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Rock identifiers, please come and help here.

20 replies

CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:56

Ok, I can't get any photos onto my profile, so I'm trying to put them here instead. Please can someone help dd and I work out what these rocks are. We have looked up quite a few identification charts, but we're a bit stuck. I've put photos on my profile.

So far we think ...
1.
2.

  1. Schist.
  2. Marble or Quartz
5.
  1. Iron ore
7. 8. 9. 10.

Thanks Grin

OP posts:
CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:56

Rock number 2

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:57

Number 3

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:58

Rock 4

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:58

Rock 5

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:59

Rock 6

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:59

Rock 7

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 13:59

Rock 8

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 14:00

Rock 9

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 14:00

Rock 10

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 14:01

Rock 11

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 14:01

Last one ..... Rock 12

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GoblinGranny · 26/05/2013 14:05

Have a look at this site
geology.com/ Perhaps it would help.
Where did you collect them from?

bootsycollins · 26/05/2013 14:08

Ha! I clicked on here thinking you needed help identifying what group sang a song you were thinking of Blush

CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 14:17

They were all collected from Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands.

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CairngomRockHunter · 26/05/2013 14:18

Bootsycollins Grin. I wish I was, I think that would be easier. I am feeling the pressure. I have promised the children answers ... uh oh.

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GoblinGranny · 26/05/2013 14:32

So look at metamorphic first, Aviemore is a metamorphic zone.

WhiteYFronts · 26/05/2013 14:35

These are all guesses, its been a while since I last identified any rocks! Weathered pebbles are the hardest rocks to identify, preferably you need to look at a fresh surface and in site to make firm identifications.

Smash some in half to get a better look.

For quartz check the hardness, that's a good indicator a steel file won't scratch it. Vinegar is a test for calcite.

1 looks like it will have lots of quartz and haematite staining.

2 could be granitic, looks to be lots of quartz and pink orthoclase with some darker mafic minerals.

3 doesn't look very schisty to me, but its weathered and not a great pic so hard to tell. Remember schistocity is a texture rather than a particular rock mineralogy.

4 probably quartz.

5 too weathered, maybe quartz or something else entirely.

6 iron ore is unlikely, could be staining due to haematite leaching.

7 probably sedimentary and looks like it has some glittery mica.

8 very difficult due to weathering, more orangy so maybe staining rather than pink feldspars.

9 is being metamorphosed, looks quite gneissic.

10 has what is most likely a nice quartz vein, base rock could be sedimentary although it would have had some altering when vein went in.

11 can't tell, is it the same as 3?

12 looks like a stained limestone?? Chuck some vinegar on to check for calcite.

Please don't trust the accuracy of these guesses!

GoblinGranny · 26/05/2013 14:36

www.strachur.org.uk/geology/crystals.html

CairngomRockHunter · 28/05/2013 11:55

Wow, thank you very much. That is really helpful. Smile

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VenusRising · 02/09/2013 17:31

I think it's too difficult as none of the surfaces are fresh, and the photos are too far away and out of focus, sorry.
You have to hit them and get to their innards, then photograph them really close so we can see the crystals.

They all look like some kind of granite to me, with different crystal sizes. Or gneiss.

The white band in the grey may be calcite veining through a limestone, or it could be a quarts vein through schist. Try it with something acid and if it fizzes that's calcite.

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