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Field CollectingMason Tx - Topaz specific question on streambeds -Commanche creek

9th Apr 2008 20:22 UTCLance Kirkbride

We have gone and stayed a few times at the Lindsey Ranch out in mason and are going back for several days towards the end of may.


I have a question or two on the topaz that can be found there, if there is anyone that is familar enough to be able to asnwer the question, as the ranchowner was unsure herself.


On commanche creek, where we primarily worked the stream beds for topaz there are several spots of "schiz(spelling?)where the creekbed cuts thru them. Now we primarily worked the stream beds by digging down and sifting thru the gravel etc on the screened racks I had built, but I was wondering...is it worth prosepcting the actual rock faces of the stream beds themselves and even looking at the rocks that are not up in the streambed but rather up on the cliffs and the small 1700 foot mountain that one crosses to get to the creek?


( I guess in other words...can the topaz actually "form" right there or does it only from upstream and come down form the katamecy rocks and deposit itself in the streambeds?)



Hope this question makes sense. I am wanting to know if we should concentrate our efforts in the commanche creek stream beds or if there is a better spot to work in and around the streambeds.



Thanks for any and all replies



( I do have all the tools needed to split the rock faces of the "schiz" where the stream cuts thru it..just a bit uncertain as to what to look for...)

9th Apr 2008 20:29 UTCDavid Von Bargen Manager

It's probably schist. The topaz there is from the pegmatites (the coarser granites) and wouldn't be found in the schists itself (you might have pegmatites cutting through the schists though).

9th Apr 2008 23:35 UTCLance Kirkbride

Without making myself sound 'too naive" ( and yes schist it is I believe), is there a way to determine if one is actually looking at a pegmatite structure? ( any websites that show pics or anyone familar with the mason texas area to be able to answer


thanks

10th Apr 2008 00:11 UTCKarl Warning

I am certainly no expert on Texas topaz or Texas topaz localities around Mason. But, I have been to Mason and have a geology graduate degree from UT Austin. The best of my recollection is that all Texas topaz in the Mason area was alluvial and that the actual pegmatites were eroded away long ago. The topaz crystals were found around 100 years ago by ranchers in stream/river gravels. There are probably several geology professors here in Texas, that could give you the answers you need. One is retired here in the Dallas area, but is still quite active.

10th Apr 2008 00:15 UTCDavid Von Bargen Manager

The grain size of the pegmatite is much larger than the surrounding rocks (1" to 20+feet). If the schist is biotite or amphibole rich, it will be black or very dark in color. Granitic pegmatites will be white to tannish pink in color. Most of the material is alluvial (streams), but occassionally it has been found in pegmatites.


http://www.yourgemologist.com/ISGForumsBoard/showthread.php?t=1511

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegmatite

10th Apr 2008 00:41 UTCjohan k



10th Apr 2008 14:58 UTCLance Kirkbride

Thanks for the replys, sounds like then its all going to be in the stream beds from what you are saying.


So thats where we should concentrate then, rather then looking for a structure to actually " chip away at"

11th Apr 2008 04:25 UTCJohn Truax

Hi!


I have prospected for topaz at the Seaquist Ranch in Mason County. The ranch is a huge area of crumbling pink granite hills and with some vugs. Large topaz have been found on the hills in the stream and by breaking into vugs. You can get a key to the gate and pay a small fee (double check my directions plz) at the gas station in Mason it was about 8 years ago I went hopefully the location is still open. Nice camping areas and very scenic place real "Hill Country" TX! Here are some directions: From Mason go NW on US 87/Rt 377 5 miles to jct w/ Rt 29 (picnic/wayside area here) then go west on Rt 377 for .6 (6/10) miles there is a locked gate and a dirt trail that goes North. Drive down towards the creek. There are a few places where old vugs were opened if you look hard up the creek (long hike) along some rock ledges. I managed to dig some quartz crystals, nicely formed smokeys but the topaz remain for you to find. I had a book showing a lucky digger back in the 1950s cleaning out a large vug along the stream at the location and amazingly I found the exact spot! I wondered around the ranch for 5 days looking for gems in the warm spring sunshine, it will always be a happy memory. Good Luck Digging!


