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These sandstone spheres or *marbles* can be found in many places, but primary geological findings have been in Utah, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada. They are known as Moqui Marbles, Moki Marbles, Moqui balls, Shaman Stone or Thunderballs to the Navajo nation. It is believed they were formed as early as the Jurassic era and as much as 190 million years ago. Similar formations were found by NASA rover, on Mars that are called *blueberries*.
The spheres were formed by the movement of water as the sand collected and depending on the minerals that also collected as to the color marbles that may be found. The white is considered to be sandstone formations that were bleached in the hot sun. Geologically they are called *concretions*. Those that have collected area minerals may be a variety of colors, such as yellow, orange, salmon, pink, gold, crimson and vermillion.
When our brother in law was a boy, these were what he played marbles with. We haven't broken them open to see what the center may look like. Nephews found these marbles in the hills of South Eastern Oregon, near our sister's homestead property.
Geologically, Oregon is a very significant area of Hydrothermo and Geothermo energy, rock formations, fossil beds, including Wooly Mammoth and Saber Tooth Tiger fossils. We do have active volcanoes throughout the state, Mount Hood being of the greatest significance, though the entire Cascade range of Oregon and Washington is volcanic with Mt. Rainier of greatest significance and of course Mt. St. Helens that has already erupted in recent history. At times you can see Mount Hood venting and recently earthquake activity has brought about interest from scientists. The Three Sisters mountain range in Central Oregon continues to grow and produce new *brothers* to the range and is known for a series of small earthquakes. We have some very significant Lava beds throughout the state in Central and Southern Oregon. Newberry Crater in Central Oregon created vast lava beds covering thousands of acres of land. Ancient petrified wood tree limbs and trunks can be found in the region.
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