With its amazing terrain and awesome geography, finding geodes in Indiana is a lot easier than in most places on earth. After scouring our state for the best sp

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Part of the American Geode team were able to assemble in Indiana for geode hunting before winter began. Our focus was size, and quality, so we left behind many crystal and quartz specimens in order to recover the large blue, … Continue reading "Geode Hunting in Indiana"

With its amazing terrain and awesome geography, finding geodes in Indiana is a lot easier than in most places on earth. After scouring our state for the best sp

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Part of the American Geode team were able to assemble in Indiana for geode hunting before winter began. Our focus was size, and quality, so we left behind many crystal and quartz specimens in order to recover the large blue, … Continue reading "Geode Hunting in Indiana"

If you haven't been to the Geode Grotto in Indiana, and you're a fan of unusual attractions, you're missing out!

With its amazing terrain and awesome geography, finding geodes in Indiana is a lot easier than in most places on earth. After scouring our state for the best sp

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Part of the American Geode team were able to assemble in Indiana for geode hunting before winter began. Our focus was size, and quality, so we left behind many crystal and quartz specimens in order to recover the large blue, … Continue reading "Geode Hunting in Indiana"

We bet you didn't know these intriguing and unique stops even existed. You can't miss these hidden gems in Indiana on this road trip!

With its amazing terrain and awesome geography, finding geodes in Indiana is a lot easier than in most places on earth. After scouring our state for the best sp

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Last weekend two-thirds of the American Geode team assembled in Indiana to re-stock the New York City geode inventory. The past 3 visits had proven cold, dreary, and uncomfortable, but this season we struck luck with a bright, beautiful day. We … Continue reading "Geode Hunt in remote Southern Indiana"

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Last weekend two-thirds of the American Geode team assembled in Indiana to re-stock the New York City geode inventory. The past 3 visits had proven cold, dreary, and uncomfortable, but this season we struck luck with a bright, beautiful day. We … Continue reading "Geode Hunt in remote Southern Indiana"

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Part of the American Geode team were able to assemble in Indiana for geode hunting before winter began. Our focus was size, and quality, so we left behind many crystal and quartz specimens in order to recover the large blue, … Continue reading "Geode Hunting in Indiana"

Geodes in stream bed Though he's most often called upon to debunk some of the dumber claims of freelancers attempting to explain the oil industry or plate tectonics, the staff geologist can also address other, more prosaic geological dumbassery. We're thinking of the sort of half-witted attempts to translate semi-scientific verbiage into completely unscientific verbiage that Michael E. Carpenter pounded out for OurPastimes.com in a post called, "Where to Find Geodes in Indiana." Carpenter's problem, we suspect, was that the insurance salesman turned freelancer tasked himself with removing what he considered "scientific jargon" from a couple of references that were already written for the lay public. That's where he came up with some fairly doofus information, starting with his introduction to geodes: "It is believed that geodes began as crystals that were covered in silica. " Well, no, that's not what either of Mike's references said. What they actually said was that geodes in limestone are thought to begin life as gypsum nodules (one reference described them as "cauliflower-like"), not "crystals," that were later coated with silica. Once he got that out of the way, Carpenter did little more than lift a list of Indiana counties where geodes are found. His problem, of course, is that all those counties he listed cover several hundred square miles, so Michael was forced to rework more verbiage: "When searching for geodes, look along riverbeds, construction sites or other areas that have been eroded away... Geodes can also be found anywhere bedrock is exposed in the southern portion of the state... One of the most productive ways to find geodes in Indiana is to gain permission to hunt rock quarries." So much crap, so little space to correct it! But we'll try: No, construction sites are not "areas that have been eroded away.." Geodes are not found "anywhere bedrock is exposed in the southern portion of the state," geodes are restricted to certain limestone formations, in particular the Harrodsburg Limestone. Carpenter conflated advice for general mineral hunting with geode hunting: you don't look for geodes in quarries! Mike correctly pulled out the information that the best places to look for geodes in Indiana are in creek beds and road cuts, but he neglected to mention that the best geode accumulations are in one relatively thin limestone unit (the Harrodsburg Limestone), not randomly scattered across southern Indiana. That's because he had no idea what he was talking about. Carpenter's problem, unfortunately, is a common shortcoming of Dumbass of the Day candidates. In fact, it's almost always exactly why they win our coveted award. copyright © 2020-2022 scmrak SI - INDIANA

One man's vision and a labor of love of many.

