tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52889956817483932492024-02-18T22:52:21.785-08:00Lapidary WhispererA Community Blog for Lapidary LoversDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-17533787157645819592020-07-05T00:30:00.000-07:002020-07-05T00:30:09.168-07:00GREEN TREE AGATE: NOT A PLANT <br />
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IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE BOTTOM </h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASwDtq7-Y69z4e0CUQHnGz1n-GMQ7GMp0zVLNtNc1f-47RNEMAm1MLiAKd3wCU2JwmwtU4lRdo2RUMQZiubXyARXPlAY1B7Mnoc42_lIuXq49cEm4AQIZInokyKcIhzFMFMfMQk6Du2Y5/s1600/greentree+agate+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASwDtq7-Y69z4e0CUQHnGz1n-GMQ7GMp0zVLNtNc1f-47RNEMAm1MLiAKd3wCU2JwmwtU4lRdo2RUMQZiubXyARXPlAY1B7Mnoc42_lIuXq49cEm4AQIZInokyKcIhzFMFMfMQk6Du2Y5/s320/greentree+agate+%25282%2529.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Tree cabochon on a shell</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> Green Tree Agate is an absolute delight to work with! With a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7, it takes a bright polish, which I always find satisfying. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> At first glance, it's easy to understand why "agate" isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you see it. The color is milky white, with no translucence. Also, it's not banded, but it is microcrystalline silicon dioxide, and it is still considered a member of the agate family. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MA7q1Ssn5wk0HlsANxlrUFFRVtgxD1Eiu4JwhIKLQliIKjD33Xfn52IP8kTTd8w4o4FSWTYW1OrGFTGChQ4LWBNHPVeYaNKGaFDuqP7aiFOGd22ZgeYlybVagttMZpN2MSxqX_OocxYV/s1600/IMG_20200625_161653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="1494" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MA7q1Ssn5wk0HlsANxlrUFFRVtgxD1Eiu4JwhIKLQliIKjD33Xfn52IP8kTTd8w4o4FSWTYW1OrGFTGChQ4LWBNHPVeYaNKGaFDuqP7aiFOGd22ZgeYlybVagttMZpN2MSxqX_OocxYV/s320/IMG_20200625_161653.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goose in the Garden</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">This piece of Green Tree was unusually pitted and I was just horsing around with it when a Goose appeared. He's looking left and I don't think he's very happy.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">DENDRITES OR MOSS?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Then there are the green patterns. Sometimes, they're called "mossy", but in reality, they're dendritic. As far as the color goes, it's not the copper I first thought. It is a combination of manganese and iron oxides. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Those dendrites are what make this stone so much fun to work with. It's almost like watching clouds in the sky, as you look at it, different shapes and stories come alive. That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that unlike bands in agate, dendrites are in constant motion throughout the rock. The story you see on the slab can easily disappear or become a whole different story as you shape it.</span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDo9BIWijieWMDN2tKkD4oZkibpZI09T0SQkPzi1CARTzrhMkdW2JU8Za1fy7leEtkArgqafOu2KpwzNzOZMkMYTrO6WkBV0GhT2L38xrUNX_D-exK5B66viMek6L-6TYwC9keE7gta8d/s1600/IMG_20200613_153400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="749" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDo9BIWijieWMDN2tKkD4oZkibpZI09T0SQkPzi1CARTzrhMkdW2JU8Za1fy7leEtkArgqafOu2KpwzNzOZMkMYTrO6WkBV0GhT2L38xrUNX_D-exK5B66viMek6L-6TYwC9keE7gta8d/s320/IMG_20200613_153400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blowing Tree</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">When I was making the cabochon at the left, I saw a green sapling in the forest bending over in a storm. </span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlv4xlx47SwJI5V2ooAM_BG93jiwy1xSPnVao8VWscnr4_Kj0GNisV8FtIQxqXgyHsMQf6rgpqnUTjnr7PckZUf1YwGGfoLilrTAs4R9XHMWAxk5J2pZO2d0jaBiCky7g0jTfPtZsz_uZ/s1600/IMG_20200625_161409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlv4xlx47SwJI5V2ooAM_BG93jiwy1xSPnVao8VWscnr4_Kj0GNisV8FtIQxqXgyHsMQf6rgpqnUTjnr7PckZUf1YwGGfoLilrTAs4R9XHMWAxk5J2pZO2d0jaBiCky7g0jTfPtZsz_uZ/s320/IMG_20200625_161409.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frozen Creek</td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">I especially love the almost-clear quartz and the darker white material in this cab, to me it looks like a half-frozen stream with evergreen trees along the shore. What do you see? </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> Green
