The Earth’s Lune Treasure

Petrified Wood, Exotic Agates, Thundereggs
Fossils, Rock Bookends, Quality Polished SlabsHello I’m Opal Wood - Dig up Petrified Wood, Thundereggs, Exquisite Agates, Lune Fossils, and more at theearthstreasure.com
Decorative Specimens And More.

• We are a family of Rockhounds living in Southern Oregon, that have been digging and collecting specimen quality rocks since 1960.
• Our family has traveled to many remote destinations in the Western U.S. where we set up our camp site, usually with long time family friends. Camping with family and friends, sharing stories and seeing what treasures everyone digs from their own hole, or finds while out exploring builds wonderful memories.
  What has captured our families interest the most is Petrified Wood. Its so wondrous to see the shape and grain of a once living tree preserved as stone.
• • Here at our online Rock Shop we offer unique gifts and collectables such as Petrified Wood, Oregon Thundereggs, Rock Bookends, Exotic Agates, Slices of Rock, Fossils, Decorative Specimens, and other Quality polished stones.

our lapidary equipment

Desk top Organizer

A very fine set of Tuscarora petrified wood bookends from Nevada. The wood has a beautiful red color. The wavy lines of the grain is from the earth pressure in the formation stage. These are polished on the front and the back of right side. The left side is natural, showing bark and natural pattern.There is brown felt on the bottom of each. This would make a fine gift, or keep it yourself. Size: 7"h x 7 3/4"w x 2 1/4"d. Measurements at the highest and widest parts of both together… Weight: 8lbs. 10oz.

A beautiful pair of polished picture wood bookends from Washington state. This particular set is so nice that they are polished on both sides, with each side showing a different scene. The next picture shows the other side. The edges down center and the bottom is covered with felt. A gift for that someone special or yourself.Size: 6 3/4"h x 9 1/2"w x 1 3/4"d. Measurements at the highest and widest parts of both together… Weight: 6 lbs. 14oz.

Unusual coloring makes this material very popular. The colors aren’t found very often. To get this material, it is hard rock mining with crow bars, chisels, and hammers. Both halves are polished on the front and the sides next to books. There is black felt on the bottom of each. Size: 6 1/2"h x 9"w x 2 1/2"d. Measurements at the highest and widest parts of both together… Weight: 6 lbs. 8oz. for both.

This is a conglomerate mass of eggs that formed under pressure from the earth. This makes an unusual color and pattern from the agate, yellow moss agate, and matrix of jasper. This isn’t seen very often for bookends. The fronts are polished and sides against books are,also, polished. There is black felt on the bottoms. Size: 4 5/8"h x 9"w x 2 3/4"d. Measurements at the highest and widest parts of both together… Weight: 7 lbs. 3oz. for both.

The wood from this location comes in a variety of colors and patterns. This particular set has shades of light brown. The grain shows an interesting pattern and there are pockets of agate, as well as, some decay pockets. Both sides are polished and the bottoms have brown felt. Size: 5.5"h x 8.5"w x 2.00"d. Measurements at the highest and widest parts of both together… Weight: 6 lbs. 14oz.

Here is a completely different set of petrified wood bookends from Washington state. This particular set has pronounced coloring from light tan to a deep brown to black. The grain shows with an interesting play of colors. Both sides are polished and the bottoms have brown felt. Size: 3.25"h x 6.75"w x 2.25"d. Measurements at the highest and widest parts of both together… Weight: 3 lbs. 9oz.

A well matched pair of petrified wood bookends from McDermit, Oregon. The oak grain and coloring make this set of bookends very desirable. These are polished on the front and the sides next to books or however displayed. The back shows the bark and wood grain in rough unpolished state. One side is larger and heavier than than the other. It all depends on the shape of chunk that is halved to show the match. There is felt on bottom of each. Size: 6"h x 6"w x 2 1/2"d. Measurements at the highest and widest parts of both together… Weight: 5 lbs. 3oz.

Thundereggs

• What is a Thunderegg ? Thundereggs are spherical masses of rock that range in size from less than an inch to four feet in diameter . Most are about the size of a baseball . They have a knobby rind of drab , siliceous rock and a cavity filled with agate . From the out side they appear nondescript , but when sawed open and polished they may reveal the most exquisite and colorful designs ranging from five-pointed stars to miniature gardens .
• History of The Name : The Warm Springs Indians have been given credit for “long ago” originating the name . As the legend goes, “. . . the two adjacent snow capped peaks - - Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson - - would at times become angry with one another . During these disputes, accompanied with thunder, Mt. hood and Mt. Jefferson would hurl these spherical masses of rock at each other . Stray shots would land over in the Indian reservation, hence the Indian name of ’ thunder eggs '.”
• Origin of Thundereggs : Thundereggs are only found in areas of previous volcanic activity . As silicic lavas poured out on the ground, the gasses made it frothy and bubbly . The lava cooled and over a period of millions of years, became buried . Water, which contains many minerals including silica, penetrated the gas pockets through a crack in the nodule. As water slowly dissipated, the solution deposited agate ( chalcedong SiO2 ) .

