Geology IN

An Overview of Earth's Major 'Mass Extinction' Events

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Most scientists agree that a "mass extinction" event is underway with the Earth's wildlife disappearing at an alarming rate, mainly due to human activity. Scientists warn overpopulation, overconsumption by the wealthiest and assaults on biodiversity are pushing Earth to its limit quicker than ever before.<br />
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But this is not the first time: over the last half-billion years there have been five major wipeouts in which well over half of living creatures disappeared within a geological blink of the eye. All told, more than 90 percent of organisms that have ever strode, swam, soared or slithered on Earth are now gone.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are the biggest die-offs, each showing up in the fossil record at the boundary between two geological periods:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/07/what-caused-worlds-greatest-extinction.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first dusk "Ordovician extinction"</span></b></span></a><br />
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<b>When:</b> about 445 million years ago<br />
<b>Species lost:</b> 60-70 percent<br />
<b>Likely cause:</b> Short but intense ice age<br />
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Most life at this time was in the oceans. It is thought that the rapid, planet-wide formation of glaciers froze much of the world's water, causing sea levels to fall sharply. Marine organisms such as sponges and algae, along with primitive snails, clams, cephalopods and jawless fish called ostracoderms, all suffered as a consequence.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Oxygen depletion in ocean "Devonian extinction"</span></span></b><br />
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<b>When: </b>about 375-360 million years ago<br />
<b>Species lost:</b> up to 75 percent<br />
<b>Likely cause:</b> oxygen depletion in the ocean<br />
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Again, ocean organisms were hardest hit. Fluctuations in sea level, climate change, and asteroid strikes are all suspects. One theory holds that the massive expansion of plant life on land released compounds that caused oxygen depletion in shallow waters. Armoured, bottom-dwelling marine creatures called trilobites were among the many victims, though some species survived.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Volcanic activity "Permian extinction"</span></b></span><br />
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<b>When:</b> about 252 million years ago<br />
<b>Species lost:</b> 95 percent<br />
<b>Possible causes:</b> asteroid impact, volcanic activity<br />
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The mother of all extinctions, the "Great Dying" devastated ocean and land life alike, and is the only event to have nearly wiped out insects as well. Some scientists say the die-off occurred over millions of years, while others argue it was highly concentrated in a 200,000-year period.<br />
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In the sea, trilobites that had survived the last two wipeouts finally succumbed, along with some sharks and bony fishes. On land, massive reptiles known as moschops met their demise. Asteroid impacts, methane release and sea level fluctuations have all been blamed.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The end of archosaurs "Triassic extinction"</span></span></b><br />
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<b>When:</b> about 200 million years ago<br />
<b>Species lost: </b>70-80 percent<br />
<b>Likely causes:</b> multiple, still debated<br />
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The mysterious Triassic die-out eliminated a vast menagerie of large land animals, including most archosaurs, a diverse group that gave rise to dinosaurs, and whose living relatives today are birds and crocodiles. Most big amphibians were also eliminated.<br />
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One theory points to massive lava eruptions during the breakup of the super-continent Pangea, which might have released huge amounts of carbon dioxide, causing runaway global warming. Other scientists suspect asteroid strikes are to blame, but matching craters have yet to be found.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Asteroid strike "Cretaceous extinction"</span></b></span><br />
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<b>When:</b> about 66 million years ago<br />
<b>Species lost:</b> 75 percent<br />
<b>Likely cause:</b> asteroid strike<br />
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An space rock impact is Suspect No. 1 for the extinction event that wiped out the world's non-avian dinosaurs, from T-Rex to the three-horned Triceratops. A huge crater off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula supports the asteroid hypothesis.<br />
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But most mammals, turtles, crocodiles and frogs survived, along with birds as well as most sea life, including sharks, starfish and sea urchins. With dinosaurs out of the way, mammals flourished, eventually giving rise to the species -- Homo sapiens -- that has sparked <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/07/earth-is-on-its-way-to-biggest-mass.html" target="_blank">the sixth mass extinction.</a><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">AFP </span></i></div>

An Overview of Earth's Major 'Mass Extinction' Events

Most scientists agree that a "mass extinction" event is underway with the Earth's wildlife disappearing at an alarming ra...