Tree
agate is most commonly found in Brazil, India, and Uruguay and other
colors of dendritic agate can be found in other areas of the world
including the U.S. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">IMPORTANT NOTICE</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">While I love writing the blog, and have since 2016. I find I must take a break from it for a bit. Thanks for your attention and comments. I really appreciate them. If you have a lapidary topic you'd like me to cover when I restart, please let me know by responding in the Comments section or write me directly at Donna-at-LapidaryWhisperer.com</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Sincerely,</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Donna, Your Lapidary Whisperer</span></h3>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-51744784531808321912020-06-05T00:30:00.000-07:002020-06-05T00:30:01.228-07:00CHINESE WRITING ROCK & CHRYSANTHEMUM STONE: Not Where You Think They're From<br />
Since Mariposite is from Mariposa, CA, shouldn't Chinese writing rock come from China?<br />
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Nope.<br />
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But Chrysanthemum stone does come from China!<br />
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Both stones, primarily limestone with with andalusite crystals are rightly called Porphory (igneous rocks that have phenocrysts - large crystals or grains). The limestone is usually dark gray with a slight greenish undertone. The crystals can be close to the color of the limestone. The ones that make for the best contrast for lapidary are white or clear; giving good contrast.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMQ-irfd1R4s2lrUI9Fc4TalbUq64tE66gLzBovW06v0uCFAWiybe_QaM_QoJCp2oiiht3lI4ubMTKTnZdgYGgwQmoJ4M7VPSiiNsH0cgLd5IWH_S7tC-cftfbEKDCFlZE01jk7COQOwc/s1600/Chinese+writing+rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="1221" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMQ-irfd1R4s2lrUI9Fc4TalbUq64tE66gLzBovW06v0uCFAWiybe_QaM_QoJCp2oiiht3lI4ubMTKTnZdgYGgwQmoJ4M7VPSiiNsH0cgLd5IWH_S7tC-cftfbEKDCFlZE01jk7COQOwc/s320/Chinese+writing+rock.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cab I made with Chinese Writing rock</td></tr>
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Chinese writing rocks were first found and described in the 1960's when it was uncovered during road construction in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Auburn, CA. People who saw it thought the random crystal structure imbedded in the base rock resembled characters from Chinese writing, and they really do.<br />
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The slab I made this cab from is stained with another mineral. Iron?<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkljAEuiHVe1ozyBjfgZUPlMUbJ7WNpr5O2jFBFWd9zd3iNv3FO_2_1liFULVf2FdkQ5SbItcG7FwRtx8vMeuX-L2qC1Y10c9EJAJRR4o3lxKwULDVl8eHNyLJ2PxmjGhj_3TyygkL9Nj/s1600/chinese+writng+rock+mine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1490" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkljAEuiHVe1ozyBjfgZUPlMUbJ7WNpr5O2jFBFWd9zd3iNv3FO_2_1liFULVf2FdkQ5SbItcG7FwRtx8vMeuX-L2qC1Y10c9EJAJRR4o3lxKwULDVl8eHNyLJ2PxmjGhj_3TyygkL9Nj/s320/chinese+writng+rock+mine.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Writing Rock I found in river rocks </td></tr>
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This is a Chinese writing rock I found in a bunch of river rock. It has the normal green tones. I keep this one on my desk because I think of it more as a thinking rock, trying to figure out what the shapes might be.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tx5RSsdYwzhupxUrdXWouJnxSqYi1Cidpj5lBzI8rS3ILtrtMd9ZODpH1gUI4iIwLbl4MTA3S6vaVAFxq2BF2hHg7djQOIppddhTMFZXq73FAzOAACslTl1rOKzvR8x088ZhDj5FMRDQ/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="258" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tx5RSsdYwzhupxUrdXWouJnxSqYi1Cidpj5lBzI8rS3ILtrtMd9ZODpH1gUI4iIwLbl4MTA3S6vaVAFxq2BF2hHg7djQOIppddhTMFZXq73FAzOAACslTl1rOKzvR8x088ZhDj5FMRDQ/s320/th.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High Quality Chrysanthemum stone Bing Image</td></tr>