JT


Thank you William for the correction.

11th Apr 2008 13:29 UTCLance Kirkbride

Thanks for the reply John. Yes Ive heard of that ranch...we have been to the Lindsey ranch and will be going again at end of may for several days. I am still trying to do as much research as we can to find the best spot(s) out there to hunt...don't know if it would be worth taking the time to go to that ranch for part of a day while we are out there or just concentrate on the lindsey ranch ( which is on Commanche creek)


Personally while I have all the equipment for sifting and digging etc..Id love to be able to try and find a pegamatite structure and find a quartz vug ( not sure if my terminology is correct) and do some direct "chipping"...just not sure if thats possible or which ranch is the best.


Anyone have personal exp on the lindsey ranch by chance?

11th Apr 2008 17:18 UTCWilliam C. van Laer Expert

Lance:

The actual origin of the topaz (and smoky quartz) is from miarolitic cavities in the granite, and while these resemble pegmatites, they are decidedly different. Pegmatites are distinct bodies of coarse granite that are injected into fractures or openings in the granite itself (interior pegmatites) or into rockes surrounding a granite intrusive mass (exterior pegmatites). Exterior pegmatites are found in many rock types, typically schists and gneisses, and are often large and complex (ex: southern California tourmaline pegmatites; Black Hills, South Dakota; Spruce Pine district, North Carolina; Maine tourmaline/apatite pegmatites). Interior pegmatites are usually much smaller and do not have the complex mineralogy of their exterior cousins, generally containing quartz, feldspar, mica, and minor accessory minerals such as epidote, schorl tourmaline, topaz.


If you can find a copy of John Sinkankas' "Prospecting For Gemstones and Minerals", there is a great picture of an excavated miarolitic cavity in the area you are interested in. It is clearly not a pegmatite but an abrupt opening in what is otherwise solid granite, showing the fractured nature of the rock surrounding these openings. A true miarolitic cavity is basically a gas and/or liquid trapped in the granitic melt, part of the rock that does not solidify or crystallize. The minerals that compose the granite itself then crystallizes directly into the opening, in their characteristic idiomorphic faces, and uninterrupted by adjacent minerals (euhedrally). Late minerals, associated with aqueous mineralization, especially topaz, grow into these "pockets" provided the right conditions are met (chemistry, temperature, pH, pressure, etc.)


Subsequent weathering conditions often expose and wash these minerals into the soil horizon, and eventually into the nearby stream drainages. Since most of these minerals are durable, hard, and chemically-resistant, they end up in alluvial accumulations in the stream bed. This is what you are finding by washing through the gravels.


But if you want to find pockets, you need to hunt the granite host rock itself; sometimes crystals will be freed by weathering and are found downslope from their vug origins, in which case, you may be able to trace this material to its source. Typically, miarolitic cavities do no exhibit coarse, pegmatitic rock except for immediately adjacent to the vug opening, but in some cases, streaks or schlieren of coarse granite may lead you to a hidden pocket. Sometimes grass or other plants take root in cavities, and they are found by observing where plants grow from what is otherwise solid rock; removing the plant matter will allow access to the pocket contents. The material from a pocket will be in much better condition than what you find in the straem gravels, where weathering wears down crystal faces and edges, sometimes to the point of smoothing them out alltogether. Crystals extracted from vugs or cavities tend to be in fine condition, with sharp faces and shiny surfaces (except for duller crystals like microcline!)


The miarolitic cavities of Mason County, Texas are much like the cavities found in the Sawtooth Mountains and Crags Batholith of central Idaho; also like those found in the Tarryall Mountains of Colorado.


I should add here that in some cases, the pegmatitic streaks or schlieren that surround some miarolitic cavities are basically "micropegmatites" and there is no fine dividing line between them and true pegmatites, but since most miarolititc cavities are pretty limited in overall size, they just don't qualify as a "true" pegmatite. There is some crossover between them, so don't give up alltogether searching for pegmatites in a miarolitic granite!

