Mysterious Green Rocks

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Navigator 2
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Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by Navigator 2 » July 8th, 2009, 7:51 pm

Rock Creek in Washington is littered with these green rocks. Can anyone identify it? Is there copper in the area?
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Green Rock small.JPG

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anna in boots
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by anna in boots » July 8th, 2009, 8:11 pm

Navigator, it's hard to get an accurate color range from photos and there are some very subtle differences that can spell a world of difference from mineral to mineral. For instance, you call them "green," but they look awfully blue to me in that shot.

Going by that picture, they could be beryl http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl, chrysocolla http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysocolla, amazonite http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazonite, a variation of turquoise http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turquoise, or countless others. Location narrows it down but we've still got a lot to choose from up here in the Northwest. If you found that in Colorado, my money would be on amazonite.

I'm a rock nut who used to collect specimens from all over the world. I had literally thousands of pieces, many of them extremely rare and precious, and I was so good that I could just glance at something and narrow it down to a group if not an exact identification. I'm kinda out of practice now--sold practically the whole lot a few years ago in favor of a new hobby--but I can refer you to somebody who's ability to identify with a glance I hold in high respect. In fact, he received much of my collection.

If you want an accurate ID from a very nice and knowledgeable guy, contact Jim Smith at his business, Earthly Treasures, in Aloha just one block off of TV highway. He's a professional lapidary who's entire house and yard is one big rock quarry of goodies for the hopeless rock hound. I can PM you his number if you like. He's open Tuesday through Saturday and he loves a challenge. He prefers a physical sample to look at, because texture, cleavage, and how the specimen responds to changes in light are important, but I'll bet he could ID that pic for you.

Have fun!

anna in boots
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Navigator 2
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by Navigator 2 » July 8th, 2009, 8:54 pm

Wow, you really know your rocks. I'm afraid I don't have a sample, but you're right, it's kind of a blue-green. I just thought maybe someone has been up there and seen them. They can be found near the base of Steep Creek Falls, and then again all around the bridge where the PCT crosses.
Thanks for the info. I'll have to look up those sites.
Lynn

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anna in boots
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by anna in boots » July 8th, 2009, 9:42 pm

Thanks for the location, Lynn. I may have the opportunity to check it out soon and give you a report. You've found my Rock Hound button; I thought it was dormant! Ha ha!

Anna
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anna in boots
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by anna in boots » July 17th, 2009, 10:35 am

Found the rocks, Lynn. That is, I located them, I haven't identified them yet. I've been on a mission to do so but it's been a strange ride. First, the internet turned up either zero hits or 1,857,246: "Congratulations, we've found what you're looking for. It's on Earth." Then, I went to a famous Portland lapidary and a guy there told me, "Basalt." Yeah, right. That's about as accurate as saying that tire rubber is blue cheese. Finally, I sent off samples to a few more rock hounds; we'll see what transpires.

Meanwhile, I had a grand time hunting the little suckers down. Steep Creek Falls is just loverly this time of year, all done up like a bow.
PHSteepCreekFalls1.jpg
The side view is pretty refreshing, in more ways than one. You can squeeze yourself behind the falls right now to come out on the other side, which is a slightly wet and chilly endeavor--perfect for a 90-degree day!
PHSteepCreekFalls5.jpg
It's butterfly-a-rama out there right now but once I dragged my gaze away from the fritillaries, I spotted the stones. They appear to be some sort of tuff or soft conglomerate.
PHSteepCreekFalls3.jpg
Not only are they splendiforous, they're stackable!
PHSteepCreekFalls4.jpg
On the other side of the falls, I perched myself on that 6-foot-high moss-ified boulder in the middle and watched the trout do hand springs out of the water to get at the gnats and flies. Very entertaining.
PHSteepCreekFalls2.jpg
The area was so beautiful, I stayed until sunset. There are apparently many more waterfalls up the road. I saw a few but I'll need a whole day to fully appreciate all the cedar waxwings, butterflies, and tadpoles. I think I just thought of a good place to test out that Lemon Eucalyptus spray....

anna in boots
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retired jerry
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by retired jerry » July 21st, 2009, 9:32 am

So you're the one that leaves stacks of rocks that I see occasionally!!!

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anna in boots
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by anna in boots » July 21st, 2009, 12:27 pm

retired jerry wrote:So you're the one that leaves stacks of rocks that I see occasionally!!!
I'm one of them. You must not be, I never see you at the meetings. Ha, ha!

Anna
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by backcountryhunter » December 1st, 2009, 2:12 pm

Might be Serpentine.

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chameleon
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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by chameleon » December 1st, 2009, 2:27 pm

There are rocks just like that in Souther Creek - the same creek with the mine shaft...I wonder if the two are related?

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Re: Mysterious Green Rocks

Post by ElphabaNorthWest » December 2nd, 2009, 9:22 am

I found a site that says what the rocks are: mordenite. See: http://www.mindat.org/blog.php/779/NWMM ... Washington
I'm not a rock hound though, so that may be a generic term and you already know that, but maybe the NorthWest MicroMineral Study Group would be willing to chat?

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