A trick that i use to increase the efficiency of vinegar is to add oxygen . Get an old aquarium air pump and drop the hose in the vinegar . It helps with pacification . Makes it work faster using less vinegar. Best wishes
That makes sense. I will try it next time. I have also heated it in a glass container and that helped too, but using a burner costs $. Your idea sounds better.
Hydrogen peroxide added to solution works well to speed things along as well. Just regular 3% from the pharmacy will work with vinegar. Test it to see how you like it.
Hydrogen peroxide is mostly used to dissolve organics, but if it slightly acidified by adding to vinegar or muriatic, it can remove the weathering films of manganese oxides. The exception that I have heard, but not tested, is it will affect arsenic, so might be good for cleaning some silver ore. I have not played with it, because it is expensive and the fumes could be dangerous. Thanks for the tip.
I use hydrogen peroxide with different acids for dissolving certain metals such as copper for copper, aluminum and lead for example, but the application I'm performing is much different than dissolving minerals/rocks. I'm just now getting into minerals from rockhounding, so you are definitely more experienced in this area. I'm really only experienced at working with more pure elements when I'm synthesizing chemicals and reagents so now that you bring up arsenic, I'm reconsidering the use of H2O2 for the rocks I've recently gathered. All the rocks/minerals in my neck of the woods are igneous. If you ever decide to try hydrogen peroxide, buy 35% hydrogen peroxide, labeled "food grade" and dilute as necessary for the given application which is cheaper in the long run than buying 3% bottles. I'll buy the 3% stuff when it's buy one get one free at the store. Sorry for the long reply. I'm really enjoying your channel and I'm learning quite a bit from you.
I understand that Pyrrhotite, which was was found in a large quarry in Eastern CT in recent years, has been a large problem in its inclusion in cement used in/for basements of homes, apartments, condos, etc., causing them to eventually crumble.
Mate! Thank you so much for putting that advice out there per. Our Children and being aware of potential residual nasties being present in dissolving solutions. Yur a star for that.
I have a rock where I picked in the river three years ago,many people said it likes a meteorolite.Where can I sale it on the internet and where can I make sure it is a meteorolite, Is the fee of appraisal expensive? how much is it? Thank you
If you have a local university or musium, they would probably have someone who can look at it for free. There is some pretty good info online as well. Here is an example: www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-the-Rock-You-Found-Might-Be-a-Meteorite
Kid up in Oregon about 15 years ago his fishing with his dad and reaches down for a piece of quartz River Rock just underwater right at the shoreline. Kid notices of vein running through the river rock of quartz and thinks it's gold. Shows his dad and his dad says I have no idea, but yeah, kind of does look like gold. Kid keeps it in his room goes off to college keep thinking about this rock over the years and eventually discovers that there's a way to dissolve the courts away and if it's gold the gold should remain. Don't know what he used to dissolve it but he does it and a couple of weeks later and he's got a superfine A plus plus plus specimen of pure native gold in a very appealing shape. 15 grand! Sitting in the kids room on a windowsill for years! It does happen, and even if it doesn't happen to me to gives me a good excuse for all the or yard rocks that I think are pretty and I don't understand what they actually are!
Similar story in Quebec. They had a big rock in their cabin as a doorstop. A visitor decided to look at it because it was super heavy and it too was loaded with gold.
@@meMiner That is EXACTLY how the NC gold rush (years before CA, if I remember correctly) started. The Reed Gold Mine was a result of the Reed kid finding a pretty rock in their creek which served as a doorstop, until some (crappy) visitor knew what it was and bought it for, like, five bucks :( Boo. I think the Reeds did ok in the end though... Hope so. Just started watching your videos tonight. Thank you for all the great info and the smiles from you and your dog!!! I'm trying to learn more about a few cool rocks I have--- particularly a big geode with regular, clear quartz crystals; but it has this mid-layer (and apparently a larger, independent "cylinder" running through the quartz, lengthwise) of "something" that's smoother, softer looking, opaque, and mostly a creamy lavender color (with a few spots of white and a few of grey); rather than crystalline, it looks more like it grew in layers (I think...) That was likely a horrible description... I'd love to send you a few pics if you're interested in taking a look. I just want to learn what it is because it's interesting--- it's pretty and I like it :) --- but I certainly understand if you're inundated with requests! Thanks either way--- mldnance@gmail.com
@@missiedegon608 sounds like a geode that had a deposition layer of amethyst underneath the clear quartz. There's a mining District here in Colorado called Creed where you see that kind of stuff. You'll get an opaque layer of creamy lavender which after bakes out of the solution turns to clear or milky quartz
Plenty of pyrrhotite in northern Saskatchewan. It's pretty common and can be found all along the highway as they had to blast the shield to put the road through. I work at the Precambrian Geological Lab up here. Our rock collection includes many samples. I love your videos by the way - my "junior geology" campers watch them on occasion. Keep up the great work! Cheers, Natalie
tess99991 - I may make a field trip out of this idea. Thank you for the idea. I was toying with doing another fossil hunt but - I don't want to make it boring for the returning campers. If you have other ideas - let me know.... always looking for new exercises and tests to do with the classes😊
If you have access to low wave UV lamp(s), you can have some fun with them. Only thing is to make sure everybody has proper eye protection as the light can burn eyes or skin with prolonged exposure. Otherwise, take a look at Ann Sabina. You can download her books online from the federal government website. She might offer direction to some interesting sites in your area. Lastly, juniors like to gold pan, especially if there is some color in the area. Unfortunately, Sask. is not known for placer gold.
MeMiner, Glad you shared this vid. I've got a couple small green/turquoise Color rocks, with a dull finish and pyrrhotite crystals throughout them. I have been looking at them in the last couple of days, seeing what I could see. I've never had any rocks like these before, so we will see if I've got Pyrrhotite Crystals like you have, But Don't hold your breath. Lol
I study ancient artifacts and as a general rule any modifications are expected to diminish their value and we are urged to not undertake any such work without appropriate advisement and skills.
LOL My wife feeds them peanuts by placing them on the deck railing. They actually call to my wife when they are hungry. I have rocks all along the underside of my deck railing and notice that the small ones tend to get knocked off or simply disappear. There might be a blue jay nest out there somewhere stuffed with crystals.
