Mount hay
http://www.aradon.com.au
, , Town, DiDo
Phone:
Address:
7 Ferguson Street, Rockhampton, QLD, 4700
State: 7 Ferguson Street, Rockhampton, QLD, 4700
Email:
Mount Hay is what is left of an ancient and extinct volcano which was last active around 120 million years ago. At that time the rumbling volcano contained millions of gas bubbles that existed in molten lava, known as rhyolite. These gas bubbles have now cooled and are known as 'thundereggs.'
Mount Hay Thundereggs are Also Known as Volcanic Birthstones
Mount Hay thundereggs, sometimes referred to as volcanic birthstones, are small 'pockets' of molten lava that were filled with siliceous liquids that contained trace elements and impurities that crystalised as they cooled. Today they appear as an oversized pebbles or small rocks but when cut in half contain many brilliant colours and patterns. As the lava cooled the trapped steam and various gasses formed bubbles. These bubbles attracted silica and feldspar minerals that crystalised on the surface. Over the following years the bubbles went through a complicated process of filling, drying out, shrinking and cracking. At times the resulting cavities filled with banded agate, chalcedony, amethyst, or clear quartz crystals.
Fossickers are Encouraged to Seek out Their own Gemstone at Mount Hay
Today, people are encouraged to fossick through piles of thunderegg bearing material that has been excavated from the mine site nearby. The Mount Hay Gemstone Tourist Park was established near the thunderegg mine in 1974 to allow visitors to the site to dig for their own spherulitic rhyolite and thundereggs. It has become a popular place for fossickers to visit as it is located at Wycarbah, 36 kilometres west of Rockhampton, along the Capricorn Highway.
Fossickers are given a bag each to place their 'find' in as well as a fossicking tool. They are also told what to look for. They are also allowed to keep the stones they find. When finished two of their stones are cut for them at no cost.
Commercial Mining Began at Mount Hay in 1963
Commercial mining of rhyolite and thunderegg deposits began at Mount Hay in 1963 by Bert and Gwen Kayes. The same year they commenced mining of the Marlborough Chrysoprase deposit. They formed the company Aradon in 1986. Today, Aradon Pty Ltd, owns mines in the Northern Territory and Western Australia as well as Queensland.
Spherulitic rhyolite found at Mount Hay is also known as Rainforest Jasper, or Green Rhyolite. It is a fine grained glassy type of igneous rock with areas dominated by brown, opaque bearing glass. Thundereggs are spherical, or ovoid in shape and fossickers become intrigued whether the rock they have chosen from the pile brought down the mountain is indeed just a plain rock with its shape weathered by the elements, or in fact a thunderegg, with hidden beauty.
Aradon Pty Ltd specialises in the mining of thundereggs, rainforest jasper, or green rhyolite, variscite, black tourmaline, crazy lace agate, printstone, marra mamba tiger eye and jasper. The company exports rough stone and polished pieces throughout the world. Aradon Pty Ltd is a leading Australian gemstone mining company and supplier of quality gemstones.
