Geology/Questions Answered by Expert C. Robert Reszka, Jr.
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Rock identification | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: i found this rock in our creek New Brunsick Canada I would like to know what kind it is. I would ... A: Looks like you have a fractured, milky quartz specimen with an iron rich mineral infilling the ... | |
| Green Rock | 11/14/2011 |
| Q: We have been collecting rocks and found this one that caught our attention, its white and really ... A: M&M hi, Very interesting rock! A slab or thin section would be very useful but I think it's ... | |
| unusual rock formation | 11/11/2011 |
| Q: My husband and I found this unusual rock yesterday, with grooved rings in Eagle Creek near Octavia, ... A: Looks like you have a rock called "banded quartzite". Very interesting specimen. Quartzite is a ... | |
| Rock ID | 11/9/2011 |
| Q: I found this rock when I was a little boy and thought it was neat, so I kept it. I put it in the ... A: Looks like you have a piece of granite there. It's one of the most common rock types on Earth. ... | |
| Rock what is it | 11/7/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Reszka, I am hoping you will be able to help us identify this rock.The outer crust of the rock ... A: I only saw one picture, but it, along with your description, leads me to agree with your husband's ... | |
| Rock/Mineral ID | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: I walked the Platte River today in NW Missouri near Rochester and found a rock that seemed heavier ... A: It doesn't sound like a meteorite fragment, since it isn't magnetic. Many times slag, from an ore ... | |
| Rock/Mineral ID | 10/30/2011 |
| Q: I walked the Platte River today in NW Missouri near Rochester and found a rock that seemed heavier ... A: You just might have a very interesting specimen there. Three questions; You mention it seems ... | |
| Paramorphosis etc. | 10/18/2011 |
| Q: I am an Italian, with a study curriculum in humanities, who is trying to remediate some of my ... A: In replacement processes like you mention, the morphology of of the replaced crystal remains ... | |
| thick black sand on lake huron | 10/17/2011 |
| Q: I have been sampling the black sand on a beach on lake Huron, I have found small bits of gold, I ... A: I can't tell without an assay but it's possible they might be silver. Silver is certainly present ... | |
| question | 10/16/2011 |
| Q: I am a retired teacher from Royal Oak....I now have a house Up at Boyne Highlands....looking at the ... A: Here's a pretty good resource: ... | |
| what kind of rocks do I have | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: first off I live in northeast Kansas and we found these rock's in the location of where the MO river ... A: The pictures are a little dark, but I think your rocks are pieces of basalt with pyrite inclusions. ... | |
| Olivine vs Quartz | 9/19/2011 |
| Q: I am aware that quartz and olivine form in very different conditions. but is there a mineral that ... A: The heat from a basaltic magma can cause a metasomatic mineral alteration in the quartz. It has been ... | |
| a mystery rock | 9/14/2011 |
| Q: I have got a mystery rock, found near 44 '01 by -85 35' Central lower michigan . This rock isn't ... A: Looks like you have a sample of PHYLLITE. That's a metamorphic rock that was originally made of ... | |
| stone / fossil | 7/25/2011 |
| Q: I was given this stone / fossil years ago and I have never been able to find out what it is. It ... A: They look like clusters of Calcite crystals. They are calcium carbonate (CaCo3. It's very common ... | |
| Gold or Gold Mica? | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: I have a found a bunch of quartz rock in a creek in an area that is currently being mined for gold. ... A: You may well have some gold. I don't want to get your hopes up but the picture doesn't look like ... | |
| Georaphy or geology | 7/22/2011 |
| Q: What is meant by lithological sequence? A: A lithological sequence is simply a series of rock layers that mean something. In other words, if ... | |
| Metallic Lustre Nugget ? | 7/21/2011 |
| Q: I found a metallic lustre nugget that is light in weight washed up on the beach. I have never found ... A: At first I thought you might have a copper nugget, but the color is more silvery, and you mention ... | |
| rock identification | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: hello i work at a rock quarry in oregon and recently found a rock of sorts that is about the size pf ... A: You've got a sample of obsidian (volcanic glass#. Here's a site that has some good pictures; ... | |
| Silver looking rock found | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: I am 30miles south of Chicago and while back there is a rock I found not sure where I found it. I ... A: Usually, when someone asks about a silvery mineral it turns out to be anything but silver. In your ... | |
| Silver looking rock found | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: I am 30miles south of Chicago and while back there is a rock I found not sure where I found it. I ... A: There are a few silver-looking rocks, so if I can see it that would help. Send me another e-mail ... | |
| rock id | 7/9/2011 |
| Q: I found a rock,it looks like gabbro from a picture in a book. I tested it and it had no streak,the ... A: There's too much red in the rock to be a gabbro. What you have there is granite. Here's a pretty ... | |
| UP Michigan Obsidian | 7/7/2011 |
| Q: I am a professional archaeologist, recently recording some historic sites in UP north of Big Bay. ... A: Your thoroughness has answered most of the question already. I don't know of any obsidian deposits ... | |
| unknown rock/fossil? | 7/6/2011 |
| Q: Can you help me identify a rock again... I peeled this piece of a boulder. It all peeled off in ... A: It looks like you have a piece of sandstone that has broken off the parent boulder through an ... | |
| Septarian Concretions - SW Michigan Lakeshore | 7/1/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Reszka, I found a number of Septarian Concretions at West Side County Park in Fennville, MI ... A: Deer Lick Creek is considered to be a very good collecting location for septarians. I haven't been ... | |
| silver type rock | 6/26/2011 |
| Q: I found very silvery thin layered rock out on my property.the property is the exact location of the ... A: The picture is a little unclear but it looks like you have Specular Hematite. That is an iron oxide ... | |
| Rock ID | 6/24/2011 |
| Q: Can you help me identify this rock. It is basically gray/brown, I think it fractures conchoidally. I ... A: This isn't really conchoidal fracture. The grain size has to be much smaller; more glass-like. ... | |
| Rock ID | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: Can you help me identify this rock. It is basically gray/brown, I think it fractures conchoidally. I ... A: Looks like you have a Mudstone or Siltstone. Those are sedimentary rocks; rocks that are made up of ... | |
| NJ rock ID | 6/9/2011 |
| Q: I was hoping you could help me ID this rock. First, let me say thank you for taking a look at my ... A: This is an interesting specimen. The images are pretty good and so are your tests on it. Still, ... | |
| looks like cottage cheese | 6/1/2011 |
| Q: I live in northeast Kansas and found this in a ditch. It looks like a big blob of petrified cottage ... A: It's very good. It looks like you have a piece of agate. The 'Net doesn't seem to have many good ... | |
| looks like cottage cheese | 5/28/2011 |
| Q: I live in northeast Kansas and found this in a ditch. It looks like a big blob of petrified cottage ... A: Sorry for taking so long to get back to you but Mother Nature decided to take a punch at us and we ... | |
| Found metallic rock | 5/26/2011 |
| Q: I found a rock that I am curious about. The color is like Titanium it is not magnetic and feels more ... A: Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Mother Nature decided to pound us and knocked out our ... | |
| Two Rocks | 5/15/2011 |
| Q: Reszka, I have two rocks(well I guess that is what they are)that I am trying to get identified. The ... A: The brown one does indeed look like it might be a coral but the picture is very dark and blurry so I ... | |
| Michigan obsidian | 5/12/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if anyone ever solved the Michigan obsidian mystery? I am a geologist in Illinois ... A: As far as I know there are no certain answers concerning obsidian. I have never heard of any ... | |
| Fossil Question | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Reszka, I found/uncovered this rock from a creek bed about 20 miles southwest of St. Louis, MO ... A: It looks like you have a piece of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock. It's ... | |
| crystalline substance molded to rock surface | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: I find lots of fossils/crystallized material in my yard and this one baffled me. Rust colored and ... A: Groundwater can carry pretty much any minerals that can dissolve. As it flows through a mineral ... | |
| crystalline substance molded to rock surface | 5/8/2011 |
| Q: I find lots of fossils/crystallized material in my yard and this one baffled me. Rust colored and ... A: That's a pretty interesting rock. It looks to me like the gray rock had some existing fractures ... | |
| basalt rock with gold? | 5/7/2011 |
| Q: I found these three rocks years ago in the middle of the woods, really out of place in eastern north ... A: The picture is very blurry so I can't make out much, but I think what you may have is a piece of ... | |
| Lake Superior Rock Identification | 5/3/2011 |
| Q: I live in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and love collecting odd-looking rocks from the shores of ... A: It's almost impossible to tell what you have from just a description. You really need a picture ... | |
| obsidian-type rock | 4/8/2011 |
| Q: I have a 18oz. rock specimen that is black and seems to have a somewhat conchoidal fracture, so I ... A: It's prety hard to tell what kind of rock you have without a picture but I can give a solid idea of ... | |
| rock identification | 4/7/2011 |
| Q: Need help identifying a rock i found. It has a silver shiny color to it. The area i found it in is ... A: There are many kinds of silver minerals and it is difficult to tell one from another by just a ... | |
| what kind of rock | 4/3/2011 |
| Q: i have a 18in by 12in oblong shaped rock that is semi smooth dark gray-green in color, with 1/4 in ... A: Your description could be many rocks. If you could send long a picture I might be able to help. ... | |
| What kind of Rock? | 4/2/2011 |
| Q: I found this rock in a stream bed here in Alaska and am really curious as to what kind of rock it ... A: It's pretty hard to tell what you have there from the picture. You mention that it's heavy for it's ... | |
| rock identification | 3/30/2011 |
| Q: Aloha my name is kaiku Im from kauai HI and I have this rock that was left here by my uncle before ... A: You have a piece of Tiger Eye there. It's a gemstone. It's a metamorphic rock that's a member of ... | |
| green rock indentification please | 3/11/2011 |
| Q: I went hiking the other day in some mountains in northern California. I found a few of these rocks ... A: That green color looks pretty distinctive. It looks to me like you have massive epidote (the green ... | |
| unknown crystal | 3/7/2011 |
| Q: I have just started to collect crystals & rocks. I bought this one locally but I don't know what it ... A: It's a little hard to tell what you have there. We usually use things like color, crystal shape, ... | |
| info on a rock | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: My grandparents were rockhounds. I now live in thier house. My whole front yard is all rocks, BIG ... A: Very interesting rock you have there. I see what looks like layering in the rock and, from this ... | |
| Unknown Rock | 2/9/2011 |
| Q: Please look at this rock and tell me if it is common or not A: Looks like you have a piece of green quartz. If it were gem quality it would be called "Prasiolite" ... | |
| Subject Selection | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: * Physics and Mathematics * Physics and Chemistry * Chemistry and Geography * Chemistry and ... A: You'll actually need classes in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Geography to become a petroleum ... | |
| strike and dip | 1/25/2011 |
| Q: I am reading old Mexican reports they quote, for example, a strike as 65 deg NW and dip as 45 deg ... A: It looks like they might have left something out. I agree that is unclear what they mean by this ... | |
| rock | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: Justs not sure what it is. I dug it up this fall right before it snowed. The pictures show the rock ... A: Nice looking rock you have. It's "Granite". All rocks are classified as either "Igneous", ... | |
| mineral ID | 1/16/2011 |
| Q: I did the scratch test you mentioned and it did not scratch. So an agate it is. Could you help ... A: Glad the last answer helped. The image you sent does not look like a meteorite to me but I do see ... | |
| d interior of the earth | 1/15/2011 |
| Q: From the study of the interior of the earth, we learnt that as you move down, temperature increases ... A: What you studied is true; as you go deeper the ambient temperature does rise, to 5,000-6,000 degrees ... | |