California Woman Went Looking for Gold, She Found Diamond Instead

0 Diamonds, Mining, News 5:31 PM

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A California woman says she found a 1½ carat <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/08/the-only-diamond-mine-in-world-where.html" target="_blank">diamond </a>while mining gold near the Sierra Nevada foothills town of Foresthill.<br />
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“I was like ‘Oh, my god, I found a diamond,’  ” said Jillian Kelly.<br />
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Kelly, 49, left her Silicon Valley career to take up mining 10 years ago and wrote ‘The Miracle Miner: My Life as a Female Gold Miner.” The uncut semi-clear pebble-sized stone is about width of a dainty pinky finger.<br />
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While relatively rare, “as many as 600” diamonds have been found in California since the 1849 discovery of gold triggered the California Gold Rush, according o the California Geological Survey. Few are of gemstone quality.<br />
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Fearing their dig site will be overrun with unwanted guests, Kelly and her mining partner asked The Bee not to disclose the exact location of the find. Kelly has yet to have the stone officially tested or appraised since finding it earlier in August. A commercially available tester – which are generally deemed reliable – indicated the rock was in fact a diamond. The value of any raw diamond is hard to determine before it’s cut.<br />
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“It does happen around here,” said Heather Willis, manager of Pioneer Mining in Auburn. “You can find them. Most of them around here are not jewelry quality.”<br />
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Because found diamonds don’t closely resemble the shiny rock on wedding bands, many could be tossed by casual miners, said Don Drysdale, a spokesman for the California Department of Conservation.<br />
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“Diamonds found in nature aren’t necessarily recognizable as diamonds to most folks, so who knows how many have been tossed aside by recreational gold-seekers over the years?” Drysdale said.<br />
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Historically, most diamonds found in California are small. The 1983 printing of “Minerals of California” put the largest diamonds found in the Golden State at 2 carats, but there have been some massive diamonds found in Trinity County. During the 1980s, a retired geologist and miner found three diamonds of record-breaking size, the largest a whopping 33 carats. It was however, industrial grade quality and greenish-brown in color.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vEUy91hbxwo/WZhJ6OG9ohI/AAAAAAAANLM/rPTZqdkpwHIyQelQJA_8GGrywGU4Y1gDQCLcBGAs/s1600/She%2BWas%2BMining%2Bfor%2BGold%252C%2B%2BShe%2BFound%2Ba%2BDiamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="738" height="430" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vEUy91hbxwo/WZhJ6OG9ohI/AAAAAAAANLM/rPTZqdkpwHIyQelQJA_8GGrywGU4Y1gDQCLcBGAs/s640/She%2BWas%2BMining%2Bfor%2BGold%252C%2B%2BShe%2BFound%2Ba%2BDiamond.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian Kelly says a test she performed shows a small gem is a diamond, but it hasn’t been professionally tested. Experts say diamonds of low quality are in the region.</td></tr>
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The Minerals of California book, still an authority on the subject, noted that 40 to 50 diamonds were recovered from the gravels around Forest Hill, in 1867. Oroville and Placerville are two better areas in Northern California to find diamonds, said California Geological Survey officials. But, they added, “it wouldn’t be out of the question to find one in Foresthill.”<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/08/the-only-diamond-mine-in-world-where.html" target="_blank">The Only Diamond Mine In the World Where You Can Be the Miner</a></b></span><br />
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Kelly and her mining partner have been working their federally approved mine for about seven years. Several miles outside of Forest Hill, the site once had been mined with hydraulic dredging, before the practice was made illegal in 1884 because of environment damage. Since then, the site has been picked over by various mining outfits.<br />
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Here an ancient river flowed south to north millions of years ago, before tectonic forces created the Sierra Nevada range.<br />
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Their mining process involved digging out and processing the cement-like block of rocks at the bottom of this ancient river. Power tools help her free the rocks, which are then put in a cement mixer for several hours to break the material into small bits. Those bits travel down a sluice box.<br />
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“I saw this clear stone shining back at me, and I looked and I held it in the light, and it was glowing at me, and I was like ‘Wow, I think I just found a diamond,’ ” Kelly said. The run also produced two-thirds of an once of gold. Gold is trading at $1,281 an ounce.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See Also: </span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/09/top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Part I: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US</b> </span></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/02/part-ii-top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank">Part II: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US </a></span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/06/where-and-how-to-find-lake-superior.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is Lake Superior Agate, and Where Can You Find It? </span></b></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/p/with-literally-hundreds-of-places.html" target="_blank">Top 2017 Mineral shows In the USA </a></b></span><br />
<u><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></u></div>

