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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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 Posted: Dec 17, 2011 13:10 Post subject: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Collecting quartz on the eastern edge of the Little Falls dolostone, in December.
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| Looking NW from the bench |
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49502 Time(s) |
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| Not much to look at, really. |
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49529 Time(s) |
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| 30 ton ram setup, helps to loosen things up a bit. |
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49548 Time(s) |
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| The pump section. The shims are aluminum as it deforms into the rock rather than slipping. We have 60 and 100 ton models-great help. |
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49535 Time(s) |
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49529 Time(s) |
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49530 Time(s) |
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49487 Time(s) |
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Quartz
Fonda, NY., USA
Largest crystal, 2 cm. |
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49564 Time(s) |
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Anthraxsolite
Fonda, NY., USA
1 cm. |
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49496 Time(s) |
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Jul 29, 2012 11:58 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Quartz hunting.
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| Use of the hydraulic ram to exploit weaknesses in the dolostone. |
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48214 Time(s) |
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
Some of what was levered out. Fingers for scale. |
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48277 Time(s) |
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
Some of what was levered out. Fingers for scale. |
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48301 Time(s) |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Jul 29, 2012 16:09 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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I love your entry! Love quartz. What an excellent way to break rock.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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gemlover
Joined: 31 Dec 2008
Posts: 211
Location: Easley, SC
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| Posted: Jul 29, 2012 16:13 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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And to think about 40 years ago, those rams were the state of the art in vehicle crash rescue, now that is a much better use. Love the crystals.
_________________
John
John Atwell Rasmussen, Ph.D.. AJP
Geologist and Gemologist |
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Aug 01, 2012 20:09 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Pockets in the dolostone yield quartz.
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| One of the work areas. The larger pocket zone is low on the face, but many smaller, 10 cm. holes are above. The floor of the bench is the bottom of the formation and is barren. |
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48134 Time(s) |
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| Pocket in a just released block. |
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48143 Time(s) |
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| Close-up of the 20 cm. vug. In situ, the large quartz grew from the roof of the pocket, the block rests on it's side. |
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48115 Time(s) |
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| 6 cm. or larger, smoky crystal, still in the wall, growing from the roof. |
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48146 Time(s) |
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| Another cluster in the same area. This one is milky. |
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48116 Time(s) |
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Quite a nice smoky, lose and lurking.
6 cm. |
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48096 Time(s) |
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John S. White
Site Admin
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 1258
Location: Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, USA
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| Posted: Aug 01, 2012 20:18 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Fantastic Vic, can't wait to see the piece with the large crystal in the vug once the reduction in size has occurred. Please let us know how you accomplish the reduction.
_________________
John S. White
aka Rondinaire |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Aug 02, 2012 03:09 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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| John S. White wrote: | | Fantastic Vic, can't wait to see the piece with the large crystal in the vug once the reduction in size has occurred. Please let us know how you accomplish the reduction. |
Yes Vic, I am very curious to know how you intend to reduce those rocks to display, what I am sure will be very nice pieces. Could you send us some photos of the process once completed?
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Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Aug 02, 2012 08:09 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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You have both nailed it. Now what. First thing to do is nothing. Sometimes the act of releasing the blocks from their place of formation allows the dolomite to take a breath and cracks are either induced or enlarged, kind of self trimming to a point. Then diamond chain saws, careful chisel surgery or hydraulic trimming. Pesto!! It breaks right through the best part. Sometimes.
Mineral prep and presentation is an art and all respect to those who do it well. I've got piles of failed attempts.
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John Medici
Joined: 02 Mar 2011
Posts: 123
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Aug 02, 2012 10:38 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Right on, Vic; best results seem to be to sit back and check the specimens visually for a while, before deciding on a point of attack for such quartz pockets.
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field collector |
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Tobi
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 3383
Location: Good Old Germany
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| Posted: Aug 02, 2012 15:11 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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| Great report, Vic!
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Aug 03, 2012 10:32 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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A very useful tool for the field collector. The threaded adjustment allows for great flexibility, 0 to 18 cm. between anvils. Chinese made and rather stout, just turning the hand wheel sometimes is all that is needed for a trim, and the force of the hydraulics has scared me. I got this one from Dennis Beals and it has served me well.
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| The trimmer frame is about 40 cm. high by 35 cm. wide. |
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47865 Time(s) |
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| A fruitful trim (or lucky). The quartz is about 6 cm. high. |
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47888 Time(s) |
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Aug 26, 2012 08:47 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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More from the mine.
