Identification (photos)

I'm in North QLD and found these out between mt garnet and chillageo and I have no idea what these are... They were all found in the same spot
1. Maybe topaz?
2/3. ?
4. Broken gem Topaz? (found next to #1 image)
5. It reminds me of Tigers Eye, but it breaks into box sections and is brittle (can break with hands)

Thank you so much for any help!

1


2


3


4

5

Welcome aboard Wayne, nice rocks mate. :Y:

Thank you for the welcome! Nice to join

I really hope these can be identified.. because There are plenty more better ones there (these were just the easy ones we picked up on the surface)

Also found these... Any ideas?

6


7


8

Sounds like a good spot, maybe some nice full crystals just under the surface outa sight.

Do you think 1&4 is Topaz?

I couldn't tell ya Wayne, I'm more a detected treasure man, but, I think it's all about the cleavage to tell the differences between Topaz and Quartz Crystal, even then I could be wrong mate. :lol:
some links that might help. 8)
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=13072
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9674

Thanks again

Weight test comes out 2.6 .. i guess it's just Quartz

It can be very hard to tell from photos, but if you are getting a SG of 2.6 then its looking like quartz, but they are still some interesting pieces and some cutable pieces too.

From your description and the photo i wonder if photo 5 is calcite?

Hi Shivan, after some more searching you are right, #5 is red calcite, like this:



I was a bit inaccurate with it's breakability.. I cannot break these samples with my hands, but they are brittle if hit with something.

I will try cutting that #1 Quartz into something interesting as its a good size and shape (with some reasonable transparency) to do so I think

Hi Wayne, Nice minerals. I worked in caves, know cave minerals well, and I have been around Chillagoe caves. All the specimens you posted (except number 4) i can confirm are definitely calcite formed in cavities in Limestone. Images 6&7 are calcite flowstone deposits formed on the floor/walls of caves or small cavities. The fine white crystals in the cavity (image 8) are calcite or more likely aragonite (the two minerals can pseudo morph from one form to the other) . The crystals probably formed as Helictites. (google for explanation)

Image 1 is definitely weathered calcite, Image 4 maybe calcite, it appears to have some weak conchoidal fracture lines, its possibly clear quartz....topaz on the outside chance. Hardness test would help ID it. I did see a lot of clear quartz flakes laying on the ground up there, a byproduct of 1000's of years of aboriginal toolmaking.
Cheers RDD

This was extremely helpful, thank you RedDirtDigger

I found a few other good sized ones that are very clear so I might try cutting them into something interesting too

Cheers