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Chrysanthemum stone, on the other hand, is found in the Hunan Province's Yangtze River Valley in China. Aside from the geography, the characteristic that divides them is that the dandalusite crystals in the Chinese writing rocks are exceedingly random, the ones in the Chrysanthemum stone are centered with the crystals spraying out in a floral pattern resembling the chrysanthemum flower.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cYeJnGJ6Ew0lo4lKDFUy-C7Z9dXjaxuZ0-_Xd7XyUVmuMJcYgoLmfxCRrQs32FgHcEg_wSdQ-UVMpzrxaXpDd-cxF4CNIXqKoES2csi_U2rNapwN6oi0n5d1zfVLcjw2uxv7cMmirjSd/s1600/chrysanthemum+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cYeJnGJ6Ew0lo4lKDFUy-C7Z9dXjaxuZ0-_Xd7XyUVmuMJcYgoLmfxCRrQs32FgHcEg_wSdQ-UVMpzrxaXpDd-cxF4CNIXqKoES2csi_U2rNapwN6oi0n5d1zfVLcjw2uxv7cMmirjSd/s320/chrysanthemum+.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chrysanthemum stone/yard rock</td></tr>
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This, on the other hand, is poor quality Chrysanthemum stone. You can see the flower formations, but they are unclear and unfinished. I got this one at an estate sale for a former rock hound. <br />
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IN MY SHOP<br />
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My club shop has been closed for a while because of Covid-19, so even if I wanted to harvest a slice off my not-terribly-good-quality Chrysanthemum yard rock, my 10" rock saw couldn't handle it. So my comments will be based on some Chinese writing rock I've managed to acquire.<br />
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The Mohs hardness of the stone can range from 5-7, which will have a significant impact on how well it polishes.I've seen other lapidaries do marvelous things with it, but I don't get a lot of satisfaction from the little I've done, like the cab at the top (which I had to use spray sealer to give it a polish--it just looked dead).<br />
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So while I love looking at them, neither Chinese writing rock nor Chrysanthemum stone are items I search out. In fact, if I had a piece like the high quality Chrysanthemum stone above, I'd keep it as a specimen. It's beautiful!<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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Your Lapidary Whisperer,<br />
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Donna<br />
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<span style="background-color: #444444; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-29530730405961671792020-05-05T00:30:00.000-07:002020-05-05T00:30:00.652-07:00ROCK'N RESOURCES FOR TODAYWhile many of our favorite rock shows, stores, and club meetings are shut down to prevent the spread of COVID -19, it's a good time to dig through our personal stockpiles and work on them at home.<br />
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And, if you're like me, you'll find that you 'rediscover' rocks you'd forgotten about, forgotten what the were, or never really knew in the first place.<br />
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So, this month I'm blogging about identifying those mysterious treasures. Here's mine <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpynOz31FCEy9ssQ0xfKvLmImSqgHzcapVjPEzyNq2WX3okFo3VX0APTS6FWCjDAo9KtVF1BwnEc5SMFFJjBkR4e1BodCzvyaDw94rJim_UsiSTPRGEZVRIBf_srWLET76wo4NtHXJvpm4/s1600/IMG_20200427_145306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="781" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpynOz31FCEy9ssQ0xfKvLmImSqgHzcapVjPEzyNq2WX3okFo3VX0APTS6FWCjDAo9KtVF1BwnEc5SMFFJjBkR4e1BodCzvyaDw94rJim_UsiSTPRGEZVRIBf_srWLET76wo4NtHXJvpm4/s320/IMG_20200427_145306.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred</td></tr>
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While it may be fun to just hold it up and say, "This is Fred!" that's not exactly a scientific name and doesn't do anything to help you know how to work on it. Here are some tips and resources to identify your mineral.<br />
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DO A MOHS TEST ON IT:. Interesting factoid: The earliest known mention of comparing the hardness of one stone vs. another was by Theophrastus in his treatise On Stones c. 300 BC. according to Mindat.org. In 1812, Friedrich Mohs, a German geologist and minerologist developed the scale used by rockhounds and many others today. This is a very helpful diagram from the National Park Service that shows a way to do rough testing by scratching with common objects. <br />
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CHECK FOR CRYSTAL SYSTEM<br />