| rock mineral identification | 1/11/2011 |
| Q: I found these specimens in the driftless region of southwestern wisconsin. Would you Please help me ... A: It looks like you have a piece of agate. You can see the botryoidal (bumpy) surface that is an ... | |
| rock Identification | 11/27/2010 |
| Q: Reszka, I have found a dozen of these on the N.C. coast. What kind of rock could this be? It is ... A: The fracture pattern on your rocks suggests that you have some glass slag. It can be almost any ... | |
| shiny silver rock | 11/25/2010 |
| Q: I have recently found a rock that is roughly 3 inches square about half an inch thick it seems to ... A: J., It's pretty hard to tell what you have without a picture, but I think I have a good idea what ... | |
| rock identification please | 11/23/2010 |
| Q: Reszka, Would you please identify this rock found along the beach in North Carolina. It is a smooth ... A: You have a small piece of basalt with an aplite dike running through it. A little about both, I ... | |
| unusual rock | 11/18/2010 |
| Q: This is a rock I found in West Texas, near Midland. It's unusual and I was wondering if you know ... A: This looks like a piece of an ironstone concretion. A concretion is a hard bodied sedimentary rock ... | |
| What is this Interesting Rock? | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: Greetings Robert, At first glance, these rocks appear a silvery gray. But actually I think they ... A: Looks like you have a piece of talc. A couple of diagnostics that nail it down are FEEL and ... | |
| Isotope Geochemistry | 11/15/2010 |
| Q: Can you please explain what isotope geochemistry is? and where i can find information about it? ... A: Isotope geochemistry is the study of the concentrations of the elements and their isotopes in the ... | |
| Mineral found inside Geode | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: I have various Geodes that are part of my collection, but recently I came across one perfectly round ... A: You don't send a picture; that always helps in ID. But your description is good and you're not ... | |
| Strange Fossil | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: my friend found this on a beach on the east cost of England. It's covered in fools gold too. Any ... A: The pic looks pretty much like a pelecypod to me. That's a mollusk; they are clams or oysters. ... | |
| strange glass type rock? | 11/1/2010 |
| Q: She told me she found it as a child when she lived in Belgium. it seems to have either coral or some ... A: This is certainly a piece of glass. The rock-looking section isn't clear because it contains a lot ... | |
| Garnets | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: please i want to ask the question about Garnets: origin, chemistry and it's significance. A: The garnet group is a complex series of isometric nesosilicates. There is enough chemical variation ... | |
| Carbonates against sand | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: No, I'm sorry...I don't know how I sent that question before!..this is the question I have: ... A: Whole books have been written on sedimentary geology, and entire college courses are taught on the ... | |
| Rock | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: So now im curious as to what it may be. It is about the size of a nickel its not heavy at all and ... A: There are many kinds of silver minerals and it is difficult to tell one from another by just a ... | |
| Minerals | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: Could you please tell me if the mineral Silver originates from Igneous, Sedimentary, or Metamorphic ... A: Your question could be taken a couple of ways. I will assume that you are asking what the host rock ... | |
| what rocks are these | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I've been curious for a while now, wondering what kind of rocks these are. Numbers 1,4,6 have ... A: Nice minerals you have there. Your pictures are pretty clear and I think I can identify them for ... | |
| Rock to know | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: I've found these rocks in the mountains they were very different from their surrounding rocks. I ... A: I'm glad you had the time to check out the images I mentioned. The new pic you sent still looks ... | |
| Rock to know | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: I've found these rocks in the mountains they were very different from their surrounding rocks. I ... A: You don't mention where you found your rock. It is usually a plus when trying to identify one but ... | |
| silver rock | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: My husband brought home a bunch of shiny silver rocks, he found by railroad tracks near Saginaw ... A: There are many kinds of silver minerals and it is difficult to tell what you have without a ... | |
| Rock | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: I love rocks and plan to take Geology in college, I have a nice little collection of rocks, but I ... A: Interesting specimen you have there. It's a very good picture but I am not sure of its size. Since ... | |
| Pangea | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: I would like to ask u that when was pangea formed? what was before the pangea? did pangea formed and ... A: Pangea began forming about 306 million years ago, and broke up about 200 million years ago. There ... | |
| geology | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: Why is the centre of the earth molten? A: The center of the Earth is actually made up of two parts; a solid, metallic inner core and a liquid ... | |
| Non-Metallic Minerals | 7/31/2010 |
| Q: Hi. My question is that do non-metallic minerals contain metals or we call them non-metallic because ... A: "Metallic" and "Non-metallic" refer to ways that a mineral can be identified. They have to do with ... | |
| what kind of rock is this? | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: i have this rock and i was wondering what kind it is? I have neve seen any like this before. It is ... A: There are many kinds of silver minerals and it is difficult to tell one from another by just a ... | |
| Michigan petrified wood | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: Reszka, For over 30 years I have frequented gravel pits throughout southwest Michigan splitting ... A: Sorry but I don't know of any sources of Michigan petrified wood. A search of the 'Net didn't turn ... | |
| silver rock | 7/24/2010 |
| Q: what is it i herd it was galena but it doesn't look like it A: Your picture didn't come through well so it's very hard to see anything, but I can make out ... | |
| stone - pebble or geode? | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: I'm not sure if you can help me - I have a fairly large stone/pebble, its been in my garden for ... A: Sounds like you have an interesting rock you there. That's a pretty fair description but without a ... | |
| Smell-(propert of mineral) | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: i'am doin Bsc In Geology ,sir i would like to get some information related to the smell of mineral ... A: Most times there will not be any detectable smell to the specimen. Reaction with the air molecules ... | |
| mysterious inherited rocks | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: about 2 years ago my uncle passed away and left me with a pouch full of these strange silver colored ... A: There are many kinds of silver minerals and it is difficult to tell one from another by just a ... | |
| about mountains | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: Do the deep crustal roots of moutains prevent ENTIRE lithospheric plates from sliding (due to weak ... A: You ask a very complex question about plate tectonics and there really isn't that much space here to ... | |
| Curious Rock | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I recently found a very curious rock that I've struggled identifying. It was taken from Fremont ... A: It's really hard to tell what you have there. From the image it doesn't look particularly metallic ... | |
| Your best guess as to the inclusions in this rock | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: I've photographed a very colorful rock that a rock hound friend loaned me and I'm curious to know if ... A: Beautiful rock there Dan!! From what I can see of it there is certainly Azurite (the blue) but I ... | |
| Rock found inside a rock | 5/15/2010 |
| Q: While walking in a newly plowed corn field in northern Indiana. I found an unusual shaped rock, ... A: Interesting rock....looks like you might have a piece of claystone (the light colored, bigger one) ... | |
| science | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: why do geologist would describe the rock as "a mixture of minerals" A: The geological name we give for an aggregate of solid materials is "rock". The solid materials can ... | |
| silver rock | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: I have a question regarding rocks my son and I found walking along some railroad tracks about 40 ... A: Interesting rock. Without a picture it is difficult to tell what it is, but it might be a couple of ... | |
| Unidentified Rock | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: I have had this rock since I was a kid. I was digging a hole by a school when I was about 10 years ... A: You don't mention where you dug up your rock, sometimes it's easier to identify a rock if you know ... | |
| about gold | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: respect full sir when i read answer about how minerals are made you ans that minerals are made by ... A: You might be confusing me with another person who answered your question on gold. I don't have any ... | |
| Neat Rock | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: My friend has this rock , it sits around the campfire. It has a good sized Green band that runs ... A: Looks like your friend has a granite gneiss joining him at the campfire. That's a metamorphic rock ... | |
| Volcano | 4/25/2010 |
| Q: Reszka I want to know how many volcano they had in USA. If it is possible can you tell me where ... A: There are about 170 volcanoes in the U.S. (I also include a few in Canada since they are associated ... | |
| Unusual shaped rock | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: While cleaning out boxes I came across a rock I found 30 plus years ago in Oilton, Texas - Webb ... A: Your photo didn't come through, but I do have a pretty good idea of what you are describing. Some ... | |
| can you help me figure out what this is? | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: my fiance found this while on a job site. he was digging in Tonawanda, NY. it was approximately 2-3 ... A: Looks like you have a piece of metallic slag there. "Slag" is a byproduct of the smelting process ... | |
| geology | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: Reszka, I have recently become interested in geology as a hobby and I was wondering if you could ... A: You don't mention what aspects of geology you are interested in but I will assume it's things like, ... | |
| What type of rock do i have | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I found this rock in a field in Jay county Indiana. It has what I belive to be sandstone with quartz ... A: Your specimen looks like a "septarian nodule". This type of rock is more properly called a ... | |
| About future | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: After 12th what can do to make my carrer in geology. What should i read. How is there scope in ... A: Geology is a multi-faceted discipline in every sense. Mining, volcanics, environmental, waste ... | |
| Lithosphere | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: Hi. Please explain that why the thickness of continental and oceanic lithosphere varies and is the ... A: There is not enough space here to adequately answer our questions. I suggest you search around the ... | |
| very shiny stone,rock,mineral??? | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: I found this rock/stone I'm not sure exactly what it is. I found it outside my home in 1965. I kept ... A: I have an idea on what it could be but without a better description, or a picture, I can't be sure ... | |
| Hello | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: Asalam o Alaekum how r u sir?I hope u will be fine. Sir i am studying BS-2 my problem is what is the ... A: There really isn't much difference between them. A joint is a break in a rock where neither side of ... | |
| HELLO | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: CAN YOU HELP ME DEFINE WHAT THIS IS A: Looks like you have a piece of massive quartz covered by quartz crystals. Quartz is a silicon ... | |
| rock | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: It looks like it has been subjected to heat and has a very fine grain with some coloured grains ... A: Looks like you have a piece of "basalt" there. That is a volcanic igneous rock, a rock that ... | |
| Tectonics | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: Hello. I read in book that Pangea split in late Triassic. Was it broken many times or only in late ... A: Actually Pangea began its breakup in Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic. It began to form up in the ... | |
