What's the difference between a thunder egg and a geode?

Thunder eggs, which are technically known as lithophysae are typically found with solid or near-solid cores of chalcedony or agate, whereas geodes are relatively hollow inside with thinner layers of quartz crystals.

What is 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.

How do you tell if a rock is a thunder egg?

Though thundereggs appear lke rocks, they can be easily identified by the abnormally round and bumpy brown-gray surface. Usually, thundereggs lie relatively close to the Earth's surface, embedded in the clay of the tuff, where they were formed.

How can you tell the difference between a geode and a thunder egg?

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.

How do you tell if it's a geode?

What is the difference between a Geode and a Thunder Egg?

What do thundereggs look like?

Thundereggs are rough spheres, most about the size of a baseball—though they can range from less than an inch 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.

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 at?

Geodes are found throughout the world, but the most concentrated areas are located in the deserts. Volcanic ash beds, or regions containing limestone, are common geode locations. There are many easily accessible geode collecting sites in the western United States, including in California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.

How do you polish thundereggs?

For thundereggs, I recommend using cerium oxide. It's a great polish for agate, jasper, and other hard cryptocrystalline materials. What is this? For hand polishing, get your rag or chamois a bit wet, poke it in the powdered cerium oxide, and get to work on the surface.

Are thunder eggs worth anything?

Thunder eggs may not be precious stones, but they are worth millions to generations of kids - ABC News.

Is a thunder egg an agate?

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.

How old are Oregon thundereggs?

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.

What is a solid geode called?

Dianne Dotson. Geodes and nodules may look like they're simple rocks at first glance. But cutting them open reveals interesting insides. Geodes are hollow within, while nodules are solid.

What is the rarest geode color?

The rarest and most valuable geodes contain amethyst crystals and black calcite.

Are geodes worth money?

Geodes are highly valued for their content and appearance. The most valuable geodes are those that contain perfectly formed flawless crystals of amethyst, celestine, calcite, or other rare minerals. Geodes are worth from $2-5 for common specimens and up to several thousand for exceptional several meters.

How do you tell if a rock is a geode from the outside?

Look for rocks that have a unique, bumpy texture on the exterior. Geodes are rarely perfectly smooth. The texture of a geode's exterior may have a cauliflower-like appearance. Inspect the surface for any signs of minerals inside.

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.

Where can I find thunder rocks?

Thundereggs can be found in localized areas across the world where optimal conditions exist. Some of the best known thunderegg spots in the world are located in Germany and in Oregon. The thunderegg is even the state rock of Oregon!

What type of rock is a thunderegg?

Thunder eggs are spherical objects which form in some types of silica-rich volcanic rocks (e.g. rhyolites). As the volcanic lava cooled, trapped steam and other gases formed an expanding bubble.

What is the difference between a geode and an agate?

In a lot of ways, agates have inclusions, while geodes are inclusions in the host rock. It's an important distinction to make. But the biggest difference is the fact that geodes are a specific form of mineral, while agates are a specific type of mineral. Any comparison between them should take that into account.

What type of rock is gold most commonly found in?

Gold is most often found in quartz rock. When quartz is found in gold bearings areas, it is possible that gold will be found as well. Quartz may be found as small stones in river beds or in large seams in hillsides.

What rocks have geodes in them?

Geodes can form in any cavity, but the term is usually reserved for more or less rounded formations in igneous and sedimentary rocks. They can form in gas bubbles in igneous rocks, such as vesicles in basaltic lava; or, as in the American Midwest, in rounded cavities in sedimentary formations.

How long does it take for a geode to form?

How long does it take for a geode to form? Over thousands of years, these layers of minerals build crystals that eventually fill the cavity. How long this takes depends on the size of the geode. The largest crystals can take a million years to grow!

Are there diamonds 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.