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The shape of the crystals helps identify your specimen. As a rockhound, I've found that remembering cubes are isometric and pyrite is gray cubes, makes identifying it by the crystal or the formation of crystals much easier.<br />
There are six crystal systems. All minerals form crystals in one of
these six systems. Although you may have seen more than six shapes of
crystals, they’re all variations of one of these six habits. Each system
is defined by a combination of three factors:<br />
<ul>
<li>How many axes it has.</li>
<li>The lengths of the axes.</li>
<li>The angles at which the axes meet.</li>
</ul>
If you get a chance to visit the Lyman Museum in The Lyman Museum in Hilo, HI, do it just for the crystals. It is one of the few museums in the world that displays its mineral collection by the Crystal System rather than by the mineral type.<br />
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While the crystal system is easily understood, describing all the aspects of it takes a bit of space. If you want to learn about them, I found the explanation at the Gem Society is excellent. Check it out at <a href="https://www.gemsociety.org/article/mineral-habits/" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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ONLINE IDENTIFICATION HELP<br />
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If you want to discover what your mineral is on your own, try Identification Process <a href="https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-EASILY-Identify-Rocks-and-Minerals/" target="_blank">HERE </a><br />
This
is an amazing page designed to help teachers learn the process so they
can teach their students. It has excellent, simple instructions and
lovely pictures for every step. <br />
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HOW I USED IT<br />
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Some years ago, I purchase a
dark green specimen of undermined origin at an estate sale. It is a
dark gray/green color and the crystals look like columns. (See Fred at
top of blog) Some of the columns were quite thin, making me think of
mica, but they weren't flaky like mica. I decided to use the process I
referred to in the paragraph above. Here's what I found:<br />
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Color: Dark Green/Gray<br />
Luster: Vitreous-Silky<br />
Mohs Hardness: About 6<br />
Streak: Colorless<br />
Specific Gravity: I skipped this step and figured I'd go back and do it if the other tests did not get a result.<br />
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When
I had the information, I clicked through to a page they link to in
order to see what I had. They came up with fifteen minerals, and rather
than make the mess going back and getting specific gravity, I clicked on
the first mineral on the list: Actinolite. This mineral is a
combination of basic calcium, magnesium and iron silicate.<br />
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That linked to a page with a rock that looked just
like mine! BINGO! It also gave me tons of information about my rock. The
most important was that it contains asbestos. So if I decide I want to
work on it, I'd better be sure to wear a good mask! <br />
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If you have access to Facebook, check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/RandS.IDs" target="_blank">Rock Identification </a>You don't have to be a member to see it, but if you want to have your rock identified, you need to join the over 42,000 rockhounds who are already members. This is not a sales board, there are others for that. However, that nifty rock your grandfather gave you when you were a kid may just turn out to be something interesting!<br />
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I had one rock that I tried the Identification Process on and couldn't come up with a good answer. I had figured it was about 8 on the Mohs scale, but the drill point I used may not have been what I thought it was. I went to the Facebook group. After some back-and-forth among the group, it was decided that it was Quartzite. (Mohs 7).<br />
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BOOKS<br />
