Tertiary Silicates

- Exploring Wyoming’s Tertiary Treasures

Hey there! 🌟 I find myself living in what I like to call a Tertiary rock hunting paradise. Sounds fancy, right? Let me share the geological wonders of this unique place with you.

You see, way back when, the pre-Tertiary formations here were folded, faulted, and thrust up by some ancient orogenies. Then, to add a touch of drama, the whole area was smothered in thousands of feet of volcanic ash—nature’s version of a cozy blanket! This ash filled lakes, buried forests, and sprinkled a rich mix of silica and other trace elements.

The magic happened when voids and casts left in the ash got filled with silica, giving birth to opal, chalcedony, iris agates, petrified wood, fossils, jaspers, and a whole bunch of other silicates. Picture it: a geological treasure trove!

Rock Heaven Outside My Door

Fast forward to today, and I have these rocks, agates, and more just lying around outside my backdoor. It’s like having a rock store at my fingertips, and I’m the lucky owner!

- Rock-Littered Surface With Several Tertiary Agates Out The Backdoor

- Bad For Some, But Not For Everyone

Not-So-Bad Badlands

Even better? Subsequent faulting has laid bare these ash layers in the basins, creating what they call “badlands.” Now, don’t let the name fool you; they might be bad for some but not for everyone. These badlands are like a secret haven for adventurers craving solitude in a unique environment. And guess what? They’re the perfect spot for hunting fossils and rocks, especially those that light up under UV at night. Shh, it’s my little secret!

And can you believe it? I live right in the middle of all this geological goodness. How lucky am I?

- Tertiary Badlands Down The Road From Home

Glowing Silicates Galore

Now, let me show off some of the gems I’ve found. These silicates are like the rock stars of the Tertiary world, especially because they glow in different colors under various UV wavelengths. How cool is that?

- Sweetwater Agates Under Natural, Long, and Short Wave. Jeffry City

- Opal, Chalcedony, Caliche Under Natural and Full Wave

- Opal, Chalcedony, Caliche Under Natural and Full Wave

- Angel Agates, Short Wave. Crooks Gap

- Chalcedony Under Natural and Full Wave

- Chalcedony Under Natural and Full Wave

- Chalcedony Under Natural and Full Wave

- Opal Under Natural and Short Wave

- Opal and Chalcedony Under Natural and Long Wave

Update: Life Changes

Now, a little update—life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Unfortunately, since writing this, I’ve been through a divorce. My ex and I have gone our separate ways, and I no longer get to enjoy the wonders of this Tertiary paradise right outside my door.

Now, I have to travel a couple of hundred miles to experience it, but hey, when I do, I’m going to soak up every moment. Camping, adventuring, and not taking this unique place for granted again. In some ways, things will be even better than before.

Take care and rock on! ✨

Cheers, D 🪨🔥