Pickin' Peridots Kilted

**Norm** · 5th March 16, 02:51 PM

Another kilted rock hunt under my belt (pun intended). My friends John, CJ and I took a trip down to the San Carlos Apache rez and met with an Apache man named Stevie Joey who owns a peridot mine near the town of San Carlos. We made an appointment with him, paid the rez fee and he took us to his peridot mine to look for the green gems.

Of course I went wearing my tan colored UT Kilts utility kilt, and it was perfect for the task. Had to do a lot of kneeling down and squatting to go through the gravels to find the gemstones, but the kilt was great for the task. Despite the various kneeling and squatting positions, it kept me decent and cool in the 80 degree heat. Stevie remarked that in the summer it gets above 100 degrees while he is working the rock face for peridots. I suggested he get himself a utility kilt for the task. He replied that he did not want to be expelled from the Apache reservation. Hmmm... I took it as a joke.

There is a lot of nice green peridot at this location, but you have to be diligent to find the gem quality morsels, which I did. See the attached photo of the ones I found; I put them in an empty Altoids tin. The other photo shows me, Stevie and my friend John. And the other photo shows how the peridot forms in the black lava rock.

It was a fun trip, and the kilt held its own wonderfully. Lots of good ventilation and freedom of movement, especially walking over uneven terrain. Now... just gotta facet those gemstones!

**Tarheel** · 5th March 16, 05:43 PM

Your stones look "curiously strong" in the Altoids tin. Glad to see you had a fruitful day despite the environment.

**Barb T** · 5th March 16, 05:51 PM

Fabulous olivine!!! Don't very often find them that big and beautiful. I'm envious!

**Norm** · 5th March 16, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Barb T

Fabulous olivine!!! Don't very often find them that big and beautiful. I'm envious!

Hey Barb, have a look at Peridot Dreams on the net. There is all the info you need to find your own. If you facet, it's double the fun!

**Dughlas mor** · 5th March 16, 08:52 PM

Great job, Norm. I didn`t know you were a gem cutter. I`d love to see a pic or two of the results.

**azwildcat96** · 5th March 16, 11:13 PM

Awesome collection for a day at the mine! I've been a hobby rockhound for close to 30 years. Message me if you ever want some company on another trip.

**Barb T** · 6th March 16, 05:01 AM

Originally Posted by Norm

Hey Barb, have a look at Peridot Dreams on the net. There is all the info you need to find your own. If you facet, it's double the fun!

I will!! The closest I've come to an "peridot experience" is the incomparable experience (for a geologist) of having olivine sand between my toes at the green sand beach near the southern tip of the Big Island in Hawaii. But those peridotite nodules in the Arizona basalt flows are truly fabulous.

**Norm** · 6th March 16, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by Dughlas mor

Great job, Norm. I didn`t know you were a gem cutter. I`d love to see a pic or two of the results.

Hi Douglas.... workin' on it. Learned how to facet in 1996; now I will be doing it the same way I hunted the gems.... kilted!

**Norm** · 6th March 16, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by azwildcat96

Awesome collection for a day at the mine! I've been a hobby rockhound for close to 30 years. Message me if you ever want some company on another trip.

Are you gonna check out the highland games in Phoenix in a couple weeks?

**azwildcat96** · 6th March 16, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Norm

Are you gonna check out the highland games in Phoenix in a couple weeks?

Yes. I'll be on (or around) the athletic field both days. I will be judging Saturday and competing Sunday. Usually easy to find; look for the pink folding chair. Stop by and say hello.