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There are two books I go to again and again, sometimes to help with identification, and sometimes because they are so darn pretty!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_ZJIqefi0wGQyTpKINifAVSJN6_BfRhAnftJkzbqgNwJN_nlVky_WJLqs6zKARwCr0AnCJl8WF5_-qX35m4Vsc85u0RzFMJb8XF-y9mB-_ZZ9INvBiJ1D6Yo7BhgOZ0q_q9tbs2qvxUh/s1600/Gems+Crystals++Minerals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="231" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_ZJIqefi0wGQyTpKINifAVSJN6_BfRhAnftJkzbqgNwJN_nlVky_WJLqs6zKARwCr0AnCJl8WF5_-qX35m4Vsc85u0RzFMJb8XF-y9mB-_ZZ9INvBiJ1D6Yo7BhgOZ0q_q9tbs2qvxUh/s320/Gems+Crystals++Minerals.jpg" width="244" /></a><br />
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GEMS, CRYSTALS, & MINERALS by Anna S. Sofianides and George E.Harlow
(Simon and Schuster) says it is "A comprehensive illustrated guide to
the history, lore, and properties of these natural formations." This
book is the closest thing to rock porn I can imagine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pR0adLDtmp7IAS7BQgrJRWnOfEjbdiuFOtwv2XUVojRE5iEJIZEgTUYqhhVh4SMuH0n-zVY0RJq1qMSpErrF9gGRVHRd6RAeDQZOIOHroCdb6WGIetnf1bzGlep9vL9wMi_Jm1oj3ANY/s1600/Geodes+Natures+Treasures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="397" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pR0adLDtmp7IAS7BQgrJRWnOfEjbdiuFOtwv2XUVojRE5iEJIZEgTUYqhhVh4SMuH0n-zVY0RJq1qMSpErrF9gGRVHRd6RAeDQZOIOHroCdb6WGIetnf1bzGlep9vL9wMi_Jm1oj3ANY/s320/Geodes+Natures+Treasures.jpg" width="254" /></a><br />
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GEODES: NATURE'S TREASURES by Brad L. Cross and June Culp Zeitner, (Gem Guides Book Company, Upland, CA) If you're like me, you've picked up geodes from more places than you can remember, and cherished every one. This book has everything you could ever want to know about Geodes and beautiful full-color images. This is where I learned that the inclusion in one of my geodes that I thought was iron, was actually sphalerite.<br />
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Now is a great time to check out the mystery minerals in your shop. Work with the resources I've outlined above and let me know how it goes for you!<br />
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See you again on June 5!<br />
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Your Lapidary Whisperer,<br />
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Donna<br />
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-72108428153039421292020-04-05T00:30:00.000-07:002020-04-27T10:09:40.311-07:00The Uncommon Beauty of Common Opal<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIliRe9eaUFQmfQgO3ujqMbV9Rh_gKA8Q0aKLgGeNiJV7wBWh52zv4cwPzAmGrVNmlQwOQi2EK6ir-6lLSsX57n39kJGUXstt7DaLNKh9xqTMuH6aduCacWGGKugmMhOCdZsNcrjYAd6M/s1600/IMG_20200319_105234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="428" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIliRe9eaUFQmfQgO3ujqMbV9Rh_gKA8Q0aKLgGeNiJV7wBWh52zv4cwPzAmGrVNmlQwOQi2EK6ir-6lLSsX57n39kJGUXstt7DaLNKh9xqTMuH6aduCacWGGKugmMhOCdZsNcrjYAd6M/s320/IMG_20200319_105234.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pendant of Precious Opal</td></tr>
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Before I became a rockhound, I thought that opal was the flashy stone often found in rings and earrings.That type is called precious opal. I love it, but as a lapidary I find it terribly expensive and that makes me nervous to work on it.<br />
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For lapidary purposes, I personally prefer common opal. It comes in an amazing range of colors (Colorless, white, yellow, red, orange, green, brown, black, and blue) and patterns, making it a great material for my lapidary fun. I've even used it in two of my lapidary meal displays!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS1AJ6RqvW-oeZdCoG0LkVkZv1FeTcXNd99fjU0Yk8l6GLUH3H3lzn2YMJQNI6vsYU_FJH92C44SqVZx6iR_g-6LLNeACs64QLCaZG9YRTyIkvxnmQh0nn69haRTcZDT7HujuSpxMSMjq/s1600/20150628_125352_resizeda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="413" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS1AJ6RqvW-oeZdCoG0LkVkZv1FeTcXNd99fjU0Yk8l6GLUH3H3lzn2YMJQNI6vsYU_FJH92C44SqVZx6iR_g-6LLNeACs64QLCaZG9YRTyIkvxnmQh0nn69haRTcZDT7HujuSpxMSMjq/s320/20150628_125352_resizeda.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Opal Fish slab shown with veggies </td></tr>
