Mineral Collecting in Virginia: Limonite Cubes aka "Devils Dice" 

Mineral Collecting in Virginia: Limonite Cubes aka “Devils Dice”
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About the Dig:
We decided to go out last week and do some collecting for the well-known Limonite cubes that can be found in Virginia! Limonite cubes are pseudo-morphs after pyrite. This means that it has replaced what used to be pyrite previously! The external appearance of the old pyrite cube remains essentially the same, but the composition has been altered. The locals in this area, as well as others across the world, refer to these cubes as “devils dice.” This gloomy name is given to these mysterious rocks due to their strange man-made look and dark metallic to earthy luster! Like many occurrences, preservation and specimen quality can differ. The cubes from this location are usually in good shape, but some areas have more weathered cubes that are very rough and not sharp! The average size of the cubes range from 0.5cm to the largest ever recorded (according to locals) coming in at around the size of a baseball!!! This area produces single crystals rather than clusters that can be found at other locations in the world. Clusters were found in the video, but they are not common and should not be expected when collecting in the area!
The video will show several different environments that contain different levels of specimen quality. The Limonite cubes form in a type of Mica Schist that can be found in the area. Most of the cubes are loose in the soil, but the video also shows the cubes in the original host rock they formed in!! The best thing about this location is the fact that the cubes can be found simply by picking them up and spotting them. Unlike many places, this place requires minimal work and no hard rock mining. The only thing one would need is a good eye and patience!
Let us know in the comments below with what you liked about this video and what you would like to see next time!!
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Keep on Rockin' everyone!!
- Thomas & Alex