California Woman Went Looking for Gold, She Found Diamond Instead

A California woman says she found a 1½ carat diamond while mining gold near the Sierra Nevada foothills town of Foresthill. “I was ...

What Is the Impact of Volcanic Ash on the Ozone Layer?

0 climate, earth, volcano 8:59 PM

What Is the Impact of Volcanic Ash on the Ozone Layer?

Volcanic eruptions could result in ozone depletion until 2070 or beyond, despite declining concentrations of human-made CFCs. The next...

California Rainbow Obsidian Is a Natural Wonder (PHOTOS)

0 Mineralogy, places to visit, Rocks, USA 6:23 PM

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j2mKw7Yn07s/WZWoUKTKubI/AAAAAAAANJc/X3F4uc0Gz889nzW-GdDnePpi6KDYFvXcQCLcBGAs/s1600/Pink%2Bobsidian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="720" height="420" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j2mKw7Yn07s/WZWoUKTKubI/AAAAAAAANJc/X3F4uc0Gz889nzW-GdDnePpi6KDYFvXcQCLcBGAs/s640/Pink%2Bobsidian.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful obsidian. Photo: Joseph Martin</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2015/08/obsidian-definition-properties-uses.html" target="_blank"><b>Obsidian </b></a>is dense volcanic glass, usually rhyolite in composition and<b> typically black </b>in color.  <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Obsidian with multicolored iridescence caused by inclusions of magnetite nanoparticles.</span></b> Obsidian is often formed in r<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2014/12/how-to-classify-igneous-rocks-into.html" target="_blank">hyolite lava</a> flows where the lava cools so fast that crystals do not have time to grow. Glass, unlike crystals, has no regular structure and therefore fractures in smooth, curved shapes. The intersections of these fractures can form edges sharper than the finest steel blades. For this reason, obsidian was used by many native cultures to make arrowheads and blades. Even today, surgeons use the knife sharp edges in operations.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kdh6-ZNUz-s/WZWolA0TwxI/AAAAAAAANJg/-E8GRuLWE68BLC9E2dpYjdub7KW-7Gy4wCLcBGAs/s1600/This%2Bis%2BRainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bfrom%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BNorthern%2BCalifornia..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="960" height="414" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kdh6-ZNUz-s/WZWolA0TwxI/AAAAAAAANJg/-E8GRuLWE68BLC9E2dpYjdub7KW-7Gy4wCLcBGAs/s640/This%2Bis%2BRainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bfrom%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BNorthern%2BCalifornia..jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Rainbow obsidian from Davis Creek, Northern California.</td></tr>
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The volcanic deposits found in the Warner Mountains come in many forms.  From the light weight pumice sometimes called “floating rocks” to the dense, glass-like <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2015/08/obsidian-definition-properties-uses.html" target="_blank">obsidian</a>, the colors and diversity are amazing.  The Warner Mountains are famous for the variety of obsidian and for the four mines where the public can, with a permit, collect it.<br />
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<b>The four mines</b> - <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Pink Lady, Lassen Creek Rainbow, Needles and Middle Fork Davis Creek</b></span> - are all located within a few miles of US Hwy 395 in northeast California.  Rainbow obsidian found at the Rainbow Mine and Middle Fork Davis Creek is sought after for its colorful sheen.  Pink obsidian from Pink Lady, and the bundles of obsidian needles from the Needles Mine are the most popular. To make the mines even more interesting, the Needles Mine has deposits of elongated obsidian needles, think string cheese only in glass. Ample obsidian deposits assure every looker success at finding this unique glass. To find the colored obsidian it is recommended that you go on sunny days between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., although other hours are okay, you just have to look harder.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxaCyCq6yvE/WZWpDJnjFCI/AAAAAAAANJo/ZH_PNLftK8wExs490PWio9wDWZmfDq5wACLcBGAs/s1600/Spectacular%2Brainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade%2B%2528from%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BCalifornia%2Bmaterial%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxaCyCq6yvE/WZWpDJnjFCI/AAAAAAAANJo/ZH_PNLftK8wExs490PWio9wDWZmfDq5wACLcBGAs/s640/Spectacular%2Brainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade%2B%2528from%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BCalifornia%2Bmaterial%2529.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular rainbow obsidian blade<br />
