In a unique discovery reported by KOIN news, a family from the greater Portland area found a 2-pound rock resembling a human heart in shape, color, and size on the Oregon Coast. The Ransom family discovered this rock at Short Beach near Oceanside on March 29, while exploring the area at low tide. Matt Ransom, who actively shares his rock hunting experiences in Oregon on his Instagram account @trailhead503, documented the moment of discovery.
Upon further examination, Mike Darin, a geologist with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, identified the rock as a carnelian, a specific type of chalcedony that is a crystallized form of silica, colored red by iron-oxide. Unlike agates, which are known for their compositional banding, carnelians like this one lack banding, confirming its classification. The rock's rich red color and translucence were key factors in its identification.
The resemblance of the rock to an anatomical heart caught the attention of social media users after the Ransoms shared images of their find in a popular Facebook group dedicated to Oregon beach rock hunting. Following the social media interest, the couple named the rock “Dragon’s Heart.”
Despite the timing of the discovery near April Fools’ Day, Darin assured that the rock's heart-like shape and features are natural, likely formed through erosion processes such as physical abrasion from wave action, without any signs of human alteration. This natural formation underscores the diverse and surprising shapes that rocks and minerals can take through environmental processes.
I am definitely more motivated to get out there and do some rockhounding. How about you?
