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soil

Small Crystals in North Texas Soil

Claire Williamson

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posted 6 years ago

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Does anyone know what these small crystals found in North Texas soil from about 10 ft underground are?

20180430_155434.jpg

Mark Deichmann

Posts: 137

Location: Maritimes , Eastern Canada

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posted 6 years ago

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The color and shape resemble flourite/salt. Taste one best way to test , otherwise quartz but my bet is salt.

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Anne Miller

steward

Posts: 16058

Location: USDA Zone 8a

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posted 6 years ago

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It could be mica:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mica

Could also be calcite ...

This maybe of interest:

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/Texas Rocks and Fossils

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

Bryant RedHawk

gardener

Posts: 6814

Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5

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posted 6 years ago

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Really it is hard to say for certain but they look a lot like Feldspar crystals, the other possibilities are Asbestos, Gypsum, Selenite, among others.

This link is to a set of flash cards that teach mineral identification (very handy to have at your disposal for mineral ID)

rock and mineral ID flash cards

Redhawk

List of Bryant RedHawk's Epic Soil Series Threads We love visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin deep in the woods. "Buzzard's Roost (Asnikiye Heca) Farm." Promoting permaculture to save our planet.

Michael Cox

pollinator

Posts: 3844

Location: Kent, UK - Zone 8

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