Chris

11th Apr 2008 21:13 UTCLance Kirkbride

William, Thank you for your detailed reply!


A question or two, and bear with me as our family is very new at this.


Using the example I am familar with On the Lindsey ranch commanche creek flow thru the ranch...at several spots the stream beds cuts thru "shist" I believe...but I do see some spots where I can see some quartz like veins and in spots the creekbed is full of large rocks/small boulders...some have quartz type veins in them.


Since we will be out there for a more extended period of time toward end of may I will be spending much time rockhounding...and was wondering is there a way I can tell by looking at the "shist" face is it just "rock" or it is possible there could be vugs containing crystals?


The ranch owner herslef was not sure...and the Lindsey ranch is in the same basic area as the Seaquist and the (Hoffman)? ranch...basicly all around the area just north of mason.and west a td of hwy 87



I guess my ultimate question I wonder is how do I as a lay person tell if there is a chance im looking at potential "vug crystal" containing rock lol...I will search for the book u speak of and we may go over to the seaquist ranch for an afternoon since we will be so close at end of may to see what the difference is

11th Apr 2008 21:50 UTCLance Kirkbride

BTW William,


I just have placed an order for a 1970's copy of the book! via amazon (Prospecting For Gemstones and Minerals) fomr the author you mentioned...it has gotten great review. They had a slightly different titled one listed that was about 3 times as much which is a 1995 edition but the reviews say they are all good ( not sure why the 1995 one is 100 pages more but most seem to refer to the 1970's one)


Thanks!

11th Apr 2008 22:09 UTCLance Kirkbride

well..I actually decided to cx the order for the 2nd edition and re-did the order for the last one from 1995...figured may as wellhave the most up to date and it says its about another 75 pages long..slightly different title


Field Collecting Gemstones and Minerals by Sinkankas, John


again...gotten very good review..so IM looking forward to getting this book


thanks again william...

12th Apr 2008 16:17 UTCWilliam C. van Laer Expert

Lance:

Sinkankas' book had two different titles, depending upon the publication of the specific edition; each is a little different (I have both).


As for looking in the schist, this will probably not yield good results, but you never know about these things....there are no hard and fast rules about geology & mineral collecting in general. Minerals are where you find them. However, miarolitic cavities, by definition, occur only in granitic rocks. What I know of the area you are hunting in, the cavities are found in granite. This doesn't mean there are no pockets in the quartz veins cutting through the schist. You should spend at least some time examining these for signs of pocket mineralization.


If I was there, I would be hunting in the granite. Look for "float" or crystals/fragments weathering out of the pockets. Material will gradually slide downhill with the soil, exposing (sometimes) the loosened pocket debris. It can often then be traced to its source.

Chris

12th Apr 2008 16:36 UTCLance Kirkbride

Thanks Chris...Ive seen on the ranch also...especially on the little 1700 foot mountain you go over to get to commanche creek spots in the ground on th eslop and top where you see quartz or a hunk of rock sticking out with quarts in it ...I was thinking it may be a good idea to try and chip away at some of these thru the dirt to see if anything there?


Thoughts?


(I "think" I can tell the difference and know granite when I see it...but we are very new at this ..its one of those things I wish I had someone to one time say " ya see that thast granite there...see this ..this is "garbage rock" etc lol)

12th Apr 2008 17:22 UTCLance Kirkbride

David,...


hey thanks! I am at work today and am going over these now....this is great.


Thank you for taking the time to make a reply sir!

12th Apr 2008 17:27 UTCLance Kirkbride

Now the real question...


anyone here familar with the Lindsey RancH or if not....the Seaquist one?


