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Post by laceylane84 on Jul 11, 2012 0:18:20 GMT -5
Hello all! I live in SE Wisconsin for starters, A few days ago I was at my parents exploring their extensive rock walls and landscaping when I came across this boulder, different from the others. When the sun shown on it just right I could see through the thin layer of lichen that this rock was translucent, and purple!! I would love to know what it is, I plan on sanding and polishing it and putting it back in the wall... I know this will be a lengthy process but a neat addition. p.s. The picture shown is just a small piece I chipped off. The actual rock is roundish and weighs probably over 100lbs. I had to dig it out and move it alone... it's heavy! Thank you! Linds ;D Attachments:
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feidzd
Senior Member
Posts: 28
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Post by feidzd on Jul 11, 2012 4:25:48 GMT -5
The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for circumstances they want, and if they cannot find them,they make them.
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Post by laceylane84 on Jul 11, 2012 10:16:32 GMT -5
Hmm....thanks for the inspiration feidzd. If anyone out there has a real answer that would be quite helpful!
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Post by arappaho on Jul 11, 2012 12:26:12 GMT -5
Can't say for sure, lacey. Maybe someone else can. At first I thought it might be a piece of Lepidolite pegamatite, but when I logged on to look at the pic, it looks more like a massive piece of the Thunder Bay Amethyst, but without any crystals. Hope we can get to the bottom of this. Hate to have to call it the Great Grape Rock!  |
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Post by laceylane84 on Jul 11, 2012 22:46:40 GMT -5
Arappaho, thanks for the info! And yes, the great grape rock mystery begins! Perhaps if I took a few other pictures it would be helpful, as helpful as a picture can be I guess, lol.
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Post by Dicky the Rockhunter on Jul 12, 2012 0:36:03 GMT -5
really does mimic a piece of vein amey. We dig quite often in Canon Citry in a vein it apears a lot like this only purs is much more purplr.
Dicky
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Post by laceylane84 on Jul 12, 2012 7:02:53 GMT -5
really does mimic a piece of vein amey. We dig quite often in Canon Citry in a vein it apears a lot like this only purs is much more purplr. Dicky Now here's something funny Dicky, after reading your message, I googled images of 'vein amethyst' and scrolled through many images before finding one that resembled my big grape rock. I clicked on it read the entries looked at all the pictures and guess who's photos they were? Your's! I thought that was kinda cool, thanks for the info, and looks like you have been quite busy! |
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Post by rockshine on Jul 12, 2012 7:16:21 GMT -5
Lacrylane84, can you post a photo that is sized smaller, say no more than 1200X900, or even 900 X 600. Sometimes too large a picture distorts the identifying characteristics. Thanks.
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Post by laceylane84 on Jul 16, 2012 23:07:34 GMT -5
Here is a smaller picture, hope that helps... Attachments:
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Post by laceylane84 on Jul 16, 2012 23:11:10 GMT -5
One more. I don't know if it will show up, but under the light it has certain parts that reflect that beautiful bluish color and even has some crystals that look almost hot pink Attachments:
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Post by rockshine on Jul 17, 2012 6:24:08 GMT -5
Laceylane84, I am sorry to burst your amethyst dream bubble, but I think you have a massive quartz boulder, which although of a pleasing color, is badly shattered, and has a lot of staining where color has seeped into the cracks. It appears to be a mixture of clear quartz, with maybe a touch of yellow, and the purple quartz. Those beautiful blue and hot pink spots are apparently where the light is refracted by the angles on the bottom of the individual pieces, or else from internal fracture planes which may be almost invisible. While the stone is not an rare one, it is still quite handsome, and although you will probably never be able to train it to sit on the fireplace mantle, it should make a good yard rock.
HOWEVER, I am speaking only from experience with rocks I have found, and I don't know a thing about vein-y amethyst, so Dicky may be right.
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Post by laceylane84 on Jul 17, 2012 10:10:00 GMT -5
Good insight Rockshine, thank you. After looking at more examples of amethyst the past few days I think you are right. I have not cracked into the whole rock yet, I don't think my current tools would allow me to do so without spending an entire 24hrs doing so lol. It is pretty-ish to look at, from certain angles but does seem to have quite a bit of iron deposits throughout the cracks, after I washed it and left it outside for a few days I noticed a few small rusty looking spots on it, ugh. I was thinking about polishing maybe one of it's flatter surfaces but it does seem very shattered, would these even be possible? I have read about people using a Dremel tool, or even by hand with many different grits of sandpaper... (umm... My arm aches just thinking about that) any suggestion on that would helpful as well. thanks again everyone, and Rockshine!
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Post by rockshine on Jul 17, 2012 16:04:19 GMT -5
You should be able to pry out one of the larger segments with a flat tipped screwdriver and hammer, wearing safety glasses of course. I occasionally cabochon a fractured piece of quartz that has a reddish or orangey tinge to it, and although it holds together, it usually turns out that the quartz segments are actually clear, and the coloring is in the fractures.
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