Sea Cliff Zeolites at Oceanside, Tillamook County, Oregon – A Zeolite Tutorial

Posted on February 12, 2021 by rocky

Volcanic Basalt Lava is found all over the world. Often the host for beautiful minerals and crystals of quartz, calcite, agate and a host of zeolite minerals. The Amethyst deposits of Southern Brazil/Uruguay are considered the best quartz in basalt find, as are the fine Zeolite deposits of Southern India. Before India, many places were considered to be the world’s best zeolite deposits, like Scotland or Iceland.

It just goes to show, deposits of minerals in basalt rock deposits are well worth searching out in your local area. Consider the volcanic basalts of Oregon/Washington. Beautiful examples of rare and exotic minerals were once only known from these basalts, including, shockingly to some collectors, Cavansite!

Small Cavansite crystals on matrix from the type locality in Oregon

Specimen of Cavansite from the first place it was found, in Oregon. Zeolite deposits found in volcanic deposits are well worth inspecting for rockhounding possibilities!

Found in volcanic lava that has interacted with water, zeolites are beautiful minerals which are found in a huge diversity of different appearances. They are known to form where enormous volcanic events have occurred in the ancient past when lava flows into a body of water.

The lava instantly chills, creating a unique bubbly, rounded texture called pillow basalt where within spaces between the rounded “pillows” grow delicate crystals of zeolites as steam chemically leaches the basalts and forms new minerals.

Steam may rise through the molten lava as well, where the rock may solidify before it escapes. This type of rock is called a vesicular basalt. Many minerals tend to form in the “bubbles” or vesicles in this type of rock.

Pillow Basalt that zeolites are found in

A recently formed pillow basalt at the Galapagos Rift versus an ancient pillow basalt in the Bonin Islands, Japan. Zeolite minerals are found between the “lobes” of the lava.
A vesicular basalt boulder. The holes are known as vesicles and represent where rising gasses got trapped in the rock. Minerals often form in these vesicles.)

The Cape Lookout area is the remains of a volcanic island that emerged in the Miocene period, about 16 million years ago. Cracks in the earth formed, releasing lava into the sea which cooled on contact with the water, forming pillow basalts and bubbly vesicular basalts which further altered to form zeolite minerals in the pores.

Many rare zeolites are found here, not the ones you would typically see in the large, flashy specimens from India many collectors love, but equally as beautiful if you can appreciate tiny things. Minerals you may encounter are erionite, mordenite, clinoptilolite, and dachiardite. Often these are found with calcite and clay minerals, the latter can give specimens some nice color and visual depth.

Specimens from this area are typically small, but absolutely stunning especially under magnification. A good, readily available microscope to view your microminerals with is the Dino-Lite, which you can attach to your computer via USB.

A Dino-Lite digital microscope.

On this page, our focus is on two collecting sites you can visit, though exploring the beach may yield many more discoveries. Keep an eye out for sprays and nodules of zeolite minerals in the rock, much of which occurs in vesicular basalt, which looks like Swiss cheese.

The first area is Short Beach. There should be a stairway near a creek where you can access the rocky beach below. Here you will find boulders of vesicular basalt that you can break up to yield minerals in the vesicles.
Bring a pocket lens or loupe with you so you can more easily see minerals in the vesicles. They will be somewhat obvious, appearing as white puffballs and sprays, but some may be more hidden.

There is said to be better collecting even still at Tunnel Beach, down the road to the south.

North of the tunnel, you will see pillow basalt cliffs. Formed as lava was ejected into the sea, these cliffs and the surrounding boulders are rich in zeolites and offer some of the best collecting in the area. Use the tunnel to access the beach.

Minerals: These localities are heaven especially to the micro-mount collector. Some beautiful photos of material from the surrounding area are on Mindat (these are copyrighted and we don’t care to hotlink, just click the links for some great photos).

Embed:
https://www.mindat.org/photo-750805.html
Caption: Found by Rudy Tschernich, famous PNW zeolite collector. 14 mm FOV Golden erionite hemispheres on a white backdrop, looking like a fried egg with a broken yolk
https://www.mindat.org/photo-750632.html
Tiny, bushlike mordenite in a tiny vesicle from Tunnel Beach. Found by Rudy Tschernich
https://www.mindat.org/photo-257230.html
About a 1 inch wide plate of green gray clinoptilolite on mordenite from Short Beach, collected by Bill Tompkins
https://www.mindat.org/photo-751603.html
Tiny, about 2.5mm vesicle of delicate golden erionite sprays. Found by Rudy Tschernich

Collecting Zeolites: To do the best job you can collecting these delicate specimens, you will need to be prepared to break the hard basalt rock. Use a heavy crack hammer and a chisel to smash the boulders open, revealing fresh material. Zeolites are extremely delicate and the freshest, nicest ones will be found unexposed inside the rocks.

As said above, loupe or hand lens will help you see what’s going on inside the tiny vesicles a lot better. Some of the most beautiful specimens from this location are extremely tiny so you may miss them without a lens.

