Rockin the Rockies

Rockin the Rockies
Rock Hounding

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Quartz Float

When a crystal pocket is exposed, the process of weathering will gradually move the crystals down hill. Sometimes this process can be very slow or happen quickly depending on circumstances like steepness of the hill the pocket is on or amount of precipitation that moves crystals downhill. Float quartz is any quartz that has moved away from the pocket either due to the pockets initial breakage or through weathering. Quite often when prospecting you will find float quartz below the pocket (on a hill) and then prospect up the hill to find the source of the float quartz -- hopefully a quartz pocket. Last week I had found a pocket of crystals without prospecting below the hill up to the pocket. As my rock hounding buddy would say, I dumbed into the pocket. I decided I needed to prospect below the pocket. I found some nice quartz crystals which were actually larger than the crystals in the pocket. So I prospected the hill above the pocket and found no crystals. Just an anomaly I guess.
Today I went back to an old site that I had prospected and found nice float crystals, but never found a pocket. Today was just the same. I found some nice float crystals, mostly 2-6" below the surface, but no pocket. The crystals were somewhat damaged but still collectible in my mind (see below). The crystals are 3-4" in length all have minor damage to varying degree. I have dug up the area extensively and believe there was an old water wash in the area. The crystals seem to be collected around boulders running down the hill (like gold in a stream I guess). Nearly 50 feet up the rather shallow hill there was a pocket with what I surmise were nice crystals and I can only guess the quartz float I am finding comes from the old crystal pocket. I have prospected the entire 50ft up to the old pocket and granite contact zone with no success.  I have spent about 7 days last year digging this hill with no pocket results. I shall probably try the area again, but don't want to waste my entire summer digging through float :-)
A little HF might sparkle these up some, not sure its worth it considering existing damage

This one is 4 inches, somewhat dinged, but still collectible in my mind

1 comment:

  1. Waw Kevin, your area is stuffed with nice things!
    By the way, in *my* mind a crystal that isn't collectible is a potential cutter! :)

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