STONES

[Ladybird66]

I’ve added to this section though, strictly speaking, stones aren’t fossils.
I said I thought Littleboots (Jan’s) Axe head was the same as a piece of rock I’d got, still think it is, even if I ID’d it wrong.
Walking along our beaches it’s amazing how many different stones can be found. We are lucky around here to have been in the path of a glacier so all sorts have been brought down from the Preseli Hills.
Washed and tumbled by the water and waves I think they are beautiful. Hope you enjoy.
I’ve also added the ‘odd’ stone found recently. I thought it looked like burned metal stuck to the outside but no reaction from mr.Garrett and it’s not magnetic. It is rather heavy though, weighing in at 138g and measuring 2 1/2in X 2in. Any ideas appreciated.

[Ladybird66]

This is the ‘odd’ one

[figgis]

Oh, someone after me own heart

The shingle in the new gaffette has loads of fossils in it and it was while looking for these that I began to notice the beauty of some of the other stones. So much so that I was tempted to buy a rock tumbler to get them all spruced up and shiny but then found out it takes each of 4-5 processes a week to go through and binned the idea.

Some I've whacked some renaissance wax on and they do look rather fetching even without tumbling. I'll put a picture up when I take one

[DaveP]

This is the ‘odd’ one

I think you have ironstone on sandstone - they occur together. We have lorry loads around here and it has been used to decorate buildings - small bits are put in the mortar _ I'll post a picture at some point. Just tested a piece in the garden with my PulseDive which is a PI pinpointer and it doesn't register. If it did detecting round here would be almost impossible!

[DaveP]

I said I thought Littleboots (Jan’s) Axe head was the same as a piece of rock I’d got, still think it is, even if I ID’d it wrong.

You're not far off if you don't mind me saying. Dolerite - Jan's axe - is a fine grained, intrusive, igneous rock of the the basalt type which is a mineral. Think of it as a single mineral with very fine crystal structure.
Your rock is a fine grained granite. Granite is also an intrusive igneous rock but its composed of three very different components - quartz, mica and feldspar. Each of those have different hardnesses and different crystals structures. Have a look at granite kitchen worktops. Assuming they aren't black, the black shiny bits are usually the mica, the longer crystals, often pinkish, are feldspar and the other crystals are quartz. It does get a lot more complex but it gets boring much quicker!

[Littleboot]

I love stones. I have just spent a lovely day (a gorgeous 28 degrees) strolling the beach at Houlgate (after a suitable lunch of charcuterie and cheese platter washed down with Picot spritzer ) . There are so many fossils in the cliffs...they are grey clay with seams of golden cotswold type limestone laced with fossils. No ammonites today...it needs a storm because the accessible bits have been well picked over....but a nice piece of crystal/ fools gold which i will post tomorrow. I could have spent DAYS browsing the rocks.
But we had to get home so paddled back through the clear surf and past the cockle-hunters and stopped on the way home at our favorite bar for a bit of light refreshment. And now I am too tired. lol.
Interesting stone Jan...it looks like the core is different form the outer shell.

[Ladybird66]

I think you have ironstone on sandstone - they occur together. We have lorry loads around here and it has been used to decorate buildings - small bits are put in the mortar _ I'll post a picture at some point. Just tested a piece in the garden with my PulseDive which is a PI pinpointer and it doesn't register. If it did detecting round here would be almost impossible!

I find it strange because ironstone has been widely dug around my area in the past and even been exported. In fact I’ve got a piece I brought home from the beach a few years ago. I think there may have been a spillage some time in the past, by the Harbour. It’s impossible to detect because of constant signals.
The piece I’ve got is both magnetic & gives a strong signal.
My first thought was the ‘odd’ stone was going to be the same and I was curious about the iron being outside, not inside, the stone. I was very surprised to get no response it even crossed my mind that it could be a meteorite .

[Ladybird66]

Oh, someone after me own heart

The shingle in the new gaffette has loads of fossils in it and it was while looking for these that I began to notice the beauty of some of the other stones. So much so that I was tempted to buy a rock tumbler to get them all spruced up and shiny but then found out it takes each of 4-5 processes a week to go through and binned the idea.

Some I've whacked some renaissance wax on and they do look rather fetching even without tumbling. I'll put a picture up when I take one

Cotswold chippings, that’s what you want John. If ever you get bored, buy a small bag, it’ll keep you busy for a week
As to polishing. I’ve got quite a few nice small stones, painted with clear nail varnish. They look great

[Ladybird66]

You're not far off if you don't mind me saying. Dolerite - Jan's axe - is a fine grained, intrusive, igneous rock of the the basalt type which is a mineral. Think of it as a single mineral with very fine crystal structure.
Your rock is a fine grained granite. Granite is also an intrusive igneous rock but its composed of three very different components - quartz, mica and feldspar. Each of those have different hardnesses and different crystals structures. Have a look at granite kitchen worktops. Assuming they aren't black, the black shiny bits are usually the mica, the longer crystals, often pinkish, are feldspar and the other crystals are quartz. It does get a lot more complex but it gets boring much quicker!