:D That would be hilarious to find! The equivalent to a luxuriously decorated mansion, but in the bird nest world! Also, lol my deck is covered in various mineral specimens too! And every available inch of shelf, counter, table, and window sill in my house xD
Tess...you can also use a magnet to see if your "Pyrite" is slightly magnetic...if it is, then it is Pyrrhotite ...always is slightly magnetic....You could also use a dilute Muratic acid to make your etching go a lot quicker & afterwards use baking soda & distilled water to neutralize the acid. Don't leave the specimen in the acid for more than 4 days ,as you'll get a yellow coating on your specimens. just a thought.Someday I'll get up your way. by the way great vids :)
I will try the magnet trick, although considering this was from an old iron mine, it might give a false positive. It will be fun to try and I will let you know. I have seen the yellow or orange stain. I learned not to clean that with Iron Out - pyrrhotite doesn't like that stuff.
Hello, good afternoon. you know. long ago I found. something like diamond. For a while I thought it was until I bought myself. a presidium tester and it didn't hit me like a diamond. the tester gives me. sapphire to something similar has conductivity. of that degree and logical is a stone. weighing more than 2,180 carats. bring several stones. very crystal clear. quartz. It is not. why does quartz give smaller conductivity than clear sapphire if you know what this thing could be. that would help to know what this mineral is
I have a tester but haven't used it enough to understand other than "whoo-hoo" diamond or "boo-hoo" not. I believe mine works on thermal plus electrical conductivity, whereby different crystals react differently to heat and electrical input.
Make sure to soak it in water baking soda solution to neutralize remaining traces of acid which can damage sulphides. By the looks of it, I'm sure a local collector would be willing to pay 100-150 cdn $ for it.
Is it valuable because of the fact that there is decent crystal formation? I find pyrrhotite all the time with pyrite and marcasite around Thunder Bay, but never thought anything of it. It is usually more massive or blebby that defined crystals though.
Thirst Fast, yeah that's exactly why it's valuable. Only one of the crystals makes it a $100 specimen. The other crystals alone are worth very little, because they aren't well-formed enough and unlike the main pyrrhotite crystal, these rounded ones are very common.
Thirst Fast, yeah that's exactly why it's valuable. Only one of the crystals makes it a $100 specimen. The other crystals alone are worth very little, because they aren't well-formed enough and unlike the main pyrrhotite crystal, these rounded ones are very common.
Congratulations! Funny how the rocks didn't read our books.It's a great business to learn about them-even a funky looking rock can be something amazing!
What exactly is calcite? Is it basically the bones of a rock that holds everything together? When i look on google it doesnt really give me the best results
Calcite is a carbonate mineral CaCO3. It forms over time either from the precipitation of calcium carbonate or the diagenesis transformation in sediments of once living critters such as shell, coral and other matter,
Me found some pyrite like urs to big seem in calcite vain wots so good is size is it pyrite to Cristal or other way av load from one place wots best to do with em as av serplas ones to?
yes I have a couple questions "if u don't mind '. I'm always watching your video's... I am an avid Rockhounder! My parents live in Reno Nevada and when I go visit I always come back with an assortment of different rocks, crystals and minerals. Well my ? is I'm going to clean all my specimens in Muriatic acid and super iron out... in your opinion how long should I keep them in the acid soak, should I just use the acid solution or dilute w/water & how much and same ? goes for when using the super iron out? I'd appreciate any advice u can give me for this is going to be my first time ever to clean my rocks using this method. Also if u know anything about quartz specimens that have either silver or platinum in them any advice or any knowledge of , I can send pics of some specimens I got off of my parents 50 acres in Nevada... It's mostly all silver looking all through it with some quartz on the top in spots? Anything would help and I would so appreciate anything u can help or advise me on more knowledge about my BEAUTIES! Thank u for your time, Brenda Wood..... Modesto, Ca
I prefer to first clean rocks with dish soap and water. SIO if there are iron stains. Vinegar or muriatic is not for cleaning. It dissolves carbonate minerals (eg. calcite, limestone, dolomite, etc). It won't affect quartz, gold , platinum or silver but may destroy associated metals. How long in an chemicals depends on what you are trying to achieve and how strong your solution may be. I like to dilute so the process is slower. Once something is dissolved, it is gone. Sometimes, a mineral will leach out and stain the outside of the rock, so keep an eye on that. If you are unsure, sacrifice one rock rather than doing all of them at once, Sounds like you are going to have some fun,
omg you people slay me. want to get rid of any trace of an acid wash? soak in oxyclean. don't do what this guy is doing. you can cut big crystals in half using a tile saw. I know this sounds crazy but a hammer is better to use on weathered rocks to expose crystals.
Good advice. I cut this one when I thought the rock was hopeless. ie. I did not want to etch anymore. I have not tried oxyclean, but if using acid, finishing with vinegar can make the remaining calcite look more natural. BUT vinegar and pyrrhotite don't get along. Vinegar will destroy the crystal.
solid crystals usually hang in there with acid baths. If you can't break a crystal with your hands it's good to go usually. now if you get brittle particles coming off on your fingers or the crystal is flexing then try something other than acid. prolonged soaking (even in oxyclean) can ruin crystals and matrixes the crystals are in too. I learned that the hard way with staurolite crystals from north carolina. Just be wary of saturation is all I'm saying.
@@brandtwr15 could you guys PLEASSSSSSE give me some advice, I'm such a newbie but just bought a property that has SO MANY fossils, quartz, and some soapy-ish white stuff about 6 inches under soil, now this stuff breaks apart BUT there are these beautiful opal looking crystal types of chunks inside of the other stuff. I can not figure out what it is. The fossils alone are worth looking at, I just don't know who to turn to for advice. Google can't identify any of the opal looking crystals or the fossils which are huge. I can identify many of the stones like the Petoskey stones but there are loads of fossils and I really think a collector would find a lot of interest in the collection I've amassed just in the past 2 months. I could make a video and email you the strange rocks, oh yeah some look like lightning hit them, creating a strain of crystals through the rock.
