Apalachee Minerals

HOME       Comments    Agatized Coral       Florida Calcite      Mineral Specimens     Gem Trees

  Wholesale Page       Links      Discounts      Shipping Policies     Order Form      Contact Us

        E-mail:  order@apalachee-minerals.com 

Thank-you for your business.

Print pages in landscape for best viewing quality
 

Calcite from Rucks’ Pit

Okeechobee County, Florida, USA

To see the largest single plate of calcified Mercenaria permagna clams ever recovered from Rucks’ Pit, click on the picture to the right.  This piece measures 35 x 25 x 6.9 inches (89 x 63.5 x 17.5 cm), and is home to over 40 Mercenaria clams.

 

The specimens depicted below come from a relatively new find of gemmy honey-amber calcite crystals filling and replacing Mercenaria permagna clams. First discovered by Dr. Thomas Scott of the Florida Geological Survey, the clams are found in living position, and are largely confined to a stratigraphic zone 0.3 – 0.6m thick throughout the pit. Because these Mercenaria are found in hinge-up living position, it has been suggested that they died in place due to a catastrophic event, such as sudden burial or freshwater poisoning resulting from a hurricane, tsunami or other causes. The age of these Mercenaria fossils is late Pliocene to early Pleistocene (1 – 1.5 million years old).

 The size of the crystals (to over 3 cm in length) and the occurrence of many complete articulated crystal-filled clams make this occurrence unique. In all crystal-bearing specimens, a portion of the sides (and sometimes tops) of the clam shells have been dissolved by ground water. This creates “natural windows” into each clam, allowing the internal crystallization to more easily be seen. The largest crystal clusters grow downward from the hinge area (top) of the clams. When found broken away from the rest of the fossil clam, these hinge pieces make outstanding thumbnail to small cabinet - sized crystal specimens. 
   

The calcite from this site fluoresces a light yellow-green color under shortwave and longwave UV light, and also phosphoresces for a second or two once the black light is extinguished. 

 

 

 

This site produces other calcified pelecypods, including Busycon rucksorum (Whelk), Anadara (Ark shells), and others. Most calcite crystals within these mollusks are drusy, and lack the deeper color and transparency of the larger crystals found growing within Mercenaria permagna clams.

Rucks’ Pit is an active mine, being worked primarily for limerock used for road base material. The stratigraphic zone being mined for aggregate is the same horizon in which the calcified Mercenaria occur.

Through an agreement with the owner, Apalachee Minerals and The Fossil Geode had exclusive commercial collecting privileges at this site, collecting from 2003-2005.  The Fossil Geode's web site has additional photos of this site.

 

If you are interested in purchasing any of these minerals,  or if you have a question, you can place your order on on our secure  ORDER FORM.  You will need to know the specimen number, the specimen name and the price. 
If you have any questions, feel free to CONTACT US.

Please click on Thumbnail Photos to view larger image and more details on each mineral.

 


  
 SEE CALCITE CLAMS IN MATRIX DOWN BELOW

OR click here to go straight to the MATRIX page

CAL0414- $200
 (c)
 
CAL2494- SOLD
 (c)
 
CAL2753- $40
 (c)

 
CAL3065- $50
 (c)

 
CAL3100- $200
 (c)
 
CAL3103- $180
 (lc)
 
CAL3104- $220
 (c)

 
RUC2033- $120
 (c)

 
RUC2828- $140
 (c)
 
RUC2866- $190
 (c)
 
RUC2868- $148
 (c)

 
RUC2870- $270
 (c)

 

 

RUC2873- $165
 (c)
 
RUC2888- $104
 (c)
 
RUC2897- $100
 (c)

 
RUC2968- $76
 (c)

 
RUC2971- $120
 (c)
 
RUC2973- $110
 (c)
 
RUC3033- $76
 (sc)

 
RUC3037- $58
 (c)

 
RUC3317- $88
 (c)
 
RUC3468- $220
 (c)
 
RUC3681- $76
 (c)

 
RUC3683- $78
 (c)

 
RUC3684- $96
 (sc)
 
RUC3689- $84
 (c)
 
RUC3706- $120
 (c)

 
RUC3708- $38
 (sc)

 
RUC3801- $56
 (c)
 
RUC3802- $56
 (sc)
 
RUC3807- $58
 (sc)

 
RUC4035- $180
 (lc)

 
RUC4387- $80
 (c)
 
RUC4417- $80
 (c)
 
RUC4421- $38
 (m)

 
RUC4448- $42
 (sc)

 

 

     
RUC4449- $180
 (lc)
 
     

Calcite in Matrix from Rucks’ Pit

Okeechobee County, Florida, USA

Please click on Thumbnail Photos to view larger image and more details on each mineral.

                                             

                                                    CAL2508- $420                                                                    CAL2518 - $500

                                                                 

                                             

                                                    CAL3101- $420                                                                   RUC2432 - $245

 

                                               

                                                   RUC2794- $220                                                                  RUC3567- $180

                                                

                                                   RUC4037- $260                                                                 

 

Thumbnail (t)                3 cm or smaller
Miniature (m)                3 – 6 cm
Small Cabinet (sc)        6 – 8 cm
Cabinet (c)                    8 - 12 cm
Large cabinet (lc)          > 12 cm

All Measurements are in centimeters; 1 inch equals approximately 2.5 centimeters.

HOME       Comments    Agatized Coral       Florida Calcite      Mineral Specimens     Gem Trees

  Wholesale Page       Links      Discounts      Shipping Policies     Order Form      Contact Us

Mineral Specimens by Location

Western USA      Midwestern USA      Southeastern USA      Northeastern USA       

 Africa   Canada    Europe    Far E & Australia & China   Mexico & Central America   Middle East & India    South America