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The first part was a hunk of white, banded common opal that looked for all the world to me like a slab of cooked halibut. That led me to create my first meal case I show at lapidary club shows and a county fair. Notice how the natural lines in the opal help give it that "fishy" look!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ea3x0aq2GL_D7nUyRkHBp7tzD9KmAuK8tWETU_vcy9THcyBRnPYVgrMh9RaLXtuSraeha7poCe9YAGe0aw1BuSRWjZWY0eQkR0ubgjdAw9IxllJrqMUeOoeBA1NFsi4sxQM-4WnR7avh/s1600/IMG_20200318_164713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1332" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ea3x0aq2GL_D7nUyRkHBp7tzD9KmAuK8tWETU_vcy9THcyBRnPYVgrMh9RaLXtuSraeha7poCe9YAGe0aw1BuSRWjZWY0eQkR0ubgjdAw9IxllJrqMUeOoeBA1NFsi4sxQM-4WnR7avh/s200/IMG_20200318_164713.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Opal Pickle Relish</td></tr>
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The second was a chunk of green opal that made me think of hamburger pickle slices. I'd just started working on a hamburger meal at the time and I blythely put it into a saw to slice without examining it closely. This was the moment I learned about how easily common opal<br />
can fall apart. The sound it made when it exploded in the closed saw was amazing. Stopping the saw and opening the top, I was treated to a view of thousands of small bits of green opal everywhere in the saw, including the oil. Once it was cleaned up, I decided the bits looked a little like pickle relish. So I added a few small shards of red glass, and my repurposed opal was ready.<br />
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OTHER THAN AS A FOOD SUBSTITUTE<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofDEsHECi6IR45wu1mN4xQeKpH2DazoF5yUbgwHFpo_4QOPbiPaxZrVzz0P5HKFJMkKPUDS9WLguJJDqFDAkQ_naL7COMXIzk-kjVhpU3_VYfauu7mFScCTBSuEvswnQoyC_N8hLYunpA/s1600/IMG_20200318_153020+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1406" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofDEsHECi6IR45wu1mN4xQeKpH2DazoF5yUbgwHFpo_4QOPbiPaxZrVzz0P5HKFJMkKPUDS9WLguJJDqFDAkQ_naL7COMXIzk-kjVhpU3_VYfauu7mFScCTBSuEvswnQoyC_N8hLYunpA/s200/IMG_20200318_153020+%25282%2529.jpg" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian Dendritic Opal</td></tr>
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The range of common opal that is suitable for cabochons is almost limitless. The solid colors are beautiful, but since opal tends to take more of a lustre than a shine, opal with dendrites and other inclusions makes a cab with a story to tell.<br />
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In my shop, I like to work with this material. At between 5.5 and 6.5 on
the Mohs Scale, it works fairly quickly, but is hard enough to hold up a
bit and not disappear under the wheel. Like I said above, the finishes
aren't shiny, more of a luster. The dendritic "kite" shows a shine at
the center because the light was right over it there.<br />
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Here's a lovely piece of Blue Opal I'm looking forward to working on. It has a few gold-colored imperfections, but to me,they help tell the story.</div>
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SHOP TALK<br />
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Because common opal is amorphous (lacking a natural shape, not crystalline: perhaps a geletain <br />
mineral), it is classed as a mineraloid. It also contains water that can range from 3 to 21 percent of its weight. It occurs in fissures of other rocks, giving it its shapes. That moisture level is why some dry out and crack. If you've purchased some opal at a show and it is in a container with water, it's probably best to keep it that way or it may craze, fracture, or lose its color.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boulder Opal from Australia </td></tr>
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I chose this boulder opal, not because of the precious flashes--it doesn't have any--but because the clarity of the opal shows how the bits of debris settled at the bottom when the opal was still a gelatin. If you can enlarge this image on your screen, you'll see what I mean. <br />
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SOMETIMES - JUST LOOK AT IT<br />
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Especially when I'm at shows, I tend to find opal specimens that are just incredible to look at, and I'd never want to cab. This limb-cast is from the Blue Forest in Eden Valley, WY--which was a forest once, eons ago, but is desolate now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuuqs4xd79sJf6cQiYLgaKFl1UblXSIRuPLOL0Hedf5FQXbzUnHrCsiVk6eFsiPQO5ctqICU7DVk6uLjuiE9zDRTeITJ7Bf0JRdCWSmZcXfro8rCms66rs0H8W0mYjy5OOcF95G85JvyS/s1600/New+Picture.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="764" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuuqs4xd79sJf6cQiYLgaKFl1UblXSIRuPLOL0Hedf5FQXbzUnHrCsiVk6eFsiPQO5ctqICU7DVk6uLjuiE9zDRTeITJ7Bf0JRdCWSmZcXfro8rCms66rs0H8W0mYjy5OOcF95G85JvyS/s320/New+Picture.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Forest Opal </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Please send your comments about common opal to Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com<br />
