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Vulcan Materials Quarry  

When:
September 15 2007 EDT 
Category:
Field Trips

September's field trip is to the Vulcan Materials Company - Manassas Quarry for prehnite, calcite, apophylitte and stilbite, 8537 Vulcan Lane, Manassas, VA 20109. Meet at the Manager's Office no later than 7:45 am. We will collect from 8:00 am to 11:30 am (we must leave no later than noon). Kids are welcome. This is a hard rock quarry and you will need heavy boots (steel toed recommended), hard hat, safety goggles, heavy work gloves, rock hammer, rock chisels, buckets/egg cartons and paper to wrap specimens. Don’t forget water, snacks and sunscreen. John Boyer must know of your plans to attend before Friday, September 14th in order to notify you of a cancellation due to weather or quarry operations.

Location

Map
Venue: Vulcan Materials Quarry

8537 Vulcan Lane, Manassas 20109 , VA

http://www.mindat.org/loc-104545.html

What to Collect --- Prehnite, datolite, stilbite, byssolite, pyrite, pectolite, apophyllite, other zeolites. Good micros (e.g. laumontite).

See the Mindat page for pictures!


Directions --- From D.C. and Maryland area, take Washington Beltway (I-495) to I-66 (west) to Manassas Exit 44. Go south on Rt 234 (Bypass) for 3.3 miles. Turn Left on Wellington Rd. (at light) --- go ½ mile and turn left on Vulcan Road. Cross railroad tracks and take immediate right into office parking lot.

Equipment/ clothing --- Full safety gear --- steel toed shoes/boots, safety glasses, hardhat, work gloves --- rock hammer, 3 - 4 pound crack hammer, chisels, 5 gal. bucket, old newspaper for wrapping specimens, small pry bar. Optional -- large sledge hammer, long pry bar, extra buckets. Your best tools are sharp eyes. Clothing depends on the weather --- coveralls recommended. Rain poncho nice to have.

Quarry Description / Hints --- Manassas Quarry is a trap rock quarry -- large square, deep hole in the ground with multiple levels. The predominate rock is dark gray diabase which is mined for crushed rock for road construction. Prehnite is the main thing we will try to find --- Hint: look for a white or light green streak of color in the gray rock and examine carefully. Breaking that rock open may reveal a pocket of light green prehnite. Prehnite is not abundant here, so it has been a hit or miss thing. On the other hand, we have always (Lord willin’) found some nice specimens of something to make the trip worth-while. Hint ---Carefully search and investigate anything that is different.
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