And if so...could you give some basic "ranch specific" directions ( or if by some miracle you have GPS coord as I do have a garmin mapping handheld gps unit))


some gps coord as to some locales on the ranch(s) of some "vugs"? ( would LOVE it if someone was familr with the Lindsey ranch and could offer advice as that is where we will be staying again at mays end..but we will probably go over for at least 1/2 a day to the seaquist ranch)


While we have been to the lindsey ranch...it was only for one night so we lots of ground yet to "cover"


thanks all...you are keeping me busy today researching

30th Apr 2008 15:38 UTCLori Blount

Hi Lance,


I have been out to the Seaquist Ranch a few times, but I am very much a rookie rockhound and haven't found anything more than some very impressive quartz. It's a great place to hunt - the opportunities are virtually endless - and my fiance and I learn a little more about the landscape and find a new place to cover each time we go. We're going to find some topaz there, darn it!


We've had the most luck finding cool stuff in the stream beds. We try to look for an area that has a lot of large rocks that people probably haven't moved before, and we move them and dig under them. I would also bet that with all the recent bad weather, there has been a lot of erosion along the sides of the streams that has released some of the deposited material, so there is really no place better than the other to dig.


You don't really need directions to the Seaquist Ranch the first time you go. You can call Mr. or Mrs. Seaquist and arrange the day you want to go (325-347-5413), then you call Mr. Seaquist when you get to Mason and he will meet you at the Town & Country Store and let you follow him out there. It's a lot of fun. If you go, head right when you get down to Honey Creek, and follow the stream beds that direction. You can hike up a long way & that seems to be the lesser beaten path and the most opportunity.


Hope this advice helps. But then again, I haven't found anything of value so my opinion might not mean jack! :) Good luck!!!

30th Apr 2008 19:41 UTCLance Kirkbride

thanks for the reply...we are going to be out there the week of memorial day...and plan to go over to the seaquist ranch one day to see how it differs from the lindsey ranch.


id still like to find some "vugs" of some kind, we are well equipped though for stream hunting...I have screens etc Ive built and we tested them the day we were out in march and they worked well...we just didnt have much time as we only stayed one night...this time we will be there almost a week

20th May 2008 19:40 UTCSteven Dalton

Hi Lance,


We will be staying at the Mountain Manor at Lindsay Ranch, arriving Saturday morning.

Perhaps we'll run into each other looking for topaz. This is our first hunt and we're really excited.

Looks like we may get some rain Friday and Saturday morning. Should be good for the hunt.


This thread is just what I needed to read.


Hope to see you there,


Steve

21st May 2008 13:26 UTCLance Kirkbride

we will be arriving tuesday ( 27th) and will be staying thru the 31st ( sat)


I am also going over to the seaquist ranch on wed the 28th ..I want to see what the differences are rock wise etc...


How long are you staying ?

21st May 2008 17:46 UTCSteven Dalton

Ah shoot, we're leaving Monday the 26th so we won't cross.


I'll try and post here on Monday night of the 26th with any info I can about our hunting over the weekend.

Maybe leave you some notes in the cabin or with the Lindsays.


I'm planning on hitting seaquist some on Sunday as well.

I also want to go search the areas around Mason Mountain back by the cabin where there's been runoff as see what I find.

21st May 2008 22:30 UTCLance Kirkbride

ya you all will be staying at the cabin kinda out in the boonies lol...we will be staying at the one thats down to the right after u come in...


basicly if you go straight back and up over the 1700 foot mountain you will find commanche creek....they will also ( the lindseys) give you a small little map of the property and they have a path marked with flags that will lead you back to the streambed.


I have a handheld gps ...which makes it a bit easier...but the creek is pretty long on the property.


Id be very curious if you can post monday night how and what you found on the seaquist property as I ahve never been.


be wary if you have small children also...as there are parts of the commanche creek if you go up out of the crrekbed there are good 30-40 foot drops down

sometimes sheer cliff faces so be careful if not follwing the paths down to the creekbeds.


Also a tip..


the cows...at night..well...they like to block the road when you come back on to the ranch lol...so you sometimes have to have someone get out and "move them along "

21st May 2008 23:17 UTCSteven Dalton

yeah, we're staying way at the back...about 2 miles from the road.


Thanks for the tips, I'll take my GPS just incase I need to point you somewhere specific.


I'll try to post what I can Monday, looks like it's going to be a good time.



