Rye Patch Hunt - Back To The Basics!

[Tortuga]

Do the quartz crystals have anything to do with gold nugget formation?

I know a hillside here in Arizona where I've found tons of clear, almost gem quality iron-stained quartz crystals all over the ground.

Found a small Japanese twin there once.

There was a little bit of chrysocolla and agate there too.

I don't recall lots of ironstones, schist and greenstone like the rest of the minerals we find in the goldfields down here tho.

 

[LuckyLundy]

Tortuga

Every goldfield will have rocks (minerals) to look for to determine likely ground to swing your coil on.  One rock that is on that list is Quartz.  Rye Patch, is a known Rockhound spot for Quartz Crystals and we just pick them up as we watch our coil swing...I always leave a few towards the end of the day...lol

Rick

[Tortuga]

Ok gotcha. The places I hunt in AZ aren't known for their quartz crystals like that. Interesting.

[gambler]

Thanks lucky

[Roughwater]

I don't know much about finding Quartz crystals but one day I was out at rye patch and a guy drove up who apparently does. I was apparently on the BLM land as we didn't have to pay to camp there.  I briefly watched him as he picked out a big outcropping of quartz and proceeded digging under it as if he were digging for the roots of a plant.  He pulled out a very large thick crystal.  I was impressed to say the least.  He offered to sell the crystal to anyone there for a pretty cut rate price compared to what you would pay otherwise.  Wish I had bought the thing but didn't but it was a very impressive crystal! Huge by my standards.  I think we had all  picked up a few little ones while prospecting there. 

Bad thing for him was he drove a old wagon with old tires off the dirt road as if it were a jeep right up to the quartz formation and flattened one of his tires in the process.  Maybe too, that's why he was selling the crystal so cheap (to replace his tire)?  Anyway, it was educational.