Just got my first proper mineral ID right in the field at the old quarry near Bend, Oregon.

4 comments

4 Comments

Nice find. That quarry is mostly basalt though. The good mineral spots are further east past Prineville. Lots of agate and thunder eggs out there.

the_ray2mo ago

Thunder eggs, right? @lee.cora, I once found one shaped like a potato.

jamiesullivan2mo ago

Yeah, I read that too. Some geology blog said the best thunder eggs have a hollow center filled with crystals. The plain looking ones on the outside can be amazing when you crack them open. I saw a picture of one that looked like a regular gray rock, but inside it was all purple agate and tiny quartz points. Makes you wonder how many cool ones you've walked right past.

the_riley20d ago

Oh man, @lee.cora totally nailed it with that direction east of Prineville. I've been out there a couple times and it's unreal how many thunder eggs are just sitting there waiting to be picked up. It's funny, because everyone flocks to the quarry near town, but the real good stuff is hiding out in those sagebrush hills where you have to actually walk a bit. I cracked open one a while back that looked like a lumpy dirt clod and it had this honey-colored agate with a tiny crystal cave in the middle, completely blew my mind. So yeah, if you're going to make the trip, just skip the main spots and head east like Cora said, you'll thank yourself later.