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Be sure to visit my next blog post on May 5. It's all about ROCK'N RESOURCES FOR TODAY! You'll love it!<br />
<br />
Donna<br />
Your Lapidary Whisperer<br />
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<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-76029691525190418082020-03-05T01:00:00.000-08:002020-03-05T01:00:07.902-08:00DO YOU DETECT METAL IN YOUR CABOCHONS?<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho45ZaDAvbMjXOPhfF4Z-zcGGuC_X1YTzfLJgj2jmIeLsdvCcvKMt7PsAwZf-tfD8f1i1I0B4uxC6g_NLBA_Z8cMyiqGpVZ5cBQqNp8dDpQ-fH34y2BOqT4IFdpvYFf-Y8nd1-aQ2I7PqO/s1600/IMG_20191104_153522_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="571" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho45ZaDAvbMjXOPhfF4Z-zcGGuC_X1YTzfLJgj2jmIeLsdvCcvKMt7PsAwZf-tfD8f1i1I0B4uxC6g_NLBA_Z8cMyiqGpVZ5cBQqNp8dDpQ-fH34y2BOqT4IFdpvYFf-Y8nd1-aQ2I7PqO/s320/IMG_20191104_153522_1.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabochon with Azurite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You know how some of the minerals we use to create cabochons contain metals as an integral part of their makeup, like Azurite <span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Cu₂,</span> and Malachite <span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Cu₂CO₃ (OH)₂.</span>in which copper is part of their chemical makeup. Yet there are times when a metal is side-by-side with a mineral in a slab and that situation allows you to make some unique cabs.</div>
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LAPIDARY NOTES</div>
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My experiences in working with materials that contain metal is all over the board. For example, the Azurite above has a hardness Mohs rating of 3.4 to 5 and Copper comes in at 3. However, if the material is in matrix, the harness of the matrix must also be taken into consideration. With the mixes pictured below including the copper and epidote are wildly different with the epidote coming in at 6-7 on the hardness scale making it very difficult to avoid undercutting and creating a very difficult situation when it comes to polishing.</div>
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A LITTLE BACKGROUND</div>
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Scientifically, when you get a slab that has metals and minerals, here's what you're dealing with:</div>
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METAL- (Naturally occurring) consists of a single atomic element, like iron, copper, etc.<br />
MINERAL - a combination of several elements and is generally crystalline, some of which can be processed into metal.</div>
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Here are a few mineral/metal combinations (and not-exactly rocks) you'll probably deal with in your cab shop: </div>
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COPPER - A Metal</div>
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For example, check out this nifty copper cabochon with an epidote matrix
(according to the vendor I purchased it from) has the copper peeking
through it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdWzpitOy8Bn6DnJUhWB5KXgKEONDjhyA8p4aFxPAszbAwhDJW25JamL94DXbzPoj30er_NYctnaiC8w_TqkpwSQgPyFfEh3REAcEq2e67ZY7i1N3QENfspPAZeiHQj7Bxqn_UbC7Wlsr/s1600/IMG_1004.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="629" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdWzpitOy8Bn6DnJUhWB5KXgKEONDjhyA8p4aFxPAszbAwhDJW25JamL94DXbzPoj30er_NYctnaiC8w_TqkpwSQgPyFfEh3REAcEq2e67ZY7i1N3QENfspPAZeiHQj7Bxqn_UbC7Wlsr/s320/IMG_1004.JPG" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper and Epidote</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I've heard that this kind of specimens can sometimes have quartz in it,
which would have lightened its look a bit, but all in all, I like the
blue-green<br />
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TIGER IRON - Mineral & Iron Oxide</div>
