. Fairly common in some locals. Edit: it seems I’ve quoted the wrong person. I meant to quote pondmn who stated that you might look into a local rock club. This is probably the best advice you’ll get. Here’s a list of clubs that are members of the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies. They’re sorted by name so you might haves to look through the whole thing to find one near you. https://cfmsinc.org/cfms-member-club-list/ Edited August 14, 2021 by d_day 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 4 hours ago, GotAU? said: It’s cool to collect rocks, and the Bay area and coastal California has some amazing geology! So from your collection, I see serpentine, granite, quartzite, marble. Get a scratch test and hardness testing kit, a good mineral id book - I like Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals (Peterson Field Guides) https://www.amazon.com/dp/039591096X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Y99G377KW9PG3WJKRF21?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 If you are doing any grinding, wear a high quality particle filter mask better than a N95, silica dust from most of them is bad, and serpentine also contains asbestos. Thank you very much, I thought the N95s I had laying around from work would be sufficient. I have a Cold War looking one that’s full mask, I’ll try that. Everyone says you can pretty much find ANYTHING in California so I kept anything that was unusual/different while wet 😅 I told myself anything that ends up being pretty common, whatever I don’t try to craft into something will get smoothed & go into a future fish tank. At least I found ‘em. I’m happy I found the serpentine, gem quality or not. I was just walking by & the tip was sticking out of sandy dirt. Like an inch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 6 hours ago, Morlock said: They are all leaverites. Tf? Your just like the guy saying they’re all quartz.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSilicate Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Sorry, I said I wasn't an expert. I would have guessed quartzite before serpentine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, DarkSilicate said: Sorry, I said I wasn't an expert. I would have guessed quartzite before serpentine. No need to apologize. I believe a majority is microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz , was just looking for that experienced eye to see if there is something cool among it. I think that would have been a better find in the end lol.. not quartzite, but green quartz. All the green minerals should look pretty neat when finished up Edited August 14, 2021 by NorthernCaliRockhound 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 Anyone know anything on these in particular? I thought it might just be jasper.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 I’m assuming green moss agates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernCaliRockhound Posted August 15, 2021 Author Share Posted August 15, 2021 (edited) 17 hours ago, Morlock said: They are all leaverites. Lmao, now I know the term leaverites. Thanks Dick (Just googled it.) Edited August 15, 2021 by NorthernCaliRockhound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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