RJB Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Ok, folks. I do thank all of you for any help you may have givin me. I called up this guy today and went over to his house to buy some. My buddy in california wants some. From what I can understand, this so called copper poop is actually copper from a copper mine from years ago. Some old man was 'lunch boxing' it out of the mine. He would break off these 'copper' poops from leaks in a trough or pipe that had little holes in them adn would form when the molten copper was running through the trough or pipe. The slower this stuff cooled, the more crystal like ones would form, and the faster it cooled the more smooth they became? Thats how I understand it anyways. Wether its true or not I really dont know. I bought some for my freind and some for me to take to shows and see what happens. Here are two that are about 10 inches in length. Certainly not fossils, but cool in their own way. Im sure some copper loving collectors just may like them. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Too bad he didn't have a bigger lunch-box. One about 3 feet long would be cool. For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 26, 2009 Author Share Posted April 26, 2009 Too bad he didn't have a bigger lunch-box. One about 3 feet long would be cool. Jesus, that struck as super funny. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 That makes sense; cool things for sure! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 ... would form when the molten copper was running through the trough or pipe. It would have been hydrothermal fluids saturated with Cu ions, not molten Cu. I'm thinking that the amount of saturation, and the duration of availability of the fluid, and ions, would determine the crystal size??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 26, 2009 Author Share Posted April 26, 2009 It would have been hydrothermal fluids saturated with Cu ions, not molten Cu. I'm thinking that the amount of saturation, and the duration of availability of the fluid, and ions, would determine the crystal size??? Well solius, you easily lost me on that post??? RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micropterus101 Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Well solius, you easily lost me on that post???RB LOL. I think what he ment RJB Is that If The copper "POO" was formed via hydrothermal fluid saturated with copper Ions. The more saturated the fluid was with copper Ions and the longer the fluid saturated with copper Ions was present the larger the copper POO crystals would be would be(the bumps). Referring to an earlier post speculating the formation of such an oddity. fossil crabs website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 It would have been hydrothermal fluids saturated with Cu ions, not molten Cu. I'm thinking that the amount of saturation, and the duration of availability of the fluid, and ions, would determine the crystal size??? I just got a flashback to Bill Cosby: "Riiiiiight! What's an ion?" "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micropterus101 Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 I just got a flashback to Bill Cosby: "Riiiiiight! What's an ion?" An ion is an atom or molecule which has lost or gained one or more electrons, giving it a positive or negative electrical charge. According to the Model of Bohr this will be from or in the outer shield 'n'. A negatively charged ion, which has more electrons than it has protons, is known as an anion (ἀνά ana: Greek 'up') (pronounced /ˈænaɪən/; an-eye-on). Conversely, a positively-charged ion, which has fewer electrons than protons, is known as a cation (κατά kata: Greek 'down') (pronounced /ˈkætaɪən/; cat-eye-on). An ion consisting of a single atom is called a monatomic ion, but if it consists of two or more atoms, it is a polyatomic ion. Polyatomic ions containing oxygen, such as carbonate and sulfate, are called oxyanions. Ions are denoted in the same way as electrically neutral atoms and molecules except for the presence of a superscript indicating the sign of the net electric charge and the number of electrons lost or gained, if more than one. For example: H+ and SO42−. fossil crabs website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 The more saturated the fluid was with copper Ions and the longer the fluid saturated with copper Ions was present the larger the copper POO crystals would be would be(the bumps). Sort of. I was thinking that less saturated fluids, over longer periods would produce larger grain size. It would seem like that the more the fluid is saturated, the more opportunity for ions to precipitate out of solution; hence, smaller crystals??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinG Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Finally the answer but new questions arise Imagine making rock candy, instead of sugar it is copper. Stalagmites and stalactites would be the same thing also. Kevin Goto, Lafayette,CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 although it's speculation on my part, since i'm no expert on crystal formation, i would think the size of the crystals has more to do with what is causing the nucleation sites and what sort of bonds are forming on the molecules. i know that some minerals are polymorphic in their crystallizations, but i haven't looked up why. might have to do that if i get time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 27, 2009 Author Share Posted April 27, 2009 You guys are simply too smart for me. All i want to do is go fossil hunting, then do some prepping. Case closed. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 although it's speculation on my part, since i'm no expert on crystal formation, i would think the size of the crystals has more to do with what is causing the nucleation sites and what sort of bonds are forming on the molecules. i know that some minerals are polymorphic in their crystallizations, but i haven't looked up why. might have to do that if i get time. I used to work in a copper foundry in an earlier life. Crystal formation is based upon the rate of cooling, the slower the cooling, the bigger the crystal, because it allows more time for the individual atoms to align. The crystal caves in Mexico were formed from extremely slow cooling of water, allowing the crystals to reach massive proportions. On the other hand, obsidian cools near instantaneously, allowing no crystal formation at all (amorphous). Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Two atoms were walking down the street, and one says to the other. "I just lost an electron, now I'm an ion." The other says "Are you sure?" The first atom responds"I'm Positive!" I use to tell my students this every year. I don't think any of them ever laughed. For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 My favorite student chemistry joke- How do you make a hormone? Don't pay her. They usually get it in a bout 5 minutes or so. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 variety is the spice of life and crystals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 You guys are funny too!! Took me a couple of seconds to het the hormone joke. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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