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Last weekend two-thirds of the American Geode team assembled in Indiana to re-stock the New York City geode inventory. The past 3 visits had proven cold, dreary, and uncomfortable, but this season we struck luck with a bright, beautiful day. We … Continue reading "Geode Hunt in remote Southern Indiana"

rough emerald If you're interested in accurate and reliable information, there's real danger in assuming that the "information" you receive from the people who till the manure-rich soil of content farms like eHow.com or its many niche sites. The business model of this particular farm is to "scrape" internet search queries and then pay freelancers to "answer" the questions. Unless you're lucky enough to find content written by someone with real knowledge of the topic, you're likely to find boilerplate bushwa. For an example of that sort of content, we direct your attention to the Sciencing.com post "How to Dig Your Own Emeralds in Indiana," recently rewritten by Marina Somma. Emeralds, for those of you who have some knowledge of earth science, are one of the gem forms of the mineral beryl. With very few exceptions (one, in fact), emeralds are formed in an igneous environment. almost always in pegmatite bodies. For those of you unfamiliar with the geology of Indiana, we can state unequivocally that there are no pegmatites in Indiana; in fact, no igneous rocks are exposed at the surface anywhere in the state. In other words, the answer to the question, "How to dig emeralds in Indiana" is, quite simply, "You can't." Somma, of course, could not reveal that fact. If she had, she would not have been paid for her... "work." So instead, she threw around some bullshit based on the Carrie Tuttle post she was rewriting. Although Tuttle never actually said, "You can't," she did only point readers to tourist traps that sell people a chance to pan some "ore" (local gravel and soil) that has been salted with a few low-quality gemmy crystals. As far as we know, those are still in existence (we didn't check). Where Marina stepped in the all-pervasive manure, however, was in her attempt to update Tuttle's post with new information, dross such as, "A few specific state and national parks give you a better chance of locating gems, particularly in Brown and Morgan counties." – There's only one national park in Indiana (Indiana Dunes), and it's not anywhere near either of those counties. Oh, and you can't "dig" in a national park and only in a few state parks around the country. "Some popular parks for finding gems and minerals in Indiana include:" – It's hard to list them since there are none, but Marina tried with the following... "Hoosier National Forest " – Neither a national nor state park, not to mention that at 320 square miles, Marina's suggestion to "take small surface-level samples" seems... pointless. "Bedford Limestone Deposit – This location is more popular for geodes, but with some digging, you might come across other gems beneath the surface" – The Bedford Limestone isn't a "location," not to mention that you don't "dig" in limestone 'cause it's a lot harder than dirt. Oh, and you wouldn't find any gems, anyway. "Many of the deep creek beds and cliff walls throughout Brown County in Indiana contain gemstones." – One word: "Bullshit." Maybe Somma thought that geodes are "gemstones," but they aren't "...public gem mines [including] Squire Boon Caverns [and] Marengo Cave" – Both are privately-owned limestone caves open to the public, but they're a far cry from "mines." As far as anyone around here knows (and that's pretty far) the only gems found in Indiana are occasional diamonds found in glacial outwash in the northern part of the state; gems that came from the igneous rocks exposed in parts unknown, far to the north in Canada. Such stones are exceedingly rare; only a few dozen have been found and identified in the past two centuries. Somma appears to have decided that nice crystals of calcite or pyrite are close enough to emeralds "for government work." That, or our Dumbass of the Day decided that emeralds are frequently found in association with the geodes for which a few Indiana locations are famous. They aren't, hence Somma is the proud recipient of another DotD award for her mantel. SI - INDIANA

Indiana is an excellent state for rockhounding. In this guide you'll learn where to find geodes in Indiana along with many other precious rocks and minerals.

Millions of years ago Indiana was covered by a shallow sea. It is believed that geodes began as crystals that were covered in silica. The initial crystals dissolved and were replaced by other minerals, creating the geodes known today. Most of the geodes in Indiana are in areas that were not covered by glaciers during ...

