Jacob Harrison Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I found this on the Mississippi River bank in Natchez and it is about 1" 1/2 in diameter. There is something inside it and it looks like it might have legs. How do I polish it or what do I do. And now it looks like there are two things inside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Harrison Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Could be a quartz pebble. A test for hardness with a steel needle or blade would confirm. Quartz has a hardeness of 7, steel 5.5. If the blade won't scratch it it is Quartz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Speeding Carno Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Sorry, but it doesn't look like a piece of amber, I believe it is known as agate but I'm rather unfamiliar in this subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 This is a piece of agate that is commonly called carnelian. It has some other mineral in it and has some color banding. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Harrison Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Ok I see it's an agate but is it possible for it to have an insect inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 1 minute ago, Jacob Harrison said: Ok I see it's an agate but is it possible for it to have an insect inside? No. Agate is a cryptocrystalline quartz that forms from silica rich solutions, It can replace organic material but is not known to encapsulate it. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 3 minutes ago, Jacob Harrison said: Ok I see it's an agate but is it possible for it to have an insect inside? As @ynot said Very unlikely. The conditions necessary for the formation of some agates (heat) may destroy more delicate fossils like insects. I know of some insect fossils that have been replaced by silicates, but I think carnelian would form in conditions with some heat and pressure. We have been discussing something along these lines here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Harrison Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Well thanks guys I thought I had something there. I'm going to break it open and see. I just got to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
izak_ Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 33 minutes ago, Jacob Harrison said: I'm going to break it open and see. Why? If there is something in it wouldn't you rather wait to get it polished rather than break it into multiple pieces? You can but thats just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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