Crystal Cluster I dug in Pennsylvania
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looneytunes7
N0FAC323
Where in PA? Amazing find!
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g8een
do you know the name? id love to go!
DigDigDig11 [OP]
"The Echo" in Tresckow
DigDigDig11 [OP]
Coal Mine near Hazleton. Directions are posted in the Pennsylvania Rockhounds group on Facebook.
[deleted]
do you know which strip mine?
DigDigDig11 [OP]
Directions to Tresckow / McAdoo quartz crystal spot(here they are again for those who have asked): If you are coming from Hazleton come into the center of McAdoo on 309 at your first light take a left it is E.Blaine St. follow it over the railroad tracks and it bends to the left that is W oak st. you go past an industrial building on your left and maybe a hundred yards or so park in the first pulloff area on your left(after the paved entrance to the sewage plant). The stripping hole is there you cant miss it the hole it is huge. Follow the main trail by the parking area(the hole should be off to your right of the trail) around to the back of the pit, bear right when the trail T's, then right again by the back of the hole, and you can see a small sandy platform. There is a rope tied to a tree to climb down there(if they aren't stolen)
Cons: NOT KID FRIENDLY, Moderate to difficult climbing involved. The ropes there are getting old & frayed, and were cheap to begin with...I would bring your own. Copperheads were spotted during warm months. Don't wander on the RR tracks behind the mine, they are off-limits and patrolled.
DigDigDig11 [OP]
I wouldn't expect something like this if you only dig a day or two, I dug there almost every day for 6 months straight...got tons of material but this was one of my favorites, it's probably in the top 5 I've ever dug there.
Flipflopski
suck on it and let me know if it tastes like root beer...
51Baggins49Took
Do you have to dig gently to find and retrieve something like this intact? Or do you just shove a shovel or pick into the ground and search for what comes up? Curious, as I've never actually tried to mine anything before. And, because I'm big and clumsy!
That looks really cool, by the way! What are you going to do with it? Is this like a rare and valuable find that you will sell for big bucks or is it more of a personal passion type thing?
DigDigDig11 [OP]
I was already in a crystal pocket, carefully pryed/popped it out of clay with a flathead screwdriver.
DigDigDig11 [OP]
But yeah, you gotta move a lot of rock to hit a pocket.
tofu_tot
Whenever I find I pocket, it’s always a slippery slope between impatiently trying to get out the piece(s) and patience, to not totally fracture/break the pieces you’re after.
Great job with this beaut!
DigDigDig11 [OP]
One pocket I hit here took me 2 weeks to clean out...it was like 3 bathtubs end to end. It pretty much ended up being a cave that got too dangerous to dig anymore.
serabelle-umm
Have you identified this specimen? It’s a beaut! Yew!
MojaveHounder
It is quartz with iron staining.
serabelle-umm
Thanks!
[deleted]
I don't know. I've never seen iron staining that red. Could it be hematite?
MojaveHounder
Hematite is iron. There are a bunch of earth iron minerals that coat and stain minerals, like goethite and limonite. This specific one, idk, but if you see black stuff with your quartz crystal and redish, orangeish, yellowish color on the crystals, it is most likely some iron mineral causing that.
If you take a piece of hematite and rub it on a tile, it will streak red.
[deleted]
I have! there's a *Moroccan locality with similar color.
Iron oxide is hematite.
DigDigDig11 [OP]
I find botryoidal(sp?) goethite geodes in the same area.
[deleted]
botryoidal is correct, I used to call it botroidal for some reason..
goethite geodes eh? I'd love to see them! I collect (buy) a lot of iron oxides and hydroxides! Have a few Co goethites and a bunch of pseudos.
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born_lever_puller
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Thanks.
DigDigDig11 [OP]
At least I assumed it was goethite....that streaks grey, correct?
MojaveHounder
Goethite, mud iron, yup, common iron ores. Iron has a way of making stuff red. Check out the aluminium production waste pools. They are bright red from the iron content.
TiltedTommyTucker
Wooowwwwww
35mm_
Holy moly, NICE!
g8een
so gorgeous! i am jealous
Inlander
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Nurse-88
Oh my gaaaaad, that's a beaut. I love PA.
doornoob
I found a couple nice specimens there. Nothing that awesome though. Last time I went it was super sketchy between erosion and precious balanced rocks above.
DigDigDig11 [OP]
In 2012, I dug there every day...sometimes till 2 or 3am....for 6 months straight. This was one of my favorites. I still live walking distance to it, but have been majorly spoiled since buying herkimer diamond property up in NY in 2013.
2snacksandthen2more
Omg! People actually find things like that!? That is amazing!!
[deleted]
WOW super jealous!!!!! Beautiful specimen! Which strip mine was that from up there if you don't mind me asking (fellow rock nerd here) ?
DigDigDig11 [OP]
An abandoned one at the border of McAdoo & Tresckow, on the Tresckow side. Locals call it "The Echo"
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TheRealSteve72
That is beautiful
-full-control-
Wow. Amazing find
That is crazy awesome. I would freak