I guess cow tipping would not be the right thing to do....lol

23rd May 2008 00:39 UTCLance Kirkbride

thanks...


I plan on giving my garmin 60csx a bit more of a workout this time

26th May 2008 20:12 UTCLance Kirkbride

Well looks like you guys found some topaz!! ( I saw the two pieces)


( Ms Lindsey emailed me the pictures of you and your sons( I assume lol).


we will; be leaving early am tuesday to head out there...


were u sifting when you found them or did you just find them in the bed by walking wtc?


Any basic info on the area where you found?


Looks like though they may be transformable into something if you get them cut!



Ill check this forum late tonight before we go to bed on the off chance you reply...


I am curous also if you dont mind my asking Stephen...whereabouts do you all live? We are in Leanders ( about 90 miles due east of mason)

27th May 2008 03:43 UTCSteven Dalton

Yes we did find some, the largest is an 1.5 inches long an inch wide and tall at its peak. The second in almost 1.25 inches long and is .5 wide.

We were digging and sifting by hand on the down stream side of larger rocks and formations and watching from different angles.

We found both pieces in the same area, needless to say we never left the ranch after that.


Here are the coordinates from the GPS -


N 30 48.520

W 099 16.228


This place was at the front part of the creek that is accessed by a road behind the main house. There are two picnic tables setup and this is near the furtherest one.


Oh, we are in North Richland Hills which is North East of Fort Worth. It's about 4 hours, 242 miles for us.


Good luck

5th Jun 2008 21:41 UTCRonnie Henarie

Mr. Steve,


My family and some friends have recently starting hounding and have made the Mason trip a few times now. We have found plenty of quartz and/or calcite all over, but have not had any luck on Topaz (that we can tell). I was wondering what a rough piece might look like from that area and how one would tell the difference in the field between calcite/quartz/topaz. I have seen many a picture of raw topaz, but none from the Mason area. Is it much different in appearance?

6th Jun 2008 13:08 UTCLance Kirkbride

We didnt find any when we were there last week...but part of that was it was just too hot..( we have 2 small children) and so we were limited in the time we actually spent when there this time.


I did spend almost a whole day on the seaquist ranch...covered lots of ground...but again heat def a factor.


I actually have some pictures of the topaz that Steve found that Ms Lindsey sent me...I will try and see if I can upload them here.


basicly topaz from the creek beds will lok a bit like frosted glass....one thing you def will notice is that a peice of topaz vs a piece of quartz...the topaz will feel "much" heavier.


Also if you ever do go to the Lindsey ranch they have some samples of topaz that you can touch and see...also there is a jewelers shop right off the main square of Mason that can show you samples and will also test anythign you find for free.

22nd Aug 2008 11:12 UTCSpace Metal

Hello all!

I am new on the boards, from San Anto. I poke around the Southwest for most everything. Maybe I can help with a question about getting off the creeks and into the rocks. This is where you will find the gem quality Texas topaz! (River roughed simply WON'T do!) I had gone to the area TEN TIMES before I wised up and spent most of the day with a hammer and chisel. This takes experience in training your eye for the vugs. When you break rock, you go where no one has gone before... it was on the Sequist. CLIMB but be careful! Use a flashlight, needlenose pliers, hammer, chisel, EYE PROTECTION, water, gloves. I can't remember where it was in the ranch more than it was near the tops of the hills there. You will find a lot of picked out vugs with some very nice quartz tailings left over. Finding your own vug is up to you; find a new vug and you are a genius. I picked out a FLAWLESS (non-blue) 2 ct piece (sinks in bromoforme). Take care in how you chisel, I lost about half of this one. I must say, after my "new policy" of climbing and combing actually worked, I was quite happy. The owner was, I would say, extremely surprised, and did not seem to like the idea of chiseling though! (but he jokes around a lot - I wasn't sure). I just joked back about next time bringing dynamite to loosen things up, and sluicing through a downpour heheheh!

