I wasn’t aware that there were places that had semi-precious stones just lying around. Where are you from?
replyPrecious/semi-precious stones are rather arbitrarily defined. Various forms of chalcedony (agates, jasper, chert, etc) can often be called such, and are very common sometimes.
replyI’ve buckets of agates and jasper, among other things (like petrified wood) that I’ve found in fields while doing my ag job here in the willamette valley of Oregon. Oregon as a whole is amazing for rockhounding. There are some spots where I can’t go a several feet without seeing a 1cm or larger agate just laying there. Makes it hard to concentrate. I’ve mostly got it out of my system now though.
Cleaned up a bunch thanks to an ultrasonic cleaner, and one day will tumble a bunch to give away.
Herkimer in upstate NY
replyhttps://www.blm.gov/visit/sunstone-collection-area
replyAmong others, but this one is one that is well known among gemhounds/lapidarists.
Oh, of course. The Bureau of Land Management.
replyWhat does your comment mean? Of course what?
replyAnywhere with granite will have lots of quartz of various types
replyYeah, I dug up a bunch of quartz crystals, some granite containng small fossils (tiny clams, small spiral shells etc), and a few pieces of turqoise in the backyard as a kid. How interesting the rocks in your own backyard are depends a lot on the geological history of the area though.
replyIf it contained fossils, it wasn't granite.
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