Michipicoten Agate with Amethyst. A rare Lake Superior Agate, I call this Samethyst because of the salmon color and amethyst center.
I met my new good friend John when he called me based on seeing my Snob Appeal Jewelry website. John said he had acquired an old collection of Canadian rocks and minerals. I was immediately interested when he described some of his treasures, including a quantity of Michipicoten Island Agates that were removed over 70 years ago.
Michipicoten Agate with Moss.
John's wife loved this pretty pink picture in this Michipicoten. What an unusual Lake Superior Agate pendant!
Michipicoten Island is now a Provincial Park, but 70 years ago it was not. Provincial Parks in Canada are the equivalent to National Parks in the U.S., and are protected. Collecting rocks today can get you in big legal trouble. The Michipicoten Agates are not rare on the island, but cannot be taken.
Michipicoten Agates formed in very fluid basalt and are an oval shape, rather than round, and formed in pockets. Like other Lake Superior Agates, they are varied in colors and types, coming in all sizes, types, and colors. Some that are not this oval shape look more like carrots, and are locally referred to as “Carrot Agates”. Some will make great jewelry, and some are better as specimens.
I am still trying to figure out what exactly this Green Mystery Rock is called.
Although I don’t live far from Canada, I am not very familiar with Canada’s rock and minerals. Additionally some of the material I’m running across was collected over 50 years ago. These older pieces often are from played out locations. Sometimes a familiar rock looks quite different from the specimens that can be seen today.
The Mystery rock sure makes spectacular jewelry.
One of these special Canadian rocks is beautiful green with Amphibole type (needle-like) crystallization. I sliced the rock into slabs and put it up on a Lapidary Facebook Group I belong to. Many guesses were made, but this rock seems to be a combination of minerals. I suspect it is a Chlorite with Quartz. I am taking the mystery green rock to the Seaman Mineral Museum to see if I can get a better identification.
Another interesting rock was a Rhodonite that had flowing pastel blues throughout it. You can certainly find Rhodonite today, but I usually see it with black inclusions, not pastel blue!
Pastel colors abound in this Rhodonite.
I expect this is Prehnite with Copper Inclusions is similar to the Patricianite we find in the Keweenaw.
John also had a copper-included rock similar to the Patricianite found in the Keweenaw, but not as pretty as the Keweenaw material. I had not seen the copper-included rocks in Canada, so this was interesting to me.
I found flower type formations in Calcite, as well as other, what I suspect, is Prehnite flowers in another rock. These are pretty and intriguing. I can’t keep my saws and grinders going fast enough!
I suspect these are Prehnite Flowers.
These flowers are in Calcite. I have not figured out what these red, Canadian, included material is.
John and I hit is off, so I expect I will go rock hunting with him next spring. I’m looking forward to finding new and unusual rocks in the Canadian wilds.