| Michigan Earthquakes | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: Dr. Reszka, I'm doing a project on Michigan's geology and I'm trying to figure out why Michigan has ... A: Since the 1700's there have been 105 earthquakes recorded in Michigan but only 4 can't be explained ... | |
| geology | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: I hope I am not bothering you.. I just finished my o level and I am interested in petroleum geology. ... A: I am not familiar with your education system in Brunei so I can not give you a definitive answer. I ... | |
| what kind of rock is this???? | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: I have a rock and im just wondering what kind it is. It is 9" round, It is cracked and has some kind ... A: In general terms what you have is a "geode". There are a gazillion types of geodes but, mostly, ... | |
| what kind of rock is this???? | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a rock and im just wondering what kind it is. It is 9" round, It is cracked and has some kind ... A: Sending me photo is a really good idea for this question. Make sure there is something in the photo ... | |
| Shiny silver rock.. | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: I Found a very SHINY SILVER ROCK, Back in 2005, only recently remembered about it. It was a LARGE ... A: I have seen many examples of this kind of specimen before. It isn't a natural stone. It is a piece ... | |
| Boyne Highlands area | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a home in the Boyne Highlands ski & golf area....I have always wondered how these hills were ... A: Most of Michigan's surface is covered by sediments deposited by glaciers. Particles of all sizes, ... | |
| Rock ID | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I need help in ID'ing this rock. We picked it up from the backyard of our old house in IL about 20 ... A: What you have there is a called a "pegmatite". That's a very coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock ... | |
| prospecting technique | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: what are the essential of prospecting and exploration technique?principal method of mining,sampling ... A: You must understand that your question is impossibly complicated and involved to answer here. You ... | |
| picture in rock formation | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: I found this rock in Frankfort MI on the shore in front of Point Betsie lighthouse. I thought ... A: Very interesting rock you have there. The discoloration could certainly be natural. I have seen ... | |
| Erosion | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: How can I teach my students about erosion? I would like to use an online model. Do you have a ... A: You don't mention how old your students are but i am assuming they are younger than college. Here ... | |
| rocks | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: What is the term for the process whereby water drips into a crack in a rock, and eventually splits ... A: The term you are searching for is "Frost Heaving". Most often frost heave describes how the ground ... | |
| Is it fulgurite? | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: I found this in the Outer Banks and based on the identification label of a similar pircr in a ... A: You're suspicions are correct; this isn't a fulgurite. Or perhaps I should say rather, that it ... | |
| Shale | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: How we can recognize the sandstone which is formed in marine environment and the sandstone which is ... A: I'm glad my answer seemed to help. As for shale; anytime a depositional environment gets far enough ... | |
| Rock identification | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: What is this rock? My grandpa gave it to me before his death. I have no other info. Thanks, Todd A: Not much information but I understand that you don't have any yourself. The rock itself is called ... | |
| Sandstone | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: How we can recognize the sandstone which is formed in marine environment and the sandstone which is ... A: There is no easy way to distinguish marine from terrestrial sandstone. The resultant depositional ... | |
| geology - sedimentary rocks prevalence | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I understand that 70% of the earth's crust is sedimentary rock. What proportions of this 70% are ... A: Interesting question, and one that could take volumes to properly answer. You should take into ... | |
| What kind of rock/mineral is this? | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: I had a science experiment during class where we had to calculate if 3 rocks were either silver or ... A: You don't say what the color of the mineral is but since you are attempting to determine if the ... | |
| Rocks that look like large eggs | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: do you know what kind of rocks these are? Did they used to be eggs? A: First let me say they did not used to be eggs. I have seen many rocks of differing kinds that look ... | |
| Weird Rock | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: I need help.I have found this rock in northern Virginia in the USA,and i have no idea what it ... A: in order to put a name to your rock I am going to need a photograph. There are too many types of ... | |
| Continental crust collision and the Himalayas | 11/27/2009 |
| Q: I have been looking to the answer for the following for some time. Why is there no volcanoes in the ... A: This is a good question and relatively easy to answer. Both continental landmasses were made up of ... | |
| geology | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: Cam you help me wit this question, I'm having problems understanding the question and I can not find ... A: This was a term proposed by Deevey and Flint in 1957 as a replacement for the term, "Holocene ... | |
| Question | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: ...sir can u tell me what do you think about 2012...is it real or not ANSWER: No Farrukh, it is NOT ... A: It is the job of an entertainment business to "entertain". Youtube and National Geographic do just ... | |
| Question | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: ...sir can u tell me what do you think about 2012...is it real or not A: No Farrukh, it is NOT real. At least not in the premise put forth in the movie. The Mayans were ... | |
| Degree concerns | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: Sir, hope u r fine and in good health,i would like to know ur suggestion about this common issue now ... A: This is just my personal opinion but I think that "practical" education is just as important as that ... | |
| Identify rock | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: I am looking to have this rock identified. I was under the assumption it was a selenite. Have my ... A: This is an easy one. Yes it is selenite. It looks like a piece of a selenite rose, perhaps from ... | |
| Rock or Meteorite | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: I found this rock that is black and is nothing close to being round it has little white spots that ... A: In order to get an idea of what you have I am going to need a picture. There are too many rocks ... | |
| diamond. | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: please tell the diamond is hardest mineral in moh's hardness scale then what other mineral can cut ... A: Good question. So far the only substance that we have that will cut a diamond is another diamond. ... | |
| strange rock | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: I found a rock in a field in southern Quebec that is different than anything I have ever seen ... A: I'm really going to need to see a picture to get a better idea of what you have. Not too many rocks ... | |
| Where does "new water" come from | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: Is there a geophysical/chemical process that creates "new water" or is all water simply reprocessed ... A: Interesting question. All the water, or most of it, that is on the Earth today was here since the ... | |
| What the heck | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: I teach in a Native Village in the North Slope of Alaska. Recently, a mom brought in this large ... A: This is very interesting. When I read your question I hadn't seen the photo yet but it sounded very ... | |
| black rock found | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: After the hurricane off the east coast this summer, my son found a big, heavy black rock in the ... A: I won't be able to give you a really good idea of what your rock is without a picture. A heavy, ... | |
| gems | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: could you tell me which is the Rarest Mineral / Gem on our planet ??? after the Diamond, which is ... A: Painite is considered to be the rarest gemn on Earth. It's basically a boron oxide. Here's its ... | |
| Minerals | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: Im going a 50 question review for my geology class on a chapter concerning Minerals. I think I have ... A: First one's kind of tricky. You are correct. A crystal will grow to it's euhedral form if it's ... | |
| Michigan Basin | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a few questions about the Michigan Basin. First one is, what is it? Is it just a large crater ... A: Yours is a VERY complex and difficult question to cover here. There just is no simple answer. It ... | |
| geology | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: what is oil window and water window?also what depth,time,presure to form oil and gas?are they equal ... A: Your question is too long and involved to properly answer here but this website is pretty good and ... | |
| Interesting specimen | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: We found an interesting specimen in a field in Tennessee. It is mostly rust colored but does NOT ... A: Kewl looking rock! I have seen specimens very like this before. Is it very hard? If it is, then I ... | |
| Boulders | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: This may be odd...but I want to use a red surface boulder, what I would describe as rounded, not ... A: There are many minerals that are red but you probably won't find any large enough for a headstone. ... | |
| Geodes | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: We have a cottage in the tip of the thumb of Michigan on Lake Huron - sunrise side. There are LOTS ... A: The short answer is, I would not expect to find geodes on your beach. Although they can be found in ... | |
| Bimodal vocanic rocks | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: Would you please explain how bimodal vocalnics formed? A: Bimodal volcanic rocks are formed when both felsic and mafic material is emplaced from a single ... | |
| mineral identification | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I'm always difficult to tell the difference between biotite amphibole and pyroxene from a rock ... A: This is a difficult question and, unfortunately the best way to tell the difference is just through ... | |
| Field Geology | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: I often go in the field but I can not recognize the thrust fault. Please explain that how "thrust ... A: A thrust (or reverse) fault is one in which one side of the fault is pushed up over the other side. ... | |
| ID rock | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me what this rock is? I've never seen one on any of the rough rock sites yet I have ... A: Nice rock you have there. You don't mention where you are from but I am pretty sure you have a type ... | |
| How common is it to find lava rock | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: I was gardening in my yard and just below the surface I found what appear to be lava rocks. Now, I ... A: Your description, jet black, glassy, and hard, could be a couple of things. I would first suspect ... | |
| What rock is this? | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: I found this rock years ago when I was a kid, near our beach. I always thought it was pretty and ... A: Your rock certainly can be displayed out doors. It's melting point is between 1,100 and 1,200 ... | |
| What rock is this? | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: I found this rock years ago when I was a kid, near our beach. I always thought it was pretty and ... A: It's pretty clear from the picture that your specimen is a "vesicular basalt". That is an igneous ... | |
| Question | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: Could you please define what drilling and test pit excavation are and what they are used for THanks A: These are ways to get underground to see what is there. "Drilling" is just what you'd expect; ... | |
| Obsidian | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I heard on TV that only diamonds are hard enough to cut granite, such as for, say, tombstones. What ... A: Obsidian will NOT cut granite. Obsidian is volcanic glass and so has hardness of about 5 to 5.5 on ... | |
| Rock Cycle | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: Does the rock cycle happen in places like the Arctic or Antarctica? A: Your question makes me wonder if you are sure of what the "Rock Cycle" is. Just in case I will give ... | |
| Unusual Rock | 5/16/2009 |