BIG BEAUTIFUL! Polished half of a Succor Creek thunderegg from Eastern Oregon near the Idaho border. This center has a 5 point star or it looks like someone running. The matrix around the runner or star is more colorful them most. The agate center has fortification agate and water level lines. A beauty even for the non collector. Size: 6 "h x 5 3/4"w x 3"d. Measurements at widest & deepest parts. Weight: 4 lbs 9 ozs.

A polished thunderegg half from the Old Priday beds that are now the Richardson Ranch in Eastern Oregon. A better than average egg. A geometric shape with water level lines in forground and beautiful fortification blue agate above the water. There is a red sun above, as well as, moss at edges. It is marvelous to see what can be found in a thunderegg. Size: 3 3/4"h x 3"w x 1 1/2"d. Weight: 10 oz.

Succor Creek polished thunderegg half from Oregon near the Idaho Border. The blue-gray agate center is fortification agate. It has a very nice pattern and would make a nice display item or gift… It is a surprise each time an egg is cut. The other half of this egg is on this page, if you would want a pair. Size: 4 1/8"h x 4 1/8"w x 1 1/2"d. Weight: 1 lb. 7 oz.

A Black Rock Desert polished thunderegg half from Nevada. The egg is quite different with what looks like Indian writing. There is a cavity with botryoidal agate and a dusting of white. The dark or black agate is outlined with a metalic material. The other half is listed on this page. Size: 6"h x 3 1/2"w x 1 1/2 "d. Weight: 1 lb. 11oz.

Friend Ranch polished thunderegg half from Eastern Oregon. This has a deep blue agate center with an orange and black ribbon circle in the center. Very stricking. One to add to a collection. The other half is on this page. Buy one or both for a matched set. Size: 4 1/2"h x 5 1/4"w x 2 "d. Weight: 2 lbs. 1oz.

RARE Frieda polished thunderegg half from Eastern Oregon. A real beauty. The agate center has blue-gray fortification agate with an opening of drusy quartz center that has lots of sparkle. The lower half has water level lines in white and various shades of gray-blue and brown. There are two minor healed fracture lines at the left of opening. Exceptional. Size: 4"h x 4"w x 1 3/8"d. Weight: 1 lb.

Decorative Specimens

Carnelian Agate. A pretty example showing an obicular type pattern in shades of orange. There are quartz crystals across top edge. The face is polished and it is one of Oregon’s many examples of fine collector rock. The back of this is shown in next photo. Size: 2 1/2"h x 3 3/4"w x 1 1/2"d. Weight: 10 oz.

A polished Brazilian Agate half from Southern Brazil. It has a center of a combination of quartz crystals, fortification agate in butterscotch colors, and water level lines at the bottom. There is a pocket in center top lined with sparkling tiny quartz crystals. It stands on it’s own. Size: 4"h x 5 3/8"w x 2 1/8"d. Weight: 2 lb. 3 oz.

Natural Petrified Wood from Washington. This beautiful example could be part of a root or burl. I really like the asthetic look with the contrasting orange around the outer edges. The face is polished and base is smooth to display on a shelf, desk, or wharever. The next photo shows the back. Size: 4 3/4"high x 7"wide x 2 1/4"thick. Measured at tallest, widest, & thickest parts. Weight: 2 lb. 9 oz.

Double Brazilian Agate with two polished faces. One at each end. From Southern Brazil. This is a real beauty. The larger face as shown has colorfull fortification layers with a crystal pocket center. There are photos showing more that follow. There is a slice off this end in the rock slices catagory. Size: 3 5/8"h x 5"w x 2 5/8"d. Weight: 2 lbs. 7 oz.

How about this unique speciman. I belive it is a chunk of Graveyard Plume from central-eastern border of Oregon. All natural, just as it came from the earth. The agate is a creamy white, with some iron stain. It hasn’t been cut or polished. This is pretty as is or cut and polished. The back of this is shown in next photo. Size: 4 1/2"h x 3 1/2"w x 4"d. Weight: 2 lbs. 2 oz.

An attractive speciman of botryoidal agate. All natural, just as it came from the earth. The agate is gray-blue and would make a very fine display. It hasn’t been cut or polished. The back of this is shown in next photo. Size: 4 1/2"h x 4 1/2"w x 4"d. Weight: 3 lbs. 11 oz.

