Thomas Contreras Age:1-11-76 my age will change my birthday will not. Hometown: Bluffton, IN but I moved to Gilbert, AZ in January 2007 My Top Treasure Hunting Tips 1. Bring lots of water when hunting in the desert! 2.If the collecting site is off the beaten path make sure you get to know the area before you head out. Get to know where nearby roads, rivers, creeks, mountain, etc. are. I like to use my Road and Recreation Atlas by Benchmark Maps. I also like to use a web based map at www.map.live.com. Make sure you change the map view to aerial. 3. If you are heading out alone make sure you tell someone where you are going first. And always leave a note in the dash of your car that tell the plans for your outing. 4. If you are out in the Sonoran Desert make sure you use a walking stick. It could save you from a rattlesnake bite. I came across 3 just the other weekend. 5. If you plan to hunt for fluorescent minerals in the dark try not to stray to far away from your original path (trail, road, dry creek bed, etc.). Always bring extra batteries for your light source. My Best Places to Find Cash and Treasure 1. Potts Canyon Arizona - Geodes, fluorescent chalcedony 2. Mineral Mountain Arizona - Small pieces of turquoise, chrysacolla, fluorescent minerals 3.Ajax Mine - fluorescent calcite and amethyst 4. Black Hils Rockhounding Area - Fire Agate 5.

More about me... How I first got into treasure hunting...I have always been interested in rocks and minerals, but just recently I moved to Arizona. WOW there is a lot of rocks and mineral here!! Now I try to go rockhounding every weekend. My treasure hunting obsession(s): Right now I am into fluorescent minerals and crystals. As of Nov. 22 2008 I am obsessed with Fire Agate! My most exciting find:Pictured below is a bi-colored piece of fluorescent chalcedony My favorite places to look for treasure:In the mountains of eastern Arizona My favorite treasure hunting techniques:Collecting at night with my portable black light. It is really cool when I come across a scorpion they glow a real nice yellow/green. My treasure hunt toolkit contains...Black light, hammer, chisel, first aid kit, backpack, shovel, pick ax and water I'm presently hunting for...Fluorescent Chalcedony and other fluorescent crystals and minerals. FIRE AGATE!!! Recommended treasure hunting resources:"Minerals of Arizona A Field Guide for Collectors" by Neil R. Bearce ; "Minerals, Fossils, and FLUORESCENTS of Arizona" by Neil R. Bearce The photo below is a small part of my fluorescent collection. This is a piece of fluorescent calcite from Ajax Mine, AZ

MY FINDS

Description of treasure:Fluorescent Chalcedony Where I found it:Potts Canyon in Arizona How I found it:Digging in volcanic ash. Appraisal information:	Description of treasure:Bi-colored Fluorescent Chalcedony green and orange - The blue is just a reflection of the black light Where I found it:Superstition Mountain, AZ How I found it:I picked it up when I was out hiking Appraisal information:
Description of treasure:Fluorscent Chalcedony Where I found it:Potts Canyon in Arizona How I found it:Digging in volcanic ash Appraisal information:	Description of treasure:This is a Geode I need to finish polishing it. This one dose not turn green under a black light. Where I found it:Potts Canyon in Arizona How I found it: Digging in volcanic ash Appraisal information:

Below is a video of a phosphorescent rock I found near where I work. The video is not that great. Look for the green glow after the black light is turn off.
The green glow last for about only 1/2 second with the camera. The green glow last about 4 to 5 second when watching it with the naked eye.

***If you want to see all of my photo you can go to my album http://cash-and-treasures-wiki.travelchannel.com/album/17194/Fluorescent+Chalcedony .

This is some amethyst from Ajax Mine, AZ. Under a black light some of the crystal are calcite and glow red/pink.



The photo below is a piece of Fire Agate I found at the Black Hills Rockhound Area east of Stafford, AZ. I found it Nov. 22, 2008. In the
middle of the photo you can see some of the fire. I hope that there will be more fire after I get a chance to polish it.


Below is my first attempt at making a free form cab out of agate. The agate is from the Black Hills Rockhounding area near Stafford, AZ it's not that great.
Hopefully practice will make perfect.