Desert Messenger

January 6, 2016 www.DesertMessenger.com 33 TV ANTENNAS Authorized Dealer Works in Quartzsite - Lake Havasu City - Yuma All over the USA, Canada and Mexico OLD MOVIE CHANNELS NBC • CBS • ABC • FOX • PBS • WEATHER •MORE! 18 TO 36 CHANNELS GUARANTEED TO WORK - SETUP ASSISTANCE PARTS & REPAIR TYSON WELLS MARKETPLACE SPACE #4 FRONT ROW 2 spaces west of K B Tools AZ • Quartzsite • Military Caps Rhinestone & Quartzsite T-Shirts Solitude Miles ~ John ~ 605-431-5028 Over 25 years in Quartzsite, Parker, LHC NOW OPEN! See Celia 585 N. Central Quartzsite Open Mon-Fri 8-5 928-927-8787 Johnny DelPino, Owner BEST AUTO RV & TRUCK REPAIR SERVICE YOU CAN DEPEND ON! We sell U-HAUL BOXES RON & PATTY'S DIECAST Collectibles & Apparel Located AT THE MAIN EVENT Corner of W. Main & Quartzsite Blvd. 704-575-6719 NASCAR ACROSS FROM BURGER KING BAD RIVER PACK 605-280-8818 THANK YOU QUARTZSITE! We would like to thank all who have stopped by our booth over the past seven years - Many great customers and friends. We've elected to slow down and are now selling 3 days a week at the Mesa Market Place. We're in row C spaces 105 & 107. If you are in the Mesa area, please stop by and say hi. Feel free to give us a call or like us on Faceook. Email us at BadRiverPack@gmail.com JERKY • SUMMER SAUSAGE • SNACK STICKS • PEMMICAN • Old Costume Jewelry • Old Fountain Pens • Silver & Gold Coins • Sterling Silverware • Gold Filled Jewelry • Old Watches • Gold & Silver Jewelry Any Condition • Gold Nuggets • Dental Gold BUYING Hi Ally Swap Meet ~ Front Row Main St., Quartzsite arranged in regular repeating patterns. Obsidian, however, is a "mineraloid", and thus has no ordered crystalline structure. In es- sence it is an amorphous form of the mineral quartz. Another example of an amorphous rock is opal. It is this lack of crystalline structure that gives obsidian its highly sought- after ability to fracture on multiple planes with sharp edges and curved surfaces. The colors in obsidian result from chemical elements and other micro- scopic mineral particles dispersed throughout the material. Black color comes mostly from magnetite, while hematite gives the material a reddish hue. Inclusions of various other minerals and gas particles will impart a greenish or purplish hue, and, in rare cases, an iridescent or metallic "sheen". Sheen obsidian can be silver, gold, green, purple, pink, or rainbow, and occasionally ROCKS FROM PAGE 15 may exhibit two or more colors on separate planes within the same stone. One variety of obsidian from Glass Buttes, Oregon, known as "Fire" obsidian was examined under an electron microscope and revealed that refraction of light through micro-fine layers of magne- tite nanoparticles was responsible for the brilliant colors of the optical "fire". Some obsidian is banded, the result of oxidation on a flow surface be- ing folded into the lava as it flows. In some cases, obsidian cools at varying rates as it flows causing random portions of it to crystallize into radial clusters of white or gray cristobalite. This variety of obsid- ian is called "Snowflake". Black is the most common color of obsidian, however, it can also be brown, tan, or green. Rarely, obsidian can be blue, red, orange or yellow. Oc- casionally two colors of obsidian will be swirled together in a single specimen. The most common color combination is black and brown obsidian swirled together, called "mahogany obsidian". While obsidian is typically found as chunks or large pieces in outcrop- pings, there are other less common formations. Small translucent nod- ules of obsidian around .5 to 5 cm in diameter can form in voids created by gas bubbles in host rock. These are known as Apache Tears, and are great candidates for rock tumblers. In some rare instances, long thin fragments called Needles can be found in obsidian deposits within Oregon and California. The size of needles can range from delicate slivers a few inches long to thick shards up to 30 inches. Obsidian needles are best known for their use in windchimes because of the musi- cal tones they produce. There are several locations within daytrips of Quartzsite for collecting obsidian. For maps and informa- tion on obsidian collecting sites or to purchase obsidian, visit RocksIn- MyHead. We carry a great selection of top quality mahogany and sheen obsidian, as well as Needles and Apache Tears. We have everything you need for your rockhounding, prospecting, and lapidary adven- tures, plus lots of great rocks, fos- sils, minerals, and gemstones. We are located at A37 in Rice Ranch. We are open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm, and online at www. RocksInMyHead.com. Our phone # is 605-376-8754.

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