Slices (Slabs)

A polished slice of the popular Gary Green Picture Jasper from McDermitt, Oregon. This slice has blue green to green to brown coloring. There are sediment cracks, some go through the slice and some don’t. No chance of the slice breaking. This slice is very picturesque with all the patterns. This takes hard rock mining, very difficult to obtain. Size: 4 1/4"h x 8"w x 1/4" thick. Weight: 11 oz.

This is one of three slices from the Brazilian Agate shown on Decorative Specimens page. A polished slice of Brazilian Agate from Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil. The fortification agate has very attractive bands of agate and quartz crystal. This fine slice has three healed small feathers. An attrac tive addition to any collection. Size: 3 3/4"h x 5 3/4"w x 1/4" thick. Weight: 7 oz.

A polished slice of Brazilian Agate from Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil. The colorful fortification agate is mostly red brown, blue gray to a pastel orange crystal center. Minerals seaped into the fracture lines making colorful lines. The fracture lines don’t go all the way through the slice. No chance of breaking. Size: 3 3/4"h x 5 3/4"w x 1/4" thick. Weight: 8 oz.

Thick Ochoco thunderegg slice from the Ochoco Mountain area beds between Prineville and Michell, Oregon. This polished slice shows water level lines that look somewhat ocean waves. The agate center has a deep red border with a cluster of moss in upper left center. The next picture shows the moss in the lower right corner of center. Couldn’t deside which direction looked better. Both are good. Size: 3 3/4"h x 5 1/4"w x 1/2" thick. Weight: 10 oz.

Brazilian Agate from Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil. This polished slice has delicate fortification lines and water level lines in the center. A perfect slice without any fracture lines. An interesting thing, as you can see, are two spots where mineral water seeped into the hollow nodual. The very cemter has a quartz crystal pocket. Size: 3 3/8"h x 4 1/2"w x 1/4" thick. Weight: 4 oz.

Petrified Wood

Although not much is known about how or why a tree becomes petrified, it is now thought that it takes place through a process known as infiltration. As the sediment water, rich in minerals, seeped into the wood, it deposited the minerals in the air spaces within the wood tissues until all of the microscopic spaces in the wood were filled. It is theorized that the original wood acted as a framework to hold the minerals as they solidified, and the logs literally became stone with only 2% of their volume taken up by wood cellulose fiber.

The mineral deposited in the wood was silica in all its various forms. Petrified Wood logs of almost pure silica are white or light tan or gray. But impurities in the silica, such as iron oxide, stain the trunks yellow, orange, rust and red while manganese oxide creates blue, black or purple colors.

Tuscarora Petrified Wood from Tuscarora, Nevada. This polished slice is a complete round that has been compressed into a flat round during petrification process. The grain is a herringbone pattern. I understand there have been other diggers there that haven’t had any success finding any more of this material. There are three closeup photos that follow. Size is 4 5/8" tall x 19 1/2" wide and 3/4" thick. Weight is 3 lbs. 14 oz.

Extinct Woodworthia Petrified Wood most likely from Arizonia’s Triassic Chinle formation. This polished example is a thick section. This section shows many small scars and a few larger ones on the sides. The small scars possibly represent short shoot scars, whereas the larger ones are probably the result of leaf or branch traces. The wood of Woodworthia is araucarioid and contains numerous leaf and branch traces. This is a complete round. Some closeup photos & the side views follow. Polished face or top is 5 1/2" x 8 1/4". The section is 3’’ to 2 1/2" thick. Weight is 7 lbs. 11 oz.

Swamp Cypress Wood from Washington State. This polished section shows a complete center with growth rings. The bark shows around the slab, except top edge where it has broke away. This particular slice has alot of character with tapered openings near center. There is botryoidal agate in some of the openings. Next photos show other views. A very decorative slice. Size: 5 1/4"tall x 7 3/8" wide x 1/4" thick. Weight: 1 lb. 1oz.

Museum Quality Tuscarora Petrified Wood from Tuscarora, Nevada. A very colorfull polished slice of Redwood. There is a center with a decayed pocket. It has a beautiful display of herringbone pattern grain, and some growth rings. The slice was squashed during formation giving unusal patterns. The colors range from tan, deep brown, and red. Closeup photos are shown in the next few photos. Four breaks have been mender from the back. Do not show from the front. Price is figured by square inch, which is 103 sq.in. Size: 7 1/2"tall x 17 3/4"long x 5/8" thick. Weight: 6 lbs. 7 oz.

The purpose of the Rogue Gem & Geology Club is to foster healthful fellowship among its members while pursuing the activities and knowledge of the earth sciences and to serve the community by introducing its young people and adults to the wonders of the mineral world.

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