Hindsight is always 20/20 I kinda wish I kept an ore sample with all kinds of pyrites , some were dodecahedrons ( I love that word but don’t know why , sounds cool ) It was super heavy and mostly black grainy stone and swirls like in ice cream of tiny to pea sized dodecas
MeMiner, Woohoo! I watched the vid where you used that shiny new chisel on that last breaking apart and one of the pieces flew off to (my left), into that pile of rocks. View it on the "What's Inside?" video at the six forty six time mark. The piece was fairly small and white, sitting next to the large chalky white rectangle-ish looking rock. Hope you find it. : ) Love your vids. Happy for you.
Hi! Do you know any site where I can discuss with about stones?I have so much collection of stones which I think it is valuable. I have lunar meteorite stone also.Thanks i fever u reply.
Wow that great please let me know what happens.. Didn't know what happened to you it was a week or so..since your last video..glad to see a new video Hope you make a score!!!
When you say "up North", whereabouts you mean? I'm up in Thunder Bay, if you're ever in this neck of the woods, we should go pick somewhere. There's old silver mines..... (everyone always just associates Thunder Bay area with amethyst, which we do have in abundance, but there's also a lot more!)
I had some smart people laughing at me when I was calling it "ugly pyrite". Then I met a fellow who found a huge rock with "ugly quartz" which turned out to be saphire. We all learn from each other.
Was the yellow straight out of the bottle or after you put in a rock? I have certainly had the liquid go yellow with some rocks. I have also bought it at Rona, Home Hardware and a local lumber store. They all seem to have the same stuff, but the pricing varies.
The acid is clear from the jug, but then goes bright yellow after dissolving some calcite (or dolomite, or ankerite etc...). While I haven't actually gotten any from pool supply store, I've heard that the yellow factor isn't an issue.
You can avoid getting orange or yellow stuff deposited on your sample by using a bigger volume of acid (i.e. a bucket rather than a gold pan) and not leaving specimens in too long.
GoG&M I agree in principle, but the specimens I treat are usually coated in dolomite and/or ankerite, so it takes much longer to dissolve the junk than it does to tint the acid yellow. I am using a bucket (2.5gal), approx. how many liters/kg of specimen would you recommend? (I'm usually doing one or two ~1kg specimens at a time)
I also have lots to learn , lol. I've also learned by making mistakes , I uploaded a video a few weeks ago and learned a valuable lesson about protective gloves as well as not leaving certain specimens in the Muratic Acid for too long , I ended up destroying a once beautiful Purple Flourite. What would you suggest for the water /acid ratio in desolving Calcite? I've been mixing it at 60/40 water to acid .
Right on. I used to dilute 50:50 but am (slowly) realizing that I can go with much less acid and it takes just a little bit longer, which sometimes gives me time to rescue the rock if necessary. However, even small amounts can destroy the wrong specimen.
Geology of Gems & Minerals thank you for the advice , I've picked up a few pairs of the proper safety gloves as well as a few pairs of safety glasses .
Hey sup man? I found a rare looking sea fossil, its just stacks of shells together forming a rock like shape But its nothing but shells..do you think it has any value?
Hello have u heard of volcanic bombs?I found some on bedrock in a stream one bit is about 1 1/2" square and very heavy with what looks like coal on the outside and shiny grey/silver brittle rock which looks like metal on the inside.I was wanting to know what it is and whether it could be worth much money?
I have heard of them, never found one, but don't think they are especially rare. What I know is you don't want to be hit by one, as it flies out of a volcano and can travel at high speed up to 5KM. As for value, maybe look on eBay to see what others are asking.
tess99991 I think the metal might be worth sumit!and it looks silver/gold type rock.I think it's maybe pyrite with those metals in and thought if it's not worth much I might as well smelt it.
Hi! Im working towards an environmental earth science degree at school! I was curious where you are located because I’m curious about the geology in your area! Thank you!
Im pree sure i built up an amunity to arsenic. , messing around with rocks and vinigar LOL . felt unhealthy a few times and didnt think about how much more acidic the vinigar gets after a while . plus open cuts on the fingers . hahaha ohmann.... safety third ?
Also , as I watched the second half of your video , I kept wanting to yell out - Don't do it . Lol. Only because of what you said in the first half .Lol.
are you aware that vinegar come in three strengths, 5,7 & 10%. % is your household, 7 is for pickling and 10 is for cleaning, industrial. The 10% does a far better job on dissolving calcite that the household. Cheers, Billy in B.C.
@@quantummechanic3699 Do you know what area to look in SD? We are from MN, and talked about doing some rock hounding and camping there this Summer. I am a novice with only a few trips under my belt. Garnets in MT. Sapphires in MT 27 years ago, Fire Agates in AZ last week, and Amethysts from several mines in Thunderbay, CA, along with some agates from MN.
cathy roncetti there's alot more here in nova Scotia then people realize lol I found some rocks n fossils that will forever stay with me n hope to find lots more
I have a ton I found in North Carolina on some land of a friends I was hiking when my Dad passed. He said I could take what I wanted he didn’t know what they were. So I have a lot of beautiful stones I don’t know what they are. I live in Illinois. I gave them a few baths with a pressure washer to remove the dirt. I got muriatic acid been watching videos. Does anyone know anyone in Illinois I could connect with to identify what they are? Very large and points out bottom and top one is whiter and one is darker and purpley But I have a lot some smaller ones look like blood color. I also have ones with either pyrite or gold running through them. Bright yellow any help would be greatly appreciated I don’t want to mess them up giving them an acid bath not sure what next step is after getting dirt off thank you
If they are quartz or gold then HCL will not affect it. A single drop of HCL a crystal will tell you if it interacts/foams or not. The purple rocks might be amethyst. The best bet is have someone look at them for you and advise next steps.
I've extracted some big Limonite cubes embedded in a matrix of fossil crinoids and leaves. I had too many, so I had to sell them. They were remarkable specimens. I guess that is called a pseudo-morph of it's former self.
Thank you for the warning! I basically am like a child when it comes to all of this and im just messing around with a tiny rock in a cup on vinegar. I have been rinsing for a few minutes but ill do a proper lab handwash going forward if i touch stuff. I have so many questions for you. Be my Obi Wan haha
Check it with a metal detector? Check it with a magnet? Is it malleable or brittle on what scale? NICE VIDEO - 1st view of your channel. I want to find a good metal detector too
When I was younger, I was only interested in gold. I ignored all the other rocks, unless they pointed to where gold could be found. Now, I even like big pyrite, especially when they are big cubic crystals.
