Lapidaryforum.net

Let's Rock => Rockhounding Tips, Maps, Trips Etc. => Topic started by: Stonemon on May 19, 2016, 06:07:51 PM

Title: New find
Post by: Stonemon on May 19, 2016, 06:07:51 PM
Out with my wife the other day and we found something new to us.
This appears to be an opalite deposit in some old flows on the west side (Oregon) :dontknow:
The material grades from chalky to very solid. A very different color than I have seen.
All I collected was in the open, on the surface of an old road cut and had been for some time. A lot of it was so friable as to crumble to nothing  but some was solid and held its color well. the small piece I cut took a great polish, the larger one  was softer and a little more to the matte side. I was using diamond and it might come up with a different polish.
There were large areas visible above where I collected these with the spiderweb/stockwork opalite showing insitu, several feet across.
Looking forward to getting back with the right gear to put a bunch in the truck.... I think there could be some potential here.
Bill
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Stonemon on May 19, 2016, 06:22:29 PM
A few more pics...
Bill
Title: Re: New find
Post by: hummingbirdstones on May 19, 2016, 06:32:34 PM
That's a very nice soft beige color.  Very pretty.  Would also be really good for intarsia work.  Great find!   :headbang:
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Kaljaia on May 19, 2016, 07:58:41 PM
Very interesting stuff!
Love the pictures of both the polished work and the rough.
Title: Re: New find
Post by: lithicbeads on May 19, 2016, 08:29:40 PM
Unique color for intarsia and it would make very nice beads.Excellent find.
Title: Re: New find
Post by: 55fossil on May 20, 2016, 08:41:46 AM
Awesome. I hope some of it survives without fractures. I really appreciate how you refer to it as new to us. I just found "two new to me" rocks which I am cabbing up today. I see "new discovery" all the time from people trying to sound like it was their discovery....  chuckle....  Anyway, it looks like you are onto something and when you go back maybe there will be other colors of opal in the area. I have never found a single color of opal by itself in the Owyhee's.   good luck,  neal
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Enchantra on May 20, 2016, 10:49:29 AM
Keep us posted that is quite nice material! 
That would look nice in a necklace paired with pearls and faceted sunstone, Hessonite garnet, or peach adventurine.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Debbie K on May 20, 2016, 02:36:07 PM
Love the color! I've been on the lookout for something like this as I carve faces and it would be great for them.

Debbie K
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Stonemon on May 20, 2016, 03:10:37 PM
Love the color! I've been on the lookout for something like this as I carve faces and it would be great for them.

Debbie K

Thanks to all for the feedback! I am excited to go back and see what I can find. When I found this material, I was in my hush puppies (road hounding) and was not going to scale the talus slope to look closer. The location is not far from our farm and I will be back there soon!
If I come up with some quality stuff I will be happy to share.
Debbie, I agree that faces would work well in this color.
I will keep you posted....
Bill
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Stonemon on November 13, 2017, 04:09:42 PM
Well, I said I would get back soon but it turned out to be a year and a half....  :dontknow:
I was able to get about 25 lbs of material that looks like it might be solid enough to work.
The outcrop is basically on a cliff face and I worked a small talus slope below to get what I got. My legs are not what they used to be...
Bill
(the water rivulet was about 100' from the outcrop.)
Title: Re: New find
Post by: edgarscale on November 13, 2017, 07:58:06 PM
i thought that was water...before i read it.  very nice material you've got there.
Title: Re: New find
Post by: 55fossil on November 13, 2017, 09:33:41 PM
    Persistence... nice job Bill.
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Stonemon on December 04, 2017, 10:39:31 AM
I have been working a bit of this stuff up. Most is fairly soft and a bit porous. Changes color a bit when wet then dries to a nice light beige color. It may be a candidate for stabilization. I think the porous nature of the stuff is whats causing all the fracturing. I assume when it is wet and freezes that is what is breaking it.
The pieces that survive are nice to cut, soft and forgiving on all wheels.
I think it would carve very nicely.
Here is one I cut yesterday...
Bill
Title: Re: New find
Post by: Slabbercabber on December 04, 2017, 01:04:58 PM
Good eye.  I would have dismissed it as feldspar and kept walking.
Title: Re: New find
Post by: ileney on December 04, 2017, 06:16:38 PM
Pretty stuff! Has an elegant look to it.
Title: Re: New find
Post by: ILMSteve on December 05, 2017, 06:07:29 AM
Beautiful find and great to have access to it!
Title: Re: New find
Post by: lithicbeads on December 05, 2017, 07:54:53 AM
I suspect that it is silicified tuff. All the description fits. I cut some for another forum member a few years ago that was also sourced in Oregon.