|
|
Post by jimolson on Aug 11, 2007 13:48:57 GMT -5
Howdy all! I will be in Lenoire this week for a class - Any good sites near by? Wont have much time to dig but I do make the most out of the time I have!
jim
|
|
|
|
Post by stevebarr on Aug 11, 2007 20:14:45 GMT -5
How close do you want? You can shoot up to the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock and then it's just a "hop, skip and a jump" to the Crabtree Emerald Mine. But, don't hurry. Take your time and enjoy the views. Tom Wright already got ALL the good ones......
|
|
|
|
Post by jimolson on Aug 12, 2007 7:54:39 GMT -5
Thanks Steve!
|
|
|
|
Post by Doug on Aug 12, 2007 8:08:04 GMT -5
Head north on 321 toward Blowing Rock and just stop alongside the road at the piles of rocks. Stay out of the way of the construction crews and it is ok. A small group from the Gaston Club (6) went yesterday and we found some really gemmy feldspar (Moonstone), calcite, pyrite and some pale purple massive quartz. It is only 10 minutes from Lenoir and only 20 feet off the road. You have massive spoil piles to look through and the only tools I used were a cracking hammer, chisel and a pry bar. Parking MIGHT be a problem during the week, but I have been told there is plenty of space open even then.
|
|
|
|
Post by HeadieRocks on Aug 12, 2007 9:18:22 GMT -5
Hmm, the massive work they are doing on 321!! We can dig there!!! I'll be there this evenin!
|
|
|
|
Post by jimolson on Aug 12, 2007 9:38:45 GMT -5
Thanks for the info!
|
|
|
|
Post by stevebarr on Aug 12, 2007 12:11:20 GMT -5
Jim - They're right about that massive construction area on 321 near Lenoir (between there and Blowing Rock). Matt Price and I drove through that stretch last Monday, and were drooling to stop and poke around in the dirt a bit, but we had an appointment we had to get to.
There are big areas where tons of rock have been moved, but the construction crews aren't near them. Cruise up there and look for promising areas.
-Steve
|
|
|
|
Post by HeadieRocks on Sept 30, 2007 18:57:36 GMT -5
We turned out hundreds of small pyrite cubes today from the 321 roadcut. We also found some copper and some purple...just don't know what it is...
|
|
|
|
Post by HeadieRocks on Oct 1, 2007 10:19:01 GMT -5
after sleeping on it, this purple HAS to be AMETHYST...
|
|
|
|
Post by 41dave on Oct 1, 2007 13:09:44 GMT -5
jeremy,
there has been both small seams of fluorite and amethyst coming from the 321 sites. as far as I know, nothing has opened up to form crystals in pockets.
there is fluorite found in the pegmatites around grandfather mtn. there's a nice specimen in the ASU geology museum of the fluorite. Again it is a small 1/8" or smaller seam in the pegmatic granite.
-Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by HeadieRocks on Oct 7, 2007 11:43:30 GMT -5
3 of us are headed out to the roadcut this afternoon. If any other locals wanna join us come on out and let's see what we can find today!
|
|
|
|
Post by HeadieRocks on Oct 12, 2007 11:33:56 GMT -5
Guess I should let yall know how we did. My friend Richard found a nice 3-4" vein of amethyst that we got some nice pieces out of, a few of which I'm hoping may be large and nice enough to cut into some stones. I found several boulders with quartz veins with vugs, some of which contained small quartz crystals. The pyrite is getting progressively bigger as they dig deeper, I saw a few cubes 1" or slightly larger in size but wasn't able to bring any of these home because my tools need new edges. We also found some black cubes right in with the pyrite, shaped the same, but dark and they don't weigh anywhere near as much as the pyrite cubes. We also found some really neat colored feldspar, I've not seen any like it before. I can't wait to go back to find some more amethyst!
|
|
|
|
Post by dixieeuhedrals on Oct 12, 2007 12:26:57 GMT -5
those black cubes are probably limonite psuedomorphs after pyrite . Pyrite readily alters to limonite and the end result is a lot lighter . . Since pyrite is composed of iron and sulfur , it is readily attacked by acid rain. The iron combines with the oxygen in water to form iron oxide and the sulfur dissolves and flows away as sulfuric acid. Sometimes the sulfur sublimates as a yellow powder . You see this lesson pretty regular when it happens at graves mountain .
