Finding Mystery Images In Rocks

I have been a rock and mineral collector since I was 5, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I was able to take my collecting hobby to the next level. Finding a rock that you connect with and putting it into your pocket is fun. There is just something you find appealing, but there is a whole other world under the crust of that stone.

Unlike fossils the images in these rocks were formed during the development of the stone and not pressed into it. If the stone rolled it may have picked up different color pigments that helped paint the pictures. Sometimes different types of stones are more prone to having images and I'll show you the ones that are.

From the outside of this 5 pound piece of Desert Jasper I had no way of knowing what was waiting for me on the inside. I saw it for sale months before I purchased it. It was too expensive. Once day I saw it on sale and since I kept getting attracted to it I decided to buy it at the sales price. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to cut it open and find this. I was at my Gem and Mineral club using their equipment. I screamed and everyone came running. They all wanted a slice of it, but I decided to keep the rock the way it was and not to chop it up any further. Now it is in my private collection and I would imagine that is where it's going to stay for a long long time.

I didn't notice the blue Hibiscus flower in the middle of this until the person who purchased it from me pointed it out. I just got lucky because it was centered properly during cutting it. This is called a Lace Agate and it normally is very ornate. This is another stone that has a higher chance of having an image in it's design.

This is a slice and shaped piece of Montana Agate. If your going to ever find an object in a rock Montana Agate is the easiest place to find it. This stone is translucent with flecks of different things that look like leaves, but are really compounds found when the rocks were formed and rolled down the mountain sides. This is the only rock I can cheat with.

If you take the rock and wet it then it becomes very translucent. Hold it up to the sun and close one eye. Let the sun get blocked out by the rock. You will be able to see flecks of color inside. Usually it's red and orange, but you can get blue too. Usually blue comes in the Montana Agate that is white not translucent. If you get a piece with a lot of red, brown and yellow flecks it's a keeper and worth taking a look inside.

When polishing Montana Agate you will find it takes on a high polish and makes very pretty jewelry. It's worth the effort in the end.

It doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to see the owl in this piece of Jasper. I didn't personally cut this one, but I am totally jealous of the person who did. Thank you to Robert Ness in letting me use the photo.