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| The crystals went that way. |
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47473 Time(s) |
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| 15 cm. quartz on dolostone, freshly mined with a quick cleaning. |
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47514 Time(s) |
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| 12 cm. quartz with a smaller friend, rests on an eatched calcite crystal and quartz druze. |
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47461 Time(s) |
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John S. White
Site Admin
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 1258
Location: Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, USA
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| Posted: Aug 26, 2012 09:05 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Those quartzes exhibit a really strange habit Vic. What a neat find.
_________________
John S. White
aka Rondinaire |
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Sep 04, 2012 17:53 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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For a while now, off and on, we've found some rather odd floater quartz crystals at the site. This one qualifies as the oddest. After showing it to John White, I thought I'd have a good image taken to share with the forum. These fine shot's were taken by Jeff Scovil, at the East Coast show, far better than anything I could take, and much more informative than trying to explain an inferior photo. I would be interested in what you folks think might be the process that produced this form. Much of the quartz we find is associated with anthraxolite, a compact hydrocarbon that was present with the silicified fluids that grew the quartz. Many of the crystals found are the classic Herkimer form, no point of attachment, but this one is really something else. It would be interesting to know if anyone has ever seen another crystal of any species with a similar form. We have found a few of these. This, the best so far. I look forward to your input, and thanks for viewing.
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
2 cm. |
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47154 Time(s) |
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
2 cm. |
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47166 Time(s) |
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
2 cm. |
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47207 Time(s) |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Sep 05, 2012 00:45 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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| vic rzonca wrote: | | For a while now, off and on, we've found some rather odd floater quartz crystals at the site. This one qualifies as the oddest. After showing it to John White, I thought I'd have a good image taken to share with the forum. These fine shot's were taken by Jeff Scovil, at the East Coast show, far better than anything I could take, and much more informative than trying to explain an inferior photo. I would be interested in what you folks think might be the process that produced this form. Much of the quartz we find is associated with anthraxolite, a compact hydrocarbon that was present with the silicified fluids that grew the quartz. Many of the crystals found are the classic Herkimer form, no point of attachment, but this one is really something else. It would be interesting to know if anyone has ever seen another crystal of any species with a similar form. We have found a few of these. This, the best so far. I look forward to your input, and thanks for viewing. |
Most unusual! I have never seen anything like that before.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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Riccardo Modanesi
Joined: 07 Nov 2011
Posts: 549
Location: Milano
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| Posted: Sep 05, 2012 08:02 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Hi Vic and hi to everybody!
The last one you show is a very nice crystal! Inclusions should be very beautiful! If you have the possibility of showing us any photo about, don't hesitate to let us see it!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.
_________________
Hi! I'm a collector of minerals since 1973 and a gemmologist. On Summer I always visit mines and quarries all over Europe looking for minerals! Ok, there is time to tell you much much more! Greetings from Italy by Riccardo. |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4591
Location: Barcelona
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Dec 03, 2012 23:42 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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A few from the bench.
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
A 14 cm. main crystal with a bit of dolostone matrix. Collected this season. |
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45733 Time(s) |
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
6 cm. quartz with a fracture induced rainbow. |
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45712 Time(s) |
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Quartz
Fonda, New York, USA
6 cm. complex smokey crystal |
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45717 Time(s) |
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Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
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| Posted: Dec 04, 2012 02:32 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Nice find Vic! I especially like IMG_0750.JPG.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
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vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 810
Location: MA
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| Posted: Dec 05, 2012 08:43 Post subject: Re: Collecting quartz on the Little Falls dolostone |
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Work on the bench.
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| 30 tons of hydraulic push exploit an eroded area. |
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45591 Time(s) |
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| Aluminum blocks allow flexibility at the jack point, as the jack has only a 4 inch lift. |
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45588 Time(s) |
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| 8 cm. quartz in a small pocket. |
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45576 Time(s) |
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| Druzy quartz, the other part of the pocket. |
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45576 Time(s) |
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| A tidy work place will soon be a mess. |
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45583 Time(s) |
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| Part of a old stone wall at the site. Moss seems to love the dolostone. |
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45582 Time(s) |
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| The moss was fat and happy on this December day, with late afternoon sun, waiting on the first snow. |
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45594 Time(s) |
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45608 Time(s) |
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45625 Time(s) |
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