TimS Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 These baculite segments seem to have completely crystalized: Was just wondering, is this common? I've found baculite that have the opalescent nacre and some crystallization on the interior but these are the only pieces I've found that are just solid crystal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 I have seen this with what are commonly called "calcite clams" but never on a baculite that I can recall. Atleast not as your pictures show. I too have seen pieces parts but not the solid presentation pictured here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgehiker Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 Crystalized Baculites are quite common in the Bearpaw deposits of southern Alberta. Especially around Manyberries. I've collected a few crystalized Baculites about 30cm ( 12 inches) long. The fully crystallized ones seem to shatter into segments if any longer. Distinct calcite crystals and a more botryoidal calcite ( your specimens) indicate what type of environment the Baculites was in for the millions of years after it was preserved. Calcite forms along the margins of land and sea...thus why its common in deposits in the western interior where there was once an inland sea that grew and receded over times. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Out here in Baculite Mesa we have them where the outer "shell" is fossilized, but the inside of the baculite is calcite, those ones that are solid calcite all the way through look REALLY cool! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 Nice baculite pieces. I have collected hundreds of baculite pieces here in WY and have very few like these. Good find. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted July 11, 2016 Author Share Posted July 11, 2016 Good information, thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 (edited) Out here in Baculite Mesa we have them where the outer "shell" is fossilized, but the inside of the baculite is calcite, those ones that are solid calcite all the way through look REALLY cool! I suspect we're looking at filled-in inner chambers, with both the outside shell and chamber walls gone. Right guys? Edited July 13, 2016 by Wrangellian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Identity Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 Dear Tim, Supercool find these crystalized baculite chambers! Did you find more of these separate baculite chambers? (also non-crystalized ones)? kind regards, ID Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 On 8/9/2016 at 11:15 PM, Identity said: Dear Tim, Supercool find these crystalized baculite chambers! Did you find more of these separate baculite chambers? (also non-crystalized ones)? kind regards, ID 9 months later ... i haven't found any more crystallized, but have many that aren't. Most are pretty muddy and nondescript by comparison. I've been focusing on lapidary and forgot my account here, sorry for the delayed response ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 Most of these seem like calcite crystallization but the top middle is different ... maybe chalcedony? Can't tell if the replacement goes through the piece or if it's just on the ends: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 You're right. They do look mostly like calcite. Nice looking stuff at any rate. Use a few drops of vinegar essence on the questionable one. Calcite bubbles, chalcedony doesn't. But rinse it quickly in water afterwards. 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Another test is the hardness... calcite is soft (Mohs 3), chalcedony much harder, closer to Mohs 7. Steel is in between, so something like a needle or pocket knife should scratch one but not the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 I did a scratch test on these with a nail and those in the original photo won't scratch, it leaves iron residue on the baculite. I was hunting clinker last weekend and happened across another batch of baculite with many individual segments, and several of these i think are calcite. There is one that won't scratch with a nail and shows total replacement that i think is chalcedony. So, calcite replacement seems reasonably common. What about agatization / chalcedony replacement? Here are some pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 42 minutes ago, TimS said: I did a scratch test on these with a nail and those in the original photo won't scratch, it leaves iron residue on the baculite. I was hunting clinker last weekend and happened across another batch of baculite with many individual segments, and several of these i think are calcite. There is one that won't scratch with a nail and shows total replacement that i think is chalcedony. So, calcite replacement seems reasonably common. What about agatization / chalcedony replacement? You will only find out for sure if you do the acid test as suggested above. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 Bah. Essence of vinegar strong enough? Even that might be hard to find here but will see what i can come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 5 hours ago, TimS said: Bah. Essence of vinegar strong enough? Even that might be hard to find here but will see what i can come up with. You could also try putting a few drops of diluted muriatic acid out of a pipette on it. Again, as soon as it fizzes (if it does, or even if it doesn't) dump it into a soapy water bath. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 I used undiluted muriatic acid on one of the brown (assumed calcite) segments and it fizzed. Applied to the piece in the last 2 photos and it did not fizz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 1 hour ago, TimS said: I used undiluted muriatic acid on one of the brown (assumed calcite) segments and it fizzed. Applied to the piece in the last 2 photos and it did not fizz. That could be chalcedony or agate then. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 Thanks for suggesting the acid test Ludwigia. I really wanted the piece to be something other than calcite but even after the scratch test I wasn't 100% certain. I've been guilty of bad IDs before due to wishful thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Those are beautiful. I just don't understand why you are grilling that last batch. Is baculite good grilled? Do you use a dry rub or sauce them after? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 On 9/3/2017 at 10:09 AM, Scylla said: Those are beautiful. I just don't understand why you are grilling that last batch. Is baculite good grilled? Do you use a dry rub or sauce them after? Just salt and pepper then squeeze on some fresh lemon juice when they're done. That's actually a little patio table, but I hardly ever see it because it's always buried with rocks waiting to be sorted. Found one more agatized segment: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Nice one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shel67 Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 These are beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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