NEW GEMSTONE DISCOVERIES

A 368-page book published in 2014 with color photos, provides insight into the physical characteristics of raw gemstones, listing dozens of GPS coordinates for gemstone deposits in Wyoming, with a few in Colorado and Montana. The book will improve your gem- and rock-hunting skills and take you - 'where no book has taken its readers before'. It provides hints on where gemstones are likely be found and will lead some readers to make discoveries! There is more than enough evidence, that the author did not find everything, and more than enough evidence that many similar deposits remain to be discovered.

As an example, one prospector recovered several diamonds in a gold pan (including one weighing nearly 6 carats) from a creek in Colorado after reading this book (Hausel, 2014). Diamonds were later found by the same prospector in a creek in North Carolina based on the author's work (Hausel, 1998). The diamonds were verified at the University of NC.

There are likely hundreds of deposits yet to be found in Wyoming, Colorado and Montana and Utah. For example, the author describes a potentially large opal, agate and jasper deposit likely located east of Casper, Wyoming (remains unexplored), hundreds of possible diamond deposits based on mineral anomalies in southeastern and southwestern Wyoming extending into Colorado and Utah, dozens of ruby and sapphire deposits based on the presence of mineral anomalies in the Laramie and Wind River mountains, the likelihood of more incredible iolite deposits in the central Laramie Mountains, extensive labradorite (spectrolite) deposits in the Laramie Mountains, many more gold deposits in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming, the possibility of diamond deposits in Kansas, and much more!

These, and many other gems, are described in the book that will likely lead to more headaches for the BLM (Bureau of Land Management, not the other group of thugs). Those who obtain copies of the book, have a big lead in finding gemstones, minerals and gold! 

The book was released through Amazon and other outlets on October 20th, 2014. As of February 2015, prospectors were making finds in spite of global warming (with temperatures plummeting considerably below zero). Listen to what some and rock hounds reported.

Faceted Wyoming pyrope garnet

(1) One prospector reported recovering 30 diamonds in a creek recommended in the book along with one flawless diamond of 5.92 carats, making it the largest known diamond to have been recovered in this particular drainage basin. The diamonds were verified by a university in North Carolina. Before all is said and done, it is likely tens of thousands of diamonds will be recovered from this region.

(2) Another prospector found several lamprophyres (potential diamond-bearing rocks).

Look at this rounded cobble - how many of these have you walked
over? This one is mostly serpentine, but filled with excellent rounded gem
pyrope garnet and green chrome diopside. It could have diamond. We
found dozens of these south of Laramie Wyoming and north of Ft. Collins,
Colorado sitting on the ground. The rock is garnet peridotite.

(3) Another found rubies, sapphires and gold.

(4) Another reported finding a half-gallon of peridot gemstones!

(5) And yet another prospector found several colored (fire) opals with several precious opals.

(6) And still another (with his daughter), continues finding some of the highest quality labradorite as well as many fabulous pyropes, chromium diopsides, and peridots. 

What are you waiting for, you will never have such a great opportunity again?

You can find more about gemstone hunting searching for the GemHunter's many blogspots and other publications. And if you are interested in prospecting for gold, another book by the author focuses on  gold in Wyoming. Then there are many rich gold deposits in Arizona examined by the GemHunter and published as a book and for Kindle. Then there is gold in Colorado and Montana. 

The cost of the books is relatively high due to the use of color illustrations, but all it takes is one weekend of searching for gold and gemstones using the books with GPS coordinates, and you will be richer by spending time in the outdoors. And if you are lucky enough, you may also find some gems and gold. And the six discoveries mentioned above were made during the winter of 2014 to 2015 after the book was released, so, just imagine the discoveries that will be made in the upcoming seasons.  

Gemstones in the rough found in Colorado by the author. These include 'Cape Ruby' (pyrope garnet)
spessartine garnet, almandine garnet, 'Cape Emerald' (chromian diopside), picroilmenite and chromite.

Did you know that pink diamonds were described in the
Colorado-Wyoming state line district? Some pink diamonds
from Australia have sold for more than $1 million/carat
making them the most valuable commodity on
earth based on weight (photo of fancy colored diamonds
at the Argyle Mine in Australia. Photo by
the Gemhunter)

Can you believe it - someone just found a gold nugget in California that sold for more
than $400,000.  Think there are some in Wyoming?  Most likely.