(from Davis Creek, California material) Photo: Quinn Street</td></tr>
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On <b>the Modoc National Forest</b>, obsidian excavation may be done under a Free Use Authorization at any of the four designated mines. Excavation is allowed at these locations only. The Free Use Authorization allows a visitor to collect a predetermined amount per year of obsidian for their own personal use. <br />
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<b>The Davis Creek Mercantile</b> in Davis Creek provides maps and permits to the mines, free of charge. Although four-wheel-drive vehicles are not needed, high clearance vehicles are suggested. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Free Use Authorizations are available at:</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Modoc National Forest Supervisor's Office - 800 West 12th Street, Alturas, CA 96101</li>
<li>Warner Mountain Ranger District Office - 385 Wallace Street, Cedarville, CA 96104</li>
<li>Davis Creek Mercantile - 41942 Highway 395, Davis Creek, CA 96108</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzrpD0zaPrs/WZWpdHen0UI/AAAAAAAANJs/fGy-8ad4yhARFYTw_aSMNDi47zzaUiGFQCLcBGAs/s1600/Davis%2BCreek%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzrpD0zaPrs/WZWpdHen0UI/AAAAAAAANJs/fGy-8ad4yhARFYTw_aSMNDi47zzaUiGFQCLcBGAs/s640/Davis%2BCreek%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peppermint stripe Obsidian from Davis Creek. photo: Scott's Rock & Gem</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vsJDd6GWhNo/WZWqO2ohRnI/AAAAAAAANJ0/axInuPxSu7AJBUwbZxYJiafEKXz5DtnnwCLcBGAs/s1600/rainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vsJDd6GWhNo/WZWqO2ohRnI/AAAAAAAANJ0/axInuPxSu7AJBUwbZxYJiafEKXz5DtnnwCLcBGAs/s640/rainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough rainbow obsidian  from Davis Creek. photo: Scott's Rock & Gem</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hz0ghbB0bEA/WZWqzCaPUYI/AAAAAAAANJ8/QcaeV0-ydzgqi8wnzsqBALOJvvrvLJVPACLcBGAs/s1600/This%2Brock%2Bhad%2Bmarvelous%2Bstripes%2Bof%2Brich%252C%2Bvibrant%2Bcolor..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hz0ghbB0bEA/WZWqzCaPUYI/AAAAAAAANJ8/QcaeV0-ydzgqi8wnzsqBALOJvvrvLJVPACLcBGAs/s640/This%2Brock%2Bhad%2Bmarvelous%2Bstripes%2Bof%2Brich%252C%2Bvibrant%2Bcolor..jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This rock had marvelous stripes of rich, vibrant color. photo: Scott's Rock & Gem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_humSzFlkE/WZWrPuVI9JI/AAAAAAAANKA/xziaxdhC-GknZgiGuyIz0z-14HZUBw_OwCLcBGAs/s1600/Davis%2BCreek%2BCa%252C%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_humSzFlkE/WZWrPuVI9JI/AAAAAAAANKA/xziaxdhC-GknZgiGuyIz0z-14HZUBw_OwCLcBGAs/s640/Davis%2BCreek%2BCa%252C%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davis Creek Ca, Rainbow Obsidian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R6pqKGVAVgY/WZWtaVfT5cI/AAAAAAAANKQ/ReEXgxjH_k8SnhmDKeUPYyzIhse2H2vhwCEwYBhgL/s1600/The%2Bground%2Bat%2BNeedle%2BHill%2Bis%2Babsolutely%2Blittered%2Bwith%2Bblack%2Band%2Bmahogany%2Bobsidian%2Bcobbles..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R6pqKGVAVgY/WZWtaVfT5cI/AAAAAAAANKQ/ReEXgxjH_k8SnhmDKeUPYyzIhse2H2vhwCEwYBhgL/s1600/The%2Bground%2Bat%2BNeedle%2BHill%2Bis%2Babsolutely%2Blittered%2Bwith%2Bblack%2Band%2Bmahogany%2Bobsidian%2Bcobbles..jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ground at Needle Hill is absolutely littered with black and mahogany obsidian cobbles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See Also: </span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/09/top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Part I: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US</b> </span></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/02/part-ii-top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank">Part II: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US </a></span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/06/where-and-how-to-find-lake-superior.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is Lake Superior Agate, and Where Can You Find It? </span></b></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/p/with-literally-hundreds-of-places.html" target="_blank">Top 2017 Mineral shows In the USA </a></b></span><br />
<u><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />References: </span></b></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.sierranevadageotourism.org/content/obsidian-mines/siefaeb194d18124a5af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Old Town Creative</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://scottsrocks.com/scotts-blog/63-davis-creek-rainbow-obsidian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scott's Rock & Gem </a></span></div>