Remember to wrap your specimens very carefully. Many of these specimens are extremely delicate to the point that even blowing on them may damage them. Do not wash anything very velvety, hairy, or puffy or even moisture can mat and destroy the crystals.

You will have to time your collecting with the tides at these locations. Be aware of the tides and weather conditions before you go to the beach and collect.

More Info:
https://www.mindat.org/loc-210854.html
https://www.mindat.org/loc-205422.html
https://www.netartsbaytoday.org/html/zeolites_of_oceanside.html

And, if the Cavansite deposit sends your imagination wild, check out this article:
https://www.mindat.org/article.php/964/Field+Trip+to+Cavansite+Type+Locaility

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Dig Your Own Gemstones – Oregon Sunstone – A Guide to the Spectrum Sunstone Mine Dig

Posted on April 19, 2018 by rocky

watermelon sunstone from the spectrum sunstone mine

Spectrum Sunstone Mine- Dig Your Own Fiery Gemstones in Oregon

It is very rare that a mine producing something as gorgeous and valuable as Oregon sunstone and the folks at High Desert Gems and Minerals are allowing you to do that at their site located northeast of Plush, Oregon in the High Desert! Featured on the History Channel’s Cash and Tresures, The Spectrum Sunstone Mine currently produces some of the most gorgeous gem sunstone out there in amazing colors, but mostly hues of red and orange but some amazing exotic colors too like purple, green, watermelon, and schiller-effect material. This gem can only be found in Oregon and nowhere else in the world. To be specific, this sunstone is a variety of labradorite but appearance and chemistry wise it differs from the classic, bluish iridescent material from Madagascar or Finland. There is nothing out there quite like them, a truly unique and gorgeous American gemstone.

gorgeous freeform stones cut from Oregon sunstone by master gemcutter Dalan Hargrave- dalanhargrave.com

About the Gem-

Unlike many precious gems such as diamond or sapphire, sunstone is prized for its variations of color and inclusions. Many faceters prefer to work with these inclusions when cutting stone, adding to the uniqueness to each piece. The high hardness (6.5 to 7) gives this gemstone enough durability that it can be set in jewelry without much worry of chipping or cracking the stone. Value of these stones varies from tens of dollars per carat to thousands and depends on color, saturation, and how the inclusions if present catch the light. These beautiful colors and inclusions are formed by inclusions of copper that precipitate from the molten feldspar as it is crystallizing. The copper included gem sunstone is extremely unique to Oregon. Many amazing carvings by the finest artists in the world have been made from sunstone rough, highlighting the amazing degree of variation held inside.

History-

Sunstone is Oregon’s state gem, granted that status in 1987 after being recognized by the US government as a gemstone in the 1970s. Interest in Oregon sunstone and mining for it in the Plush area was happening decades before the 1970s, however. Sunstone was a prized stone collected by Native Americans who were likely the first people to ever assign value to the gemstone. They believed the sunstones held great power and would even bury them with their dead.

There is local Native American lore about the sunstones, and they were used ceremonially among certain tribes. The legend goes as follows: An ancient warrior was hit by an arrow in battle and his blood dropped on the ground, where it scattered on the sunstones, giving them sacred power. It is not only the beauty, but this power that the natives valued and drove them to use these beautiful stones in their jewelry.

A picture of sunstone with evidence of working by Native Americans- published in the Ore Pit, a publication of Oregon State University's Mineralogy Department

Collection of sunstones in the Jacksonville (OR) Museum believed to have been brought into the area by Indians.

Sunstones didn’t gain popularity among europeans until beautiful, desirable material was discovered in Scandinavia in the early 1800’s and Eastern Siberia in the late 1800’s. Later on, settlers discovered deposits of sunstone in Oregon’s Warner Valley and interest grew in mining these stones. In 1908, Utah prospector Maynard Bixby announced his findings Tiffany & Co. of New York City acquired mining claims in the Plush area in the early 1900s which they no longer mine. One of these claims, which they did previously mine is now the Spectrum Sunstone Mine!

Interest has continued to grow to the point where many private claims and several commercial mines have been opened, the Spectrum Sunstone Mine offering some of the finest, deeply saturated material to the public to dig! Chris Rose and High Desert Gems and Minerals has continued the legacy of mining for this special gem and has opened many world famous sunstone mines, 11 total, producing a dazzling array of gems. Here is your chance, provided by High Desert to take part in the legacy of mining your own American gemstone.

Geology-

Sunstone forms in basaltic rock laid down in a giant lava flow and were formed around 15 to 16 million years ago. The source of this rock were volcanic eruptions that built the terrain of eastern Oregon. The sunstone itself is a form of feldspar, specifically a calcium rich labradorite. This labradorite is very different from the bluish shimmering material from Madagascar and elsewhere many of you likely have seen.

