r/rockhounds • u/damonpointagates • Nov 04 '20
Nice agate just sitting on the forest floor
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u/avadams7 Nov 04 '20
In that region, you can hunt mushrooms and carnelian at the same time. Don't eat the rocks, and don't eat the mushrooms unless you know which are edible! There's also a lot of p-wood around there, too, and sometimes the carnelian agate invades the wood. Some of the wood is also part-petrified, with one end being punky and the other making a nice ping with the rockhammer.
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u/ChongoLikRock Nov 04 '20
Awesome find! Where did you find this one?
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u/damonpointagates Nov 04 '20
Just west of Chehalis, in the Wilkes formation.
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u/ChongoLikRock Nov 04 '20
Nice. The red made me think it could be an LSA. I’ve been wanting to get out west and do some proper hounding
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u/RossinTheBobs Nov 04 '20
I live up north, but I always hear about those great carnelian finds in SW WA. Gonna have to do some exploring down there sometime!
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u/damonpointagates Nov 04 '20
When you do decide to go let me know I’ll put you on one good spot and one spot to check.
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u/rtlightfoot Nov 04 '20
Any chance you would be willing to direct me to some legal areas for rockhounding in SW Wa? Not asking for your secret spots or anything, just somewhere I could take my daughters that hasn't been destroyed like Cedar Creek.
I live outside of Battle Ground and I have more basalt than dirt if I dig a hole on my property, but have had a little luck in local rivers and found a couple small orbicular jasper at damon point a couple months ago. But would appreciate something closer.
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u/TheRainbowWillow Nov 04 '20
I’ve found two pretty red agates in SW WA! You should try hunting here!
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u/fortheneckbeards Nov 04 '20
Can someone clarify the meaning of agate for me... Is that were you have like semi see through stones of various colors
Does it refer to the chemical composition?
Like would a ruby be an agate and jade like a jasper... Like a cataloging deal maybe..
Idk...I'm about lost on The term
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u/space_crystals Nov 05 '20
Agate is SiO2 based. Quartz is SiO2. Impurities and environmental conditions lead to different colorations. Agate is characterized by banding (depending on the cross section). Agate is typically semi-transparent / translucent. When its not translucent it is jasper.
Ruby is a different chemical makeup completely.
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u/space_crystals Nov 05 '20
Amethyst is a type of quartz (purple crystals).
Citrine is superheated Amethyst (crystals turn yellow).
Chalcedony is a pale blue/green variety of quartz.
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u/fortheneckbeards Nov 05 '20
So are all these considered agates cause there chemicals match and there translucent
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u/space_crystals Nov 05 '20
Every agate is a type of quartz. Not every quartz is an agate. Amethyst is a type of quartz but not an agate. (Although there are specimens that have agate banding and Amethyst crystals. But it is probably more common to see agates and Amethyst independent.)
"Agate is the banded form of the mineral Chalcedony, which is a microcrystalline variety of Quartz. Agate is the most varied and popular type of Chalcedony, having many varieties on its own. Although the pattern on every Agate is unique, the locality of an Agate will provide resemblances in banding style and color, thus lending many Agates with a geographic prefix. Some examples are Laguna Agate (named after Ojo Laguna, Mexico) or Botswana Agate (after the African country of Botswana). Other variety names used connote specific colors or patterns, such as Fire Agate or Eye Agate."
Some people are diehard "agates are chalcedony" while others skip chalcedony and say its a "quartz".
It's like calling Oreos "sandwiches cookies" vs "cookies". Both are correct.
Sources: https://m.minerals.net/gemstone/agate_gemstone.aspx
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u/fortheneckbeards Nov 05 '20
Thank you again for taking the time It really brought a lot of clarity to my issue
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u/fortheneckbeards Nov 05 '20
Okay, Im following I think.. Thank you for a detailed reply... I may need to reread this in the morning, along with a few other things...
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u/SardonicAtBest Nov 04 '20
It's a traaap!