Coaldale Crater Gemstones, Meteorite Impact Produces Rare Specimens Options

[ASTROBLEME]

Members and Guests of Colorado Prospector,

Many years ago I discovered a highly eroded, geologically complex and very ancient impact crater centered 3 ¼ miles northwest of Coaldale, Colorado (USA). I am announcing this discovery as a long-time contributor to this forum in an effort to assure that the public has access to this information. Dan (the owner and operator of Colorado Prospector) is preparing some of my "Coaldale Crater" specimens for jewelry settings. He has graciously agreed to document his work progress so that others can gain a better understanding of the effort it takes to transform these raw materials into valuable gemstones. Please take time to follow this project along the way. I hope you find the subject interesting.

I'll be sharing the science behind this amazing discovery as our work progresses. This research builds upon my work at Gunnison Crater, Westcliffe Crater, Silver Cliff Crater and Hillside Crater that proved an extension to the 38th Parallel Crater Chain dating to the Late Devonian Period. Although the Coaldale Crater is also along the 38th Parallel, it is not part of the well documented crater chain system. My efforts in the Coaldale Colorado region included collecting field survey data, acquiring and analyzing numerous geologic specimens followed by an extensive review of the relevant scientific literature. The results support an impact event that occurred during the Oligocene Epoch.

For now, I'm providing the attached map depicting the present peak ring exposure. It is fascinating that this impact crater has survived the deep erosion and strong fault deformation that Mother Nature has provided continually over the past 27+ million years.

Sincerely,

ASTROBLEME

[CP]

Hey Johnny, whew, glad you got the re-read and didn't wear the floor out worrying today. All is good and they've all made it off the sticks without problems and no ill side effects from the solvent.

Yes I can understand the concern with the chrondites coming out as some did still but there are many left with some dandy "windows" into their layered formation indications or inclusions what have you. Can't wait to see what you find in some of these.....One of the large rectangle cut stones has a larger chrondite (if i'm using the term right), on he back that as great definition of the colors/layers. I'll try to give that back side a semi polish to view that nodule also, looks like an item of interest for study too! Some of the color I've caught in the nodule windows with a 10x loop remind me of peridot or olivine?

I'll get some finished pics taken hopefully tomorrow with a semi polished back of one rectangle too!

I'll be really excited to see and hear about what you find in them under study examinations later!

[ASTROBLEME]

[quote name='CP' date='Sep 5 2016, 08:28 PM' post='43875']
Some of the color I've caught in the nodule windows with a 10x loop remind me of peridot or olivine?

Dear CP,

From your observations, it sounds like you might agree with my opinion that some of the nodules contain an unusually high level of iron...much like terrestrial olivine or peridot. I can't be sure of what we are working with at his time but let me explain my thoughts to others that are following our efforts to this point.

Under magnification, my father's large stone (pictured earlier in this thread) shows a very tiny steak of what looks like rusty iron near the center core. That steak is strong evidence of a unusually high iron content. The impact pressures of in-space collisions, the volumes of material involved and the temperature regimen endured during the formation of the very large meteorite mass while it was still orbiting within our galaxy and solar system controls the final form of the solid body that eventually impacted near Coaldale. The valence of the iron atoms exhibited in my Dad's gemstone as compared to the nodules that we're working up at this point is still in question. Perhaps the inclusions are a chemical match to peridot but I'm thinking that the data will show a closer to resemblance olivine. We should all keep in mind that there are numerous trace elements that have blended together in a manner that isn't seen in common Earth rocks. Lots more money for testing is needed to make a final determination of what the inclusions contain.

Your desire to better understand what we are working on is well understood by me. But for now, I'm satisfied in just knowing that given your expertise, this material can be crafted into beautiful gemstones.

ASTROBLEME