r/Rocks • u/Necessary-Rich-877 • 27d ago
Help Me ID Should I open this?
Found on the shore of Lake Michigan, basalt with quartz veins or is it something else?
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u/According_Body_5251 27d ago
Personally I think it looks cool the way it is so i wouldn't. But if the curiosity is eating at you, go for it!
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u/twomoobs 27d ago
I wouldn't Crack it open with a hammer. But it might look nice cut in half with a diamond blade saw then polished on the cutt surface.
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u/Cloud-Guilty 27d ago
Just stopping by to say I love your profile Pic. Haha
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26d ago
[deleted]
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u/Autismo_The_Great_ 26d ago
On behalf of the rock comunity, i want to sincerely apologize for disturbing you. We were entirely out of line and it wont happen again.
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u/Necessary-Corner3171 27d ago
If you don’t want to keep the rock, go for it. But if it’s something that you like and want to keep, but are hoping to find some even cooler, you likely won’t. Your call.
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u/Necessary-Rich-877 27d ago
Right on, it's not as gold looking in person and I don't want to fly home with a huge rock so I'll probably take a peek inside
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u/Evil_Sharkey 27d ago
It will probably be much tougher than you anticipate. If you’re doing it with a hammer, wear eye protection.
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u/IDMyMineralOrRock 27d ago
Looks like weathered basalt with quartz or calcite bands. There's probably nothing in it.
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u/TBElektric 27d ago
This is a septarian stone.. there is a high chance this flows right through to the center, but sometimes there isn't.. but it needs a trained lapidary to cut it properly.
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u/IDMyMineralOrRock 27d ago
So I was partially right. The bands contain calcite.
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u/TBElektric 27d ago
👍 It looks like some sort of quartz too, just a bit anyway
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u/IDMyMineralOrRock 27d ago
Ya the Milky white in there looks like it. Now knowing what it is and having done a bit of research I don't think the bands on the outside are wide enough to look good if it was slabbed. It's a 50 50 on if that's going to look good on the inside.
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u/Ryl0225 27d ago
RemindMe! 10 days
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u/Necessary-Rich-877 25d ago
Check back in 20, I'm still traveling for a little while but I am going to contact my local lapidary club soon after returning home :)
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u/TBElektric 27d ago
Use a good blade.. possibly if you're not trained or do rock cutting much, I'd find a lapidary because cutting into a septarian stone needs to be done right. Otherwise, you lose the effect.
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u/Evil_Sharkey 27d ago
If you open it, do it with a professional rock saw, not a hammer. Septarians are better cut and polished than shattered.
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u/Dapper-Excitement-37 26d ago
Always. Maybe a geode pocket. The bands are beautiful. I think the question is how do I open it!
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u/Dapper-Excitement-37 26d ago
I would go right between the north and south on the right side. Could get 4 epic cuts from that
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u/Healthy_Chair_1710 26d ago
Wow that is gorgeous! Is the metal vein electrum? I'd just poliah that sucker up to display as is.
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u/Longjumping-Tooth-77 24d ago
QSP veins with disseminated pyrite, there may be a void space where the quartz is thicker, but it’d probs just be some dog tooth quartz with massive pyrite around it.
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u/Necessary-Rich-877 7d ago
Update:
I contacted my local lapidary club in Las Vegas and they suggested I join the club in order to access the equipment and do it myself. I don't feel particularly compelled to pick up a new hobby at this time so I think for now I will leave it unless someone can put me in touch with a skilled local lapidarist.
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u/AssumptionDeep774 27d ago
I’m wondering if it could be ultrasound to see what’s inside without destroying it.
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u/TequilaTits420 27d ago
Almost looks like it was 'fixed' using the Japanese style called Kintsugi...