BTW, did anyone catch the ebay auction for the Mason topaz (shooter marble sized) that only went for $150 ?!?!?! Thats insanity! Even a river-rough piece that size should do $600-800. I missed my chance to bid. HOWEVER... It looked more like Brazilian, because it was TOO BLUE. What you are looking for is BARELY blue, and NEVER more even a medium blue. If it is picked out of a vug and flawless its ten times the value (@ $150 / ct) of most creek specimens. Anyway, I've had college geology courses I & II, but have delved more seriously into the prospecting and gem/economic aspect lately. This will not make you rich. Meteorites will! Have fun everyone.

15th Sep 2008 06:25 UTCToby

Where can i get bromoform from?

18th Sep 2008 20:38 UTCFranklin Roberts

My wife and I just spent three days in the cabin on Comanche Creek on the Lindsay Ranch. Being an avid pegmatite hunter, I spent the first day just getting the lay of the land, mapping the obvious pegmatite cores. I use a sensitive scintillation detector to detect the elevated gamma background that usually denotes a nicely zoned pegmatite as those seem to contain the goodies. At one spot near a cluster of quartz cores above the east branch of the creek, I picked up a particularly localized hot spot. After digging down for less than a foot, I uncovered an oblong 50 x 30 cm vuggy mass of reddened granite that was studded with hundreds of shiny euhedral black magnetite crystals.


Since the granite was vuggy, it was no great chore to chisel off a few chunks to look at when I got home to Austin. After getting them cleaned off, I pulled out a nearly perfect 1 cm monazite crystal from a vug in one piece, which explained the high radiation reading. On another smaller piece, I noticed that the magnetite crystals had clumped around what appeared to be a quartz crystal in the granite. Closer inspection revealed that the magnetite was nucleating around the crystal in a miarolytic cavity that my chisel had neatly split open. I then noticed that the "quartz" had a familiar pale blue cast to it. Sure enough, the central crystal was a topaz. I wonder, is magnetite commonly associated with topaz in the host matrix? If so, maybe a metal detector would be a good tool to use to indirectly detect in-situ topaz.


Frank

18th Sep 2008 22:08 UTCRyan L. Bowling

Frank,


Do you have any pictures?


Regards,


Ryan

19th Sep 2008 10:22 UTCFranklin Roberts

Hi Ryan,


I have pictures of the excavation but haven't taken any of the pieces removed from it just yet. I plan on doing that over the weekend. I'd be happy to post them when they're done. In the meantime, you might want to see some of my other photos from central Texas pegmatites at my gallery.


http://www.mindat.org/user-2908.html#2


Frank

25th Mar 2010 17:11 UTCDennis Ward

My wife and I are going to Mason next and was looking to go look for Topaz at one of the ranches.

What condition are the roads on the ranches, I don't want to get stuck. We will be driving a

2007 Saturn Vue.


Thanks for any advice

Dennis

31st Mar 2010 04:50 UTCHalbug

hi everyone! i found it quite interesting how many people talked about Mason on this message. I am actually the granddaughter of Mike Seaquist (Seaquist Topaz Ranch). I would LOVE to hear more feedback on what y'all think of the ranch. It has SO much history and there are plenty of people out there willing to share a bit of our history with any of you. Not only is the ranch a great place to Topaz hunt, it has so many beautiful locations within to explore. GREAT place to take your kids. I grew up on that ranch and never lost interest. I hope all of you love it as much as I do. =)

31st Mar 2010 05:01 UTCHalbug

OH and Dennis. As long as the weather is staying pretty dry there, you should be perfectly fine in your car. We've taken countless cars down there and the only main thing is just stay ON the trails. that grass can get ya!

6th Apr 2010 19:31 UTCTanya Cole

When my son and I visited Lindsey Creek Ranch (Aug-2009), we got there kind of late and didn't have much daylight left. We panned in the creekbed for a while and just before we left found some pegmatic granite on the bank of the creek and took a chunk with us. After we returned home and looked at it in the light, we saw some crystals. I'm still not sure what they are...I tried freeing them using the "simulated weathering" strategy for a long time - but, realized it just won't work. It took volcanic activity to meld those particles together - it might require the same to release the captive crystals (unless I want to play around with acid...but, I'm not there yet). Regardless, I've grown to appreciate the look of the crystal/matrix as I found it. I've attached a picture of it along with one of the creekbed for those that haven't gone to Lindsey Creek Ranch yet. It's a nice place to visit - the owner was very friendly and helpful. I haven't yet been to the other ranches in Mason County - key word is YET! I can't wait to go back. 5 hours one way wouldn't be so bad...but,a 5 hour drive in rockhounding time can take all day. So, I'm waiting for a long weekend (when the weather is not hot).

