Behind the Scenes: Consulting Geology Work at a Zeolite Mine in Southwestern Idaho 

Zeolite, my beloved! I raised sheep and lambed during the yuckiest, wettest season in our foothills, so we "mothered" in indoor pens. Discovering zeolite was an absolute game changer. Thank you PDZ! ❤ The clay topsoil held moisture foreveeeeeeeerrrr. I figured out that it was super high percentage muscovite kaolin, which was interesting. The top layer of mud if undisturbed, would be particles so fine that the iron pyrite flakes would sit on top in almost a perfect "gold plating" effect, which was deepened by the underlying mica particles. We'd go out on the trails the morning after a storm and see these long stretches of gold. Just wild. We lived adjacent to Hanging Rock State Park in North Carolina. There was SO MUCH of this erosion runoff because acid rain and droughts are killing off the vegetation on the Sauratown ridge. The topsoil was disappearing at a noticeable rate, and the mica and iron pyrite flow down in every rainstorm. It's kinda sad honestly, as the ridge itself is destabilizing. It's weird to think of human activity being able to passively bring down actual granite hills, but here we are. The geology around us was absolutely amazing and btw, the reason I ended up abandoning the YEC of my childhood. It was an easy, few hours' walk from the top of the Sauratown ridge to our south, down to the watershed at the bottom and north of our land, and the rocks changed so much!

John McPhee's "Basin and Range" has this amusing passage: "When William Wyler made 'The Big Country', there was a climactic chase scene in which the bad guy was shot and came clattering down a canyon wall in what appeared to be a shower of clinoptilolite. Geologists were on the phone to Wyler at once. 'Loved your movie. Where was that canyon?'" (it was filmed at Red Rock Canyon State Park, in Kern County, California)

It’s a huge credit to your videos that the comments are all informative. Keep up the great programming! You attract a good crowd…

This is very interesting. Having lived in areas of stock yards, I can appreciate the value of the zeolite they are mining. I certainly didn't know there is a substance that is useful that way. But over the decades, I have noticed that yards do not smell as bad as in the past. I'm glad that when finished, the pit will be returned to a natural state. I also appreciate this glimpse into the consulting side of geology. This is obviously vary important work for providing resources that are needed in modern life. From the pure geology side, getting to study the tuff material in cross section expands the eruption nature of the hotspot when it was active. Thank you for the lesson in practical geology. My thanks to the company owner for allowing you to make this film. This has helpful in my understanding of mining.

I seem to recall that one of my old Professors from The University of Manchester -UK 1980, Professor Jack Zussman (one of the three famous Geology trio Deer, Howie and Zussman) did quite a lot of study work on Zeolites back in the day. He was a genius and a fantastic teacher. He's now 99 years old and still has a research office at the University. Another great video Shawn. Really interesting stuff!

Zeolite crystals are formed by volcanic deposits and ash in akaline groundwater areas. To find zeolite in nature, as it has mixed with other minerals in many places and not be worth trouble digging for it , you would need to study rock formations . Consulting a geologist who could study the land forms would be a must. Super interesting geological variety in that pit! Thanks for showing it professor!

Thank you for the content regarding the benefits of zeolite. We as producers are very helpful in educating the public about the benefits of zeolite. Regards

Zeolites are an awesome groups of minerals with many practical uses. We saw some zeolites that formed in old volcanic rocks in Nova Scotia when I did geology camp.

You might find it interesting to know that those areas of the very white tuff exposures in that area are the only locations in the world where the very rare plant trifolium owyheensis, Owyhee big head clover can be found. There are a couple of populations on the Idaho side but most of the populations occur on the Oregon side. The were a candidate species for an ESA listing. I have monitored these populations for a number of years the last few years have really reduced the number of plants.

As geology major I find it super cool to learn what geologists do in the real world. Thanks for sharing! Looking to soon take the ASBOG FG exam and start looking at grad schools

I always learn something new about my beautiful home every time you make a video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

The wildflowers looked cool too! Need to get up to ID for a wee saunter about!

9:52 that's good to know the company will eventually cover it with native vegetation. 👍

Ha...I know exactly where you're at. My wife and I use to run out to Leslie Gulch all the time to do some exploring. The whole area is very cool. Thanks for sharing.

Totally cool...and a good lesson to keep an open mind (vegetative matter caught...of course!) Plus the absorbent/deodorant properties of zeolite material. Practical application of knowledge is inspirational! 👏🏻👌🏼

I was going to say something about this stuff. There are some good layers of this above Emmett. Also a quarry site, but fun to drive down the hill to a couple of outcrops to look for samples of flora encapsulated in the tuff. Having to use rather high magnification it is interesting how the organic material shows that it was blasted by high heat and carbonized, but encapsulated and oxygen deprived before being piled on and compressed. Very interesting story in the valley! (Edit) @16:00 ish you describe this lol Coolest thing I have found yet is a very small foliated twig, Super cool, looked like black garlic

Wow! look at what rock type the ash tufts have turned into, over eons. So interesting to also see, what you pointed out, is the fossilization of the plant life that the ash fell upon. Enjoyed seeing that imprinting. Also, understanding what Zeolite can or is used for after crushing. Thank you for these explanations.