|
|
|
|
Post by DigDug on Oct 14, 2007 13:03:16 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by 4cornersrocks on Oct 15, 2007 1:21:31 GMT -5
Are you sure you guys didn't get lost and find that stuff in Colorado! ;D
A lot of that stuff looks like stuff I have found in the Rockies, cool! Some of that stuff looks like the limonite psuedomorphs from the Bullion King Mine, nice work. Very cool stuff, roadcuts rock!
...Dude
|
|
|
|
Post by DigDug on Oct 25, 2007 19:04:52 GMT -5
Came up with an idea for the Pyrite cubes  Encased them in Glass Coat..ha ha  |
|
|
|
Post by colorshapetexture on Oct 25, 2007 19:12:32 GMT -5
That is too cool Dug. Bring that to the Agate dig. I gotta see that. Great Idea! Jim
|
|
|
|
Post by DigDug on Oct 25, 2007 19:22:18 GMT -5
ok, will bring, going to make some more now that I know it works....the fun part is getting those bugger out of the stone...chip chip break opps chip chip gotcha
|
|
|
|
Post by HeadieRocks on Oct 26, 2007 17:33:22 GMT -5
So, after checking out some more specimens, I am positive that there is fluorescent hyalite opal at the roadcut...Time to break out the lights and head out for some after dark collections this weekend!
|
|
|
|
Post by DigDug on Oct 29, 2007 0:32:59 GMT -5
This is a finished cab using the material from the 321 roadcut, the gemmy feldspar  |
|
|
|
Post by colorshapetexture on Oct 31, 2007 22:36:31 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by DigDug on Nov 5, 2007 18:15:16 GMT -5
When cut, certainly looks nice! Got around to wrapping one of the Pyrite creations  |
|
|
|
Post by fredda on Nov 5, 2007 18:50:28 GMT -5
Anton, that is soooo fine. Damn you're good! fredda  |
|
|
|
Post by mamaduke on Nov 5, 2007 21:49:36 GMT -5
I love ,love,love the pyrite wrap
|
|
|
|
Post by geodepat on Nov 6, 2007 0:15:36 GMT -5
Could you explain the proceedure and products that you use to make the glass and how you put the pyrite inside it? Thanks. Pat
|
|
|
|
Post by romare on Nov 9, 2007 16:34:41 GMT -5
Well, rode up and looked to see how far up the mountain they are now and they are at the (maybe) best place. used to be called Iron Mountain methinks and there should be some very nice pyrite there. Unfortunately I was asked nicely to come back on the weekend since that is the active area right now. Also keep in mind that Tuesday and Thursday are blast days. If anyone makes it up to the last cut this weekend please let me know what you find. I'll be in GA looking for other stuff...
Mark
|
|
jwc
Junior Member
Posts: 2
|
Lenoir NC
Aug 31, 2019 8:30:45 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by jwc on Aug 31, 2019 8:30:45 GMT -5
Jim - They're right about that massive construction area on 321 near Lenoir (between there and Blowing Rock). Matt Price and I drove through that stretch last Monday, and were drooling to stop and poke around in the dirt a bit, but we had an appointment we had to get to. There are big areas where tons of rock have been moved, but the construction crews aren't near them. Cruise up there and look for promising areas. -Steve |
|
jwc
Junior Member
Posts: 2
|
Lenoir NC
Aug 31, 2019 8:31:57 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by jwc on Aug 31, 2019 8:31:57 GMT -5
Jim - They're right about that massive construction area on 321 near Lenoir (between there and Blowing Rock). Matt Price and I drove through that stretch last Monday, and were drooling to stop and poke around in the dirt a bit, but we had an appointment we had to get to. There are big areas where tons of rock have been moved, but the construction crews aren't near them. Cruise up there and look for promising areas. -Steve hey is that work on 321 still going? |
|
