Quartz Crystals Dug in Arkansas

Rockhounding in Arkansas – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Finding & Exploring the Rocks of Arkansas Nicknamed the ‘Natural State,’ Arkansas is a treasure trove of Rockhounding experiences. From digging for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park to finding your own Quartz treasures in Hot Springs, there’s something for everyone in this great state. The geology of Arkansas is divided into two regions….

Rockhounding in Montana – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Upcoming Rockhounding Events in Montana Sapphire (Corundum) Streak: Colorless Hardness: 9 Chemical Formula: Al₂O₃ Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminum oxide with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. It is typically blue, but natural sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange,…

Aragonite Sample

Rockhounding in Florida – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Upcoming Rockhounding Events in Florida Agatized Coral Agatized coral occurs when silica in the ocean water hardens, replacing the limy corals with a form of quartz known as chalcedony. This long process (20-30 million years) results in the formation of a “pseudomorph,” meaning that one mineral has replaced another without having lost its original form….

Rockhounding in Delaware – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

Rockhounding in Delaware – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Muscovite Mica Streak: White Hardness: 2 – 2.5 Chemical Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2 Muscovite is the most common mineral of the mica family. It is an important rock-forming mineral present in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Like other micas it readily cleaves into thin transparent sheets. Muscovite sheets have a pearly to vitreous luster on their surface….

sample of celestine

Rockhounding in Alabama – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Upcoming Rockhounding Events in Alabama Star Blue Quartz Streak: white Hardness: 7 Chemical Formula: SiO2 Star Blue Quartz is the state gemstone of Alabama. This variety of quartz boasts a stunning blue color due to inclusions, commonly of fibrous magnesioriebeckite or crocidolite. This variety of quartz can be found near the Flint River on the…

Rockhounding in Arizona – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

Rockhounding in Arizona – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Upcoming Rockhounding Events in Arizona Turquoise Turquoise is Arizona’s most important gem material. This gem ranks top in value per production and is the most widely known of Arizona’s gemstones. Most collectors consider American Turquoise to be the finest in the world and Arizona to be the state that the best blue Turquoise comes from….

Rockhounding in Tennessee – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

Rockhounding in Tennessee – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Upcoming Rockhounding Events in Tennessee Pearl Streak: White Hardness: 3 Chemical Formula: CaCO3 Pearls are an organic mineral formed inside a mollusk. The mollusk takes aragonite, the same mineral that makes up its shell, and builds up concentric layers around any foreign particle that enters the mollusk’s mantle. Pearls vary widely in color and shape,…

Rockhounding in Idaho – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

Rockhounding in Idaho – What Rocks You Can Find and Where

ByCeleste

Upcoming Rockhounding Events in Idaho Opal Streak: White Hardness: 5 – 6 Chemical Formula: SiO₂·nH₂O Opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone, and carries this silica-rich solution into cracks and voids , caused by natural faults or decomposing…