Thread: Mystery Hone ID Request

I never even thought of the Novaculite angle, though-I guess the specific gravity test would tell? I wonder too if the bands are some sort of exotic sedimentary layers that settled in that fashion. It kind of reminds me of some of the really wild metamorphic banding from millions of years of heating and folding

The gravity test would only let you check the grade of novaculite if that is indeed what it is. There are plenty of other rocks that will have similar density.

Novaculite is one of the odd rocks. It is a chert, and follows the rules for that rock type. It can show original deposit banding and fossils, Form in huge sheets, Or form as nodules. It can also show pressure banding and folding and be found in layers. As such there are no real rules for what one should look like. Jaspers and agates are the same family. Chert is actually one of the more interesting rocks in general as it is normally considered to be biological in origin, Been formed from chalks and limestones.

A spark test might be more beneficial than a gravity test. If you run some mild steel down one side quickly you might be able to get sparks. Cherts and flints are know to have this property. Again other rocks can do this so it's not a perfect test.