To me, copper pyrite refers to chalcopyrite. In some formations pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite can be associated and coexist. However, to answer your question, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite are different.
This was an older video and I was struggling with the camera. Thanks for the feedback and hopefully I have improved with quality of the video over time.
Sometimes Mother Nature need to destroy the nature itself to produce more interesting things for the humans to be found and treasure it for the living .
@@meMiner haha we are all negan i subbed to you :)!, can you help me identify some rocks th-cam.com/video/h9zEzHEhFPc/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/64W_7cRX0j8/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/aPeijDxn_NI/w-d-xo.html
A trick that i use to increase the efficiency of vinegar is to add oxygen . Get an old aquarium air pump and drop the hose in the vinegar . It helps with pacification . Makes it work faster using less vinegar. Best wishes
That makes sense. I will try it next time. I have also heated it in a glass container and that helped too, but using a burner costs $. Your idea sounds better.
Glad i could help . Its one of the ways i strip gold fingers off e-scrap . For my back yard refining .
Hydrogen peroxide added to solution works well to speed things along as well. Just regular 3% from the pharmacy will work with vinegar. Test it to see how you like it.
Hydrogen peroxide is mostly used to dissolve organics, but if it slightly acidified by adding to vinegar or muriatic, it can remove the weathering films of manganese oxides. The exception that I have heard, but not tested, is it will affect arsenic, so might be good for cleaning some silver ore. I have not played with it, because it is expensive and the fumes could be dangerous. Thanks for the tip.
I use hydrogen peroxide with different acids for dissolving certain metals such as copper for copper, aluminum and lead for example, but the application I'm performing is much different than dissolving minerals/rocks. I'm just now getting into minerals from rockhounding, so you are definitely more experienced in this area. I'm really only experienced at working with more pure elements when I'm synthesizing chemicals and reagents so now that you bring up arsenic, I'm reconsidering the use of H2O2 for the rocks I've recently gathered. All the rocks/minerals in my neck of the woods are igneous.
If you ever decide to try hydrogen peroxide, buy 35% hydrogen peroxide, labeled "food grade" and dilute as necessary for the given application which is cheaper in the long run than buying 3% bottles. I'll buy the 3% stuff when it's buy one get one free at the store.
Sorry for the long reply. I'm really enjoying your channel and I'm learning quite a bit from you.
Just have to say your smile is beautiful! Rocks bring us so much unadulterated joy. Keep hunting - the joy looks great on you 🫶
Thanks for honesty.
I can feel your happiness. I know how happy I am when I find rocks. 🎉 It's so much fun. ❤
I use cheap marbles to take up space in the pan or jar. Saves having to use mass quantities of vinegar.
Marbles would work for that. I don't bother backfilling because I want the extra acid to go to work.
An old man like you who says he still has alot to learn...
You are wise man
Time to find a rock and mineral group, thank you!
I understand that Pyrrhotite, which was was found in a large quarry in Eastern CT in recent years, has been a large problem in its inclusion in cement used in/for basements of homes, apartments, condos, etc., causing them to eventually crumble.
What a lovely smiley face. Thanks for this info.
Awesome video. I have a few of those rocks and Geode, Kimberlite etc etc. Thanks for the info very helpful
Mate!
Thank you so much for putting that advice out there per. Our Children and being aware of potential residual nasties being present in dissolving solutions.
Yur a star for that.
I have a rock where I picked in the river three years ago,many people said it likes a meteorolite.Where can I sale it on the internet and where can I make sure it is a meteorolite, Is the fee of appraisal expensive? how much is it? Thank you
If you have a local university or musium, they would probably have someone who can look at it for free. There is some pretty good info online as well. Here is an example:
www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-the-Rock-You-Found-Might-Be-a-Meteorite
Kid up in Oregon about 15 years ago his fishing with his dad and reaches down for a piece of quartz River Rock just underwater right at the shoreline. Kid notices of vein running through the river rock of quartz and thinks it's gold. Shows his dad and his dad says I have no idea, but yeah, kind of does look like gold. Kid keeps it in his room goes off to college keep thinking about this rock over the years and eventually discovers that there's a way to dissolve the courts away and if it's gold the gold should remain. Don't know what he used to dissolve it but he does it and a couple of weeks later and he's got a superfine A plus plus plus specimen of pure native gold in a very appealing shape. 15 grand! Sitting in the kids room on a windowsill for years! It does happen, and even if it doesn't happen to me to gives me a good excuse for all the or yard rocks that I think are pretty and I don't understand what they actually are!
Similar story in Quebec. They had a big rock in their cabin as a doorstop. A visitor decided to look at it because it was super heavy and it too was loaded with gold.
@@meMiner That is EXACTLY how the NC gold rush (years before CA, if I remember correctly) started. The Reed Gold Mine was a result of the Reed kid finding a pretty rock in their creek which served as a doorstop, until some (crappy) visitor knew what it was and bought it for, like, five bucks :( Boo. I think the Reeds did ok in the end though... Hope so. Just started watching your videos tonight. Thank you for all the great info and the smiles from you and your dog!!!
I'm trying to learn more about a few cool rocks I have--- particularly a big geode with regular, clear quartz crystals; but it has this mid-layer (and apparently a larger, independent "cylinder" running through the quartz, lengthwise) of "something" that's smoother, softer looking, opaque, and mostly a creamy lavender color (with a few spots of white and a few of grey); rather than crystalline, it looks more like it grew in layers (I think...) That was likely a horrible description... I'd love to send you a few pics if you're interested in taking a look. I just want to learn what it is because it's interesting--- it's pretty and I like it :) --- but I certainly understand if you're inundated with requests! Thanks either way--- mldnance@gmail.com
@@missiedegon608 sounds like a geode that had a deposition layer of amethyst underneath the clear quartz. There's a mining District here in Colorado called Creed where you see that kind of stuff. You'll get an opaque layer of creamy lavender which after bakes out of the solution turns to clear or milky quartz
Great video brother, very interesting rock. Thanks for sharing with the community. Hope you have a very Merry Christmas.🎄🎄🎁🎁😎😎⛏⛏🔥🔥
Thanks, you too!