| Q: Reszka, My sons dug up this rock around 20 years ago, they brought to me because they know I'm into ... A: The picture is a little blurry but I can see some detail. The outside looks glassy and somewhat ... | |
| rock? | 5/15/2009 |
| Q: We discovered a large rock in our backyard, L.A. area. I feel it is much too heavy to be petrified ... A: You definitely have a petrified wood specimen. A very nice one too. They can feel heavier than ... | |
| petrolium geology | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: Can you please tell me the difference between play and trap. i am working in an exploration ... A: A "trap" is the physical structure into which the petroleum product has accumulated. Sometimes the ... | |
| regarding a stone | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: sir,i found a stone,it appears to be colorless and it weighs about 14.5 grams. could you please help ... A: It is a little hard to tell from just a photo but it looks like quartz to me. It could also be ... | |
| Heavy Weights | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: Sir my question is: How is the weight of large rocks and large animals like elephant determined? A: The weight of large things is usually determined by weighing them. There are very large scales that ... | |
| Identificaiton of a rock with a mineral component. | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I would appreciate it if you could identify a rock in my possession. The rock has a firm, but not ... A: Nice specimen, and the picture is pretty good. But with a picture alone it is very difficult to ... | |
| geology questions | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: during the big san francisco earthqauke in the 1900s how were the plate techtonics involved? Why did ... A: This is an interesting question but it is too long to answer here. Go to this website. It's ... | |
| Mountains | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: Is it scientifically accurate to suggest that Mountains are, partly, responsible for the equilibrium ... A: Good question. It would not be accurate. Mountains are the result of the action of the moving ... | |
| Rock Identification | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: Was wondering if you could help identify this rock. Found it in a dried up creek bed in western ... A: What I think you have there is a granite, or more correctly a "leuco-granite". Leuco means light ... | |
| volcanoes | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: Is it possible for geologists to travel to the middle of an inactive volcano? If so, what is the ... A: If by "middle of an inactive volcano" you mean below it's surface and not just to the middle of the ... | |
| fossil fuels | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: hey,look this isn't a sophisticated question I'm just a curious 14 year old and i hope I'm not ... A: Fine question Vicken, unfortunately the answer is all too easy. You can make hydrocarbon based ... | |
| Rock identification | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I found this rock on the shore of Lake Washington recently. It appears to be igneous, and globular, ... A: VERY interesting rock!! I am not completely certain what it is. I haven't seen anything precisely ... | |
| Sand? | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: I have to compare sand samples and slides next week. Now i just don't no where to start and what to ... A: Normally, when doing an analysis of a sample you look for things like color, quantity, luster, ... | |
| Michigan rock collecting laws for State Land | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Reszka, I am an avid rock and fossil collector as well as a general outdoorsman. I am curious ... A: Sorry it took so long; I've been battling the flu... Yours is a good question. Michigan has no ... | |
| quartz | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: i have a rock that is lightly yellow in color, and looks like quartz. it is very rough.i found it on ... A: Sorry it took so long to get back to you; I've been battling the flu. The little triangles make me ... | |
| quartz | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: i have a rock that is lightly yellow in color, and looks like quartz. it is very rough.i found it on ... A: Without a picture it is very hard to determine the kind of rock or mineral you have. I can take a ... | |
| Rock | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: I have found a rock that my husband has been packing from house to house with him. This particular ... A: That's a GREAT picture. It's clear and you have something as a size reference. Great job! Thanks. ... | |
| what type of rock is "river rock" | 2/27/2009 |
| Q: My wife is an interior desogner and has used "river rock" as a facade one the chimmney, kitchen and ... A: "River rock" is a generalized term that is not meant to describe any particular type of rock. It's ... | |
| Rock | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: I have found a rock that my husband has been packing from house to house with him. This particular ... A: Is there any way you could take a picture and send it along with a followup question? That would ... | |
| rock found, unusual | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: I found this unusual rock on the beach last summer and I have no idea what it might be. It is black ... A: Sending a picture would be the best idea. However, I think I might know what it is. You mention it ... | |
| fulgurites | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: Reszka, I am inquiring as to what I believe is a fulgurite which I found on the beach of Lake ... A: You certainly could have a fulgurite. Is the center glass or at least glassy? Most fulgurites have ... | |
| ROCKS!!!! | 2/5/2009 |
| Q: A gentleman at my work gave me this rock that was on his desk, he doesn't know where it came from ... A: The picture is a little blurry but I think I can tell what it is. Does it look very shiny, or ... | |
| Type of rock | 2/4/2009 |
| Q: Hi I would just like to know what kind of rock this is and how it was formed -is it unusual? A: It's usually hard to give a definitive ID of a rock without actually holding it. The best we can do ... | |
| Obsidian | 1/24/2009 |
| Q: I have read on obsidian and I found it quite interesting. I will like to know more about obsidian, ... A: Good to hear from you again. I hope you were able to use the suggestions I gave you last time. ... | |
| Rocks & Mineral | 1/22/2009 |
| Q: I am taking Earth System Engineering Course and I am interested in rocks & minerals. Could you ... A: Here are some of the sites that I use. There are many more but these are good, general sites that I ... | |
| coal | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: i was told that coal was mined in flint michigan any help .thank you A: There was never very much coal mining in that section of the State. Take a look at the map at this ... | |
| glacial formations | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: Was wondering what the glacial till gravel deposit formation that runs threw ogemaw county official ... A: Your best bet to find out an answer is to borrow Helen Martin's "Outline of the Geologic History of ... | |
| metamorphic processes | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: I had a question dealing with metamorphic rocks. I was told that garnet- mica schist and granite ... A: First let's discuss the Rock Cycle a little bit. It's called a "Cycle" because there really is no ... | |
| geology | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: Hi my question is that how minerals form A: “How do minerals form?” This sounds like a simple question but it really is very complicated, for ... | |
| about Engg geology | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: What is the role of civil engineer geology A: I’m not a geological engineer nor a civil engineer so I can’t speak from experience. I do know that ... | |
| unusual rock | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: I live in northeast Arkansas where I recently found a rock out in the one of our fields where I ... A: Sounds like a very unusual rock. You say it's made of gravel....I have seen oddly shaped structures ... | |
| porosity & oil entrapment | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: sir, could you tell me correlation between porosity & permeability & availability of oil in traps ? ... A: This is a question worthy of years of study and books of information so I can't give you a complete ... | |
| oil reservoirs | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: has anyone ever used a camera cable to look inside an empty oil reservoir? would not some of these ... A: Cameras are routinely used to check boreholes in wells. In most cases reservoirs are not open ... | |
| Geology- 'The Core' movie | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: I read in a previous answer you gave someone, that you haven't see the movie 'the core' but i was ... A: As you say Sarah I haven't seen the movie but I can answer your questions anyway. - Can the liquid ... | |
| Querry- Chromite, mining | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: Mr. Reszka, What resources result in chromite as a by-product during mining(eg. platinum)? A: You have to look for chromium minerals such as Benitorite, Chomite, or Crocoite. There are more ... | |
| Obsidian in Southeast Michigan | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I've read your previous answer about Obsidian being rare in Michigan. I live in Milan Michigan and ... A: The easiest way to tell the difference between obsidian and flint is that obsidian really does look ... | |
| birth of earth | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: reg my theory that earth is expanding because it is alive like a tree.it is taking energy in ... A: I'm afraid I can't help you Suresh. I believe your theory is incorrect and I really have no idea ... | |
| metallic rock found | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: Some children found a large rock. On the outside it looks just like a rock. Then when you wpe away ... A: A picture would be helpful. You can send it to my gmail account at geologyexpert@gmail.com. I can ... | |
| Supermountains | 8/8/2008 |
| Q: What do you think of the new theory about supermountains appearing for a short while, many millions ... A: This is a pretty new theory. Ian Campbell and Charlotte Allen of the Australian National University ... | |
| Iron Pyrite vs Gold | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: How do you differentiate between gold and Iron pyrite? I was hoping that a magnet would do the trick ... A: The quickest way to tell is by pushing on it with your fingernail or a knife blade. Gold is much ... | |
| black sand | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: i live in the desert of southern calif almost directly on the fault line and was wondering about ... A: Sorry Diane, I won't be able to help you too much; I am not expert in California Geology. I do ... | |
| silver metallic rock | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: I found a small metallic rock on the shore of Lake Ontario today and am very curious as to what it ... A: You can go ahead and send me a picture at geologyexpert@gmali.com. But I'll bet I know what it is ... | |
| Agates | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: How can I tell if the agate in my yard is worth any money? A: There are many types of agate, I think the technical term is "zillions" so the only way to reliably ... | |
| Silver Rock | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: Today I found a strange rock in my garden by coincidence. It is a small rounded rock that is ... A: Good description. I'm going to assume you found this rock in Ireland since you went to school there ... | |
| obsidian | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: I found a rock in Ogemaw County, MI. (about the middle of the lower peninsula) that is baffling me. ... A: You're right it would be unlikely to find obsidian here in Michigan but your find might be flint. ... | |
| geological maps | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: would you please tell me about the usefulness of geological maps for civil engineers. A: Geological information can affect the location, construction, design, and operation of most ... | |
| glacial gold in texas | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: were the glaciers ever as far south as Blunzer Texas? the reason i ask is because i ordered a load ... A: The ice sheets never reached far enough south. At various times the Earth has been covered in ice ... | |
| Volcano and Sea | 5/16/2008 |
| Q: what would happen if we dug an underground tunnel from a sea to a volcano? A: Well, what happens if you dug a tunnel into a volcano would depend on the type of volcano, and how ... | |
| GEOLOGY FOSSILS | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: Why is it desirable to use more than one fossil in a rock unit to determine its relative age? A: The reason we use more than one indicator is that so many things can mess up our deductions. ... | |
| World's Lowest Island | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: Not sure if this is a geology question, but it's worth shot. According to Guinness (U.S. edition, ... A: Not much info on this island. It is an island in a lake in Ethipoia that goes by the jaw-breaker ... | |
