FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jordi Fabre]

[Psax]

Looking forward!


GneissWare wrote:
Try watching the Prospectors show on the Weather Channel. Particularly, the Amazonite digs by Joe Dorris.

I have to say - it was said a lot about digging, but watch also "Leave no trace" epizode. ;)

[Pierre Joubert]

I have been sidestepping this topic for a good while now and the only reason is a lack of time. I want to make a contribution as good as I can, to enable others to effectively look for, in particular, quartz pockets. It is such an interesting yet 'broad' topic, that I will attempt to tackle it over time.

Initially, you have to spend a LOT of time and walk MANY km to find what you are looking for. Once that is achieved, you may have places that you can keep re-visiting for as long as your body allows.

Most properties where one search for quartz, are privately owned, so you will have to convince the proprietor that you will respect his property. Most, if not all proprietors are interested to know what is on their properties and will welcome someone that can tell them more about their property's geology. I treat farm owners like kings as they keep the doors open to my sanity:-) Your relationship with proprietors will have to be a sensitive and respectful one as they do not just allow anyone on their properties.

I will suggest that, instead of walking the thousand miles, rather try to befriend someone who has already done so. This attempt to friendship will have to be one of respect; confidentiality and sticking to the 'rules'. This is usually not attained in a few days!

Mines are a good place to search, but it is a far more complicated affair because of safety laws and measures. It is best to visit mines with clubs or organized parties. The only problem is that there will be a number of people searching for the same thing, making it much more difficult for you to find a pocket.

I suppose the issue of access to properties can be a thread on it's own, but I will move on to the next step, finding a pocket. After that, I will share my experience on removing the pocket and exploring the area for more pockets.

[Pierre Joubert]

I grew up in Somerset West on a plant nursery next to a trout stream and as far as I can remember, I was always looking for interesting rocks. I spent a lot of time looking at the rocks transported down by the river (that will tell you a lot about the geology of the source and course of the river). I did not find much except a few pieces of granite with bits of green mica, quartz and schorl. As I am a keen fly fisherman, I always kept my eyes open for quartz crystals when I hiked up in mountains. I learned the hard way, by walking and searching, mostly not really knowing whether I was searching at the right places. Today I know much more, but am still learning.

Here are a few guidelines to start your search for quartz crystals: Dams are excellent places to start your search. Go when they are low, for obvious reasons. Road cuts are also very good places to search. Whenever I drive, I try to keep an eye open for interesting road cuts. Be careful, as this can distract you while driving! Rather do so while someone else is driving. The problem with road cuts is that they are often next to busy roads and stopping can be dangerous. Should you find a pocket there, it could also be illegal to dig there. Quiet roads are far better and hopefully will not attract so much attention. Other good places are quarries, but permission will only be granted when the quarry is not in operation. To me, any hole, furrow, new road, or removing of top soil calls my interest. Soil erosion places can also be rewarding places to search. I use Google Earth a lot to look for interesting places and often use it when I plan a trip. Next up is what to look for.

[Mike Wood]

Hi Pierre, this is a great thread and looking forward to more! Like the photo's, especially the last two (Struisbaai), which looks like it would make for an entertaining rockhounding trip.

Regards, Mike

[Pierre Joubert]

Hi Psax, thank you for the very interesting photo. Later on I plan to get to the topic of 'filling holes'; not always so simple as it may seem.

Hi Mike, good to hear from you. A man with your experience and ropes would come in handy with some pockets:-)

I want to continue with the main part of this thread, 'how to find a pocket'. In most cases, I look for one thing when searching for quartz crystals, white pieces of quartz. This is what quartz crystals are made of. The only difference between the snow white rock quartz and the crystals is favorable conditions. The former has cooled off much quicker than the latter. Pockets of crystals are formed when a quartz solution, under much pressure and heat, is forced into a cavity in other rocks, and cools slowly. The white quartz is very unstable and weathers quickly, mostly due to sudden temperature changes. I walk around looking for white quartz rocks, weathered or in veins in other rock. Finding the white quartz is no assurance of quartz crystals, but a vital part of finding quartz crystals. Once I find the white quartz, I start searching for any material with facets and of course, clear crystals. Once I find something interesting, I look at it to see whether the crystals are weathered or water worn. I study the area to see which way the crystal would have traveled. I will follow the course, perhaps a slope, and search for more crystals. Often I find crystals higher up the slope that has less damage or no damage. I then know that I have a good chance of finding the source and scan the area carefully, digging here and there to see if something is hidden just under the ground surface. It could also be that the pocket was completely exposed with time and does not exist anymore. I have found quartz crystals by following isolated samples of interesting material for 50 m and more up a slope, where they washed down from.
Some pockets are not that easily found as they may be sitting in pockets of sandstone or other types of rocks . I always treat holes in rocks as possible places for quartz pockets. Sometimes quartz crystals are found in very unusual places while at other times places that has all the promising signs, deliver nothing. Here follows a few pictures that may help you understand what I look for.

[Pierre Joubert]

Here are a few more pictures that may help with your search for quartz crystals. Next up is the tools I carry with me and tools I use once I have found a pocket. I will show examples of pockets and advice on removing them. I would also like to discuss general safety measures and things you need to take with you on outings. I got lost at night in a remote area once and had I taken the necessary precautions beforehand, I would not have suffered the severe discomfort that I did. Hopefully my bad experiences can serve as a warning for others.

[Psax]

Great stuff, thanks for your efforts!

[Pierre Joubert]

[Reinhardt van Vuuren]

This is such a wonderful tool. Great Job!

[Pierre Joubert]

[Pierre Joubert]

When I leave on a day trip to look for crystals, I take a small ruck sack with the following items in: windbreaker, sunblock, emergency blanket, lighter, knife, small medical kit (plasters, ointment, head ache pills etc.), ENOUGH water and food (emergency energy bars etc.), small binoculars, charged CELL PHONE (make sure you have an S.O.S number stored on it), compass, GOOD TORCH (plus extra batteries), A few plastic bags and newspaper (for wrapping crystals). I need to say that you have to dress for the occasion. Watch the weather beforehand. You do not want to be going with only a T-shirt and short pants and get caught in the snow, or visa versa. Always make sure you have a HAT. I am so paranoiac about that, that I often take an extra one. What footwear you have on is also very important.
The tools I carry on me are shown below, and I also take a cushion for kneeling. Once a pocket is found and heavier tools are required, I will return with what is necessary. See 'How to dig a pocket - (18)'

[Pierre Joubert]

Some pockets of crystals sit in a cavity in rock while other pockets sit in the ground with all the surrounding rock weathered away (quartz crystal is very stable matter while plain milky rock quartz is not). In most cases, the pocket was filled, at some or other time, with soil or clay. This is a wonderful way that nature has been programmed to protect it's treasures. Once a pocket is found, I mainly use a wood poker to remove the crystals and wrap them in newspaper. Some pockets are so large and deep that you need to improvise tools to rake them out. At one place, Riana and I removed crystals that were about 2 m deep in a narrow pocket. For this I used a telescopic paint stick with either a poker head or a small rake. If crystals are stuck to rocks and need to be removed by hammer and chisel, I attempt to buffer the shock as best as I can so that the crystals do not come loose off it's matrix.

[Pierre Joubert]

A few more pocket pictures.

[Pierre Joubert]

A few more pictures.