So yeah thanks to this video it turned out all the hexagonal "Pyrites" i found last summer is Pyrrhotite aswell.
That is the shape (barrel)! The words from an well known expert was "big money". Congrats!
daniel johansson I
Did you sell it
Plenty of pyrrhotite in northern Saskatchewan. It's pretty common and can be found all along the highway as they had to blast the shield to put the road through.
I work at the Precambrian Geological Lab up here. Our rock collection includes many samples.
I love your videos by the way - my "junior geology" campers watch them on occasion. Keep up the great work!
Cheers, Natalie
There are plenty of buyers for good quality crystals. Something to keep in mind for yourself or the juniors.
tess99991 - I may make a field trip out of this idea. Thank you for the idea. I was toying with doing another fossil hunt but - I don't want to make it boring for the returning campers.
If you have other ideas - let me know.... always looking for new exercises and tests to do with the classes😊
If you have access to low wave UV lamp(s), you can have some fun with them. Only thing is to make sure everybody has proper eye protection as the light can burn eyes or skin with prolonged exposure. Otherwise, take a look at Ann Sabina. You can download her books online from the federal government website. She might offer direction to some interesting sites in your area. Lastly, juniors like to gold pan, especially if there is some color in the area. Unfortunately, Sask. is not known for placer gold.
I think I just fell in love lol
MeMiner, Glad you shared this vid. I've got a couple small green/turquoise Color rocks, with a dull finish and pyrrhotite crystals throughout them. I have been looking at them in the last couple of days, seeing what I could see. I've never had any rocks like these before, so we will see if I've got Pyrrhotite Crystals like you have, But Don't hold your breath. Lol
Good luck.
We had a placer claim in Granite, Oregon that had Pyrope garnets. Some of them were about 2 in. long and a beautiful red.
Sweet!
Would love to see a picture of those garnets.
I study ancient artifacts and as a general rule any modifications are expected to diminish their value and we are urged to not undertake any such work without appropriate advisement and skills.
should give the guys at oak island a lesson or two
6:00 I HEAR THE BLUEJAY THAT STOLE YOUR CRYSTAL!!!
LOL My wife feeds them peanuts by placing them on the deck railing. They actually call to my wife when they are hungry. I have rocks all along the underside of my deck railing and notice that the small ones tend to get knocked off or simply disappear. There might be a blue jay nest out there somewhere stuffed with crystals.
:D That would be hilarious to find! The equivalent to a luxuriously decorated mansion, but in the bird nest world! Also, lol my deck is covered in various mineral specimens too! And every available inch of shelf, counter, table, and window sill in my house xD
Thirst Fast that was funny. I was reading the comments and as I read yours I heard the blue jay at 6:00
Ya
Thirst Fast a year ago you were trying to be funny are you still trying to be funny
Tess...you can also use a magnet to see if your "Pyrite" is slightly magnetic...if it is, then it is Pyrrhotite ...always is slightly magnetic....You could also use a dilute Muratic acid to make your etching go a lot quicker & afterwards use baking soda & distilled water to neutralize the acid. Don't leave the specimen in the acid for more than 4 days ,as you'll get a yellow coating on your specimens. just a thought.Someday I'll get up your way. by the way great vids :)
I will try the magnet trick, although considering this was from an old iron mine, it might give a false positive. It will be fun to try and I will let you know. I have seen the yellow or orange stain. I learned not to clean that with Iron Out - pyrrhotite doesn't like that stuff.
Hello, good afternoon. you know. long ago I found. something like diamond. For a while I thought it was until I bought myself. a presidium tester and it didn't hit me like a diamond. the tester gives me. sapphire to something similar has conductivity. of that degree and logical is a stone. weighing more than 2,180 carats. bring several stones. very crystal clear. quartz. It is not. why does quartz give smaller conductivity than clear sapphire if you know what this thing could be. that would help to know what this mineral is
I have a tester but haven't used it enough to understand other than "whoo-hoo" diamond or "boo-hoo" not. I believe mine works on thermal plus electrical conductivity, whereby different crystals react differently to heat and electrical input.
Excelente vídeo gostar de pedras e bom 😮😮😮 vemos imagens nas nelas e a belezas que poucos conseguem ver obrigado por compartilhar 🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️👍
Make sure to soak it in water baking soda solution to neutralize remaining traces of acid which can damage sulphides. By the looks of it, I'm sure a local collector would be willing to pay 100-150 cdn $ for it.
I was given the exact same advice last night from a really knowledgeable collector.
Is it valuable because of the fact that there is decent crystal formation? I find pyrrhotite all the time with pyrite and marcasite around Thunder Bay, but never thought anything of it. It is usually more massive or blebby that defined crystals though.
Thirst Fast, yeah that's exactly why it's valuable. Only one of the crystals makes it a $100 specimen. The other crystals alone are worth very little, because they aren't well-formed enough and unlike the main pyrrhotite crystal, these rounded ones are very common.
Thirst Fast, yeah that's exactly why it's valuable. Only one of the crystals makes it a $100 specimen. The other crystals alone are worth very little, because they aren't well-formed enough and unlike the main pyrrhotite crystal, these rounded ones are very common.
Cool, I'll keep my eyes open for it now that I know!
He has a point, always wash your hands after disolving/cutting stone. There are many risks that follow but are super easy to avoid!
Well said!
No wiser words have ever been said. and words to live by; I got to learn:. humble and very becoming.
Thanks much!
Hey I have a Rock.. white in Color Like Crystal.. When we are burning it.. its melting like Plastic.. Any Idea..
I am not sure. I have not burned rocks that have done that.
ok.. and i also found a rock with little clear glass like crystals. I'll send you a picture on email.. What is your email..
Congratulations! Funny how the rocks didn't read our books.It's a great business to learn about them-even a funky looking rock can be something amazing!
