Exploring the Chewelah Silver Mine in Search of Galena

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

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[@SomethingDifferently]

Was a really good day! Glad we had the chance to explore and check out that mine with you! Those last few shots of the unknown minerals really have me thinking. That same area has a lot of rarer minerals popping up in small quantities, so there is so much that it could be. I hope we find more in future explores! Overall, this was an awesome day and turned out far better than we had hoped!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It was a great outing and I hope we have many more to come this summer.

[@jmsdvs5]

Maybe we can see some of that rarer stuff in the microscope. I really enjoyed this caving expedition.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Man, each Wednesday you keep dropping a vid as I have to head off to work. Look forward to checking this out when I get back~ Thanks for the post!

[@jamesh5460]

There are places around Silverton and Ouray Colorado where we pick galena "cubes" up off the the ground. Tons of pyrite, chalcopyrite, quartz etc. Our stomping grounds for rockhounding. Microscope would be super fun to look at samples!

[@largent45]

That was an outstanding video! I love the kine explorations! and finding the high quality galena samples was so much fun. And Thank you to Something Differently, for the guided tour of these mines, and the safety guide throughout these hikes, so nobody falls down these collapsed, hidden shafts! But the real highlight was the microscopy of the samples. And then finding a unknown mineral in your samples! Figuring it out, and possibly finding something new, is super exciting! I cant wait for future exploration into the micro world of your samples. You do such excellent work of imaging what you see, and explaining what it is you are seeing. The micro world is so beautiful and amazing. You never want to grow-up, literally, again!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad you liked it. I feel rather lucky to live in a part of Washington where all of these places are just sitting right under my nose.

[@patriciamckean4186]

I'm loving the copper lately!

[@graemero5532]

Excellent video. The field trip then back to your secret lair for micro photos. What more could I ask for.

[@anneerickson6447]

Love that you incorporate photos through the microscope of your finds. So cool.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you! I try to do it when I'm able.

[@j.ericswede7084]

Nice video Jared, glad you met up with new friends. My Grandfather owned a saloon in Chewelah when my Dad was a young boy (born 1918). A saloon back in those days served a lot of food (and drink) to loggers, miners, etc. in the area. My Dad's first job was cleaning spittoons for those men.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

That's crazy! I bet you could locate some photos of the building if you haven't already.

[@j.ericswede7084]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding Yes, I have already located some of the old photos. Original building torn down a long time ago. The Flowery Trail is one of my favorite drives to get away from it all.

[@sandmaker]

I don't go into things that are intentionally blocked even if you can. To me it's like going to an old house and you can see someone broke the lock so it's ok to go on in. That's just me. That said it was cool video with lot of interesting rocks and minerals. Can't wait to see more. Be happy, safe and stay healthy 😷⚒

[@TheAdventureCloset]

"Safety Sally" 😆 You say the darndest things. You're right though. You can't be stupid in a mine. This mine was way awesome btw. Great views up there and super cool finds. Thanks for the adventure and up close shots too. 👍👍

[@DanFarrar]

Deep dive! So cool.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

Linerite? I have nothing in my collection that grows in that fan shaped habit. Anyway, thanks for sharing as always! Yes, I too have found that things with Pb (lead) in them can be quite heavy🤔 but the crystalized pure forms of both Pb and Ag (silver) are very very different crystal structures making the combination in galena somewhere in between? 🤷‍♂Oh and I've found a new ASMR to fall asleep with....The sounds of hammers chipping away at the stone while water is dripping and echoing in a cave is cathartic and made me long for days digging in holes. hahaha Appreciate the post my friend, hope you have a nice rest of your week!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Ha maybe I should start an abandoned mine ASMR channel.

[@BackcountrywithShaughn]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding Absolutely! I mean why not? Some of those things have millions of views and I go to sleep to one or another virtually every night. haha

[@ocklawahaboyrocks]

Looks like fun. I'm always amazed that those little crystals hold up, even as careful as you are with your specimens.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

They are rather durable.

[@paigelee6321]

Wow interesting exploring the mines love the minerals your finding, thank you for sharing 😊💙

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you watching.

[@markattardo]

Interesting stuff!

[@kylaabegglen1275]

I've said this at least a thousand times and I know you have too, the rockhounding community is such an amazing group of people. I just love how we all enjoy getting together and helping each other out, taking others to new places, teaching them new things, etc. I really enjoyed this video, galena is one of my favorites! I almost named our puppy Galena but I went with Roxie instead.😊 I love how everything looks so beautiful under the microscope.😍 Do you think the little layered crystals could a type of zeolite? Please let us know when you find out. Thank you for sharing this video and the samples/specimens you took home.✌️🤠

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Well said! The community of people is hard to beat. To be honest I may never know, the size of it makes it rather hard to full know what it is exactly.

