Jump to content

Shocked or Tectonic?


GeneralAnesthetic

Recommended Posts

Something keeps telling me to look further, but I believe this is part of answering how big of an event happened here. This stone was pulled from a vein that was sandwiched in a softer than limestone but more like granite. Sorry no picture of that. I was intrigued by the crystal structure of the crystals that had been knocked free by free range cattle and deer. My first thoughts were of petrified wood since it's literally just about everywhere if you look. But I could not figure out in the world a piece of wood might petrify, #1 clear #2 with opposing angles. These pieces did not seem to fit with the typical crystallization of quartz. The area does have examples of tectonic uplift, whether it was impact or explosive I've yet to understand. By using the scope I can see that there was a whole lot of smashing going on, shockwave from a meteorite would absolutely do it. Would also explain other pieces that still need some up close treatment. I have to change lighting and stage almost every specimen though. I only got through 4 or 5 in a whole day. 

 

pic #1 Really thought it was just an interesting piece of quartz, polish one end (soft like calcite, powdered easily, chips into a gazillion pieces) and the clarity is astonishing, you can easily see clean through like glass. With the light just right you can see a what looks like a haze that runs in the center of it. Looks very much like a light layer of smoke. Proximity to the shocked/tectonic pieces, maybe 800ft. 

 

pic #2 is a piece of shocked/tectonic quartz that is blackened on the outer surface, I'm guessing a flash of heat but certainly not brush because there is literally almost nothing there. I broke a section clean to analyze under the scope, you can see the opposing grain vs the natural crystallization, with the naked eye. It does take some reflection technique using the sun to illuminate the patterns. Up close under the scope, @80x you can see how the original crystallization was shocked.

 

pic #3 Is the surface of pic #1 also @80x. Really thought the crystallization on the surface was quite interesting, but even more than that. Why is there no visual evidence of similar crystallization on the interior? 

 

pic #4 Is the top portion (of pic #2) that was exposed at the surface of the vein. I chipped this piece out with a hammer. @80x, illustrates the burning, sort of looks like it stuck it's face in a blast furnace to me. 

 

I have one more absolutely amazing piece that has a shocked/tectonic layer (I think shocked) that you cannot see with the naked eye. It was sandwiched in a "concretion" -lol hates that term. I'm still trying to figure it out though. All I need is a better image. Tomorrow maybe I'll try the good ole' sun and see what I can get of it. 

 

Images taken @80x using Nikon D5500 mounted to Amscope T700A via DIGICAMCONTROL (freesource software) 

 

pretty.JPG

shocked.JPG

zxcbxcgzdfg.JPG

scorched.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry if this is seen as not related, this is the tip of what would have been way too giant of a post. So as another member pointed out. Maybe a "ground" up approach is best. 

I'll get the paleontology part added here shortly. I am curious what other minds here think of the blabbering I just did with utmost confudence <--tehe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first question would be: What kind of research have you done on the area geology? 

What was the result of the previous research?

Did it indicate that a meteor had struck there?

Is there a crater present?

Did it indicate volcanic activity or evidence of tectonic activity?

 

There is no such thing as clear petrified wood, as far as I know. :unsure: 

If a crystal reacts like calcite, then it isn't quartz.  :headscratch:

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, GeneralAnesthetic said:

So as another member pointed out. Maybe a "ground" up approach is best. 

Missing a lot of info here....is there another thread with size of specimen, where found, etc?

With no more than this to go on, I wonder if you have found a fulgurite?  

Everything is generated through your own will power ~ Ray Bradbury
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, GeneralAnesthetic said:

...quartz that is blackened on the outer surface, I'm guessing a flash of heat...

Or manganese? A mineralogical test to identify the black coating is in order.

By what mechanism does a flash of heat blacken the surface of quartz?
I'd go with simple here...

"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

48 minutes ago, Walt said:

Missing a lot of info here....is there another thread with size of specimen, where found, etc?

With no more than this to go on, I wonder if you have found a fulgurite?  

No, cannot be fulgurite. It's in the veins of quartz in the surrounding area. It's been so hot though, I haven't been able to get back and sample a radius to determine if this shocked appearance appears different from the center to the outer rim of plotted radius.  

26 minutes ago, Auspex said:

Or manganese? A mineralogical test to identify the black coating is in order.

By what mechanism does a flash of heat blacken the surface of quartz?
I'd go with simple here...

I'll take some photos of the blackened piece vs a piece with zero blackening alongside other shocked material which sorta looks like a pyrite quartz.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is hard to know where to start with this one.

 

The first piece shown looks like a calcite cleavage crystal (calcite has such an easily opened cleavage that it has no "fracture") It will break up into little rhombohedral chunks/pieces.

Calcite is a very common mineral that is found in many types of rocks with many other minerals.

Manganese, mangesite, hematite are the most likely candidates for the "burnt and melted" looking minerals.

The second and third pictures show what appear to be calcite cleavage planes. (impurities in calcite can make it any color.)

The last picture looks like limonite (iron oxide) that is a common iron alteration product.

 

The description of the area that You give sounds like a mineralized vien. This would most likely be from tectonic forces cracking the rock that was then filled with minerals, from the surrounding rock,  that were available for transport. 

Nothing in Your description would lead Me to think it was an impact crater caused deposit.

The presents of petrified wood in the area is an unrelated coincidence.

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

47 minutes ago, GeneralAnesthetic said:

I'll take some photos of the blackened piece vs a piece with zero blackening alongside other shocked material which sorta looks like a pyrite quartz. 

Pictures will not tell us much.
A better approach might be to critically analyze the physical evidence: LINK

"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

2 hours ago, Auspex said:

Pictures will not tell us much.
A better approach might be to critically analyze the physical evidence: LINK

https://youtu.be/5QPQ4NH6as0

I think that question is answered! Plus a pretty darn cool video came of it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So ynot was spot on with his analysis that it is calcite :)
The pool of knowledge here is vast, and deep!

"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

3 minutes ago, Auspex said:

So ynot was spot on with his analysis that it is calcite :)
The pool of knowledge here is vast, and deep!

I also suspected it, but it's been a long time since I took a geology class. But the hardness is what clued me in. 

Thanks for the direction when it comes to chemical testing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...