So I can be forgiven, as a complete novice for thinking they were the same
I seem to remember there was an idea that the Blue Stones at Stone Henge were thought to have healing powers because of the crystal they contained.
Maybe I should try throwing mine at Hubby a few times, see if it makes him better

[Ladybird66]

I love stones. I have just spent a lovely day (a gorgeous 28 degrees) strolling the beach at Houlgate (after a suitable lunch of charcuterie and cheese platter washed down with Picot spritzer ) . There are so many fossils in the cliffs...they are grey clay with seams of golden cotswold type limestone laced with fossils. No ammonites today...it needs a storm because the accessible bits have been well picked over....but a nice piece of crystal/ fools gold which i will post tomorrow. I could have spent DAYS browsing the rocks.
But we had to get home so paddled back through the clear surf and past the cockle-hunters and stopped on the way home at our favorite bar for a bit of light refreshment. And now I am too tired. lol.
Interesting stone Jan...it looks like the core is different form the outer shell.

I’ve always loved stones and bits of pot way back to when I was a kid. Dresses commonly had pockets back then and my Nan was always telling me off for putting weird things in them and pulling them down to the point the dress material would rip. Ah, happy days
Your day sounds iidilic Jan. the temp here was 28c and all I did was hide. I took my NOX into the garden to make sure it was all working and had a nice clear 18 signal. Well I just had to dig it, didn’t I. Now tell me how a piece of iron can sound like treasure ?
Anyway it took me about 10 minuets to investigate by which time I was already feeling dizzy. Hence me hiding away till tea time.
I think the cool water and a little sea breeze might have been very pleasant. You can keep the beverage, I’ll stick to coffee or apple squash

[Littleboot]

Haha....I always had stuff in my pockets that ended up in the wash. (I still do! ) Sometimes the washing machine sounds more like a concrete mixer,
Yes indeed, the sea breeze was lovely and fresh. That is why the Normandy coast remains so popular because it can get very hot inland even up North. It was 38 degrees at the front of our house (and the same in our little local town) on Sunday. Which is why we thought we'd have a day off in the cool air.
Of course, I am now shattered. lol
The spritzer isn't a strong cocktail but is a lovely bubbly long glass of cold, slightly bitter refreshment. It is my main treat when i go to this little resort. (The icecream parlour was closed for the day, sadly....I love choosing two boules of the countless different flavours and discovering new and weird combinations, )
The photo was the one taken to send to our son Rob. It has been very difficult keeping in touch and we haven't seen him since Christmas which makes me sad. We would have been there together and so this was the best we could do.

[DaveP]

I find it strange because ironstone has been widely dug around my area in the past and even been exported. In fact I’ve got a piece I brought home from the beach a few years ago. I think there may have been a spillage some time in the past, by the Harbour. It’s impossible to detect because of constant signals.
The piece I’ve got is both magnetic & gives a strong signal.
My first thought was the ‘odd’ stone was going to be the same and I was curious about the iron being outside, not inside, the stone. I was very surprised to get no response it even crossed my mind that it could be a meteorite .

It might depend on what ironstone you have. The stuff around here doesn't give any signal and is not magnetic. You may have a variety containing magnetite or haematite with magnetite. Or it may be something different entirely. Is it ironstone or iron ore?
We get huge lumps here (bigger than wheelbarrows) plus lots of smaller stuff. The pictures below from this morning show some of the smaller veins in an exposed sandstone outcrop just around the corner on a friends farm. The close up shows the sandstone apparently inside ironstone and the other picture shows the vein just below the sunlit patch. It's a sedimentary rock and many of the pieces show ripple marks.

[Ladybird66]

It might depend on what ironstone you have. The stuff around here doesn't give any signal and is not magnetic. You may have a variety containing magnetite or haematite with magnetite. Or it may be something different entirely. Is it ironstone or iron ore?
We get huge lumps here (bigger than wheelbarrows) plus lots of smaller stuff. The pictures below from this morning show some of the smaller veins in an exposed sandstone outcrop just around the corner on a friends farm. The close up shows the sandstone apparently inside ironstone and the other picture shows the vein just below the sunlit patch. It's a sedimentary rock and many of the pieces show ripple marks.

Ah, now that’s interesting. I’ve heard reference to both Iron Ore and Iron Stone. Being ignorant on the subject I’d assumed they were the same. I imagine Iron Ore would be the one exported for smelting. That’s probably what picked up on the beach. It’s a bit weathered now bu maybe you might recognise it in the pic (just go and snap it)
It’s tremendously heavy, weighing in at 6lbs 5oz

[shaggybfc]

I’ve always picked up interesting stones.... as well as pottery, fossils, anything odd really.
I didn’t realise just how much fossilised wood was out there until a detecting buddy pointed it out, now I see it everywhere.

[Ladybird66]

I’ve always picked up interesting stones.... as well as pottery, fossils, anything odd really.
I didn’t realise just how much fossilised wood was out there until a detecting buddy pointed it out, now I see it everywhere.

It’s much the same as ‘getting your ear in’ once you know it’s easy, assuming there’s something there in the first place