Collecting Rock Dust/MT streams

RanchoDeluxe · Apr 5, 2013

So I'm gonna be heading up into the mountains soon searching for morels and other goodies for FPE's and my compost pile. I'm sure I'll come across rock dust/silt in the creeks. Just wanted to see what others are doing here. I need to increase my geology skills.

I should have access to both volcanic and glacial rock dust. I'm not exactly sure how to determine what is what. I could literally walk up to a glacier. I also live within 100 miles of the largest volcano on Earth.

FTI- I know you have alot of knowledge in this area. Anyway you can 'dumb it down for a guy like me?'

FunTimesIndeed · Apr 5, 2013

Man, your worrying way to much. If most of the rocks around you are igneous in origin, just look for the finest particles. As far as sourcing glacial dust goes, i would guess if the glacier is retreating you will find all kinds of glacial goodies at the bottom. The picture in the glacier entry of wikipedia by the "glacial deposites" section is a good diagram of what I'm talking about. Wikipedia is great for fast and legit geology explanations.

Seandawg · Apr 5, 2013

Wow, I personally am a geological noob not gonna lie. I only use two sources of rock dusts, basalt and coral. I buy 50# bags for $6 so I never really thought of sourcing indigenous rock dusts as a source. I hope it comes out well! Good luck!

FunTimesIndeed · Apr 5, 2013

In the land of 'a'a and pahoehoe? Hawaii is the first thing that springs to my mind when I think about basalt. At such a low cost, that basalt dust probably never left your island.

I think the native words for the exact rocks I'm talking about translate to rope-like and ouch damnit.

BlueJayWay · Apr 6, 2013

The mountain stream beds near me will have areas (think 'sand bars' maybe?) where very very fine 'dust' sediment will collect and build over time - its these areas I would collect from.

If there were glaciers nearby I would certainly head to those

. Glaciers have all but disappeared in these parts since the '70s...

RanchoDeluxe · Apr 6, 2013

I'm not really worried about it at all. It would just be nice to actually know what I was gathering out there. A good friend of mine was about half a semester away from a geology degree. Off the top of his head, he gave me a source for both glacial and volcanic dusts. Both less than 50 miles away.

I spend alot of time in the mountains and it would be really cool just to know what I was looking at. Igneous, metamorphic...shit beats me. Find alot of grayish honey-combed rocks similar to lava rock down by the river. Rambling.

Is there a way of knowing the glacial/volcanic aspect simply by knowing what kind of rock the mountain is made of?

Sorry FTI...I know next to nothing about this shit.

RanchoDeluxe · Apr 6, 2013

BJW- Do you know what you're looking as far as the glacial/volcanic origin or do ya just roll with it?

FunTimesIndeed · Apr 6, 2013

Sorry Rancho, I think you're going to have to just go ahead and start studying geology. :laughing:

Go walk around with your buddy and have him id some rocks for you. Ask him about their origins and other similar rocks. He should be able to get you on track fast.

bigshrimp · Apr 6, 2013

The heaviest and finest sediment is going to be laying right up against the bedrock.

Seandawg · Apr 6, 2013

FunTimesIndeed said:
In the land of 'a'a and pahoehoe? Hawaii is the first thing that springs to my mind when I think about basalt. At such a low cost, that basalt dust probably never left your island.

I think the native words for the exact rocks I'm talking about translate to rope-like and ouch damnit.

FTI

I am impressed! You're right about the basalt it was mined on this island and never left for a second. Rock cinders I use are of Hawaiian origin also. At this moment I'm planning two things. And one of them is to build a soil mix that's primarily composed of native ingredients. Like crab meal, or using seed meals from nitrogen fixing plants in my area instead of alfalfa, swapping out kelp for my native seaweeds. Stuff like that...

trichrider · Apr 6, 2013

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/soil/st_soils/wa_soil.htm
https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TOKUL.html

xmobotx · Apr 6, 2013

know where info like that is pertinent to E WA soils trichrider?

i know we are largely glacial till {loess} but it would be interesting to see some more graphical info

one thing is for sure; no shortage of basalt here

FunTimesIndeed · Apr 6, 2013

That's really cool, Sean.

BlueJayWay · Apr 7, 2013

RanchoDeluxe said:
BJW- Do you know what you're looking as far as the glacial/volcanic origin or do ya just roll with it?

I just roll with it.....but to be honest I do know that the majority of rock in these here mountains is going to be granite....

RanchoDeluxe · Apr 7, 2013

FunTimesIndeed said:
Sorry Rancho, I think you're going to have to just go ahead and start studying geology.
Go walk around with your buddy and have him id some rocks for you. Ask him about their origins and other similar rocks. He should be able to get you on track fast.

Yeah, I kinda figured as much FTI! He brought me a book from when he was in college, gonna try to read through it, not exactly fun reading for a guy like me.

Also, because we live in Montana, he told me we can find damn near anything out here. Alot of the geology book-learning can also help w trying to find gold. I've actually wondered about using the leftovers from the miner's moss as part of the mineral mix. Honestly, I'm just a little bored, can't wait for paddlefishing out on the Missouri River...gonna bring some sticky gumbo clay back. The materials for growing are everywhere!

bigshrimp · Apr 7, 2013

RanchoDeluxe said:
Yeah, I kinda figured as much FTI! He brought me a book from when he was in college, gonna try to read through it, not exactly fun reading for a guy like me.

Also, because we live in Montana, he told me we can find damn near anything out here. Alot of the geology book-learning can also help w trying to find gold. I've actually wondered about using the leftovers from the miner's moss as part of the mineral mix. Honestly, I'm just a little bored, can't wait for paddlefishing out on the Missouri River...gonna bring some sticky gumbo clay back. The materials for growing are everywhere!

Yeah get a gold pan and get out there. They make classifiers that fit right onto a five gallon buckets which are great for sifting materials other than gold too.

These days i just trim in my pan and sift out the kief.

RanchoDeluxe · Apr 7, 2013

I've got a sluice box and a buddy of mine has a high-banker. A few of us might go in on buying a claim. Shoveling ain't as much fun as it used to be...and I like tractors. We are looking for a claim that can double as a hunting camp.

2 Legal Co · Apr 8, 2013

bigshrimp said:
The heaviest and finest sediment is going to be laying right up against the bedrock.

And in certain areas, you may want to run it through a 'pan' :woohoo:

before adding it to your compost pile.

I don't think gold helps the plants, at least not in the special way it 'helps' us.

RanchoDeluxe · Apr 8, 2013

I wonder if 'black sand' has any benefits...I'll try to look that up for fun.

xmobotx · Apr 8, 2013

ha ha 'black sand' is one of the 'clues' old folks around here will toss out about finding gold ~right before they tell you it's all already been found

i havent seen any black sand though ~maybe they are right ~lol

Collecting Rock Dust/MT streams

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