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The Perfect Citrine Plume Agate Geode

The Perfect Citrine Plume Agate Geode

By /December 22, 2025 /1 comment /Cut Rocks

Rock #6504 While cutting Carver Agate Field geodes this summer, I saw what to me was the perfect citrine plume agate geode. Some explanation: Natural citrine, which is normally a yellow silica (quartz), is quite rare. This is because much of the citrine seen in jewelry today started out as amethyst which was then heat treated to turn it the yellow citrine color. Natural citrine is quite valuable. So if natural citrine is fairly rare, nearly transparent citrine comprising the entire geode is doubly rare. This citrine geode has added rarity—a perfectly formed golden plume agate. It is also of considerable interest that the nearly transparent citrine allows one to see into the citrine surrounding the geode cavity which glows white from the quartz crystals lining the inside of the cavity. In very bright light, other plumes can be seen deeper in the citrine surrounding the cavity. Lastly, while fractures […]

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The Parachute: Acicular Black Goethite Crystals

The Parachute: Acicular Black Goethite Crystals

By /December 3, 2025 /0 comments /Cut Rocks

I have previously noted my surprise at finding goethite crystals appearing inside of Carver geodes. As these photos show, they are usually seen appearing within geodes having a quartz crystal central cavity, with only one or sometimes two goethite crystals growing out of a purely quartz matrix. The “parachute’ photo shows the goethite crystal growing through the quartz crystal matrix which was apparently covered by a secondary yellow mineralization through which the goethite crystals grew! So, we have three separate crystallizations occurring in apparent succession. The goethite crystal as it grew lifted up part of the yellow mineralization which in the photo looks like a yellow hot air balloon or “parachute”. That is why I conclude that the goethite was the last crystallization to occur. Why goethite, which is an iron family mineral, forms out of an otherwise pure quartz crystallization is indeed curious. I hope you enjoy seeing this […]

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COLD SNOWY WEATHER = LOTS OF NEW ROCK SPECIMENS FROM THE CARVER

COLD SNOWY WEATHER = LOTS OF NEW ROCK SPECIMENS FROM THE CARVER

By /February 19, 2025 /2 comments /Cut Rocks

Let’s see what we’ve got today! Rock #5828I love this rock. Be sure to click on the image to enlarge it! Rock #5863Fragmented filament blue agate geode Rock #5844All that sagenitic stuff that makes The Carver rocks geologically interesting Rock #5868Eye agate/fortification agate—Click on the image to zoom in on it. Rock #5858I just like this rock! Rock #5859A thrill to cut and polish Rock #5814 Rock #5815Rocks 5814 and 5815 are both sides of a fist sized blue fragmented filament agate.I loved cutting and polishing this stone. Rock #5883A cross-section of a blue agate nodule with a really cool shape and color Rock #5898A perfect yellow banded agate Rock #5829Lots to unpack here: electric blue fortification agate, plume agate surrounding brown shards of lava Rock #5830Click on the image to enlarge it and zoom on the red/yellow/green blob in the upper left side of this specimen Rock # 5861Click […]

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How I Selected These Stones for This Post

How I Selected These Stones for This Post

By /January 29, 2025 /3 comments /Cut Rocks

Note: Please click on each photo below to see an enlarged version! Two of my favorite selections, Rock #5801 and Rock #5782 pictured below, are unique but different plume agates. The featured stone, Rock #5801, is just plain interesting when enlarged, as you can see: Rock #5801 Rock #5801 Enlarged Rock #5782 The next cab, Rock #5799 below, is a geologically rare rose quartz geode. Rock #5799 Another selection, Rock #5793 below, was to me reminiscent of a scene from my childhood—a fish bowl agate (named by me). Rock #5793 One of my photo selections below was to me just a beautiful agate. Rock #5758 Other specimens are representative of my favorite type of stone to cut and polish into cabs. The three rocks below are plume/jasp-agates. Rock #5796 Rock #5785 Rock #5784 The last stones I just plain like a lot, are Rock #5777, a brecciated agate, and Rock […]

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Dust Storm Approaching Over a Far West Texas Mesa

Dust Storm Approaching Over a Far West Texas Mesa

By /November 20, 2024 /1 comment /Cut Rocks

The Dust Storm Rock #5740 This dust storm is seen inside a Carver Agate Field geode which I just cut. See the photos above. The other half of the cut geode, shown in the photo of Rock #5736 below, contains within the “mesa brown blob” a cool but quite unusual outline of a blue fortification agate. Rock #5736 Rock #5743 Rock #5743 above is a beautiful plume agate cab I cut yesterday from a Carver agate. Rock #5743 Enlarged In the enlarged photo above, note the fortification agate lurking at 10 o’clock above and to the left of the yellow plume. Another stone cut from this same plume agate is seen in Rock #5742 below. Rock #5742 Rock #5750 Rock #5750 is a geode that looks likes the same yellow material as seen in the plume agate, but without the tree shape. Rock #5745 Rock #5745 Enlarged Above the crack […]