| gold flake ? | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: I live in ST-Zotique Canada, I was in my crawl space, under my house ( bungalow on stilts "earth ... A: Gold is found in Canada but I am not an expert in where. However, a good way to find out if you ... | |
| empty oil areas | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: What happens after oil has been tapped out of a said area? does the loss of the weight of the oil ... A: Good question and one that's been worked on, at least to my knowledge, since the 1970's. Turns out ... | |
| What in the world is it? | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: Hey i have a question about this rock i found. I was in Arizona at a hotel in Pheonix and i saw this ... A: Sounds like an interesting rock. Sometimes you'll find a rock that has what's called a "Contact". ... | |
| Iron Mineral | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: Where is the iron mineral originally formed? A: I'm not certain what your asking but I think you mean where, on Earth, does iron come from. ... | |
| The Triassic Period | 3/11/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know if you could possibly help me on my science project. What was the hydrology ... A: Afraid I can't be too much help since this area is a little outside my expertise. Go to this site ... | |
| Geology | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: The magma create new rocks at central ridge, why doesn't our earth keep on growing? A: Good question and like all good questions the answer is very complicated and long. We will distill ... | |
| are minerals also considered rocks? | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to find out if minerals are also considered rocks. In a book at school about rocks it ... A: Good question and one I get asked a lot. Seems like you did a lot of research and it turned out a ... | |
| Rocks | 2/9/2008 |
| Q: I come across a rock that is inky-black and has purple sparkles. Can you help declaring what kind of ... A: Without a picture or some more information it will be very hard to tell what kind of rock you have ... | |
| unknown rock | 1/7/2008 |
| Q: I live in a northwest suburb of chicago,and i found a rock that i can't find an example of anywhere ... A: Sounds to me like you have a piece of JASPER. That's a variety of cryptocrystalline Quartz (SiO2): ... | |
| river rocks | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: I found a beautifully shaped river rock from Minnesota. It is about 4" long. It had a little black ... A: I think you have a piece of BASALT. It's a black, volcanic rock with mineral grains to small to be ... | |
| silver mirrorish rock | 12/31/2007 |
| Q: Honestly I have had this rock since I was pretty young and I have never truly know the name of it. ... A: Sounds like a pretty odd specimen to me. Your description makes me think of something in the MICA ... | |
| rock collecting | 12/26/2007 |
| Q: What laws (if any) cover collecting rocks from beneath the great lakes adjacent to public lands? Can ... A: The Great Lakes bottom lands, below the high tide mark, belong to the people of Michigan. That ... | |
| shiny rock | 12/23/2007 |
| Q: I found a shiny silver rock that chips if you strike it and it does not tarnish when you touch it. ... A: It's very difficult to tell what your rock is from your description. I could use some more ... | |
| Volcanoes | 12/19/2007 |
| Q: Reszka, My name is Rachel. I am eight and a half years old. I am doing a project in school on ... A: “The most destructive volcano”….not as easy a question to answer as you might think. By that do you ... | |
| i found an odd rock | 12/3/2007 |
| Q: i have found a small chunk of white quartz it has a silver coloration mineral growth on its sides ... A: Unfortunately I can't find any of your images at the site. Your specimen sounds like it was part of ... | |
| Darcy's Law | 11/30/2007 |
| Q: I am a sixth grade student. I am doing a science fair project for school and I am experimenting the ... A: Sorry but your question covers a different geological discipline than the ones with which I'm most ... | |
| Radioactive Decay | 11/20/2007 |
| Q: what happens? What makes it happen? A: This is a REALLY complex topic but maybe we can simplify it. Radioactive decay is a process by ... | |
| minerals | 11/3/2007 |
| Q: Why are minerals so useful? A: Minerals are so useful because, well, the truth is if you can't grow it you must mine it. Nearly ... | |
| Science or Rocks | 9/30/2007 |
| Q: I could never really understand why rocks are made of minerals and how rocks even get the minerals ... A: A general definition of a rock is that it is an aggregate of minerals. So anytime a group of ... | |
| Geology | 9/22/2007 |
| Q: Are there emeralds in Greenland? A: There are no emerald localities in Greenland. I should say that no one has found any emerald ... | |
| granite | 9/12/2007 |
| Q: If I was to melt a piece of granite, what would melt first, then second, then third? A: Quartz, and the other "lighter" silicates like K-feldspar, would melt first at about 600 C. The ... | |
| engineering geology | 9/10/2007 |
| Q: what is the importance of engineering geology in civil engineering A: I’m not a geological engineer nor a civil engineer so I can’t speak from experience. I do know that ... | |
| ice age - reversal of magnetic pole | 8/14/2007 |
| Q: In a study book about human prehistory I read the following: 'about 780.000 years ago, the earth's ... A: There isn't any correlation that I am aware of. We just don't know what causes an ice age and I ... | |
| 7.5 pound agate | 8/12/2007 |
| Q: Three weeks ago I found what I think is a huge agate while snorkeling in Lake Michigan in Sturgeon ... A: Sure Lori, send the picture to : geologyexpert@yahoo.com But I'll bet you have a sample of the ... | |
| found boulder | 8/11/2007 |
| Q: I have a farm about 5 mi from the ind boarder cent 49032 mi. I've found a laccolith with a band of ... A: Do your really mean a laccolith? That's described as a low hill that could be 5 miles wide and ... | |
| geodes | 7/26/2007 |
| Q: I cracked open a geode yesterday and there was a perfectly round "ball" about the size of a walnut ... A: Sounds like a really interesting geode you've got there! It's odd but pretty near anything can ... | |
| black rock with sparkles | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I found a black rock (about 40 years ago). I believe in Michigan, but it might have been on a trip ... A: Without seeing the rock it is somewhat hard to tell but I suspect that, almost certainly, your rock ... | |
| michigan black sand | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: Dr Rob On the typical Northern Michigan beach, the sand is tan, however there is always a few ... A: The black material you see is usually mde up of iron rich minerals. Much of it will even be ... | |
| Found 1972, Burton, Mi a large dark green rock | 6/11/2007 |
| Q: With out seeing it, could you tell me what it may be. I plowed it up during grading. A: Without seeing the rock it's really difficult to tell what it is but I could hazard a guess that ... | |
| Mountain forming | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: What is the most COMMOM way for mountains to form? A)2 plates come together (this is true). ... A: Actually, A, B, and C are the same thing; geologically speaking. When continents collide they will ... | |
| Ice-Age | 4/27/2007 |
| Q: How much of the Earth's land area was covered by ice in the last Ice-Age? Thanks Geoff A: The last ice age, about 10,000 years ago, covered some 32% of the Earth's surface. Check out this ... | |
| geology | 4/19/2007 |
| Q: How does the plate tectonic theory explain mountain belt formation? A: When plates move around and crash into one another they can become deformed. Think of a tablecloth; ... | |
| a rock found | 3/29/2007 |
| Q: It is hard to ask a question about this rock so if you are any good at identifying rocks by pic I ... A: Just send the picture files to: geologyexpert@yahoo.com If I can identify them I'll let you know. ... | |
| Interview | 2/28/2007 |
| Q: My 4th grade student is doing and independent study project on rocks and fossils. She is required to ... A: 1. Why did you choose to study geology? I've always enjoyed the outdoors and I always wondered why ... | |
| earth flares | 2/18/2007 |
| Q: Recently i asked professor James Gort thisDo you think it's feasible that earth could produce "earth ... A: Unfortunately I can't help much. What little research I did couldn't turn up anything on earth ... | |
| "earth flares" | 2/17/2007 |
| Q: Recently i asked professor James Gort thisDo you think it's feasible that earth could produce "earth ... A: Earthquakes have re-occurred in many places; Japan, California, and Yellowstone to name a few. The ... | |
| Zone of Contact Metamorphism. | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: What kinds of rocks have a Zone of Contact Metamorphism? Do sandstone & limestone have these zones? A: The short answer to your question is that ALL kinds of rock can have a zone of contact metamorphism. ... | |
| Unknown Rock I Found | 11/25/2006 |
| Q: I found a rock under a tree in my front yard. It looked like a meteorite. I have had a couple of ... A: You can certainly send some pictures to me. geologyexpert@yahoo.com Tell me in what State you ... | |
| Sand | 10/24/2006 |
| Q: Could you explain me origin of sand? A: We get sand when large rocks are broken down into really small pieces through the action of wind, ... | |
| stalagtites and stalagmites | 10/23/2006 |
| Q: Which one comes down and which one builds up and which is usually bigger? A: I usually remember it this way: Stalactite has an extra "T" in it and that reminds me that it grows ... | |
| Questions | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: my name is Valentina Baraldi. I am in the 7th grade and I study at The American School of Rio de ... A: A lot of questions and every one of them would take far too long to answer here. I'll distill them ... | |
| fools gold or not | 10/17/2006 |
| Q: hi i got two stones off my dad and he found them i dont know where also i think one is fools gold as ... A: You've done pretty much what I would have told you. You might also want to try pressing the tip of ... | |
| drift diamonds | 10/16/2006 |
| Q: I am extremely interested in geology and a rockhounding enthusiast as well. Some where I remember ... A: Can't give you too much information on diamonds in Michigan. I know there have been about 20 sites ... | |
| rocks | 10/4/2006 |
| Q: My first graders have been studying rocks, and they formed thisOn the earth, are there more rocks on ... A: Like most questions form kids this one can be deceptively difficult. It could involve discussions ... | |
| rock fossils vertebrates | 9/30/2006 |
| Q: i have found several rocks that are vertebrate fossils. i admit all are rocks that are parts of ... A: Your best bet would be to find someone in your State's Geological Survey. They would probably be ... | |
| What Kind of Rock? | 9/29/2006 |
| Q: I need to find out which rock has mostly crystal grains, could be medium or coarse grained, has no ... A: A lot of questions here but it really boils down to a specific rock type. You ask "which rock has ... | |
| what are the steps involved for igneous to become Sedimentary Rocks | 9/28/2006 |
| Q: what are the steps involved for igneous rocks to become Sedimentary Rocks. My son had this on a ... A: To make a sedimentary rock from an igneous rock you must 1. ERODE the rock (another term is ... | |
| Picture of the pangea. | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: ..Do you have some picture's of the pangea from 250 million years ago? If u do please send them to ... A: Go to this website: http://www.scotese.com/earth.htm It shows maps of what the Earth's surface ... | |
| Gold bearing rocks | 9/12/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering ,I have found a rock that has small traces of gold particles in them, i have broken ... A: It's really hard to tell if you have gold or not without having seen it, or knowing something more ... | |
| strata | 9/9/2006 |
| Q: How deep are the deepest known strata of rocks? Does this make them the oldest sedimentary rocks? ... A: Let’s take your questions one at a time: How deep are the deepest known strata of rocks? That ... | |
| Mountains | 8/2/2006 |
| Q: Do mountains have deep roots inside the earth? . Regards, Ameen. A: Mountain don't really have roots. The crust beneath mountains is much thicker than other places on ... | |
| Igneous and Sedimentary Breccia | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: How can the two types of Breccia (volcanic breccia and sedimentary breccia) be distinguished from ... A: A breccia is a rock made up of large (you can see them without a microscope), angular fragments of ... | |
| sand dunes | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: Does the formation of sand dunes have anything to do with plate tectonics? A: The simple answer is, no. But in Geology nothing is simple. The real answer depends on where the ... | |
| materials of the earth | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: Are there any materials in the nucleur of the earth but the nikle and iron? -Is nucleur of the earth ... A: We don’t really know what makes up the Earth’s core but we can infer an awful lot. We are sure that ... | |