What exactly is calcite? Is it basically the bones of a rock that holds everything together? When i look on google it doesnt really give me the best results
Calcite is a carbonate mineral CaCO3. It forms over time either from the precipitation of calcium carbonate or the diagenesis transformation in sediments of once living critters such as shell, coral and other matter,
Me found some pyrite like urs to big seem in calcite vain wots so good is size is it pyrite to Cristal or other way av load from one place wots best to do with em as av serplas ones to?
I usually just collect for myself. If you have surplus and nobody locally who is a buyer, maybe post some on eBay.
What would be a good way to remove the rusty color from some of the pieces I have collected.....
I've put it in a low amount of muriatic acid in water and it still looks Rusty.....
What would be the next best thing to try......
Use Iron Out
yes I have a couple questions "if u don't mind
'. I'm always watching your video's... I am an avid Rockhounder! My parents live in Reno Nevada and when I go visit I always come back with an assortment of different rocks, crystals and minerals. Well my ? is I'm going to clean all my specimens in Muriatic acid and super iron out... in your opinion how long should I keep them in the acid soak, should I just use the acid solution or dilute w/water & how much and same ? goes for when using the super iron out? I'd appreciate any advice u can give me for this is going to be my first time ever to clean my rocks using this method. Also if u know anything about quartz specimens that have either silver or platinum in them any advice or any knowledge of , I can send pics of some specimens I got off of my parents 50 acres in Nevada... It's mostly all silver looking all through it with some quartz on the top in spots? Anything would help and I would so appreciate anything u can help or advise me on more knowledge about my BEAUTIES! Thank u for your time, Brenda Wood..... Modesto, Ca
I prefer to first clean rocks with dish soap and water. SIO if there are iron stains. Vinegar or muriatic is not for cleaning. It dissolves carbonate minerals (eg. calcite, limestone, dolomite, etc). It won't affect quartz, gold , platinum or silver but may destroy associated metals. How long in an chemicals depends on what you are trying to achieve and how strong your solution may be. I like to dilute so the process is slower. Once something is dissolved, it is gone. Sometimes, a mineral will leach out and stain the outside of the rock, so keep an eye on that. If you are unsure, sacrifice one rock rather than doing all of them at once, Sounds like you are going to have some fun,
omg you people slay me. want to get rid of any trace of an acid wash? soak in oxyclean. don't do what this guy is doing. you can cut big crystals in half using a tile saw. I know this sounds crazy but a hammer is better to use on weathered rocks to expose crystals.
Good advice. I cut this one when I thought the rock was hopeless. ie. I did not want to etch anymore. I have not tried oxyclean, but if using acid, finishing with vinegar can make the remaining calcite look more natural. BUT vinegar and pyrrhotite don't get along. Vinegar will destroy the crystal.
Correction. Iron Out destroys pyrrhotite crystals.
solid crystals usually hang in there with acid baths. If you can't break a crystal with your hands it's good to go usually. now if you get brittle particles coming off on your fingers or the crystal is flexing then try something other than acid. prolonged soaking (even in oxyclean) can ruin crystals and matrixes the crystals are in too. I learned that the hard way with staurolite crystals from north carolina. Just be wary of saturation is all I'm saying.
Thanks. I also "learn the hard way" sometimes.
@@brandtwr15 could you guys PLEASSSSSSE give me some advice, I'm such a newbie but just bought a property that has SO MANY fossils, quartz, and some soapy-ish white stuff about 6 inches under soil, now this stuff breaks apart BUT there are these beautiful opal looking crystal types of chunks inside of the other stuff. I can not figure out what it is. The fossils alone are worth looking at, I just don't know who to turn to for advice. Google can't identify any of the opal looking crystals or the fossils which are huge. I can identify many of the stones like the Petoskey stones but there are loads of fossils and I really think a collector would find a lot of interest in the collection I've amassed just in the past 2 months. I could make a video and email you the strange rocks, oh yeah some look like lightning hit them, creating a strain of crystals through the rock.
Lol dude just looking at you look at thise rocks you can really see the young kid in your smile. Good stuff
It is good fun. Why grow up completely? LOL
If I ever settle down , I'm finding this man's twin- hes so great!
Hindsight is always 20/20
I kinda wish I kept an ore sample with all kinds of pyrites , some were dodecahedrons ( I love that word but don’t know why , sounds cool )
It was super heavy and mostly black grainy stone and swirls like in ice cream of tiny to pea sized dodecas
"dodecahedrons". Great word and easy to say wrong.
MeMiner, Woohoo! I watched the vid where you used that shiny new chisel on that last breaking apart and one of the pieces flew off to (my left), into that pile of rocks. View it on the "What's Inside?" video at the six forty six time mark. The piece was fairly small and white, sitting next to the large chalky white rectangle-ish looking rock. Hope you find it. : ) Love your vids. Happy for you.
Thanks for being so observant! I took a look and think it is gone. Fun to try to find it.
Hi! Do you know any site where I can discuss with about stones?I have so much collection of stones which I think it is valuable. I have lunar meteorite stone also.Thanks i fever u reply.
I like the people on forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/
I've found several sized pyrite cubes. are they worth anything
As far as I know, only to a collector. I love cube pyrite and people that have never seen one are amazed.
Yep try selling them on eBay
Wow that great please let me know what happens..
Didn't know what happened to you it was a week or so..since your last video..glad to see a new video
Hope you make a score!!!
Daisy and I took off for a week up north. It was raining most days, so no video to share. Got some great rocks to play with over the next short while.
When you say "up North", whereabouts you mean? I'm up in Thunder Bay, if you're ever in this neck of the woods, we should go pick somewhere. There's old silver mines..... (everyone always just associates Thunder Bay area with amethyst, which we do have in abundance, but there's also a lot more!)
I love that you use the term "fugly." I thought that was a word only my mom and i had used. Love the videos, thank you for sharing.
Vanessa Doveno
Been using fugly since early 90's. Maybe a geography thing. I live in North East USA.
Yeah I've been using the word fugly since 1984😁 yeah and I'm in the Northeast to Cleveland Ohio
Can I send you photos of a rock I can't identify? It's very crystalized but I have been unable to figure out what it may be called. I'm in Michigan
sure tess99991rocks@gmail.com
@@meMiner me to :) wanna send u a pic of rock i found
Until this video I had never heard of pyrrhotite. I've heard of iron pyrite (fools gold) but not phrrhotite. Thanks for the info.