Iolite cross with white diamonds. The largest iolite
deposits and gemstones in the world were recently
discovered in the central Laramie Mountains north of
Laramie. Both iolite and diamonds were discovered in
Wyoming and there is plenty of evidence that many
more iolite (water sapphire) and diamonds will be found
in Wyoming.

Chromian diopside with topaz cross. Yes, topaz was discovered
in Colorado and beautiful chromian diopside was found at several
locations in Colorado and Wyoming and even in California. Other
deposits will likely be found in Montana and Kansas.

My good friend, the late Dr. J. Dave Love sits on large jade boulders stored in garage.

Billions of carats of labradorite (spectrolite) are likely sitting along Highway 34 in the Laramie anorthosite complex
in the Sybille Canyon area of the Laramie Mountains between Wheatland and Laramie. Yet, few are looking for the gem.

Faceted pyrope garnets in necklace

OTHER GEMS

Blue barite from the Mine Hills near Shirley Basin, Wyoming

While conducting field research over 3 decades while at the Wyoming Geological Survey at the University of Wyoming, we were able to document hundreds of mineral deposits, occurrences and anomalies. We were able to do so by using scientific methods by keeping in mind the geology, tectonics, and geological history. Sure, we found a lot of stuff, but I guarantee you, if you apply similar scientific methods, you will also find a many more mineral deposits in Wyoming - the geology along with mineral anomalies we identified, prove that there are many other deposits including several ruby and sapphire deposits, more iolite deposits, many diamond deposits, dozens of gold deposits, many massive sulfide deposits, etc. 

While conducting reconnaissance, jasper cobbles and boulders were found in several old prospects at Tin Cup, in an outcrop near the south edge of the Rattlesnake Hills, and (jasperoid) at Quaking Asp Mountain. Some of the Tin Cup jasper is extraordinary and found in masses weighing several hundred pounds. The jasper in the Rattlesnake Hills contained some fossil leaf imprints.

Nearly everywhere we explored, we followed trends and examined geology which lead to other mineral deposits. I was curious enough to find out what some of the unusual minerals were that I picked up, and as a result, identified more than a dozen minerals that had never been reported in Wyoming.

OPAL

Resistant, opal, boulder adjacent to rock hammer in Tertiary
volcaniclastics, with a seam of resistant opal lying beneath the
 boulder and hammer, Cedar Rim, Wyoming.

A rockhound from Riverton, Wyoming, mentioned opal was reported south of town near Cedar Rim at one of my rock hound club talks. When I returned to Laramie, I began searching old US Geological Survey reports on the stratigraphy of the area and found, in passing, mention of opalized rock in some of the stratigraphic columns - so, I headed to the area not knowing what I might find, but the reports left me with the impression that these were just trace amounts. So, when I arrived at Cedar Rim, I was absolutely amazed at the extent of the opal. The great majority of the material I classified as common opal, but also found an entire hillside with colorful red-orange, orange to yellow Mexican opal, and Mexican opal breccia, and traces of precious opal, along with dendritic agate (Sweetwater agate) and a host of colored agates. Based on the presence of the precious opal, I suspect some seams might be found at depth. After spending a few days in the opal field, I later found additional US Geological Survey reports describing some opalized tuffaceous sediments located to the west and east of Highway 135 suggesting that there is likely more opal to the west of the Cedar Rim deposit.

Specimen of 'Candy' opal from Cedar Rim - a mix of white
common opal with colored 'Mexican' opal.

The Cedar Rim deposit lies east of highway 135 and is cut by oil field roads. A few old geological reports from 50 t0 80 years ago mention opal in passing, so I was surprised to find opal scattered over 14 mi2, opal masses containing 80,000-carats along the edge of the oil field roads, and common, fire & precious opal and scattered Sweetwater agate, along with some of the nicest decorative stone in Wyoming. All occurring in Tertiary-age volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks that had a notable

contribution of volcanic ash erupted from Yellowstone in the past.

Cedar Rim boulder opal. All of the boulders and
cobbles that stand out as resistant rock, is typically
filled with opal.

This gave me a clue - nearly all of Wyoming was blanketed by volcanic ash (as was Nebraska and South Dakota). Guess what? There are other opal fields waiting to be discovered. So I found millions of carats of common & fire opal & traces of precious opal (including black opal) that suggest as soon as someone digs, valuable veins of precious opal will be found as depth!

The waxy material in the rock matrix is common opal.