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Jay2010
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Multi-colored pumice
Jan 14th, 2024 at 3:58pm
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How the heck does nature create a multi-colored pumice? I only came across one piece like this one, there was a lot of reddish-brown pumice found in that area. I contacted a geologist at the natural museum who said that couldn't explain how the colors were created, what he really found strange was the fact that there were no volcanos anywhere near where these stones were being found.
  

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JoeM
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Re: Multi-colored pumice
Reply #1 - Jan 14th, 2024 at 10:08pm
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Oh yes, Nature has done it ALL, and we are ALL still learning. Smiley

Very interesting rock you found there and thank you for the excellent pictures. At first I questioned if it is pumice? I have been searching for examples/pictures of green pumice and have not found any as yet, but have learned there are way more different types of pumice around the world than I ever thought of. Going to have to read up on some of them, sometime.

I did find a couple of links that may shed some light on your questions. The first is very interesting regarding the green color, and the second is a Mindat list of occurrences of pumice in CA.
Hope they help, but it would be nice to find a picture similar to your specimen.

https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2003AM/webprogram/Paper64025.html

https://www.mindat.org/locentry-1086442.html
  
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Jay2010
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Re: Multi-colored pumice
Reply #2 - Jan 16th, 2024 at 2:49pm
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Thank you very much for the links. I didn't think this was pumice when I found it but it floats in water and if you look at it under a microscope it looks like glass. If I can find the close-up photos, I'll share them later.
  
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Jay2010
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Re: Multi-colored pumice
Reply #3 - Jan 19th, 2024 at 4:37pm
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Here's some close-up photos of the colored areas and an uncolored area. I would love to know what the heck all of those little colored particles are, they are found all throughout the matrix.
  

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JoeM
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Re: Multi-colored pumice
Reply #4 - Jan 19th, 2024 at 9:16pm
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This is a pretty specimen. My favorite of all your specimens yet! Smiley

I was wondering, but doubting, if it would float. With all the "glassy" silica I can see in your pictures I figured it would be too heavy.
Great specimen. It would be interesting to nail down the source.

In the link about the Lapilli Tuff from the Pinnacles Volcanic Formation they are leaning toward Glauconite for the cause of the green color. Far be it for me to say but I have to wonder if it's not Prehnite in this specimen? A fluorescence test with UV light may shed some light? Tongue

Of course there are several cool looking little crystals or blebs visible in your close-ups, but it's the little red blebs, or crystals, that I think are really interesting. Beautiful little things! They could be a lot of things including Hematite or Iron Oxide, but I wonder if they are "Analcime"? Your first picture has the red color dispersed throughout the matrix but these are definitely singular.
From the Wiki-link on Analcime included below;
"When on matrix the mineral takes on a granular habit, crystals become anhedral."
And it says Analcime has been found at Searles Lake, CA, although that might be the clear variety?
Anyway, thank you for all the fine pictures of this very interesting specimen! Have a good time trying to identify all of it's components  and discovery of it's source.
Keep us posted, we'd like to know what you discover! Cool

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analcime
  
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Jay2010
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Re: Multi-colored pumice
Reply #5 - Jan 23rd, 2024 at 3:43pm
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This thing does indeed float and if you push it to the bottom, it will just pop back up. Once again, thanks for the info, I don't turn down any leads I get. It's always worth it when you get to learn something new.
  
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JoeM
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Re: Multi-colored pumice
Reply #6 - Jan 23rd, 2024 at 8:47pm
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And the more you learn, the more questions you have. Cheesy
  
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