Rockhounding for Wonderstone near Salina, Utah!

[@brysonalden5414]

Thanks for posting this. I use wonderstone as bases for some of my small sculptures (I am a blacksmith) and had a random thought that it might be nice to collect the rocks myself. While it would be fascinating to pick up rockhounding as a new skill, I think I'm going to continue to rely on my local dealer. Utah is thousands of miles away . . . .

[@karenmcclain7646]

Thank you for your wonderful videos. You elude happiness and calmness… you certainly portray your love of hounding! I’m in delta ut and can’t wait to take our drive to Salina

[@theruggedrockhound]

Great! Maybe we will have to meet up next time I am out that way. Hopefully you find lots of good stuff!

[@stevep.8114]

Great video helped me know exactly what to look for on my trip.

[@theruggedrockhound]

Glad it was helpful! Hopefully you find great stuff on your trip!

[@nancywilson9380]

That agate you picked up climbing up the hill was beautiful! Hope to see a closer look in the next video

[@theruggedrockhound]

Let me see if I can find it now that I threw it in the buckets with everything else...

[@m.ryanedvalson5293]

Man you find some of the best stuff. Great content

[@theruggedrockhound]

Thanks!

[@TheAdventureCloset]

New rockhounding friend here. Just came across your video and saw a few of our buddies in the comment section too. Decided to stick around for the show and glad we did! That piece toward the beginning with the black inside and was square looked like an old TV. Pretty unique looking stuff with those black cores. Nice specimens with the gypsum too. Cool finds, fun looking dig and great cuts! Love the 👀!

[@theruggedrockhound]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

[@Ontario_Rockhound]

I love the look of wonder stone, the material you and your father found is killer! I think it is really cool that you are sharing the location where you found the good stuff, to many times have I seen rockhounds online give bad info because they want to protect "their spot".

[@theruggedrockhound]

I am of the belief that the world is for everyone to enjoy. I don't own the land, so I am not going to act like I do.

[@dustinfindsrocks]

Awesome! I have a few pieces of this that I got recently from a couple I met up with. They were traveling the country rockhounding… I need to check up on them… I’m curious to see what else they found.

[@theruggedrockhound]

Cool!

[@jasonhenderson5642]

Will this type of wonderstone be tumble polished?

[@theruggedrockhound]

Yes, this stone is strong enough that it does tumble polish.

[@karenmcclain7646]

Will you ever show us what you make from all your findings???

[@theruggedrockhound]

I will! When I finally get around to it... Don't have the tools yet to make cool stuff, but I will get there!

[@bunk9991]

We had a deposit of wonderstone just over the Mexico border in San Diego. I was a true rookie at rockhounding and didn't have a clue what wonderstone looked like and my friend and I walked around all day long, saying, "I wonder if this is it"? "I wonder if this is it"! It was a wonder filled day. And then the border patrol made us leave. But I did manage to find several beautiful pieces.

[@theruggedrockhound]

Haha! Sounds like fun anyway.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

The black stuff is really good looking.

[@theruggedrockhound]

Quite the contrast, isn't it?

[@manisteerocks7092]

Some really nice material!!..looks like alot of fun!..reminds me of when I was in Colorado, in a location trying to find that line of Fluorite and amethyst..digging and digging, moving and moving..such an adventure eh?..great video!..thanks for sharing!..is there a way I can send you a picture of a rock?..I think I may have a good wonderstone,.just unsure.

[@theruggedrockhound]

you can email it to me at [e-mail]

[@theruggedrockhound]

Thanks! I would like to see a picture of that rock

[@manisteerocks7092]

@@theruggedrockhound did you get the pics?

[@glennhales617]

Beautiful material. Does it take a good polish? Maybe try cutting through on an angle and see what it looks like.

[@theruggedrockhound]

Since it is a sandy ash layer, it does not take the best polish, but it does still get a decent sheen when polishing. Each piece can be a little different, so some give a better polish than others. That is a great Idea! I will try cutting some of the larger pieces at an angle.

[@CORE1.8MINISTERIES]

I would love a piece of that wonderstone. I collect rocks and minerals around Maine and New Hampshire

[@theruggedrockhound]

Maybe we should do a trade!

[@CORE1.8MINISTERIES]

@@theruggedrockhound You should also come out to the northeast.. There are many places to go mining air and you can get a little bit of the northeast

[@theruggedrockhound]

@@CORE1.8MINISTERIES I hope to one day!

[@robertbradford3461]

Ok so a couple of things about wonderstone maybe you didn't know, the black is a compressed layer of ash, not technically a wonderstone as this is sedimentary, mostly used as absorbent coasters things like that, doesnt polish very good always dull, which is what they find in utah, rhyolitic wonderstone is igneous and found in Nevada, has a much higher silica content and can be polished very nicely, wonderstone is caused by ground water pushing through the rock and leaving staining from iron and coper things like that, this is what causes the banding, also called hickoryite polishes very good

[@theruggedrockhound]

Thanks you so much for the info! I failed to research the area thoroughly before going out, so I was not ready to talk about the geology. I really appreciate the help!

[@robertbradford3461]

@@theruggedrockhound there's a lot of it by where I live

[@theruggedrockhound]

@@robertbradford3461 cool!

[@wilbondcajunrockhound5758]

Cool stuff, crazy the way colors change so much from every few feet , I actually have a few pieces in the collection I bought in 2002 , I hate to say it but I wondered what it was lol , I thought it was sandstone

[@theruggedrockhound]

A lot of wonderstone is sandstone, but some of it is volcanic ash layers or rhyolite. Depends on the location.

[@hockeyrace]

❤️❤️❤️. Great 🎥!! I love your explanations. I’m such a sponge when it come to the real dirt. Pun intended 😆 Thanks for the 🎥 Stay Crystal 💫

[@theruggedrockhound]

You are welcome!

[@grandparocky]

Is the black coal?

[@theruggedrockhound]

It is not, the rock is volcanic ash and the black area likely is a mix of several metals like manganese. It definitely has a strong sulfur smell.

[@jolynnrood9650]

What type a saw do you use for rock cutting? I've never cut rock before. If you have any tips, please add them. Thanks.

[@theruggedrockhound]

I currently just have a standard wet tile saw (uses water), but you want to get a blade for cutting rock instead of tile. You can get a rock cutting blade at any home depot.

[@robertbradford3461]

Won't polish very good, to porous, you need to find that higher silica content, smooth vs granular, less like sandstine

[@theruggedrockhound]

Thanks! Good to know before I spend too much time trying.

[@dustinfindsrocks]

The dark ones almost look like chert 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@theruggedrockhound]

Only difference is that the wonderstone has a larger grain to it

[@clintnagel1668]

I done Rock Swaps with Old Guy Adventures,Geo Rock Nurd ,Rock and Road Rockhounding Montana Rock Mom , wondering be interested in Rock Swap

[@theruggedrockhound]

I am, but we are doing a short move and right now everything is getting boxed and moved. i will have to get back with you in a few weeks.

[@sallyleary7712]

First you're going to fast we can't see the Rocks then you have been over the light we need to go slower and see it slower see the rock within a camera stay out of the can't see the rock cuz you're holding there too fast or whatever

[@theruggedrockhound]

Yes, I sometimes get too excited. I have gotten better with my camera work since this video, but it always helps to remember to slow down and do a good job with the filming.