California Rainbow Obsidian Is a Natural Wonder (PHOTOS)

Colorful obsidian. Photo: Joseph Martin Obsidian is dense volcanic glass, usually rhyolite in composition and typically black in col...

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(Credit: Getty Images) Right now, odds are that one in every four diamonds on sale around the world is a blood diamond - mined in a ...

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Telefon Bay West Antarctica's vast ice sheet conceals what may be the largest volcanic region on earth, research has revealed. T...

Where Can You Find Emerald Crystals in The USA?

0 Mining, places to visit, USA 10:17 PM

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ApI2tBvt1X0/WZClJwlZ2CI/AAAAAAAANHQ/6UIwbZD-YjYr_fEMU5dAQKKy-laK-BB-gCLcBGAs/s1600/Where%2BCan%2BYou%2BFind%2BEmerald%2Bin%2BTh%2BUSA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ApI2tBvt1X0/WZClJwlZ2CI/AAAAAAAANHQ/6UIwbZD-YjYr_fEMU5dAQKKy-laK-BB-gCLcBGAs/s640/Where%2BCan%2BYou%2BFind%2BEmerald%2Bin%2BTh%2BUSA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough Emerald</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/05/the-different-beryl-varieties-with.html" target="_blank"><b>beryl</b></a>. Beryl is a rare mineral with a chemical composition of Be<sub>3</sub>Al<sub>2</sub>(SiO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>6</sub>.  It is rare because beryllium is an element that occurs in very small amounts in the Earth’s crust.<br />
<br />
Even though the conditions for the formation of emerald are very unlikely, the gem has been found in a diversity of rock types. Many of the world's emerald deposits have formed in areas of contact metamorphism. A granitic magma can serve as a source of beryllium, and nearby carbonaceous schist or gneiss can serve as a source of chromium or vanadium.<br />
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The emeralds usually form in the schist or gneiss or in the margins of a nearby pegmatite. Mafic and ultramafic rocks can also serve as sources for chromium or vanadium. Emeralds are rarely mined from alluvial deposits. Emerald is usually a fractured stone that does not have the alluvial durability to persist great distances from its source. <br />
<br />
Very few emeralds are mined in the United States. North Carolina has been a sporadic producer of emeralds in small quantities from a few tiny mines since the late 1800s.<br />
<br />
<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are some places where you can dig some emerald yourself in The USA:</span></u><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crabtree Emerald Mine,  North Carolina</span></b></span><br />
<br />
The Crabtree pegmatite is a beryl (emerald, green beryl, aquamarine and yellow beryl) and tourmaline-bearing granitic pegmatite. Emerald and green beryl occurs in the biotite and chlorite selvage and the pegmatite margin. Aquamarine and yellow beryl occurs in the pegmatite core. <a href="http://www.emeraldvillage.com/rates-dates/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fees and Info.</a><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hiddenite Gem Mines, North Carolina</span></b></span><br />
<br />
Famously popular, Hiddenite Gem Mines is known for the discovery of some  of the largest gems in the world. Comprised of several mines, Hiddenite  Gem Mine’s group includes Emerald Hollow Mine—which is open for public  mining—Adams Mine and NAEM (North American Emerald Mine). At this Great  Smoky Mountain-area mine in Franklin, North Carolina, about 60 miles  southwest of Blowing Rock, you might find rubies, sapphires, garnets,  and rutile. Your admission fee gets you two buckets, a screen box, and a  seat cushion, which you use at the flume line. For a dollar extra, you  can get a shade umbrella. Admission: $15 for ages 12 and up, $10 for  kids 6 to 11; free for ages 5 </div>
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gold ‘N Gem Grubbin’, Georgia</span></b></span><br />
<br />
