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I have never seen this before and I cannot explain it!

I have never seen this before and I cannot explain it!

By /February 8, 2026 /1 comment /Cut Rocks

Rock #6707 Twenty years of cutting literally thousands of nodules, geodes, agates, jaspers and jasp/agates from The Carver and, in February 2026, something new and different appeared. This was an unimpressive typical looking nodule (see above). The agate banding in the three areas—right, left, and center—are typical of agate formation in Carver nodules. And then, the geological oddity. Red appears to bleed into the blue of the original color of the stone, but then suddenly there is a dark blue/black band, and then the lighter blue coloration of the original stone. The 3 agate areas of the stone are clearly colored somehow. Rock #6707 DetailClick on the image to open a new window for better viewing If the coloration followed the bands, this would not be unusual. In fact, it would be typical. If the coloration followed or flowed along a crack, this would be very common and is what […]

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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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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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Rock & Gem Magazine October 2020: "Captivating Find At The Carver Agate Field" reviewed

Rock & Gem Magazine October 2020: “Captivating Find At The Carver Agate Field” reviewed

By /October 5, 2020 /0 comments /Geology

In October 2020, Rock & Gem Magazine published an article, “Captivating Find At the Carver Agate Field,” by John Carver and Bill Halepeska. The article as published by Rock & Gem is an abridged, edited version of the original work submitted to Rock & Gem by Carver and Halepeska. The Rock & Gem article in its summary captioned “Authors’ Opinions” incorrectly states that Bill and I came to different geological conclusions. The fact is just the opposite. We collaborated extensively and reached consensus that the ‘deep pit’ nodules and geodes formed in and then weathered out of gas bubbles formed in lava before hardening. Since these nodules and geodes are only in one small area of the ‘deep pit’, we do not believe that they were formed where found, nor weathered out in their current location. We both believe they were formed elsewhere (in the Paisano volcano, several miles to […]

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YouTube Video: Rock Cutting and Polishing!

YouTube Video: Rock Cutting and Polishing!

By /December 12, 2019 /0 comments /Cut Rocks

I recently posted 7 new picture galleries of over 100 rocks from the ‘deep pit’ found on The Carver. The ‘Deep Pit Agate, Amethyst, Smoky Quartz Geode Gallery’ is divided into 7 separate galleries: 1:  Geodes and Nodules before Cutting 2:  Amethyst Geodes 3:  Citrine Geodes 4:  Banded Blue and Gray Agates and Geodes 5:  Smoky Quartz Geodes 6:  Calcite Geodes 7:  Miscellaneous  These galleries display cut and polished specimens from the ‘deep pit’ and reflect over a year’s worth of work. My YouTube video shows this week’s find of over 15  pounds of new ‘deep pit’ agates and geodes and demonstrates how I cut and polish them in my shop. Be sure to enlarge the video screen for better viewing. Enjoy!     The rock I am holding here is a deep pit agate.

Odd-ball Geodes from the Carver Agate Field

Odd-ball Geodes from the Carver Agate Field

By /October 20, 2019 /0 comments /Rock Finds

This green geode is notable because green is a fairly rare color for nodules and geodes found in West Texas. The salmon/orange-colored geode below has an unusual rind surrounding the crystal-filled hollow center of the stone. While these finds are not ‘spectacular,’ they are geologically interesting to serious rock collectors and discovering them would make any collector’s day!

A Deep Pocket

A Deep Pocket

By /January 19, 2019 /3 comments /Rock Finds

A deep excavation on The Carver has produced a small pocket/area filled with amethyst and smoky quartz crystal-filled geodes and blue agate nodules. Some unique mineral specimens were also uncovered. This deep pocket was approximately 10 to 15 feet down in the excavation and involved a productive area approximately 30 by 50 feet in size. This pocket, thus far, is a unique and never before seen geological formation on The Carver agate field. Fall 2018 produced an unexpected treasure trove of rock specimens. The photos speak for themselves, so click here to see examples in the Gallery.  

Small Pocket Yields Amethyst and Smoky Quartz Geodes and More

Small Pocket Yields Amethyst and Smoky Quartz Geodes and More

By /October 14, 2018 /1 comment /Rock Finds

A small but rich pocket, recently uncovered on ‘the Carver’, is yielding an amazing number of geodes and nodules. The nodules contain banded blue and gray agates and many contain amethyst and smoky quartz crystals found within geodes (hollows) within the nodules. One large geode has a spectacular void with a sparkly druzey cavity. This pocket, which is still being explored, has yielded hundreds of nodules and geodes, some as small as a finger nail, some exceeding 17 pounds in weight. On one particular hunting foray, the pocket yielded blue, gray, and white banded agate nodules of the following weights: 17.6 pounds, two at 13 pounds each, 8.2 pounds, two at 3.4 pounds each, and 2.7 pounds. On another rocking foray, an astounding quantity of medium-sized nodules was recovered. I am in the process of cutting and polishing many of these nodules, although with the number involved the task will […]

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