I had some smart people laughing at me when I was calling it "ugly pyrite". Then I met a fellow who found a huge rock with "ugly quartz" which turned out to be saphire. We all learn from each other.
Think you can identify Pyrrhotite the next time you find it in the field?
I think so from the shape
ive got a pyrrhotite crystal the size of a cutie orange. any clue on its worth ?
It depends where it came from. It can be worth quite a lot from collectors who are interested in specific mines or regions.
Check out local pool supply stores, you can buy muriatic acid. You can get it at Canadian Tire, but that stuff goes yellow for some reason.
Was the yellow straight out of the bottle or after you put in a rock? I have certainly had the liquid go yellow with some rocks. I have also bought it at Rona, Home Hardware and a local lumber store. They all seem to have the same stuff, but the pricing varies.
The acid is clear from the jug, but then goes bright yellow after dissolving some calcite (or dolomite, or ankerite etc...). While I haven't actually gotten any from pool supply store, I've heard that the yellow factor isn't an issue.
I always thought it was something from the rocks. Sometimes mine goes green or yellow. I would be interested if you find out it is the brand of acid.
You can avoid getting orange or yellow stuff deposited on your sample by using a bigger volume of acid (i.e. a bucket rather than a gold pan) and not leaving specimens in too long.
GoG&M I agree in principle, but the specimens I treat are usually coated in dolomite and/or ankerite, so it takes much longer to dissolve the junk than it does to tint the acid yellow. I am using a bucket (2.5gal), approx. how many liters/kg of specimen would you recommend? (I'm usually doing one or two ~1kg specimens at a time)
Congratulation...
This type rocks how much..exactlly
Please
I have that type inside small little little diamond saf hav please what is this see help me sir
I don't know much about raw diamonds
hey bud great video I like seeing others enjoying geology! cheers
Thanks.
I also have lots to learn , lol. I've also learned by making mistakes , I uploaded a video a few weeks ago and learned a valuable lesson about protective gloves as well as not leaving certain specimens in the Muratic Acid for too long , I ended up destroying a once beautiful Purple Flourite. What would you suggest for the water /acid ratio in desolving Calcite? I've been mixing it at 60/40 water to acid .
Fluorite is a halide mineral, and is therefore soluble in any polar solvent. Best way to clean it is with a brush and elbow grease.
Right on. I used to dilute 50:50 but am (slowly) realizing that I can go with much less acid and it takes just a little bit longer, which sometimes gives me time to rescue the rock if necessary. However, even small amounts can destroy the wrong specimen.
When working with hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), one should always have safety goggles and appropriate nitrile gloves.
Geology of Gems & Minerals thank you for the advice , I've picked up a few pairs of the proper safety gloves as well as a few pairs of safety glasses .
For both rockhounding and running acid buckets, I recommend safety goggles over safety glasses.
Hi how are you ? So about this rock how you got them
Hope you are well. The mine where this rock was collected is under new ownership and currently closed to collecting.
Does nitric acid make gold happy for stones?
I don't use Nitric acid. It is too dangerous for me.
@@meMiner What is the appropriate acid for this process
@@karimrazak3798 Acetic acid (vinegar) is best. It works slowly but works well. A faster acid and you have to work safely is diluted muriatic acid.
Do I use it in the first stage
@@karimrazak3798 Acid in a tumbler? No!
Use water.
Hey sup man? I found a rare looking sea fossil, its just stacks of shells together forming a rock like shape
But its nothing but shells..do you think it has any value?
I don't sell, so have no idea about value. Sounds like you found something interesting
@@meMinerok cool,it does look very interesting and very old
Hello have u heard of volcanic bombs?I found some on bedrock in a stream one bit is about 1 1/2" square and very heavy with what looks like coal on the outside and shiny grey/silver brittle rock which looks like metal on the inside.I was wanting to know what it is and whether it could be worth much money?
I have heard of them, never found one, but don't think they are especially rare. What I know is you don't want to be hit by one, as it flies out of a volcano and can travel at high speed up to 5KM. As for value, maybe look on eBay to see what others are asking.
tess99991 I think the metal might be worth sumit!and it looks silver/gold type rock.I think it's maybe pyrite with those metals in and thought if it's not worth much I might as well smelt it.
One thought before you destroy it, make sure it is not a meteor.
I don't understand how they are valuable. I looked it up and Wikapedia says it is quite common. It is also a nuisance in the manufacture of concrete.
saml brown to be honest pyrite cubes aren’t rare I’m not sure what exactly he’s talking about
Hey may I ask my dad found a strange rock it is black and white what it call?
Difficult to say by that description. A good place to try to determine what kind of rock that you have is a web site called mindat.org
What did you end up doing with that rock?
I put it in a box in my cupboard. ;-)
I could listen to your voice all day.... It's very nice. 😘
Thanks Cody.
Cody Dudley ur gay I can tell
Why do you have fall/winter camo on in the spring /summer?
That camo is for coyote hunting of course.
Hi! Im working towards an environmental earth science degree at school! I was curious where you are located because I’m curious about the geology in your area! Thank you!
I am in southern Ontario (Canada), outside of Toronto. The good rockhounding is to the north or east with countless places to explore.
Im pree sure i built up an amunity to arsenic. , messing around with rocks and vinigar LOL . felt unhealthy a few times and didnt think about how much more acidic the vinigar gets after a while . plus open cuts on the fingers . hahaha ohmann.... safety third ?
You are probably OK, until you notice your hair brush filling up with hair. Joking. It is best to stay safe.
Im still kickin... arsenic cant be THAT bad for you haha
Also , as I watched the second half of your video , I kept wanting to yell out - Don't do it . Lol. Only because of what you said in the first half .Lol.
Yep. I should have stopped fussing with the rock after the initial bath.
are you aware that vinegar come in three strengths, 5,7 & 10%. % is your household, 7 is for pickling and 10 is for cleaning, industrial. The 10% does a far better job on dissolving calcite that the household. Cheers, Billy in B.C.
You are correct. Vinegar is also more effective with heat. One problem with all of these options is they cost more.
I am kinda, obsessed with pyrite! They are so beautiful and I love there form, I am just mesmerized by them.