| florida | 6/24/2006 |
| Q: Does this mean that central florida is a risky place to build a new home on? Especially a place that ... A: Sorry Al, I can't help with that. I'm not an expert in the Geology of Florida. And I am not an ... | |
| florida | 6/23/2006 |
| Q: In central florida, usa, near the city of Sebring there are many lakes. I want to know what forces ... A: Most lakes in Centrl Florida are called "Sinkhole Lakes". That is, they are caused when the soft ... | |
| Gold Flow | 6/4/2006 |
| Q: Mr. Reszka, I am a teacher who will be spending this summer working to suppliment my income and ... A: I really can't help much with this except to say that I would expect the gold to winnow out pretty ... | |
| recognizing rocks | 6/4/2006 |
| Q: Followup To Question - ... What about telling the differences between granite, andesite, basalt, ... A: About the limestone question....limestone can be very hard. Lithographic limestone is dense, smooth ... | |
| recognizing rocks | 5/29/2006 |
| Q: I'm having a lot of trouble identifying the basic rock types - sandstone and limestone I can do, but ... A: The major way to tell the difference between the igneous rocks is through color and texture. At one ... | |
| recognizing rocks | 5/23/2006 |
| Q: I'm having a lot of trouble identifying the basic rock types - sandstone and limestone I can do, but ... A: I assume you know the distinction but, just to be clear, granite and volcanic rocks are igneous, and ... | |
| rocks | 5/20/2006 |
| Q: What rock is made from lava? A: Rocks that form from lava are called IGNEOUS Rocks. There are many kinds but usually you will find ... | |
| What Kind of Rock do I have? | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: I have found a rock, but it is no normal rock. It is perfectly round, and I have others also, there ... A: Sounds like a pretty unusual stone. Without seeing, and handling, the stone it's pretty hard to ... | |
| MINERALS | 5/17/2006 |
| Q: HOW DO MINERALS FORM? I ALSO NEED MATERIALS FOR THIS QUESTON FOR A PROJECT. A: “How do minerals form?” This sounds like a simple question but it really is very complicated, for ... | |
| basalt | 5/8/2006 |
| Q: what is the process that forms basalt?please A: Basalt is the most abundant rock type on the surface of the Earth. Most of the oceanic basins are ... | |
| Cobble stones | 5/1/2006 |
| Q: I hope I am correct that I asked a question to you before. I my self a geology graduate and now days ... A: I used the Mt. St. Helen example to give you an idea of how even large rocks can be moved, and ... | |
| stratigraphy | 4/30/2006 |
| Q: why the precambran basement is known as shield? is it an arbitrarily given name or has some reason ... A: To answer this question you have to understand the early history of the Earth and how the crust ... | |
| stratigraphy | 4/29/2006 |
| Q: why the precambran basement is known as shield? is it an arbitrarily given name or has some reason ... A: I've never seen the etymology for the word “shield”; at least not in its tectonic geology meaning. ... | |
| Pebbles | 4/23/2006 |
| Q: I my self a geology graduate according to what I have studied that the pebbles are formed due to the ... A: Roundeed pebbles are formed by an erosional process called "SALTATION". That's where a rock is ... | |
| geology | 4/16/2006 |
| Q: why does marble have streaks of color in it. A: Sorry for how long it took to get to this question. I had a computer problem; but I'm back now. ... | |
| geology | 4/13/2006 |
| Q: do u know what long curved cracks parallel to the surface is. Its a six letter word witht he 3rd ... A: I think you might mean "joints". They are cracks in the Earth that don't show any appreciable ... | |
| Earth's inner crust | 4/1/2006 |
| Q: I have read some where earth inner core consist of molten lava. and it is said that inner core was ... A: You are almost completely correct. The only real change I would add is that the Earth's core is two ... | |
| continental drift.... | 2/4/2006 |
| Q: Do you know if anyone has ever done any sort of simulation or prediction of what the world will look ... A: Check out this site.....animations, globes, past worlds and future continental positions, background ... | |
| frost wedging... further information | 2/3/2006 |
| Q: Recently I asked a question about finding "puzzle rocks" that crumble into pieces and can be easily ... A: I remember helping you with this question. Let's take your new questions one at a time: What ... | |
| The Sky | 1/23/2006 |
| Q: I dont even kno if this question doesnt belong here. Why is the sky blue? A: That's a good question. The sky is blue because of the way light reacts to gases in the atmosphere. ... | |
| oil and gas resevoirs and traps | 1/18/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could explain the role of permeability and porosity in creating oil and gas ... A: First; do you know the difference between “porosity” and “permeability”? Porosity is the void ... | |
| River rocks with fractures | 1/13/2006 |
| Q: As a child, I explored the mountain streams of south-central Colorado. I remember finding, on one ... A: What you are describing is an erosional process called “frost wedging”. What happens is that water ... | |
| earthquiks | 12/17/2005 |
| Q: how to find the center of earthquik from the sesmogram gets from three stations of sesmograph? how ... A: Check out these sites. They will give you a detailed description of earthquakes and how to measure ... | |
| Sulfur and Coal | 12/15/2005 |
| Q: What and how sulfur is effect on coal? Why is it customer prefer coal with low sulfur instead of ... A: When high sulfur (about %7) coal is burned the sulfur combines with oxygen to create sulfur dioxide. ... | |
| structures | 12/5/2005 |
| Q: Can you send me some information on structures for help on my research project? ... A: I think you mean STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY. If that's the case then navigate to these sites. They are ... | |
| Perlite | 12/1/2005 |
| Q: Is Perlite considered to be a mineral? A: Perlite is a silicate mineral. It is a type of volcanic glass that has a tiny drop of water in it. ... | |
| geology | 11/30/2005 |
| Q: Are there any rocks or minerals at the space? Which rocks usually have bigger grain, Sedimentry ... A: Let's take your questions in order…. Are there any rocks or minerals at the space? Yes there are. ... | |
| Topographical information | 11/28/2005 |
| Q: I have to do a very short project for geology in which I explain topographical information for St. ... A: I'm not sure what information you need so I'll just send along this website from the people who make ... | |
| soil | 11/24/2005 |
| Q: what are the features of the soil? A: Soil is nothing more than very small pieces of rock. Wind, rain, running water, and ice all come ... | |
| Trying to ID rock | 11/21/2005 |
| Q: Is it possible to find Lake Superior Agates that far south in Michigan? I have been told that the ... A: First, it almost certainly is NOT petrified wood. It doesn't look like it at all. However, strange ... | |
| Mineral | 11/20/2005 |
| Q: Why is gold so expensive? What makes minerals color? What is the difference between ROCKS and ... A: Gold is so expensive because it is relatively rare and very difficult to get. Also, we like the ... | |
| Gold Mining | 11/19/2005 |
| Q: How does gold form in such large quantities underground. If larger and harder minerals are the ... A: The current theory on Gold formation (well, really any metal formation) is that super heated water ... | |
| Trying to ID rock | 11/18/2005 |
| Q: I have a rock pictured in the following link that I am trying to identify, but cant seem to find ... A: I looked at the rest of pictures...looks like a nice set of polished pebbles. The one you are ... | |
| Carreer | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: Who or what influenced you to be a geologist? A: Well, I've always been interested in natural things and how they worked. I wondered why a mountain ... | |
| Petroleum | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: Which country has more petroleum? A: In fact most of the world's petroleum is probably to be found in the world's oceans as offshore ... | |
| Profit | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: What has more profit, mining or having petroleum? A: Your question depends on way too many variables to really answer. It depends on what you mine, the ... | |
| Geological age definitions | 11/12/2005 |
| Q: Are the "absolute known geological age" and "inferred geological age" common terms in geology? What ... A: I think you might be referring to ABSOLUTE age and the RELATIVE age of a rock. They can be complex ... | |
| Strange looking rock I found | 11/11/2005 |
| Q: I found a very strange looking rock in my backyard in the Mississippi River Valley in southern Iowa ... A: Certainly is a puzzler. This one's a little hard to identify by just it's picture. It could be a ... | |
| minerals | 11/10/2005 |
| Q: What is a very expensive mineral? (Except gold and diamond). A: Most of the PLATINUM GROUP minerals are rarer and more costly than Gold. Platinum is around $900 ... | |
| minerals | 11/10/2005 |
| Q: For how long do you work with minerals? Do you think they are unique? A: I've been a Geologist for 27 years now. Some of that time I have worked with minerals but I am NOT ... | |
| minerals and rocks | 11/9/2005 |
| Q: I would like to know what is the oldest rock you have ever found? If yes describe it. What is the ... A: The oldest rock I've found is over 3.2 BILLION years old. It's a GRANITE and is light colored with ... | |
| Minerals | 11/8/2005 |
| Q: What is the rarest mineral you have ever found? A: The rarest mineral I've ever found is called FLUORRICHTERITE. It belongs to a mineral group called ... | |
| Rocks | 11/6/2005 |
| Q: You've already answered a few questions for me, Juliana, but if you don't mind I have a couple ... A: When geologists look at rocks we notice the color, texture, weight, minerals, structure, hardness, ... | |
| Minerals | 11/2/2005 |
| Q: I am a 7th grade student, and in Science we are studying minerals. We have to interview someone that ... A: Let's take them one at time: 1)How do you tell if a rock is magnetic or not? If a magnet sticks to ... | |
| Questions | 11/1/2005 |
| Q: Im doing an interview and your feedback for the questions would be a big help...Thanks 1) How do ... A: Lot's of questions, let's see about answering them. 1) How do you know when you find real gold and ... | |
| Rocks, Minerals and Coral Reefs | 10/31/2005 |
| Q: I already send you two e-mails, but I didn't present myself. Sorry! I know you already published two ... A: Lots of questions…let's go. Each question is very large and I can't cover them adequately here. ... | |
| Minerals | 10/31/2005 |
| Q: What are most of the mines in the world made of? A: I don't believe anyone has ever done a study of what is the most mined mineral in the world but if I ... | |
| Coral Reef | 10/31/2005 |
| Q: How do coral reef forms? A: Coral reefs are formed from the skeletons of tiny animal called a POLYP that's not even as big as ... | |
| Rusted Headstone | 10/22/2005 |
| Q: Not sure this is in your area-my mother's headstone (glossy grey-not sure of the material) has been ... A: When I want to clean iron stains from rock I use a product called "Iron Out". It's a powder. I mix ... | |
| Gold Mines | 10/21/2005 |
| Q: I am writing a children's story about someone living in an abandoned gold mine. What would they ... A: I wish you all the luck in writing your story and I'll be glad to help. What do you need to live ... | |
| Wegener | 10/17/2005 |
| Q: I'm having an argument with a friend. he says that the scientific theories re continents ... A: Actually most of the evidence he presented was pretty convincing and solid. He pointed out that ... | |
| geological maps | 10/15/2005 |
| Q: i have been looking for a person who can teach me something about contour and strike lines on the ... A: This is a VERY large subject so I think I'll give you a couple of links that I know about that will ... | |
| evolution | 10/13/2005 |
| Q: i have always been in confusion about the metamorphic grades .can you please help me out in ... A: There are really just three metamorphic grades; LOW, INTERMEDIATE and HIGH. They are separated by ... | |
| Earth | 10/11/2005 |
| Q: I don't know if you are the right person to ask but my question is that most of the planets in our ... A: Your right, along with Sedna, Earth is the only planet not named through Greek or Roman myth. The ... | |
| pink and white terraces | 10/7/2005 |
| Q: Would i be right in saying that the pink and white terraces were formed by geysers. The groundwater ... A: This is a good follow up. That is an accurate description of what happens in a geyser. Remember ... | |
| Rock anomaly ? | 10/7/2005 |
| Q: the holes are very round and exact same size, in the center of this stone is another close to round ... A: The pictures are too blurry for me to tell much but what I could see leads me to suspect that they ... | |
| pink and white terraces | 10/4/2005 |
| Q: Do you think that the pink and white terraces in rotorua new zealand are part of the geology ... A: The terraces are definitely geological occurrences; but not exactly in the way you think. They are ... | |
| fossils | 9/28/2005 |
