A friend and I went to the Big Horn river where it turns into Yellowtail dam and did a little hounding. Long story short, I led us around most of the morning and found a lot of sandstone and slate. Then Russ took us to some really nice rock right next to the highway.
This stone was the best that I found (long and skinny to fit my saw) but at first I thought it was going to be a dud. When I first started cutting it I did not realize that it is probably coral and all the little pits (quartz crystal areas) looked like they would be a real problem to polish. The piece that I have partially polished (can't seem to finish anything) looks like it is going to be super de duper with a little HXTAL to fill some small crevasses or vugs or not quite filled in areas.
I gave Frank a slab of this with a promise to send a slab about an inch thick when I got it cut. When I cut the piece for him I got to looking at it and found an area on the outside that looked like coral. I do not have a pic of that spot but I will let ya'll be the judge from the look of the slabs. Way cool (weird) stone that (my guess) is coral that was replaced with agate then the open spaces were filled with quartz crystals. I know that is probably a stretch but, hey, it could happen right?
The rough after I have taken of nine slabs.
I will get a pic later of the area that looks like coral and post it. I will also see if I can find the piece I have started polishing on and get a pic of it.
Frank, I will try to get your piece in the mail tomorrow.
Tryin, tryin, tryin.
Jim