60 million years ago.
Thundereggs are found in the rhyolite lava flows which spread over Oregon an estimated 60 million years ago during the Eocene Age. Geologists believe the round-shaped thundereggs were formed in gas pockets (bubbles) within the lava, which served as molds.
How old is a thunder egg?
“Thunder eggs are gas bubbles that formed in a rhyolite formation between thirty and forty million years ago,” noted Casey.
Are thundereggs worth anything?
How Much Are Thundereggs Worth? A value of a cut in half and polished thunderegg depends on the size and its fillings and range from a few to a hundred dollars. Specimens with scenic moss or plumes looking like plants or flowers are among the most valuable eggs and can cost up to $200.
How do you tell if a rock is a thunder egg?
Difference Between A Geode And A Thunder Egg
Geodes will often contain a crystalline matrix of crystals. However, Thundereggs generally contain a more solid center structure consisting of various mineral deposits. The beauty of thundereggs is often enhanced by cutting and polishing cross-cut disks from the thunderegg.
How big do thunder eggs get?
Thundereggs are agate-filled nodules found in various parts of the Western United States. They range in size from 1/4 inch to as large as 5 feet in diameter. Generally, they are about the size of oranges. All are similar on the exterior, but no two are alike in pattern, design or color on the inside.
What’s inside a thunder egg?
Thundereggs are rough spheres, most about the size of a baseball—though they can range from a little more than a centimeter to over a meter across. They usually contain centres of chalcedony which may have been fractured followed by deposition of agate, jasper or opal, either uniquely or in combination.
Where can I dig for thundereggs in Oregon?
One unique place to dig in Oregon is the Polka Dot Agate Mine near Madras owned by West Coast Mining. There’s no fee for visiting, but you’ll pay a small fee of around $5 per pound to take thundereggs and agates you find home with you.
How do you clean thunder eggs?
The quickest and the easiest way to clean your geodes or thundereggs is to just wash them with plain old soap and water. I’ll take a soft bristle scrub brush to them as well, to get all the dirt out of the cracks and crevices.
How much does a thunderegg cost?
Thundereggs are valued between $1 and over $ 100 per slice or cabochon.
How much is the thunder egg?
It is around $4 for a golf ball sized thunderegg and increases with size i.e. $7 for a tennis ball sized thunderegg.
Are diamonds found in Oregon?
Because of their rarity and uniqueness to Oregon, sunstones were named the state’s gemstone in 1987. They’re literally diamonds in the rough because they’re found in a region about 25 miles north of Plush, a Lake County ranching community.
How do you tell the difference between a thunder egg and a geode?
The main difference between geode and thunderegg is that geode is composed of crystals with a hollow inside, while thunderegg is solid. Thunderegg has defined rock and mineral composition. Thundereggs are chalcedony consolidation in rhyolites rocks, while geodes can contain various types of crystals.
What do you do with thunder eggs?
Thunder Egg is used in the spool of the Sewing Machine to create a Shirt. It can be used in dyeing, serving as a purple dye at the dye pots, located in Emily’s and Haley’s house, 2 Willow Lane.
Where do you find geodes in Oregon?
You can find geodes in the high desert near Prineville and Mandras and the great forests of Central Oregon, such as the Ochoco National Forest. Another great place to find geodes is in the Eastern Succor Creek Canyon of Oregon. The Calapooia River in the county of Linn is also noted for its geodes.
Where can you find amethyst in Oregon?
Amethyst. The Shellrock Mountain and Western Vein in the Bohemia Mining District is known to have Amethyst deposits. The Bohemia area is best known for gold mining, but other minerals can also be found in this area.
Why are they called thunder eggs?
According to legend, thundereggs were named by the Native Americans of central Oregon, who are said to have believed that these strange, agate-filled stones were thrown by fighting “thunder spirits” who dwelt on Mount Jefferson and Mount Hood (two of several snow-capped peaks high in the Cascade Range).
Where can geodes be found?
Geodes are found all over the world, though they are most concentrated in desert regions. Other places where geodes are common are volcanic ash beds and areas containing limestone. There are geode collecting sites all over the U.S. in California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Iowa.
Where can I find rainbow obsidian in Oregon?
Two prominent peaks Glass Butte and Little Glass Butte in the Oregon high desert, just 57 miles west of Burns and 78 miles east of Bend, are known for its wide diversity of obsidian. A favorite destination for rock hounds, those two sites are located approximately half-a-mile away from each other.
How do you open a thunder egg?
Thundereggs are very dependent on gravity, and guessing what is on the inside is made much easier by knowing the orientation that they have formed in. So, when you pick the eggs out of the host rock, the best practice is to put an “x” on the horizontal position of the egg, and a “-“ on the vertical position.
Why is Richardson rock Ranch closed?
This fall, the family decided to close those beds to the public, ending what had become a cherished family tradition in central Oregon. “We had to shut them down for a lot of reasons,” said Bonnie Richardson, who runs the ranch with her husband, owner John Richardson.
How do you make geodes shiny?
EASY METHOD: Simply wash the geodes in plain water with a bit of laundry detergent (or dish soap), then let them soak in a tub of water with 1/4 cup of ordinary household bleach for two days.