| Q: Why are marine fossils found more often than land fossils? A: For most of this Earth's existence it's surface has been covered, mostly, by marine seas. Usually ... | |
| Geology | 9/21/2005 |
| Q: What are some reason's why geology is important? A: Serious question and it could take a long time to answer, but I'll give you the abbreviated version. ... | |
| Area of Tectonic Plates | 8/27/2005 |
| Q: Could you direct me to where I might find the area of the principal tectonic plates. I could not ... A: There isn't much information on plate areas. I found this PDF that has the areas of at least some ... | |
| differenced in rocks | 8/26/2005 |
| Q: how do basalt and gabbro differ from andesite and diorite? A: Here's a couple of sites that should help you out: ... | |
| Rocks | 8/14/2005 |
| Q: what is the method of most geologist used to identify the rocks or rock formations? A: Good question but it's really far too complex to answer properly here. I was at a university for 8 ... | |
| Rocks | 8/12/2005 |
| Q: I live on a farm in Armstrong county western Pennsylvania USA. On one two or three acre section of ... A: Pennsylvania Geology is a little outside my experitse but from what I know of the general geology of ... | |
| sand | 8/7/2005 |
| Q: My son asked me today (after spending a day at the beach yesterday) - What is sand? A: In the simplest, and most common, case sand consists of small particles of quartz. Most beaches ... | |
| Earthquakes | 7/25/2005 |
| Q: I made a mistake. I found out that it's not energy. It's either magnitude or intensity that's the ... A: The answer to your question is actually “Neither”. The “best” way is to use what's called the ... | |
| Earthquakes | 7/21/2005 |
| Q: I found out that energy is the best way to measure the size of earthquakes but why is that? A: I'm not exactly sure what you mean by “energy” but I think you are referring to Richter method of ... | |
| Rocks vs. minerals | 7/8/2005 |
| Q: I teach 6th grade science. My students ALWAYS ask what is the difference between a rock and a ... A: The difference is actually pretty simple but like most things in science “simple” can get complex in ... | |
| Polar Wandering and the plate tectonic theory | 6/27/2005 |
| Q: I'm stuck on a question that I have in geology. The questions are What is polar wandering? I can ... A: Polar wandering: That's a concept that looks easy to understand but really isn't. I have yet to ... | |
| What is it? | 6/22/2005 |
| Q: I have a rock in the link listed below, that I got out of a gravel pit in Oxford, Michigan, that I ... A: That's a good picture you have there Jeff. Number 13 looks to be an agate. We do have them in ... | |
| Earth's core | 6/20/2005 |
| Q: I recently saw a documental about the magnetic field on earth and the earth's core. It was said that ... A: I don't know of any studies that were conducted on this aspect of the core. A quick search of the ... | |
| Mesas of New Mexico and Arizona | 6/13/2005 |
| Q: When driving through Arizona and New Mexico, you can see large mountains with perfectly flat tops ... A: You're correct. They are called Mesa's; the big brother to Buttes, little brother to Plateaus. To ... | |
| Appalachain Plateau | 6/8/2005 |
| Q: How was the Appalachain Plateau formed? A: The Appalachian Plateau was formed when rivers and streams began the process of eroding the original ... | |
| Hotspring | 6/8/2005 |
| Q: I live in a country where there is no volcanic activities. But, we have hotsprings here. How is this ... A: You don't really need any volcanoes or volcanic activity to have hot springs. You just need a ... | |
| crystals | 5/28/2005 |
| Q: Can you explain how and why crystals are formed in terms my 8 year old son would understand.. ... A: In simple terms crystals grow from SOLUTIONS. Solutions are mixtures of water, or other liquid, and ... | |
| Geology | 5/25/2005 |
| Q: I'm curious to know how pressure and temperature affect the physical properties of the inner layers ... A: This could be an horrendously complicated question but let's simplify. Temperature and pressure can ... | |
| black sand | 5/20/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering about the origins of black sand beaches. I presume they come from the basaltic rock, ... A: You are correct that the material that forms the black beaches is basalt. There are two types of ... | |
| Earthquakes | 5/12/2005 |
| Q: When an earthquake occurs, P waves and S waves travel in all directions, right? So what happens when ... A: I'm going to assume you know the basics of seismic waves so I won't go into detail. Simply, P waves ... | |
| grand canyon | 5/12/2005 |
| Q: How was the grand canyon formed? A: Like so many things in science this just doesn't have any easy answer. The simple fact is; we ... | |
| Geology | 5/12/2005 |
| Q: What is the largest crack in the world that can be seen by astronauts on the moon? A: I assume that you're asking about natural formations like the Grand Canyon. Well, as far as I am ... | |
| Oceans absolute? volume | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: Perhaps this is more math than geo- IF the planet Earth was a smooth sphere(no ... A: Not sure of your question here...if the Earth were a smooth sphere then there wouldn't be any ... | |
| James Hutton | 4/26/2005 |
| Q: i would like to ask you a question about james hutton. James Hutton discovered the principle of ... A: I'm, not sure I, or anyone else, can give you a definitive answer. For much of his life Hutton was ... | |
| volcano's | 4/8/2005 |
| Q: my name is Elena and I attend Sacred Heart School. For our computer class we are submitting ... A: “The most destructive volcano”….not as easy a question to answer as you might think. By that do you ... | |
| Rocks | 4/4/2005 |
| Q: Do you know of a source/place where I can have certain rocks analyzed or identified. I have a large ... A: Sounds to me like you have a large piece of mica there. If it's very dark it's probably Biotite. ... | |
| geology | 3/28/2005 |
| Q: i don't know what is Moho? thanks you A: The MOHO is a shortened term for Mohorovicic Discontinuity. That's the boundary between the crust ... | |
| Reel in Rock | 3/27/2005 |
| Q: What is the logical explanation for the "Reel in the Rock", supposedly found by Dan Jones in ... A: Since I haven't seen the thing I can't make any good hypothesis. The only sites I can find about it ... | |
| sand dunes | 3/25/2005 |
| Q: Just found your internet site and maybe you will be one of the person to be able to solve the ... A: I'm not sure what you mean by “the sand came up again.” Do you mean that it filled up the trench ... | |
| Geodes | 3/18/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering what medium is in a geode. Is it air or is it space(vacuum)? A: Usually geodes are formed when gas collects in a pocket in rock that is still molten. When it ... | |
| class project | 3/12/2005 |
| Q: I am in 7th grade and I have to interview a geologist. My questions are: Where did you study? How ... A: I'd be happy to answer your questions. “Where did you study?” – I got my Bachelor of Science in ... | |
| Underground Water | 3/6/2005 |
| Q: I live in central Florida. I have seen a lot of sinkholes in this area. I have seen tunnels at the ... A: I'm not an expert in Florida groundwater problems so I can't help much. You might try the Florida ... | |
| geology | 3/1/2005 |
| Q: it's me again! Now i need to know about a shadow zone, can you tell me what it is and how scientists ... A: Ok…here we go….we have a large earthquake happen. So large that vibrations from it travel right ... | |
| Fools Gold | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: How do you tell the difference between fools gold and real gold? I live in the mountains of So. ... A: The best way to tell if you have gold is that it's much softer than pyrite (fool's gold). Flakes ... | |
| Earth | 2/15/2005 |
| Q: I'm trying to finish up a small science project and I'm stuck on a particular question. If I could ... A: We know what the interior of the Earth is probably like through our use of seismic waves. I'm ... | |
| Estimating the Age of the Earth | 2/14/2005 |
| Q: I am interested in understanding as many independent ways of measuring the age of of our earth as ... A: I'm not aware of a method to age-date the Earth through astronomical measurements. Normally ... | |
| GOLD | 2/10/2005 |
| Q: Sir, I am a novice prospector in a very low yield area. I live in Minong Wisc. We do however, have ... A: Good luck on your prospecting! As to your questions: I do not know of any gold occurances, in ... | |
| sial and sima | 2/8/2005 |
| Q: I wonder if you know why sial and sima are not sial and simg as I presume that they derive from the ... A: Lee, Actually they are acronyms and it's only coincidental that some of the letters appear to be ... | |
| Geologic Map | 2/1/2005 |
| Q: Do you know where I could find a geologic map of Kankakee County, Illinois on the internet? Thanks ... A: You might want to try this URL: http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/isgshome/geo-map.htm It's for the ... | |
| dinosaur extinction | 1/11/2005 |
| Q: how do you think dinosaurs became extinct? or is were there ever dinosaurs? thank you please ... A: First, there certainly were dinosaurs. The fossil record is full of evidence (bones, tracks, hide, ... | |
| Glaciation | 1/9/2005 |
| Q: Recently I had occasion to visit Sudbury Ontario and was told that a massive meteor struck ... A: It's a time thing. The last continental glaciation we had in this part of the world was about ... | |
| 2 questions on rock formation and lava | 1/3/2005 |
| Q: where does rock come from? What is the difference between magma and lava? A: This is a very large question. Let's see if we can simplify it some. First let's say what a rock ... | |
| Sunami Tidal Wave | 12/31/2004 |
| Q: What is the difference between a tidal wave and a sunami? also, what is the chance of Hawaii ever ... A: "Tidal Wave" and "Tsunami" are used interchangeably. I don't know where the term "Tidal Wave" got ... | |
| polar wandering | 12/19/2004 |
| Q: I have taken courses in geology but have always had a problem visualizing "polar wandering." Do you ... A: “Polar wandering” is kind of a misnomer, well, at least it was until about the year 2000. Let me ... | |
| shoreline morphology | 12/8/2004 |
| Q: Have airborne lasers been used to analyze changing shoreline morphology? If so, can you point me to ... A: Won't be able to help you too much but these sites might be useful. The first ones just give ... | |
| half-life and radioactive dating | 12/5/2004 |
| Q: ..or maybe I'm just making it harder than it is... 1st Some questions:Would you be willing to check ... A: I've got your question and I will answer you, but I need just a little more time (the rest of my ... | |
| Earths magnetic field | 12/4/2004 |
| Q: My question is about the earths magnetic field.When we look at he ancient world, there is a lot of ... A: Your hypothesis seems to be that, in the past, conditions on Earth made things feel lighter so that ... | |
| Great Slave Lake shear zone | 11/14/2004 |
| Q: I am trying to read a journal on The GSLsz (Can. J. Earth Sci. Vol. 40. 2003) by, David Eaton and J. ... A: Here are some references on the 'Net that I use. They should help you. ... | |
| sea floor spreading | 11/12/2004 |
| Q: Scientists believe that the Atlantic Ocean is slowly becoming wider because of seafloor spreading. ... A: This is a pretty big topic and has to do with PLATE TECTONICS. Maybe you've heard of it? Let me ... | |
| geology | 11/6/2004 |
| Q: What are metemorphic minerals as apposed to normal minerals? A: Intense temperature and pressure will metamorphose a rock. It will also change some of the minerals ... | |
| asking | 11/6/2004 |
| Q: robert reszka Iam a student in unversity of sulaimani in kurdistan of iraq. I need some benefit ... A: These are some mighty complicated subjects so rather than try to tackle them here let me give you a ... | |
| porosity | 11/5/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering what is the average porosity of clay, silt, and sand? Thanks A: The answer might not be what most people would think. Your first though might be that sand would ... | |
| Rocks | 10/22/2004 |
| Q: What is the texture of quartzite? A: Quartzite has a granular, medium-grained clastic texture. The particles are usually sand-sized and ... | |
| A Smoke Rock | 10/21/2004 |
| Q: 10/21/04 My eight year old granddaughter has to do a report on a Smokey Rock and I cannot find any ... A: I'll need some more information if I'm to help. Is that the name of the rock? Is it the color or ... | |
| Geology Question | 10/20/2004 |
| Q: You answered my last question SO well that I hoped you could also tell me how intrusive activity and ... A: In its simplest form all volcanism is due to intrusive activity. To make a long story short; molten ... | |
| weathering | 10/12/2004 |
| Q: I'm doing a project for my 9th grade science class and i"m suppose to ask an expert a question. I ... A: Did you know that marble is another form of limestone? All you do is add lots of heat and pressure ... | |
| Cleavage | 9/18/2004 |
| Q: I am having difficulty determining a rock's cleavage and in some cases, crystal faces. Is this ... A: Try this site it's pretty comprehensive and contains information on both cleavage and ... | |
| Fulgurite? | 9/13/2004 |
