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Normal Topic quarts with something? kyanite? garnet? ruby? (Read 2246 times)
Rocky Raccoon
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quarts with something? kyanite? garnet? ruby?
Jun 17th, 2017 at 12:13pm
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Hi,
I found this guy in the Asheville-Swannanoa River area. The pictures don't capture the blue tints very well, but much of what looks neutral light grey has a light blue tinge. There are two red gemmy-looking spots (you can see them best in the picture with the finger). These two spots are light red and 'transparent', and they don't have the faceted octagonal shape found with garnets; rather, they are round-y, blobb-y clusters (which is why I wonder if it's ruby?).

Any ideas? I was thinking about breaking this one open to peek inside (just for curiosity's sake), but is that 'good practice'? I guess I'm wondering if I am more likely to find 'more of the same' stuff or, if by opening it up, would better quality material be inside (more of that red gemmy stuff, or ...? ).

Sorry if I'm not being clear with my questions! you probably know what I mean Smiley  and Thanks for your help!



  

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JoeM
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Re: quarts with something? kyanite? garnet? ruby?
Reply #1 - Jun 17th, 2017 at 3:04pm
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Hey Rocky, Check this link out and see if it helps.
This would apply to BerylliumWilliams post below, and from the same area, as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyroblast
  
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Dennis
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Re: quarts with something? kyanite? garnet? ruby?
Reply #2 - Jun 17th, 2017 at 3:46pm
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Rocky,

Joe has given you a good reference to get you started on your quest to learn about the geology of the Asheville-Swannanoa area.

Your specimen is a piece of pegmatite with almandine garnets. Beryllium's specimen is almandine garnets in mica schist.

Their are several old mica mines and prospects in the Swannanoa area.  All are on private property, with some of the better ones located in the Asheville watershed northeast of Swannanoa where the large Asheville reservoir is found.  This entire watershed is off limits because of the pristine streams that supply the watershed.

Mica schist and pegmatites are very common in that area of the mountains.  There are old records of beryl (late 1800s) from some of these old mines.  Kyanite with blue sapphire can be found near Montreat, but all of that property is off limits currently.

Dennis
  
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Rocky Raccoon
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Re: quarts with something? kyanite? garnet? ruby?
Reply #3 - Jun 17th, 2017 at 5:10pm
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thanks so much you for your help and useful links, Joe and Dennis... I am lucky to have family who lives there, where I found this one (as well as several chunks of large-sheeted, silvery-grey mica embedded in a very bright orange rock material). At least I did have permission to collect. I've been looking for kyanite specifically, though; one day, hopefully I'll get lucky! thanks again!
  
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Tim4d
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Re: quarts with something? kyanite? garnet? ruby?
Reply #4 - Jun 20th, 2017 at 11:41am
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If you are willing to travel to Prospect, Virginia and pay the fee, I guarantee you will find plenty of blue kyanite at Jessica Callan's "Earthen Paradise" -- 100 acres of timbered land full of kyanite in schist, plus other minerals including gold flakes if you like to pan for gold. Look her up on Facebook. If you make the trip, another fee site less than 5 miles away is known for quartz points including amethyst -- Scufflin' Acres, owned by Mary Kay Simpson. You can find her on Facebook too.
  
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