Gold n Gem Grubbin began in Cleveland, Georgia in 1984.  It started as a commercial gold mine and opened to the public in 1984.  We have happily served the public since with an old fashioned philosophy...customer service!  You can Find Gold, Gemstones (Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires, Amethyst, Garnets). <a href="http://www.goldngemgrubbinstore.com/Mine-at-Creek.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fees and Info.</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Old Mine Plaza construction site, Long Hill, Trumbull,  Connecticut</span></b></span><br />
<br />
A well-known construction site locality bordering the NW side of Old Mine Park (Hubbard) Tungsten Mine, both sites have a mineral assemblage unique to the state. Cross-cutting veins contain the same muscovite-topaz-fluorite var. chlorophane-quartz assemblage found in the surrounding area. Light green beryl was also found in small granite pegmatite stringers less than 7 cm wide.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other Places: </span></b></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Oreana Tungsten mine, Rye Patch District, Pershing Co., <b>Nevada</b></li>
<li>Fontana Reservoir Beryl Deposit, Swain Co., <b>North Carolina</b></li>
<li>Makarah Outcrop, Sangre de Cristo Mts, Taos Co.,<b> New Mexico</b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See Also: </span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/09/top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Part I: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US</b> </span></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/02/part-ii-top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank">Part II: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US </a></span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/06/where-and-how-to-find-lake-superior.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is Lake Superior Agate, and Where Can You Find It? </span></b></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/p/with-literally-hundreds-of-places.html" target="_blank">Top 2017 Mineral shows In the USA </a></b></span></div>

Where Can You Find Emerald Crystals in The USA?

Rough Emerald Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl . Beryl is a rare mineral with a chemical composition of Be ...

A Huge Gold Nugget Weighing Over 10kg Has Been Unearthed in Russia

0 famous, Gold, Mining 6:52 PM

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<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A HUGE gold nugget weighing more than one and a half STONE has been unearthed in Russia.</span></b><br />
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An unnamed bulldozer operator was site levelling at the Zarya cooperative mine in the remote south-eastern region this week when he chanced upon the precious metal.<br />
<br />
Officials confirmed the find and said the 22.7 lbs nugget is the largest piece ever found in the gold-rich area.<br />
<br />
The next largest discovery was a nugget found in 2011 which weighed 16.5 lbs.<br />
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Nikolay Ischuk, the regional nature minister, said the bulldozer left a scrape mark on the precious ingot.<br />
<br />
He said: “Based on the colour of the stone, we can assume that the level of gold sample is likely to be high.”<br />
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The current gold price is at roughly $40,000 per kilo — meaning the nugget could be worth over £300,000.<br />
<br />
A commentator who dubbed himself Doktor Pilulkin said online: “Stupid people do indeed get lucky. I wonder if he got anything as a reward for what he found?!”<br />
<br />
Another added: “At least they did not fine him for finding something like that. Cuz they could have…”<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/" target="_blank">GeologyIN</a></span></b> </div>

A Huge Gold Nugget Weighing Over 10kg Has Been Unearthed in Russia

A HUGE gold nugget weighing more than one and a half STONE has been unearthed in Russia. An unnamed bulldozer operator was site level...

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