Geologist Doug Hanson Of Arkansas' Geological Survey Investigates Conglomerates At American Mine

[@jomomma4326]

I’m a newbie to exploring rocks. When I was younger I was more interested in skipping them than studying them. Here recently I have found myself extremely eager to learn. I have found multiple rocks/possibly minerals that are fascinating but sadly I don’t have a clue as to what they are. Thank you for the video and taking the time to explain in depth so we can understand it better and how it is formed. I look forward to watching your other videos as well. Again thank you and Gob bless.

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

You are welcome. Please pardon my SLOW response. I just now found your message from two months ago. I wish I had known earlier in life I had a fascination with studying rocks and minerals, too. But it's better late than never. Thank you for watching my videos and for your comments.

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

I think you would enjoy watching this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npaUYY1-badse6M

[@Neesem3218]

That’s amazing! Look at the size of those conglomerates!

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

Yes, they are HUGE. I had a tractor load one of them in my trailer and brought it home many years ago.

[@debbiramsey4603]

I had a chance. To go on a geology tour with others and a geologist. Wish I had done it those long years back. Now I find myself reading about it

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

I'm sorry for your missed opportunity. But reading about it isn't all bad in my opinion. I'm the author of the book, "Genuine Diamonds Found in Arkansas." www.DiamondsInAR.com

[@debbiramsey4603]

I learned caving from guys that were qualified to go in Lechiguilla. Friends. . And the other thing I wish I'd l learned was minerals and such. At 69 you may move more carefully but you can still look at rocks.

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

Yes, you can. I'm 66 and still love to learn and explore.

[@dylansmith7691]

Anything fluorescent?

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

I don't know. I have not checked these conglomerates with a black light. 27% of diamonds will fluoresce and 100% of the barite at The Crater of Diamonds does fluoresce..

[@naturalstones9971]

Conglomerate bearing diamonds?

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

Some conglomerates in other parts of the world DO contain diamonds. I have checked Arkansas conglomerates for many years and never found one, and no one else has either. Recently, we ran tons of gravel from decomposed conglomerate and not only did not find any diamonds but no diamond indicator minerals, either. Your question shows you are thinking, though. It's kinda good news diamonds are not in there. Conglomerates are VERY hard, and it would be difficult to extract the diamonds without shattering them.

[@naturalstones9971]

@@genuinediamondsinar3253 In india some people reported diamonds find in the conglomerate stones also.

[@Michael-rg7mx]

So at the time when that conglomerate was formed, that was the beach. The Quachita mountains were islands off shore in the gulf of Mexico. Right then there was a flash over the water 1,400 miles to the South. Sit down there and look South and pretend it is a tropical island complete with a small volcano to your right side. Looking out over the water it starts getting hot. The sky turns red. Then it gets up to a temperature hot enough to melt Aluminum. Everything burned off and baked with a pressure spike for an hour. Then a 1,000 foot high wave crashed over everything washing away all of the ash and burned topsoil. All loose dirt was moved inland. The wave went as far as South Dakota.

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

Yes, it must have caused a horrible tsunami when acres of molten rock hit a shallow sea. There must have been a remarkable steam explosion. And this did not just happen once. There are 7, known diamond pipes within 3 miles of the Crater of Diamonds. And geologists believe there were multiple, pyroclastic intrusions at what is now the state park. That's probably true with some of the other intrusions, too. And these catastrophic, ecologic events happened over a period of hunts of years or more. It must have been very destructive to flora and fauna. Thank you for your insightful comments.

[@Michael-rg7mx]

@genuinediamondsinar3253 The eruptions and geysers had mostly been over for 50 million years when the iron asteroid hit Mexico. It looked like Yellowstone from Benton to Broken bow with thermal vents and geysers. Almost all of that was washed away by the tidal wave 65 million years ago.

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

@@Michael-rg7mx You have great insight on what actually happened here. That all needs to be taken into consideration when pieces together the geologic puzzle here. I appreciate your comments. There aren't many people who have a grasp on this.

[@Michael-rg7mx]

@genuinediamondsinar3253 I looked into the Mercury mines near you. 100 years ago it was a huge boom for the industry. They had a retort facility and a whole town built around it. The town of Cinnabar. It's 100 feet under the lake now.

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

@@Michael-rg7mx You may search for, find, and keep the cinnabar crystals you discover on your 3/4-mile-round-trip hike in the wooded hills at the Cinnabar Mine Nature Trail. The Corps of Engineers manages this abandoned mine site along the shoreline of beautiful Lake Greeson in Southwest Arkansas. Come and see with me the entrances to several, old mine shafts and search the numerous, massive, tailings piles for cinnabar specimens that the early miners might have missed. No digging is permitted, but surface searching for these unique, lovely, bright-red crystals is allowed. This historic, public trail is just 14 miles north of Arkansas' world famous Crater of Diamonds State Park. Cinnabar, or mercury sulfide, is the principal ore mineral of mercury (a.k.a. Quicksilver) and was first discovered in southwestern Arkansas in 1930. Prospecting along the major trends of larger faults in the area was immediately conducted. Mining began in 1931, and mercury was recovered yearly through 1944. The production of mercury was important during World War II, as mercury fulminate is essential for bullet primers and the world’s largest producing area, in Spain, was under the control of dictator Francisco Franco. Also, other compounds of mercury find use in tracer bullets and chemical warfare compounds. Domestic production-mostly from 1941 to 1944-aided the war effort in the United States. Cinnabar was roasted in the presence of oxygen to break the mineral down into free mercury vapor and sulfur dioxide. These gases were then cooled and the mercury condensed as a liquid, being recovered in retort facilities. Refining from 1931 to 1944 yielded approximately 11,400 such flasks. The two, main, cinnabar mining companies in the area were Southwestern Quicksilver Company and the Arkansas Quicksilver Company. This site is only 14 miles north of the world famous Crater of Diamonds State Park where for a small fee you can hunt for, and keep, all of the genuine diamonds you find there. Plan your trip to explore the old cinnabar mine and hunt for genuine, USA diamonds in Southwest Arkansas, near Murfreesboro.

[@jesussaves.9141]

Im a newby an have no idea what all the different words mean but this is so interesting to me. Jus recently found out there may have been an ancient volcano here n arkansas so jus been trynna find more info about the matter.

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

You've come to the right place. In different videos I explain why there are diamonds here in Southwest Arkansas. I have another video where I discuss their shapes and how to recognize them. Please look through the list of videos I have to offer to see if there are more that would interest you. I love to teach. I am literally the guy who wrote the book on diamonds in Arkansas. There is a fascinating history here. Love your name by the way. I am a Christian, too, and I make daily posts on our Facebook page “You Spread The Word.” They are written to strengthen, encourage, and comfort Christian believers. When you get a chance, please check it out. facebook.com/#!/pages/YOU-SPREAD-THE-WORD/306575538610

[@Bolt1194]

I was forced to watch two anti American political ads before being able to watch your video, just an FYI

[@genuinediamondsinar3253]

I hate that! I have no control over what they attach to the videos. I am for American freedoms and against socialism.