Radical Rocks

Biggs Jasper Biggs Jasper is a rustic looking gemstone that displays several shades of browns from light to dark almost black, other colors are also found, more on that to follow. Biggs Jasper is called a “Picture Jasper” because of layered patterns, sometimes called shell patterns with variations within the patterns. At the end of the article there are links to publications and rockhounding guides. ( Credit and Thanks to” Molly Stevens Wahr,s” Face book post on our Radical Rocks Facebook Group and her Biggs jasper Cabochons displaying beautiful seins ) Discovery the Biggs jasper was discovered about 1960 near the Biggs Junction, in Oregon. The first samples were collected from the creek near Biggs junction. Sometime later between 1964 & 1966 road cuts were made for Route 97 and interstate 84 due in part to a flood were more deposits were located starting a small supply flow of Biggs Jasper to market by the roadcrews & other collectors that were selling to rock sho...

Alaska State Rocks and Minerals How to Guide Alaska the largest State in the US and the coldest state, yet despite the harsh cold mining of minerals and gems continues to this day. We will investigate the state mineral and state rock, as well as a few others that are noteworthy. At the bottom of the page you will find links to nonaffiliated sites that showcase or sell gems and minerals from Alaska, as well as some affiliate links for guidebooks on rockhounding in Alaska. This is not an exclusive list of Alaska’s rocks and minerals merely a look at some of the most notable. Gold Alaska State Mineral It is probably not a surprise that gold would be picked as the state mineral, as gold is still actively mined today, and popular TV shows are dedicated to several gold miners in Alaska. Gold was a motivating force in the settling of the Alaska frontier, starting in the mid-1800s. Gold was designated as the state mineral in 1968. Gold has been located through out much of the ...

How to Polish Rocks with just a Dremel. Maybe you found a nice rock and wonder is there a way to shine this up with out having to buy some fancy lapidary equipment?   (Lapidary is relating to stone and gems and the work involved in engraving, cutting, or polishing) Or maybe you are a rockhound and mineral collector and may even have access to lapidary equipment, but are looking for other options and tips? Well no matter what side of the spectrum you are, we intend to give you some great information to help you shine those rocks. Polishing rocks is basically a matter of grinding off the surface of your rock with something that is a harder substance than your rock. Also, you do this grinding in stages were the grinding material is more course at the first stage and then the next stage of grinding will be a bit finer grit and continues finer and finer until the last step of polishing is ready. Typically, this is done with grinding wheels or belts also grit is sometimes sprinkled...

Alabama State Rock, Mineral, & Gemstone . Alabama enjoys a diverse and widespread variety of minerals, with more than 190 mineral species occurring in the state. From the earliest of civilization minerals here were of great value when flint, mica, clay, and other rocks and minerals were used by Native Americans to survive. The state's rich stores of iron-bearing hematite provided the raw materials for  Birmingham 's rise as an industrial center in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. In the latter half of the twentieth century  Alabama  was in the top 20 among the states that produced in value amount, of minerals produced in the United States. Th estate Mineral is Hematite, the state stone is Marble, and the state gemstone is Star Blue Quartz. (A link near the bottom of the page for a Alabama Rockhounding guide) Geology   Much of the state is covered with sedimentary rocks, with exposures of igneous and metamorphic rocks being located to th...

Rockhound State Park Rockhound State Park is a  state park  of  New Mexico United States, located 7 miles (11 km) southeast of  Deming,  it is named for the abundance of minerals in the area, and visitors can search for  quartz  crystals,  geodes,   jasper,   perlite, and many other minerals. The park is in the Little  Florida Mountains a range of low mountains that have been said to be  sky islands due to the blue sky and arid desert between the peaks . It was established in 1966 as the first park in the United States that allowed collecting of rocks and minerals for personal use. Each visitor can collect as much as 15 lb. of rocks and minerals from the 1,100-acre park; mineral dealers are not allowed to collect for sale. The Florida and Little Florida Mountains are typical of the mountain desert throughout southern New Mexico and Arizona. Elevations range from 4,400 ft along the foothills, where the stat...