Rock club files wonderstone claims
Published at
Last Tuesday, six members of the Idaho Falls Gem and Mineral Society (IFG&MS) placed corner posts marking each corner of the Bighorn #1 and Bighorn #2 claims west of Dubois.
After planting a corner post on Bighorn #2, I saw the familiar colorful banding of a beautiful brown, maroon, tan and yellow piece of wonderstone, shaped like a woman’s lips. It reminded me of when I was a kid and we would buy big, red wax lips at the local drug store to wear until we chewed them up.
The group was led by Elton Modroo and Jeff Brough who had the job of finding the coordinates for each post. Each post contains information on a metal tag as to which corner of the 1500 by 600 feet claim it is. Each 4 x 4 post is anchored down with rebar and rocks to protect it from elk and deer knocking them down.
The two lode claims were filed by the IFG&MS to protect the collection of rocks and minerals by members of the club at this popular collecting area. In recent years, individuals have filed claims on popular gathering areas and have closed them to the public and clubs.
“These claims give the club and its members ownership of the minerals and rocks contained in each claim,” explained Modroo. “The collectors own the rocks that they collect and can do with them what they want to.”
The IFG&MS already owns several claims in Idaho and Montana but still allow others to collect from them. None of them have been closed to the public. These two claims contain rhyolite, agate, jasper and common opal, but the reason for the claims is wonderstone containing the hardness and color to make it a gem.
Wonderstone is found all over the world, but most of it is too soft to get a mirror like finish. On Moh’s scale, it can be as soft as 1.5 or as hard as 7.5 which is as hard as agate. The softer ones are made up of volcanic ash fused together by heat and pressure while the harder ones come from rhyolite which is a silicon dioxide mineral, a microcrystalline chalcedony, commonly called quartz.
The wonderstone found on the two claims runs in hardness from 6 to 7.5 on the Moh’s scale. The tightness of extremely small particles of the volcanic glass creates the hardness of each individual stone. The color of the banding in the stone is created by iron oxides welded together with glass particles. There are four major deposits on the claims, each with their unique color and designs. The banding of the colors can make beautiful jewelry.
In the metaphysical world, wonderstone is called the “anti-stress” rock. It is believed that it aids in emotional healing from depression and anxiety.
It is also believed to have grounding and stabilizing properties and may stimulate creativity and imagination. It may have been the original fidget device.
The club sponsors a field trip each year to this area and there will probably be one next year. Contact the Idaho Falls Gem and Mineral Society if you are interested in collecting wonderstone and other beautiful rocks at the Bighorn claims.
This week we have seen a lot of sandhill cranes heading south and on Thursday night I listened to four different flocks of Tundra swans flying over my home after dark. They are also looking for a warm place to spend the winter.
Stay warm and be safe, large animals are starting to migrate down from the mountains and are crossing the roads. You do not want to harvest one with your vehicle.
Living the Wildlife is brought to you by Yellowstone Teton Territory. Experience 7,500 square miles of untamed wilderness in Eastern Idaho's Yellowstone Teton Territory. Where majestic peaks meet endless adventure, your perfect outdoor escape is waiting. Start planning at YellowstoneTeton.com.