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Post by 540inashville on Mar 5, 2012 10:03:17 GMT -5
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Post by arappaho on Mar 6, 2012 7:38:06 GMT -5
Well, those first ones could be alot of things. I'll guess Quartz, but you're going to have to do a scratch test for hardness. Second batch looks like Sugilite? Third batch, the slab on the right looks like Sodalite. The other two are too cloudy to make out but the bottom one looks like Mossy Agate and the other one some other type of Agate. The last three pics are all of Chrysoprase. Slabbed then rough. Hope you can find something to argue about here, Rockshine.  |
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Post by 540inashville on Mar 6, 2012 10:10:16 GMT -5
I was guessing some sort of turquoise on the last 2 pictures... now the "mossy Agate" on hte green slices sounds right- the edges do look "mossy"...
what can I do with Sugalite? Can I stabilize it with epoxy or cyanoacrylate and polish it out without it crumbling? It looks porous and fragile...
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Post by 540inashville on Mar 6, 2012 10:12:25 GMT -5
Picture 3- the stone on the right is lapis lazuli.... the other 2, I have no idea...
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Post by arappaho on Mar 6, 2012 19:05:14 GMT -5
Well 540, just curious why you think the Sodalite is Lapis.
There is a fairly fine line between the two, but that still looks like
Sodalite to me. What are you seeing that makes you call it Lapis?
Is there any Pyrite in the piece?
Green turquoise is rare. Why don't you want to call what you have
Chrysoprase?
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Post by 540inashville on Mar 7, 2012 10:52:49 GMT -5
I was told by a local rock hound that it was lapis as there is a slice off one side and it looks like lapis?
same with the turquoise- they did tell me that it was really rare, but that the whitish deposits kinda threw them off a little...
educate me! This local rockhound is a small time jewelery maker- makes beautiful pieces with silver and semi- precious stones.
I am looking for stones that I can cur round and use as medalliond on handgun grips- so I would like to know what I am selling people... the Opal is easy- but expensive!
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Post by leonardo on Mar 7, 2012 16:22:51 GMT -5
Looks like sodalite .......
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Post by arappaho on Mar 7, 2012 19:00:59 GMT -5
Well, 540, there's about no end to all the materials you have to choose from  but I wouldn't use Opal for the grips unless the gun was just to look at and not to be carried or used. Opal is pretty fragile, absorbs moisture, and is sensitive to changes in temperature. It might crack up. Don't know what you could do with the Sugilite,(if that's what it is), accept try and tumble it or drill some holes in it for beads. Some rocks you just can't do much with. Any of the rest of what you've pictured would work fine and the Chrysoprase is hard and pretty when polished. When you're taking pics of slabs like in Pic 3, it helps to wet them so we can get a better look at them. |
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Post by rockshine on Mar 7, 2012 19:48:13 GMT -5
Joe, I think # 2 is african ruby. See that neat hex at the lower left?
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Post by arappaho on Mar 7, 2012 20:05:42 GMT -5
Yeah, Dave, I was wondering about that hex and what it was doing there. It just looks so different from the rest, but good call on the Frican Ruby! You are the Corundum Man! Joe |
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Post by 540inashville on Mar 9, 2012 13:41:29 GMT -5
the opal inlay grips are being fully coated and sealed with Mirrorcoat- a 2 part epoxy that comes out clear as glass, and nicely enough, makes the opal look like it is underwater permanently!
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