Feldspar is an important rock forming mineral, one of the most significant worldwide but that with the high gemminess and color of Oregon sunstone is very rare. The sunstone forms in unique flows of porphyritic basalt. The term porphyritic referring to large crystals suspended in finer grained matrix. These crystals are the sunstones and they formed within the lava freely floating before it cooled, so they became suspended in a finer grained rock matrix. Porphyritic texture in basalt is relatively common, but most of the time the feldspar porphyroblasts from elsewhere are opaque and never worth saving. The Oregon sunstone deposits are some of the few mined for this kind of gem material. The presence of copper in the flows of the Plush area, which give these gems their color is unique to the region.

Although basalt is very abundant in the Pacific Northwest, the basalt flows produced in the various eruptions during the region’s past are small and produce some chemical and geologic variation regionally. The geochemistry and petrology of these rocks still needs more detailed description, so there is a lot of opportunity to research this area in detail for anyone academically involved

Mining Yourself-

The Spectrum Sunstone Mine is a patented mining claim and is open daily to fee digging seasonally from May 15th to Nov 1st . They are open to mining from 9am to 5pm every day! The site is located I the remote Oregon high desert. Remember to bring plenty of snacks and drinking water to the site. It’s pretty far out there! It is a good idea to brig your own tools and bags to the site though loaner screens are available. The onsite shop also sells some tools. You will need a screen, buckets, shovels, rakes, baggies for your finds, and if you plan on working the pit a hammer, chisel, prybar, and other appropriate rock breaking tools. Some of the roads getting to the site are rough, so be sure your vehicle and the driver can handle it. Here is a map above and directions from the High Desert’s site:

When driving from the south follow these directions :
(Stay on the main roads according to our directions. After Plush, OR… if you are unsure: do not turn unless there is a sign that says sunstone (some of the signs are very weathered). You will cross 5 cattle guards on the dirt road.)
Follow highway 395 north through Lakeview, OR and then head east on highway 140 towards Adel.
After mile marker 15 you will see “Plush Cut-off” sign, turn there (left).
Set odometer at Hart Mountain Store in Plush, OR to 0.0 miles.
Follow road (Co. Rd. 3-10, a.k.a Hogback Rd.), (which takes a sharp bend to the east at 3.6 miles).
At 5.2 miles the pavement ends, continue on dirt road.
At 10.1 miles turn east (right) onto Co. Rd. 3-11.
Go 1/2 mile (reads 10.7 on odometer) and turn north (left).
(Do not turn until you reach the next sign…)
At 19.2 miles you will see the “Sunstone Area 5 miles” sign, turn left.
Slow down!! Dangerous curves, especially at 20.4 miles and 22.4 miles.
After the cattle guard you will see several mines in the distance. We are the furthest mine… look for the tipi!
24.1 miles turn right on road after passing Dust Devil’s sign. You will be heading towards the Public Collection Area.
(If you are expecting to arrive at night please set up camp in Public Collection Area (follow signs)…continue directions in morning!)
Take the first left or the second left (before reaching Public Collection Area bulletin board)! Follow the road. Please sign in at the office, and don’t run over the sage brush.
IF YOU ARE DRIVING FROM THE NORTH, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.
From Bend, Oregon take highway 20 east to Riley. Take highway 395 south. Turn left – east- on Hogback Rd (near mile marker 64 – which is north of Abert Lake). Follow Hogback Rd. until the turn for Co. Rd. 3-11 (about 19 miles) where you turn left. Continue with directions above from Co. Rd. 3-11.

They offer several kinds of mining in different price ranges you can participate in.

High Grade Conveyor Belt Run-

This option allows the miner to go through unsorted material immediately coming from the mine! Material is passed down the conveyor belt and is just washed off by water by you to reveal the gems. The cost is $200/hour and though steep, allows you access to premium material immediately as it comes out of the mine. Approximately six tons of mine material are processed per hour through the conveyor, so it is definitely a high volume dig.

High Grade Ore Piles- The mine offers high grade piles of ore you can search through for $150 to $200 each. Water available for washing. You get to keep everything as always!

All You Can Eat Buffet Ore Pile- The miners will pile up concentrate for you to sort for over the course of two days! This is a great choice to get the sunstone mining experience and to score some amazing gems. It’s a great family activity and is perfect for groups! Limit is 2 people for $300, 3 for $350, 4 for $400, and groups of 5 or more for $100 each extra.

Pit Digging- For $100 to $200 per person, you will be allowed to dig in the high grade pit with tools! Perfect for the avid rockhound and those who really want to understand the geology behind this deposit or just do some hard rock mining.

Mine Run Material Through Mail- If you want to get your hands on some Spectrum Sunstone Mine material now, you can buy mine run high grade and have it delivered right to your house! They run about six tons of ore through the conveyor and send you what they pick out after one hour! It isn’t the same experience as digging your own, but will hook you up with some awesome material.

Accommodations-

Primitive camping is available free of charge at the site as well as RV camping. Electricity hookup is not available for RVs. Cabins are also available with provided hot water, showers, and restrooms for $45 a night or you can stay in a tipi for $40 per night! Bedding and cooking supplies not included- you bring your own.

A general store for supplies is located nearby but otherwise this location is very remote. Please plan appropriately. See www.highdesertgemsandminerals.com for more info.