7th Apr 2010 00:20 UTCJames Christopher

Kind of looking like quartz.

7th Apr 2010 00:40 UTCTanya Cole

Thanks Jim - you're probably right. I have another chunk I got somewhere else in Mason county (I posted the coordinates under another post - "Texas Collecting Sites") - that one has darker crystals...the only mineral someone's mentioned as a possibility for that is tourmaline. One of the crystals is bicolored. Whatever it is is pretty :)

12th May 2010 07:44 UTCFranklin Roberts

Hi Lance,


I stayed at the Lindsay Ranch a couple of years ago and managed to take home some nice topaz crystals I pulled out of a few miarolytic cavities. PM me for details. I might be able to meet you out there. I haven't visited with Delores in a while.


Frank

20th May 2010 05:23 UTCTanya Cole

To Halbug:

I'm going to Seaquist ranch the end of the month to do some hunting. It'll be my first time going there. It sounds like a great place to visit - it's so nice that your grandfather allows people the opportunity to visit it and hunt there. I'll let you know how it goes. If you have any tips for me about good places to look, I'm all ears :) (well, eyes actually in this case) :). Thanks! Tanya

9th Feb 2011 04:56 UTCJennifer Pocurull Pocurull

Hi,


I saw you are the granddaughter of Seaquist ranch. We would love to do a rockhounding, fishing, kayaking or basic adventure trip over spring break. Can you give more information?


Thank you,


Jennifer Pocurull

979-739-9768

9th Feb 2011 04:59 UTCJennifer Pocurull Pocurull

Hi Franklin,


Are you still giving tours of the Lanno uplift. I posted some sights on this thread of places we would be interested in. We need lots of coaching as we are just getting into this.


Thank you,


Jennifer Pocurull

979-739-9768

9th Feb 2011 17:01 UTCPaul Brandes 🌟 Manager

Jennifer,

You may want to read this post if you don't get a reply right away.....

Franklin Roberts - Injured

11th Jan 2012 04:50 UTCChris Olson

Lance -

Well it's been nearly 4 years.... are you back from the ranch ? :-D


All kidding aside, I've never been to the Lindsey Ranch. Does anyone who have been to both Seaquist and Lindsey Ranch have an opinion about how they compare ?


Thanks, Chris

17th Jan 2012 17:07 UTCFranklin Roberts

I'm not sure that Delores Lindsey even allows topaz prospecting on her ranch anymore, unless you are a registered guest in one of her B&B cabins. If you can wait until the weekend of March 24-25, I will be guiding organized digs to one or two of the more productive topaz sites as part of the Mason, Texas Topaz Days celebration. Last year, I guided about thirty rockhounds to the Hoffman Ranch which had been closed to collecting for years. We found a surprising amount of good topaz, including one beautiful pale sky blue euhedral crystal found laying in the open. We haven't finalized the hunting site list yet, but I'm sure that wherever we are allowed to dig, it will be a site that hasn't been worked out by the general public. If you're interested in getting on the guest list, call Diane Eames at Gems of the Hill Country in Mason, Texas at (325) 347-0475. Hopefully I'll get to see some of you in person this Spring.


Frank

15th Mar 2012 17:49 UTCLori Eldridge

I am new to this meesage board. I am a avid rock and mineral collector. I'm trying to find sites in central Texas to explore. Any ideas?

20th Mar 2012 23:17 UTCFranklin Roberts

Lori,

Call me at (512) 848-8309 before Friday, March 23 if you're interested in topaz hunting in Mason on the 24th.

