On eBay Now...67g Polished "Candy Rhyolite" w/ Copper • Ketcherside Gap MO For Sale
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67g Polished "Candy Rhyolite" w/ Copper • Ketcherside Gap MO:
$25.00
- Locality: Ketcherside Gap, Iron County, Missouri (St. Francois Mountains)
- Rock Type: Flow-Banded Rhyolite ("Candy Rhyolite")
- Secondary Minerals: Copper Oxidation (Malachite staining)
- Weight: 67 Grams (2.3 oz)
- Dimensions: 2.75" x 1.5" x 0.75"
- Condition: Lapidary Finished (High polish to highlight flow banding)
The Brutal Geology of Ketcherside Gap
Welcome to KeepsCache. Up for consideration is a brilliant, highly polished 67-gram display specimen of flow-banded rhyolite—locally known as "Candy Rhyolite"—from Ketcherside Gap in Iron County, Missouri.
To hold a rock from Ketcherside Gap is to hold a piece of extreme Precambrian violence. Situated in the moat sediments of the ancient Taum Sauk Caldera, this gap was formed when superheated magma-derived brines violently fractured and cooked the surrounding volcanic host rock.
In the 19th century, early miners cut raw trenches through this exact area, chasing massive veins of heavy iron and manganese. Today, modern geology classifies Ketcherside Gap as a complex IOCG-REE (Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold-Rare Earth Element) deposit. This rhyolite specimen is a direct product of that exact, metal-rich magmatic environment.
The Specimen & Polish
This piece has been expertly lapidary-finished to highlight a very unique physical structure:
- The Weight & Polish: This specific piece feels surprisingly light in the hand. However, despite being physically light, the microcrystalline structure of the volcanic rock cooled so tightly that it takes a flawless, glass-like lapidary shine. The high polish beautifully highlights the wavy, fluid "candy" flow bands of the original lava locked in stone.
- The Copper Staining: Cutting directly through the tan and reddish-brown flow bands are vivid, bright green streaks. This is secondary copper oxidation (associated with the region's IOCG deposits) that has leached into the micro-fractures of the rhyolite over millions of years, providing an incredible color contrast against the warm tones of the volcanic rock.
Collector's Note: Measuring 2.75 inches tall, this is a perfect, highly aesthetic polished miniature. It is an excellent piece for collectors of midwestern volcanic geology, lapidary arts, or complex mineral deposit dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">Ketcherside Gap MO, Iron County Missouri, Candy Rhyolite, flow banded rhyolite, IOCG deposit, copper stained rock, malachite in rhyolite, KeepsCache, lapidary polished mineral, midwest rockhound, historic Missouri geology, polished display stone, lightweight rock.
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