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MORE PICS IN THE Summer 2024 Carver Agate Field Harvest Gallery

MORE PICS IN THE Summer 2024 Carver Agate Field Harvest Gallery

By /October 7, 2024 /0 comments /Cut Rocks

As I previously posted, the apples have been harvested, the garden harvest is nearly complete, and a harvest of Carver Agates cut this Summer of 2024 has been added to a new gallery. And now there are even more! I just added some more great pics to the Summer 2024 Carver Agate Field Harvest Gallery. Click the link above and take a look. These images were added to the end of the gallery, so you will have to scroll down a bit and you will find them. It might be easier to go to the bottom of the gallery and scroll UP to see the new stuff. Please remember to click on the images you want to see in more detail—a new page will then open up and you can enlarge the image for closer viewing. You can also download any image that interests you for later offline viewing. Just right click […]

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A New Harvest of Carver Agates!

A New Harvest of Carver Agates!

By /September 28, 2024 /6 comments /Cut Rocks

Apples have been harvested, the garden harvest is nearly complete, and here is a new harvest of Carver Agates cut this summer. Enjoy this harvest! Rock #5720 Rock #5720 shows a radiating sagenitic formation on the outer surface of a translucent nodule from the “Deep Pit” formation featured in Rock and Gem Magazine. Rock #5694 The yellow crystalline structures seen in this agate nodule are mind boggling. See enlarged photo below. Rock #5694 Enlarged I have no idea how or what formed these yellow sheet like structures. They are very curious indeed. Rock #5698 This red carnelian agate nodule with white radiating formations is related structurally to the radiating pattern seen in Rock #5720, seen up above. Both contain star bursts, but not formed from the same mineral material. Rock #5698 Enlarged Rock #5720 is probably an iron, while the white starburst in Rock #5698 shown here is not. Rock […]

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New Banner Photo(s) Coming

New Banner Photo(s) Coming

By /August 27, 2024 /2 comments /Geology

I have asked my trusted webmaster, Leah, to change up the top banner photo on the homepage 3 times over the next several months. I have recently reviewed, over many many hours, my best and most interesting photos of geodes, nodules, and vein agates. I will compile these photos on this website under three voluminous categories which will be captioned “Best of Galleries,” with one for each category. These galleries are probably too voluminous for the casual or limited interest viewer, but will be of some geologic value for serious rock enthusiasts who will take the time to view these specimens on a computer monitor, not their phones. The geological splendor and formational diversity will serve scientific inquiry about agate formation. This inquiry, though underway for much more than a hundred years, is still ongoing. Recently, I read a new scientific publication entitled, Banded Agates: a Genetic Approach (2018), by […]

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Unusual black chalcedony geode and other anomalies

Unusual black chalcedony geode and other anomalies

By /October 26, 2023 /0 comments /Cut Rocks

This is only the second black geode I have encountered on The Carver. This is dense black chalcedony, not basalt. Other photographs shown here are of the cabs which I cut from this black geode. Rock #5343I have never before encountered pitch black chalcedony in a Carver geode. Chalcedony is a micro-crystalline quartz (silica) common in many agates. It can be many colors but is most often translucent or transparent. Pitch black coloration is, from my experience, very rare. Click on the images below to view enlarged versions of this examples. Rock #5336 Rock #5248 Rock #5241 One stone yielded a slab that I turned into this fancy-cut designer free form cab (Rock #5325), as well as stone #5258 below. Rock #5325 Rock #5258 Last but not least. . . This small flat-topped cab features a crystal filled vug and the ‘fill tube’ (term likely not geologically correct) all from […]

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Newest cuttings reveal four agate nodules, one geode, and one fortification agate in a single cabochon! ...And many more cool stones

Newest cuttings reveal four agate nodules, one geode, and one fortification agate in a single cabochon! …And many more cool stones

By /October 24, 2023 /3 comments /Cut Rocks

Click on the images below so you can zoom in on the details! Here we go: Rock #5300See enlarged photo below Detail of Rock #5300See four agate nodules, one geode, and one fortification agate in a single cabochon Rock #5291Reminds me of Lloyd Bridges and Sea Hunt — an underwater scene (for those too young to remember Sea Hunt) Rock #5293A fancy free-form agate Rock #5299Looks cracked but it is not. It’s brecciated jasper with silica between the fragments Detail of Rock #5299 Rock #5298My favorite type of stone for cutting — jasp-agate with crystal lined vug Rock #5305The white top and bottom of this stone evidencing another ‘Bullfrog’ agate, named by me Rock #5337Geode in vein agate Rock #5338Designer free form agate cab cut from the above vein agate (Rock #5337) Rock #5308Spectacular flat topped jasp-agate cab with two blue fortification agate inclusions The three stones below — #5317, […]

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