Great learning video Shawn - appreciate your expertise in better understanding Zeolite and how it is formed!

industrial scale kitty litter for the cow pen...TIL something new. Coming to a store near you... Cow Litter

Thank you, Shawn. All of this was new to me.

I went looking (geolocate) the mine. It is on the Oregon/Idaho Border next to Succor Creek west (approx) of Murphy ID. Pretty interesting formation covers much of Eastern Oregon, South Western Idaho. The deposits out there are enourmous.

Absolutely fascinating! Thank you for the continuous education!

Thank you sir for taking us out in real quarry n explaining some geology terms n about zeolite application. Jussojuan

Very interesting and good closeups of formation etc thanks

Thanks Shawn great video! We were just wondering about that site - now we know!

It would be really cool to see a Scotese like video of that area 20 mya to today. Great video!

Must be really tuff mining out there ...

I was just out near here this week. Super video. Thanks

Thanks!

I know exactly where you are. I've roamed the Owyhees rockhounding & came across this area by chance.

Love zeolites for their beautiful crystal forms.

Another great video, really enjoyed it

Great, thank you.

Love the video! I’m an avid zeolite hunter myself. My only comment is the p in clinoptilolite is silent. It’s the monoclinic variety of the discredited ptilolite, hence the prefix clino-

Interesting. As an aquarium inthusiast, I am familiar with zeolite as an amonia absorber in filters and substrates. This stuff runs about $13.00 for .44Mg. It ain't cheap. I also use montmorillonite clay as my first undergravel filter bed as a Ph buffer.

It almost seems a pity to cover over the entire area after mining is concluded. I say this because I'm always intrigued when I come across an abandoned mine in the middle of nowhere, and I poke around extensively for any geological, mineralogical, or anthropological information I can find. Speaking of poking around, isn't there a huge Simplot feedlot near Grand View, not far from this zeolite source? I remember being stunned to find something so large out in the middle of nowhere.

Shawn, are you familiar with Doug Ming, a soils scientist of NASA that helped to develop Zeoponics, which they were using for soil on simulated Mars missions? I knew him from The Texas Fly Fishers club but then later I worked at NASA in the next building to his.

I wonder if this formation coincides with the flood basalts in eastern Washington, Oregon and a little of Idaho. I believe their dates are similar and would account for the tremendous depth of ash.

Perhaps there were no leaves at that time. It seems there was mostly ferns. The bit of black fibres matter you picked up made me think of a large fern stem. There is an island where the vegetation has large ferns. How was it that that area was chosen for the quarry? Were drill holes made to find out how deep the tuff/zeolite is? There seems to be drill holes in the face, were the drill holes to allow blasting off the rock? You picked some up and you could crumble it in your hand. Is the tuff of different density/hardness?

Theres cool zeolites at coffin butte quarry in oregon.

Cow Litter, didn't know that even existed. sounds legit....

I know that exact area.

Perhaps the brown bits are semi burnt and the blakc fully burnt. How did the iron get between the rocks? Did it come down from above? Did it perculate up? Was it drawn out of the tuff?

Very informative! Have any animal fossils ever been found in that area?

Asbestos COULD be the product of mineral replacement [similar to how trees can be petrified by mineral replacement].

zeolite, molecular sieve,,,,a dessicant.... "Latent heat of Sorption"... exothermic thermal battery uses.

I'm wondering if there are any vertebrate fossils at the lowest ash bed.

Tuff material appears to be slightly acidic.

Where is the zeolite mineral. It would be nice if you show it.

Is Zeolite used as a detox for heavy metals? Are bentonite clay deposits caused by volcanic ash too?

If you make errors in your report, like you recommend they mine in a particular direction and it turns out they don't find the quality material they are looking for, are you liable?

Which zeolite material were Russia using to treat radioactive exposure when Chernobyl exploded? Is there a difference in what they were using and this material? I maybe incorrect, but it's my understanding they were feeding zeolite to the population in the immediate vicinity around Chernobyl to combat radiation poisoning.

Is it dangerous to inhale volcanic ash? What about zeolite powder?

Is it "Sucker Creek" or "Succor Creek"?

Doctor Who and the Zeolites.

How does mining company claim land??

Shrooms?you have shrooms?you have a gold mine there

No trees in the ash? Animals? Be fun to watch for them during pit operations.

And not a spud in sight.

Maybe a unpatended claim on public land to hike on but not pick up any rocks

Adopt a wide brimmed hat for long hours in the sun. Skin Cancer is nothing to flirt with.