{"product_id":"prairie-picturestone-necklace-inner-earth-stone-resin-jewelry-copy-1","title":"Marion County Marcasite Necklace INNER EARTH Stone Resin Jewelry","description":"\u003cp\u003eAt first glance, Marion County Marcasite appears unremarkable—a weathered fragment of rusty stone tucked among the ditches, roadcuts, and winding ravines of the Kansas Flint Hills. Yet beneath its iron-stained exterior lies a surprising display of metallic shimmer, intricate mineral textures, and occasional flashes of iridescent color that reveal the hidden complexity of the overlooked prairie mineral.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe discovery of Marion County Marcasite began not with a search for iron minerals, but with a return to a decades-old memory. As a kid, I joined my mom and a local rockhounding group on a field trip somewhere within the rolling hills of Marion County. There we collected small terminated pink quartz crystals, specimens I still own today. Ever since, I had hoped to relocate that forgotten locality and revisit the excitement of that first discovery. As of the time of writing this I am about 20+ trips deep and yet to find the spot; but I haven't given up. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile tracing old county roads, exploring roadside ditches, and following narrow ravines through the prairie landscape in search of those elusive pink quartz crystals, I repeatedly encountered unusual iron-rich stones weathering from the surrounding sediments. Though easily overlooked in the field, cutting and polishing (just kind of for the heck of it really) revealed striking metallic interiors, intricate mineral structures, and occasional iridescent flashes characteristic of weathered marcasite-bearing material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarcasite is an iron sulfide mineral closely related to pyrite, formed when iron and sulfur-rich waters interact within sedimentary environments. Over time, exposure to oxygen and groundwater produces the deep orange, red, and brown oxidation patterns that give Marion County Marcasite its distinctive appearance. Each specimen preserves a record of these chemical transformations, creating natural patterns that range from fiery rust tones to metallic silver-gray textures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is personally located, collected, cut, stabilized, shaped, and polished by hand. What began as a search for a childhood memory became the discovery of an entirely different treasure—one hidden in plain sight along the backroads of the Kansas prairie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(148, 0, 141);\"\u003eGeology\u003c\/span\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e Weathered marcasite-bearing sedimentary material with iron sulfides, oxidation textures, and occasional metallic iridescence\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(148, 0, 141);\"\u003eOrigin\u003c\/span\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e Marion County, Kansas, Flint Hills Region\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(148, 0, 141);\"\u003eFinish\u003c\/span\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hand-collected, stabilized, shaped, and polished to preserve natural metallic textures and oxidation patterns\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(148, 0, 141);\"\u003eEnergy\u003c\/span\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e Curiosity, discovery, perseverance, and uncovering hidden value\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Professor Feldspar's Art \u0026 Design","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46956326617276,"sku":null,"price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0721\/2731\/6156\/files\/marcasite_neck_sq1b.png?v=1782088591","url":"https:\/\/professorfeldsparsartdesign.com\/products\/prairie-picturestone-necklace-inner-earth-stone-resin-jewelry-copy-1","provider":"Professor Feldspar's Art \u0026 Design","version":"1.0","type":"link"}