[@CityRockhounding]

Great experience, journey, knowledge and passion. Great video, I appreciate you sharing!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad you liked it.

[@jmsdvs5]

Your getting more adventurous with your hunting to get new material. You should write a book using some of your images from your microscope. I’m hyped that you use my gift so much. Every time you use your microscope you educate your viewers on identifying crystal formations. Neat!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It's has broadened my world view and opened me up to a new world of rocks and minerals.

[@rachaelb9164]

We have a few rocks with green crystals growing on it. I believe we determined that it is brochantite. I really don’t know much about it other than it is associated with copper. They are all different sizes. Some of them tiny microscopic crystals and some are about a cm long cluster. Beautiful green almost teal under the microscope. I couldn’t really tell if it was the same thing that you have but I came across it in a gemstones KZbin video. Go figure lol.

[@RagnarRocks]

Awesome little mines there! Love that green copper color! Subbed to Ian's channel, looking forward to meeting him someday. I think those little crystals in question are scolecite, at least they look exactly like the scolecite I have.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I would like to get the local crew together here and some point for an outing.

[@RagnarRocks]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I'm in! obligations pending

[@RagnarRocks]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I'd like to find some star garnets!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@RagnarRocks Fossil bowl is the place to go buy them at!

[@dustinfindsrocks]

Very cool to see inside of mines 👍🏼 I always wonder what I’m walking on ya know. If you can walk into a mine, hey you know! All the old mines in Missouri are flooded 😑 with the Missouri galena it’s also associated with barite. Everyone tells me the Missouri barite is weird looking. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I’m wondering if there’s barite in this area too? I’m curious to see “normal” barite so far everything I’ve seen from various locations looks vastly different. I’m not sure what “normal” is 😂 it would be weird if there was no barite there with all the galena. They seem to go together in Missouri. I really enjoy your videos when you get to team up with other rockhounds Jared. I’ll make sure and check out something differently’s channel 👍🏼

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

We do have barite in this area! All of the stuff that I have are micros but I plan on heading to a mine that has it in abundance. Teaming up with others really is so helpful and I always learn so much.

[@dustinfindsrocks]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding Oh cool looking forward to that!

[@spetkovsek57]

The unknown crystals might be Stilbite or Actinolite. Something with a radial formation. Very interesting things close up.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I agree that those are options for it but due to the size I'm very reluctant to pick something and run with it.

[@spetkovsek57]

Another possibility is Epidote. The Rice Museum has one that is very similar to yours, only large enough to not need magnification.

[@brucedymock6635]

Thanks again for the video very interesting especially under the microscope

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad you liked it.

[@JhonDiamond2021]

great video

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@TarnishedViking.]

Woah cool! I like to spelunk to! What UVs were you using?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I run a 365nm UV light.

[@tb4876]

Hello from South Louisiana! Can you tell us more about your microscope camera? I have been looking for one but have yet to find one that I like. Thanks! and keep up the great videos! I love to watch your adventures.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have an article up on my website about the microscope setup I'm running which you might find helpful.

[@bobbytouchette]

Are you going to the rock and gem show this weekend?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm not sure which one you are talking about but I am not making it to any show.

[@bobbytouchette]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding the one at the fairgrounds in Kennewick. My boys and I had a good time there and lots of interesting things and people

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@bobbytouchette Unfortunately I couldn’t make it.

[@cactusmann5542]

Found small garnets. I guess its something...

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

What?

[@ericclayton6287]

Lay you odds they are stibnite

[@michaelhill9738]

Stibnite is metallic. If you are talking about the mystery crystal clusters seen under the microscope, they would not be stibnite because they are clear and colorless.

[@ericclayton6287]

I’ll grant you that but it’s under such high magnification in a metallic sulfide environment it’s not unreasonable to go for stibnite or stibiconite. If it is transparent it would likely be in the mesolite natrolite series of zeolites, rare occurrence. Rotate your lighting to see if you can determine luster.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I will be addressing this on this weeks episode of the Saturday Night Special #100 but I'm not convinced that I have enough information to make a call on the identity of it the tiny mystery crystals. There's a number of candidates that are options but at .21mm its very small even for my setup.

[@travishall6548]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stibnite the small cluster of Crystals I believe is stibnite

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I don't think I have enough information on it to make that call.

[@CockatoobirdmanBill]

Did you take your blacklight with you I don't go anywhere without mine..............Be well and be safe mines are dangerous............

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I didn't.... :( I need to get better and remembering it.