Esoterizona Stones 44

Fluorescent Minerals

All three of the following specimens came from a boulder I collected a couple of years ago from a mine in Pinal County and recently split open.  The fluorescence of the exterior was rather weak, but the freshly broken faces revealed bright, creamy yellow-white powellite shot through with veins and pockets of vivid green chalcedony, both under shortwave uv.

5"x3"x2"

4"x5"x3"

5"x3"x6"

Other specimens collected from this locale can be seen on Esoterizona Stones 22.

Salton Sea 4 - Obsidian Butte

 Yet another non-sequitur feature of the Salton Sea is Obsidian Butte, one of five in a series of ancient rhyolitic features on the lake's eastern shore.  The butte was formed when lava from an ancient eruption came into contact with an ancient sea, resulting in a large deposit of the characteristic jet black, glassy composition.

Massive obsidian boulders on the beach.

One outcropping of the butte.

Close-up showing the layered bands in the obsidian, corresponding to successive waves of lava quickly cooling one after the other.

In addition to standard jet black obsidian, there was also snowflake obsidian and mahogany obsidian (pictured).

Salton Sea 3 - Owl

Quite a surprise to see an owl at this hour.  Turns out to be a California Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularea), who are known for hunting during daylight, as well as living in underground burrows. "Cunicular" roughly translates as "rabbit-like."

Maybe he was surprised to see me too - I saw very few people the whole day.  Apparently it is also rare to see burrowing owls out like this during the heat of the summer, which on this particular day was nearly 120 F.

Salton Sea 2 - Mudpots

The eastern shore of the Salton Sea is an active geothermal area due to its proximity to the San Andreas fault.  A number of power plants dot the area to harness the natural energy, and nearby can be found active volcanic vents and mudpots.

The mudpots are the tan colored cluster of cones and mounds on the right, and behind it to the left is an associated geothermal power plant.

Hot gas streams out of this dry vent, making an eerie hissing sound.  

The mounds are formed by the gradual accumulation of hot mud expelled from the vents.  These are estimated to be 16,000 years old (USGS).

 

Another dry yet still active vent.

There were also a couple of bubbling mud cauldrons, but due to the extreme heat and drought of the summer these were few and far between.

Salton Sea 1 - Shoreline

Photos from the eastern shore of the Salton Sea, a large saline lake in southern California's Imperial Valley.  Formed in the rift of the San Andreas fault by the Colorado River, the waters are trapped with no further outlet to the sea.

The Salton Sea is also well known as a home to numerous species of resident and migratory birds. Here pelicans brood over the murky waters on perches of deadwood.

Camera just happened to catch the butterfly.

The alternating cycles of evaporation and fill make for a constantly shifting shoreline.

These cycles, along with chemicals and salts in the run-off from nearby agriculture, also make for increasingly saline and toxic water.  Mass fish kills are regular event.  Some beaches are made entirely from bleached, crushed fish bones rather than sand.

Pectoral girdle of what looks like the remains of a crane: sternum, coracoids, and furcula (wishbone).  Also present is a wing with humerus, radius, ulna, and a few feathers.