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Identity HelpRed Veined Quartz?

27th Oct 2016 04:02 UTCKristi Hugs

Someone sent me this picture asking for ID help. They have little to no info. I have never seen a Jasper this bright. Not saying there is not one, just not one I have seen. It looks like quartz with bright red veins. I do not think it is dyed but there is no discernible pattern in the color. Someone suggested Cinnabar, but I have never seen it present like this. I am sorry I do not have more info. If you can point me in a direction, I will know what questions to ask :)

thank you so much!

27th Oct 2016 06:50 UTCEd Clopton 🌟 Expert

Thanks for the photo of the back of the specimen--that's very helpful in this case. The bright red color looks suspicious on the polished surface, but on the weathered surface the raised veins with their slightly browner color (due to a little iron hydroxide from weathering, vs. the pure iron oxide of hematite) look quite natural. A little hematite can impart a brilliant red color to chalcedony, which is what I would guess is the case here, although I suppose cinnabar cannot be ruled out as a coloring agent.

27th Oct 2016 08:45 UTCAmir C. Akhavan Expert

If you break off a little red piece and heat it in a test tube (outside, of course), it will turn gray if it is cinnabar or realgar.

See this thread:

http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,6,164380,164380#msg-164380

27th Oct 2016 12:49 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

Agree, in that Hematite being extremely common, it's far more likely than Realgar/Cinnabar to be the chromophore. Hematite certainly can impart a brilliant crimson red at times, as it does in these two examples as well: crystals from Valencia, Spain and Agate from St. Egidien, Germany.

A very striking looking piece I must say Kristi, Have to admit I've never seen it's like before, but it looks perfectly natural to me as well. Neat!!

MRH

27th Oct 2016 15:07 UTCKristi Hugs

thank you all so very much!! I know I did not have any helpful info to share but you helped to ID all the same. I am very grateful!!!

27th Oct 2016 22:59 UTCGary Weinstein

Is this the next item to be seen on eBay? I can just see the listing now... BLOOD LIGHTNING Quartz. RARE or medium rare. :-D

27th Oct 2016 23:06 UTCKristi Hugs

ohhhhhh that's good!!!! catchy name! (Yes, I know you were being sarcastic, so was I......LOL)

15th Feb 2023 07:09 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

I must admit I was intrigued by the look of this piece Kristi posted, but I have only now found both the likely source of this material, and what the structure of it actually is.

These are marketed as "Pigeon Blood Agate", from the Yellow Cat area, in the Morrison Formation of Southern Utah, Grand Co., Utah. These structures are actually silicified soil carbonate nodules. The sample I just acquired (above) is 3 x 3 x 1 3/4 inch

15th Feb 2023 08:25 UTCBen Grguric Expert

Reminds me of the so-called potato stones found in the Mendips of Somerset, England, I think of similar genesis or a replacement of anhydrite nodules.

15th Feb 2023 19:24 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

The same area/formation also produces sulfate pseudomorphs in the form of these former baryte samples. (also just acquired: 2 x 1.5 x 1 inch)

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