I have a good friend with the same obsession.
There's a BUNCH in south dakota. Like, so much, people don't even keep it.
@@quantummechanic3699 Do you know what area to look in SD? We are from MN, and talked about doing some rock hounding and camping there this Summer. I am a novice with only a few trips under my belt. Garnets in MT. Sapphires in MT 27 years ago, Fire Agates in AZ last week, and Amethysts from several mines in Thunderbay, CA, along with some agates from MN.
I have a rock but i dont know what kind if gemstone
Good to know...what makes it worth so much? I have lots from Nova Scotia.
cathy roncetti there's alot more here in nova Scotia then people realize lol I found some rocks n fossils that will forever stay with me n hope to find lots more
Hi...how much this type rock...
I have a ton I found in North Carolina on some land of a friends I was hiking when my Dad passed.
He said I could take what I wanted he didn’t know what they were. So I have a lot of beautiful stones I don’t know what they are. I live in Illinois. I gave them a few baths with a pressure washer to remove the dirt. I got muriatic acid been watching videos. Does anyone know anyone in Illinois I could connect with to identify what they are? Very large and points out bottom and top one is whiter and one is darker and purpley
But I have a lot some smaller ones look like blood color. I also have ones with either pyrite or gold running through them. Bright yellow any help would be greatly appreciated I don’t want to mess them up giving them an acid bath not sure what next step is after getting dirt off thank you
If they are quartz or gold then HCL will not affect it. A single drop of HCL a crystal will tell you if it interacts/foams or not. The purple rocks might be amethyst. The best bet is have someone look at them for you and advise next steps.
I've extracted some big Limonite cubes embedded in a matrix of fossil crinoids and leaves. I had too many, so I had to sell them. They were remarkable specimens. I guess that is called a pseudo-morph of it's former self.
That is very special.
I have a rock like this but smaller and didn't know if it was gold or what because it looks exactly like gold
There is tons of pyrites here, there in old silver n gold tailings. They explode if heated.
I never tried heating one up. Maybe I should get out my torch?
Thank you for the warning! I basically am like a child when it comes to all of this and im just messing around with a tiny rock in a cup on vinegar. I have been rinsing for a few minutes but ill do a proper lab handwash going forward if i touch stuff. I have so many questions for you. Be my Obi Wan haha
I know people who leave a rock in vinegar for over a week, just to use it up. ;-)
@@meMiner i think i just found my first piece of smoky quartz! Soaking to get it cleaned up 😁
Good job! Smokies are nice.
I have plenty of rocks found amazing
How can I tell the difference?
The best indicator is the barrel shape.
Barrel shape? I'm not sure what you mean yet. I haven't seen all the videos.
Let us know what else you find out
How to sell
I don't know. I don't buy or sell
Metal detector???
No response from a detector on this
Have you ever considered doing a radio show you have a calming voice that I really enjoy Thank you for your video.
Such a nice comment. I have never done a radio show. I was invited as a guest on one later this spring and it will be interesting to see how it goes.
How do you get money for that rock?
I was offered money, but never sold it. I should have taken the cash when offered. I have since lost track of the rock. I have it "somewhere".
people always jump the gun before they know what they have and always damage the item no matter what it is . this just piss me off
I like you, had to sub lol
I wish I could remember everything I use to know.
And I wish I could remember what I did yesterday. ;-)
Check it with a metal detector?
Check it with a magnet?
Is it malleable or brittle on what scale?
NICE VIDEO - 1st view of your channel.
I want to find a good metal detector too
Thanks
Congratulations!
I always use hydrochloric acid to get rid of calcium.
At about 5:45 I heard that blue jay behind you..he's planning another heist!
You know your birds. ;-)
You dropped that piece in the rocks beside your deck. Check your original video again. 😉
I will take a look. Thanks!
What type of nasty minerals might someone encounter??
arsenic, mercury, cobalt, lead, silica, asbestos, etc
oh and radioactives...
How much money?
$300 CDN for each rock with one of these crystals
@@meMiner wow thanks
Is pyrite the same as flint
Interesting question. The answer is no.
Pyrite is an iron sulfide containing: FeS2
Flint is a chert and related to quartz (containing silica): SiO2.
What is iron out?
It is a powder that you can find in your local big box or hardware store - usually in the same isle as the CLR and other cleaners.
Nice work love rocks and minerals not so much the pyrite lol I need gold
When I was younger, I was only interested in gold. I ignored all the other rocks, unless they pointed to where gold could be found. Now, I even like big pyrite, especially when they are big cubic crystals.
I found good rocks
Im in Haiti i'm very interesting in gold too
Is that copper pyrite ?
To me, copper pyrite refers to chalcopyrite. In some formations pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pentlandite can be associated and coexist. However, to answer your question, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite are different.
i fund big roks full off pyrite i left behind in the mountain must go back this summer
It is probably really heavy. An ATV, a backpack frame or a dolly is sometimes a good idea. ;-)
IT IS WAT IT IS
NO MORE NO LESS
SO BE IT
AMEN
tHNX 4 SHairING!
PEACE...
Pyrhotite christals never heard of it, interesting.
Whatever happened to this specimen?
I put it somewhere "safe" and haven't seen it since. I should have sold it when I had the chance.
Should show a closer version of the crystals
This was an older video and I was struggling with the camera. Thanks for the feedback and hopefully I have improved with quality of the video over time.
Sometimes Mother Nature need to destroy the nature itself to produce more interesting things for the humans to be found and treasure it for the living .
Very well said.
Why waste your time and money trying to dissolve in vinegar? You must use Muratic acid for that.
Vinegar is safer, so offering alternatives.
@@meMiner I understand, but vinegar does not work very well.
I have rocks too. I have to post it on my channel later.
you look like rick grimes and sound like negan hahah! epic!
"I am Negan". We are all Negan. Love that show.
@@meMiner haha we are all negan i subbed to you :)!, can you help me identify some rocks th-cam.com/video/h9zEzHEhFPc/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/64W_7cRX0j8/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/aPeijDxn_NI/w-d-xo.html
i have found some pyrite crystals inside a quartvein over here in Sweden^^ Hexagonal, pentagonal etc.. My Golden Crystals ^^