You might be surprised to learn that Indiana is home to many crystal-filled locations that will make your eyes pop and your heart sing. Believe it or not, cryst

Indiana is an excellent state for rockhounding. In this guide you'll learn where to find geodes in Indiana along with many other precious rocks and minerals.

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Part of the American Geode team were able to assemble in Indiana for geode hunting before winter began. Our focus was size, and quality, so we left behind many crystal and quartz specimens in order to recover the large blue, … Continue reading "Geode Hunting in Indiana"

Indiana is an excellent state for rockhounding. In this guide you'll learn where to find geodes in Indiana along with many other precious rocks and minerals.

With its amazing terrain and awesome geography, finding geodes in Indiana is a lot easier than in most places on earth. After scouring our state for the best sp

Michigan is home to some of the most stunning geodes in the world. Finding these rocks can be like finding a needle in a haystack without the proper know-how. T

The Hoosier National Forest is ideal for rockhounds to search for - and find - beautiful geodes in Indiana.

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Last weekend two-thirds of the American Geode team assembled in Indiana to re-stock the New York City geode inventory. The past 3 visits had proven cold, dreary, and uncomfortable, but this season we struck luck with a bright, beautiful day. We … Continue reading "Geode Hunt in remote Southern Indiana"

For the most up to date events, check out our Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Newswire. Last weekend two-thirds of the American Geode team assembled in Indiana to re-stock the New York City geode inventory. The past 3 visits had proven cold, dreary, and uncomfortable, but this season we struck luck with a bright, beautiful day. We … Continue reading "Geode Hunt in remote Southern Indiana"

Discover the Geode Grotto in Indiana which is holy and glorious. Check out this little-known attraction and why it is so significant.

A Story of oceans, uplift, and ice, Indiana's geological history is reflected in the vistas and landscapes you will see as you travel through the state. From the Indiana Dunes of Lake Michigan, one of the world's largest displays of lakeshore dunes, to the historic little town of New Harmony, where American geology had its beginnings, this book is your guide to 50 of the most significant and interesting sites in Indiana. You will find kettle lakes formed by melting glaciers, gorgeous waterfalls carved into the rock, and a world-renowned karst landscape peppered with sinkholes and caves. Explore the Falls of the Ohio, the location of the largest exposed Devonian fossil beds in the world, or wander through the campus of Indiana University and tour the buildings and carvings of Salem Limestone, a building stone treasured by architects. Researched and written by Polly Sturgeon, the Outreach Coordinator of the Indiana Geological and Water Survey, with help from her colleagues, this book is a cross section of the Hoosier state and a treasure of geological and historical surprises. Author: Indiana Geological and Water Survey Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing Co. Published: 10/15/2018 Pages: 144 Binding Type: Paperback Weight: 0.90lbs Size: 8.30h x 8.90w x 0.40d ISBN: 9780878426874

Discover the Geode Grotto in Indiana which is holy and glorious. Check out this little-known attraction and why it is so significant.

The Hoosier National Forest is ideal for rockhounds to search for - and find - beautiful geodes in Indiana.

In Indiana, rockhounding is a terrific way to discover the state's many geological treasures. From hunting for Indiana geodes to collecting unique fossils, the

The Hoosier National Forest is ideal for rockhounds to search for - and find - beautiful geodes in Indiana.

Minnesota is home to many geological wonders, but finding geodes, one of nature's most incredible wonders, can be a challenging task without the right guidance.

The formation of geodes puzzles some geologists. While their origins remain partly uncertain, a geode's value depends largely on the crystals and mineral formations found ...

The Geode Grotto was the idea of Father Phillip Ottavi, an Italian immigrant who was inspired by religious grottoes in Europe.

Large 7.5 lb Unopened Roundish Geode. Size, also in photo, approx. 5.5". Belonged to a grand aunt who got them from Southern Illinois/Indiana. One of the opened geodes is seen in the last photo. Packed with care and ships in 1 business day. FREE US Ground Shipping. Thank you for supporting a homegrown US business. Nicola @ Rural Route Rarities

Geodes are some of the world's most amazing wonders, but they're also some of the most challenging ones to find. In Ohio, in particular, they're are not exactly

Indiana is famous for its beautiful scenery and rich history. It also has a wide range of rocks, minerals, and gems that always seem to capture the imagination.