Frank

22nd Mar 2012 22:24 UTCPaul Brandes 🌟 Manager

Welcome to Mindat, Lori!!

Yes, get in contact with Frank concerning Texas localities; I hear he is the man.... :-D

8th Apr 2012 17:07 UTCAnthony Griffith (2)

Seems I'm about a month too late for Frank's trip. That's the way I normally do things - too late! I am planning to go to Mason on the weekend of 20 -22 April. Any one have recommendations for a rank beginner?

20th Feb 2013 19:54 UTCAnonymous User

Does anyone know if there this year's Texas Topaz Day (March 23) will again include hunting field trips?


Thanks.


Bruce

20th Feb 2013 20:27 UTCMatt Neuzil Expert

http://gothc.net/


according to this site there will be collecting on some ranches.

27th Feb 2013 04:18 UTCFranklin Roberts

I will be guiding at least one group this year. I Hope to see some of you there next month.


Frank

8th Sep 2013 04:07 UTCastrojr1&gggal

This has been a very helpful thread, thanks everyone! We are going up to the Lindsay ranch next week and are planning as much topaz hunting as we can get in. We hope to look in the stream beds near the coords provided several years/pages ago on this thread; is that a "good" location to look? Any other advice on location or technique? We have more than one day, and the person who posted about getting out of the creeks and up into the rocky formations to find vugs was very helpful. We'll be happy to post any results we find online here. Good luck everyone!

14th Sep 2013 03:39 UTCJody Roberts

astrojr1&gggal Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> This has been a very helpful thread, thanks

> everyone! We are going up to the Lindsay ranch

> next week and are planning as much topaz hunting

> as we can get in. We hope to look in the stream

> beds near the coords provided several years/pages

> ago on this thread; is that a "good" location to

> look? Any other advice on location or technique?

> We have more than one day, and the person who

> posted about getting out of the creeks and up into

> the rocky formations to find vugs was very

> helpful. We'll be happy to post any results we

> find online here. Good luck everyone!


We had a little bit of luck. We found a piece of terminated smoky quartz on the Lindsay ranch, and a topaz on the Garner Sequist Ranch, in 3 days of hunting. And about 100 kilos of rocks and quartz.

25th Mar 2014 05:07 UTCivan brown

Franklin,

Would you please inform me about the

scintillation detector you use to locate

pegmatite? Thank you for your help

Ivan

13th Jun 2014 23:30 UTCJody & Laurie Roberts

We found more topaz in Honey creek. This one is 22.8ct and has one very clean crystal face. We found both pieces on the surface, after recent rains had swollen the creeks and had moved some alluvial material around.

13th Mar 2015 21:54 UTCUnknown

I was at the Lindsay ranch and found three pieces of loose topaz in the streambed. I suggest you dig straight down in the streambed if you're looking to find anything. ;-)

11th May 2015 17:57 UTCJeremy Schlake

I found two peices of topaz on top of the stream bed along Honey Creek at Bar M Ranch this past Saturday (5/9/15) with my children. Fairly large ones, also. We've had some storms off and on for the past few weeks so everything from up north is washing down Honey Creek. This was our second trip to Bar M Ranch and our first time finding topaz. Was pretty happy with it.

20th Mar 2016 01:45 UTCTerry Becerra

I have a answer, YES it can be found there


I took my brother and his girlfriend out there a few years back and we stopped at a local jeweler store and purchased Bromofom Acid To Identify Topaz. And the girlfriend did find a nice dice size of topaz.

3rd May 2016 09:11 UTCDizzyLizzy

We are at the Linsay Ranch now. Plan on hounding later today in hopes of anything cool. I myself am new to identifying my finds. I always just went along saying, oh pretty rock, mine. Ha.

Not sure if I'll know if I find topaz but hoping my new husband will. I know I've found/seen plenty of granite and quartz.

13th Dec 2017 03:26 UTCZach Weenink

Frank will you be guiding this year. If so. How much and when

2nd Jan 2018 05:51 UTCFranklin Roberts

Yes, most likely. You can contact me offline at (512) 848-8309.
 
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