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God sleeps in the minerals

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Re: God sleeps in the minerals

#51

Post by binyu »

Uncle_Brumpus wrote: post #20

These types of huge perfect specimens always take my breath away when I am able to see them in person. To think that this kind of stuff just kinda exists buried in the earth... I am a part of a local mineral club which hosts several "field trips" a year to various mineralogically interesting locations (most of which aren't accessible as an individual, like private land and special digs at active mining/quarrying site…

Finding specimens is not that hard or inaccessible if you are determined. Virtually any place on earth has its own geomorphology history. Start by looking at geological maps to learn what kind of rocks/minerals you can find in your surroundings and look for old/active mines, quarries or any activity that excavates soil, etc. Specimens can be found sometimes in land deposits from these activites.

Re: God sleeps in the minerals

#52

Post by SpaceL10n »

Ifkaluva wrote: post #34
vscode-rest wrote: post #8

The Cubes are the most captivating to me. Organic mishmash of polyhedra and assorted blobs is one thing, but perfect cubes is uniquely striking.

You can buy pyrite cubes on Etsy—I know because I also love them :) They’re not expensive

And Galena! Another wonderful metallic mineral that forms cubes.

Re: God sleeps in the minerals

#53

Post by alnwlsn »

I've been to a few mineral museums like this and one of the interesting ones you can come across is Asbestos. Just hanging out there on display right next to some other mineral. It forms beautiful formations just like the rest, but I've heard so many mesothelioma lawyer commercials that it's easy to forget it's a completely natural material. Also one you can pick apart like cotton and weave into a fabric - it's a flexible material, made out of a rock, which can kill you.

The asbestos formations are ones they keep behind glass.

Re: God sleeps in the minerals

#54

Post by vscode-rest »

hermitcrab wrote: post #40
srslyTrying2hlp wrote: post #4

[flagged]

It's fine as a poetic term. But no god is required. Just time, pressure and the laws of physics.

Simple enough. Say, could you fabricate some new time, pressure, and laws of physics for me? Oh, and don’t forget the matter!

Re: God sleeps in the minerals

#56

Post by danhau »

vscode-rest wrote: post #8

The Cubes are the most captivating to me. Organic mishmash of polyhedra and assorted blobs is one thing, but perfect cubes is uniquely striking.

That pyramid shape in the amethyst is what grabbed me. Looks like something straight out of a video game. Incredible.

Re: God sleeps in the minerals

#59

Post by throwup238 »

Uncle_Brumpus wrote: post #20

These types of huge perfect specimens always take my breath away when I am able to see them in person. To think that this kind of stuff just kinda exists buried in the earth... I am a part of a local mineral club which hosts several "field trips" a year to various mineralogically interesting locations (most of which aren't accessible as an individual, like private land and special digs at active mining/quarrying site…

That’s what really sucks about rockhounding as a hobby. In the US we have a blessing of public BLM lands where we can collect, especially in the West, but most of the interesting specimens in museums and fancy collections come from mines or some unique geological occurrence on private land. Getting them requires dropping lots of money or getting into commercial mining. The best most of us can really hope for is some small piece from tailings.

There are a few species you can sometimes find in washes when they get buried during massive floods, but other than that most museum quality specimens are impossible to find for rockhounds.

I still bring my trusty Estwing rock hammer everywhere but it kind of takes the wind out of the treasure hunting aspect.

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