Rock pools miniaturized for penjin

[fossil finder]

These are some of my most interesting rocks. They are are ironstone nodules found at Yowah and Koroit in far western Queensland. A small proportion of these rocks have precious opal inside and are called Yowah Nuts. Somtimes the opal mixes with the ironstone to form a beautiful matrix as my final picture shows. This type of opal only occurs at these two remote localities. As you can see many are hollow and form unique specimens. I use a lapidary saw to cut the pieces I collect on expeditions looking for opal so the shells are a by-product of this operation. I will grind the straight cut freeform and use them in penjiin landscapes as ponds.





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[peterb]

Hey F/F
Those will make fantastic rock pools , that last photo is WOW it looks like lava flowing . Beautiful
peterb

[shibui]

Many years ago someone showed me similar but larger hollow nodules reportedly from near Omeo in Victoria. They would make great natural half moon bonsai pots if I could find where they came from

[fossil finder]

Hey F/F
Those will make fantastic rock pools , that last photo is WOW it looks like lava flowing . Beautiful
peterb

The ironstone is like it has been through a blast furnace pb and can be a bit brittle but is waterproof. Each one is unique and the matrix is like mini luminous oil paintings. Some look like objects in a simliar way to clouds.

These are some of my most interesting rocks. They are are ironstone nodules found at Yowah and Koroit in far western Queensland. A small proportion of these rocks have precious opal inside and are called Yowah Nuts. Somtimes the opal mixes with the ironstone to form a beautiful matrix as my final picture shows. This type of opal only occurs at these two remote localities. As you can see many are hollow and form unique specimens. I use a lapidary saw to cut the pieces I collect on expeditions looking for opal so the shells are a by-product of this operation. I will grind the straight cut freeform and use them in penjiin landscapes as ponds.





Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

[fossil finder]

Many years ago someone showed me similar but larger hollow nodules reportedly from near Omeo in Victoria. They would make great natural half moon bonsai pots if I could find where they came from

I have seen big ironstone nodules about 2m long dug wirh excavators shibui but am not sure about how big the hollow ones get. The opal country is directly connected to the Great Artesian Basin so there could be amazing material but if underground miners dig too far (60m) they might end up in the drink in a big way. The annual Yowah Opal Festival is an ideal time to visit the outback area and there is a designated fossicking area.

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[wattynine]

How ya' doin' F/F, great bunch of stones.
Very similar but not as pretty are these I have posted before.
I have around 300-500 of these ironstone formations again tho nothing as good as in terms of color that you have in that last photo. Great find, I will continue looking.
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=18340&p=186066&hil ... ic#p186066

Watty

[fossil finder]

Nice rocks watty! I love the way ironstone gets a sandblasted cooked ceramic like patina and colour that typifies the Australian outback. The Yowah Nuts are just curious things that never cease to surprise. I have cut them to find fine dry white clay powder inside and occasionally they will rattle because a loose rock is detached inside. Find myself regularly wondering why and how these beautiful detailed treasures occur inside a ancient rock, underground in central Australia and unappreciated as just another mineral making up our planet.

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