| Q: I have a question about the identity of a rock. Description: A deposit of Globular shaped ... A: Without actually seeing the specimen I'd have to say that it does sound like you have a fulgurite. ... | |
| Oxygen and life forms | 9/13/2004 |
| Q: Earths atmosphere has been oxygen rich for what percent of earths history? Living organisms have ... A: Those are questions that we are not completely sure of but we have enough data to give some pretty ... | |
| mchigan geology | 9/9/2004 |
| Q: what can you tell me about the geology of michigan's lower peninsula. i'm asking because i have to ... A: That subject is a bit too large for this venue but I can give you a couple of sites and the name of ... | |
| rare gold forms | 9/9/2004 |
| Q: does gold ever come in the cubed form naturally,such as a cube of pyrite?someone claims to have seen ... A: Gold belongs to the isometric system and one of it's shapes is the cube. So it is possible that ... | |
| Erosion | 9/8/2004 |
| Q: What will cause our land to most likely experience serious erosion in our future? A: I'm sorry Mrs. Harrison. I can't really answer your question because I don't know where your land ... | |
| Continent geology | 9/8/2004 |
| Q: C. Robert Reszka I wondering if you can tell me two special features on each continent, please...i ... A: Here are three sites that will give you a lot of information on the continents. Finding two things ... | |
| Ice ages | 9/6/2004 |
| Q: How long (in years) did the last ice age end? What was its duration? Have there been many 'ice ... A: There's evidence for 10 glacial periods in the last 1 million years, and the last one started about ... | |
| geology and literature | 8/25/2004 |
| Q: You had made reference to the Jules Verne Novel, "Journey to the Center of the Earth." Do you ... A: Unfortunately I can't find my copy of "Journey" (we moved recently and who knows what happened to ... | |
| mountains | 8/16/2004 |
| Q: What differentiates a mountain from a hill? A: A hill is a natural elevation usually limited in extent and rounded in outline. Anything 300 meters ... | |
| rock name | 8/11/2004 |
| Q: what is the scientific name for the following: Formed broken down rock materials? A: I think you must be refering to SEDIMENTARY rocks. These are made up of other rocks that have been ... | |
| Looking for rock ID information | 8/6/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if you knew of a site on the internet where I can go to try to identify some rocks ... A: Here are a few sites that I find useful... http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/PETROLGY/IdentifyRxMin.htm ... | |
| geology in movies and literature | 8/4/2004 |
| Q: For example: When the geologists enter the earth's crust at the Marianas Trench -is this a place ... A: I haven't seen “The Core” yet so I can't give you an overall opinion. But I can give you some ... | |
| FOUND ROCK | 8/4/2004 |
| Q: I found a rock (about half the size of a loaf of bread) that is pink in color and has many ... A: It sounds like you have a piece of Granite. Granites are usually light colored (translate that to ... | |
| Temperature to melt rock | 8/2/2004 |
| Q: I know there are many rocks, but like at what temperature does rock melt and become vitrified? God ... A: Yours is a simple sounding question and the simple answer is; it depends. It depends on a host of ... | |
| Coal | 7/30/2004 |
| Q: I am a 6th grade teacher in Greenwood, Indiana preparing for my upcoming school year. I have ... A: I'm not an expert in the Indiana coal fields but there is some general information that will help. ... | |
| geology | 7/11/2004 |
| Q: I am reading a paper about submarine deposition in island arc environments and it describes deposits ... A: What's causing confusion here is the definition of”sandstone". It is nothing more than a rock made ... | |
| Volcanolithic sediments | 7/11/2004 |
| Q: What exactly are volcanolithic sediments and how do they differ from regular seimentary rocks? A: I've never seen this term properly defined. It's used in many papers and from them you can infer a ... | |
| Geology/astronomy | 7/6/2004 |
| Q: At one time the earth had only one massive continent. What was the name of this single land mass? A: Actually there were a couple of times, that we know of, when the landmasses were all assembled into ... | |
| silver | 6/22/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know how silver is made in the earth. and the monitrey value of the mineral. thank ... A: There are an awful lot of sites out there, on the 'Net, but not much that I can find on silver ... | |
| ground movement | 6/21/2004 |
| Q: I live in Oregon and visit the coast near Newport Oregon. I have noticed areas that can be ... A: This sounds like a very interesting landform feature however I am not an expert in Oregon geology. ... | |
| triassic period | 6/21/2004 |
| Q: could you please tell me about the geology and climate in the triassic period. A: Here's some really good sites on geologic tiime. Check them all out and you should have all your ... | |
| Mineral Necklaces | 6/14/2004 |
| Q: I got a couple of minerals from a gem show and I was wondering if it would be safe for the gem to ... A: Yes, it should be safe to drill a small hole in any of them, as long as they don't have any obvious ... | |
| C. Robert Reszka JR | 6/12/2004 |
| Q: I have just bought a house which was built in 1928. In the back yard there is a stone structure ... A: I can give you a few suggestions for help. The first is the New jersey Geological Survey. Their ... | |
| I need a geologist | 6/1/2004 |
| Q: I know this is unusual but I came across this web site in my researching of a rock that I recently ... A: Your rock sounds interesting. Sounds like it might be a glass of some kind but since you have such ... | |
| Rarest mineral | 5/24/2004 |
| Q: My sixth grade students are trying to research which is the rarest crystal on earth. Reliable ... A: This is a really interesting question but I'm afraid I won't be of much help. I really don't think ... | |
| Geology | 5/21/2004 |
| Q: As a microbiology grad student, I've discovered evidence for some previously unknown, quite ... A: Sorry Allen, I won't be of much help. I know of no listing of high alpine talus slopes. Most ... | |
| geology | 5/21/2004 |
| Q: which of the following is the oldest mountain range on Earth? Rockies, Andes or highlands, ... A: The Scottish Highlands are older by far. They were uplifted about 4.7 billion years ago when there ... | |
| diagenetic minirals | 5/21/2004 |
| Q: sir give me information about diagnetic minerals and their textures send me the name as soon as ... A: Any mineral that is formed by temperature or pressure after the deposition of eroded material is ... | |
| diagenetic minirals | 5/21/2004 |
| Q: give me the names of diagenetic minerals and their textures. plz do it quicly i have presentation ... A: Any mineral that is formed by temperature or pressure after the deposition of eroded material is ... | |
| gold | 5/20/2004 |
| Q: how do you get the gold out of the rocks and other than being used as jewelry, what other purposes ... A: Gold is found in many different formats; pure or almost pure metallic gold, or disseminated in ... | |
| tectonic plates | 5/16/2004 |
| Q: Do you have any idea where I can find out what the earth will look like in ... say 10 million years? A: Can't really help much here Thomas. Your question is way too broad for this forum because it ... | |
| strata before and after the k/t boundary | 4/23/2004 |
| Q: i asked one of your fellow experts, George Ardies, who answered promply but not quite fully. is ... A: This seems like a simple question but it really isn't. In order to answer it we have to know how ... | |
| Acreage and creeks | 4/21/2004 |
| Q: I am purchasing a 6.5 acre tract with a creek that runs through the middle of it. The land is not ... A: I don't think I'll be able to help much on this question. Without seeing the property, or knowing ... | |
| about lithosphere | 4/21/2004 |
| Q: I have a project about lithosphere & I need a source that contains pics and text about lithosphere ... A: I found some good references for the lithosphere that you might find useful. The first two have ... | |
| why do mountains form in long... | 4/14/2004 |
| Q: why do mountains form in long narrow ranges A: To understand why mountains generally form in long, narrow ranges requires that we get into the ... | |
| Dust | 4/1/2004 |
| Q: I don't know if you know the answer to this.I have a question about the source of dust in your ... A: The dust in your house comes from a lot of different things; anything from human skin cells, to ... | |
| Caves: Stalagmites/Stalagtites | 3/19/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know exactly what kind of environment that these caves grow in, where most of these ... A: I'm not entirely sure of your question. Under the subject you write; “Caves: ... | |
| radiometric dating | 3/4/2004 |
| Q: I'm in the midst of the evolution/creation debate, and one question has gone unanwered. How can ... A: To answer this properly would take WAY too long and be much too complex for this type of venue. To ... | |
| Rocks vs Minerals | 3/2/2004 |
| Q: My 7 yr old son asked me the difference between rocks and minerals. I don't have enough knowledge ... A: A MINERAL is normally defined as a homogenous, inorganic solid. That means, in less complex words, ... | |
| Aqua Geode??? | 2/22/2004 |
| Q: .... My grandfather who was an amateur rock hound gave me a geode that weighs about 10 pounds and ... A: Sounds like a good geode you have there. It probably is not filled with liquid. That should have ... | |
| pangea | 2/21/2004 |
| Q: could you give me some info on the supercontinent pangea for a school report? A: In a nutshell; Pangea was a continental landmass that existed from about 230million years ago to ... | |
| diamonds | 2/16/2004 |
| Q: I was reading a pamplet about a diamond crater in Arkansas and it says that every year the diamonds ... A: Yes it's true; there is a diamond mine in Arkansas. It's now the Crater of Diamonds State Park. I ... | |
| strata ,strike and dip | 2/16/2004 |
| Q: my concerns are about strike and dip..i can understand how to read strike and dip on a cross ... A: You seem to understand what strike and dip are so we won't discuss that. Let's just look at the ... | |
| Grand Canyon | 2/10/2004 |
| Q: Why is it that parts of the grand canyon show signs of it being a slow moving river because of the ... A: You've made a good observation but the problem is that nobody can answer you. We just don't know ... | |
| geology- triassic period | 2/9/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know what the various herbivores in the triassic period used to feed on...that is ... A: triassic period Ammar Asks Hello there I would like to know what the various herbivores in the ... | |
| geologic time scale | 1/13/2004 |
| Q: I've got a question concerning the geologic time scale. How can absolute ages be estimated for rocks ... A: There are really two types of dating; RELATIVE and ABSOLUTE. Relative dating is where we can ... | |
| rocks | 12/17/2003 |
| Q: I have an assignment very generally stating "a rock ia a hard substance made up of _____," and the ... A: The answer to your question is "MINERALS". Very short answer I know, but sometimes very complex ... | |
| Limestone | 9/4/2003 |
| Q: What are the named methods/techniques of estimating how old a limstone is? And how would they work? ... A: Good question Shani. It can be hard to date a chemical sedimentary rock like Limestone. We don't ... | |
| Earths layers | 8/7/2003 |
| Q: I know what the mantle, crust, asthensophere, and the lithosphere is but my question is what are the ... A: Well, to make a VERY long story short, you can think of a relationship between them to be one of ... | |
| Rock of Gibraltar | 8/7/2003 |
| Q: This probably sounds ridiculous but here goes: My grandmother's brother served in WWI. When he ... A: I'm not really an expert on the geology of Spain, but I know that it is made of coral reefs and ... | |
| What is diabase? Thanks, E... | 6/22/2003 |
| Q: What is diabase? Thanks, Ed A: Diabase is a type of rock. If you've ever heard of GABBRO it's the same kind of rock but with a ... | |
Geology
Answers by Expert:
C. Robert Reszka, Jr.
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer any general geology question (rocks, minerals, stratigraphy, geomorphology etc.). My expertise is in the geology of the Michigan Basin, PreCambrian, Paleozoic and Recent. I can answer questions concerning mining and petroleum exploration and production and the laws concerning those activities. I can also answer questions concerning stratigraphy of the Michigan Basin. I will also answer questions about mineral and rock collecting in the Basin. I won`t be able to answer many specific questions on hydrology, geophysics or geochemistry. I may be able to answer very general questions in those venues.
Experience
I have been working for the State of Michigan for 24 years as a Geologist and a Resource Analyst. I have experience with Subsurface Geology and Petroleum Geology, mining in Michigan, and Sand Dune Mining and Protection issues.
Organizations
Michigan Basin Geological Society
Publications
Decade of North American Geology.
Bedrock Geology of Michigan
Education/Credentials
BS Wayne State University
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