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However, this Tiger Iron cab? Not exactly. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGNIOhy3RqZWBKdmi_Lq5bAY1XxeD7HcetbFOhwscApW95rFWRvQ45tGgwSRUToI6vQlFWjnqOi_p9Eyi3l3E3K1ESJwQ6ZK1KmkTcNk9yqOW4mN53dXQnv5-6ADm9JW_dOqHj_VzMY-k/s1600/IMG_1001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1058" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGNIOhy3RqZWBKdmi_Lq5bAY1XxeD7HcetbFOhwscApW95rFWRvQ45tGgwSRUToI6vQlFWjnqOi_p9Eyi3l3E3K1ESJwQ6ZK1KmkTcNk9yqOW4mN53dXQnv5-6ADm9JW_dOqHj_VzMY-k/s320/IMG_1001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiger Iron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The first time I saw a slab of Tiger Iron, I thought it was a very poor quality of Tiger Eye. But I was wrong.<br />
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Tiger Iron is a separate kind of mineral that combines Tiger Eye and
Hematite in random patterns. Hematite itself, is a form of Iron Oxide
which is where the "Iron" in Tiger Iron comes from. Depending on the
amount of Hematite vs Tiger Eye, it can be very attractive. However, I
prefer a lot more Tiger Eye than Hematite, so this isn't a favorite
among my cabochons. The dark overwhelms the chatoyance. I see this from
time to time at rock shows, but if I'm doing the buying, I'll get
straight Tiger Eye any day.<br />
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PYRITE - Mineral<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2g5GUlR18D9Oj3USh2Xn7kqn30tdLRYIVLGj2TKV7Mo7CIEHLeZmbQNqiBJcyGsfiA9g8DdDBtJ1sqToMVVevOIaMextMfAwSPHSrYB6ShZRNWR5DNb-J8I4TliZ9XTc_WVq1g2p2Ezi/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1241" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2g5GUlR18D9Oj3USh2Xn7kqn30tdLRYIVLGj2TKV7Mo7CIEHLeZmbQNqiBJcyGsfiA9g8DdDBtJ1sqToMVVevOIaMextMfAwSPHSrYB6ShZRNWR5DNb-J8I4TliZ9XTc_WVq1g2p2Ezi/s320/IMG_0997.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pyrite in Quartz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I admit I love this cab! It's quartz with pyrite embedded in it.
Because of the orange in the quartz and the shapes of the markings, it
looks a lot to me like a magical fire. I wasn't able to catch the flash
from the pyrite in a picture, but it's very impressive in person.<br />
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The Pyrite is a mineral (Iron Sulfide) and it's also known as "Fool's
Gold". In some settings, like this, it actually looks more like the Iron
it contains than gold, but if you've seen pyrite crystals, you
understand where the name originated. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4sOIaUXp-h9WrHpTcO_sPS6cbgQgVlTYR7kl9qgsBbrydKdKZpDuzUr6HFBGOhcCO49v07TXgAeXe8E2mDdKPn7XcnhY-Ni0rJ5E3vLb50LkwgVtFpcWcCNT7IN-31hdxQHsuyQNd2XF/s1600/20171010_175513.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4sOIaUXp-h9WrHpTcO_sPS6cbgQgVlTYR7kl9qgsBbrydKdKZpDuzUr6HFBGOhcCO49v07TXgAeXe8E2mDdKPn7XcnhY-Ni0rJ5E3vLb50LkwgVtFpcWcCNT7IN-31hdxQHsuyQNd2XF/s320/20171010_175513.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tin Oxide in Quartz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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RUTILE - A Mineral<br />
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When I first started admiring Rutilated Quartz, I thought that the
different colors of the thin lines meant that they were different
materials. Not so. According to Mindat.org, Rutile (TiO2) comes in Blood
red, brownish yellow, brown-red, yellow, greyish-black, black, brown,
bluish or violet.<br />
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Oxides are actually found in many stones. In rutilated quartz, the
rutiles can be made of tin oxide. That's the same stuff in the white
paste lifeguards at the beach smear on their noses to prevent sunburn.
More importantly, in its dry form, it makes a wonderful lapidary polish.<br />
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Do you have any inclusions that you want to identify as either metal or
mineral? Send me the information and a picture and I'll see what I can
do to help you identify it.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />
Your Lapidary Whisperer,<br />
<br />
Donna
Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-28327979597139250442020-02-05T00:30:00.000-08:002020-02-05T00:30:07.797-08:00Chrysoprase and Little Green Apples<div class="mindatadivh2">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzb9Ll66rtA35bWeZsUHc2FycVM0DGSqoK-jbWYZSqaCs-EVia1pmSET8OaT750vlCXxnmXQ5ySeVunfBbtKW7KoYn9lTydiDamh5Oj8cL-QCGTHpnKidagePLNX72GsrQqgdOYPYOvO_/s1600/IMG_20200202_151823+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzb9Ll66rtA35bWeZsUHc2FycVM0DGSqoK-jbWYZSqaCs-EVia1pmSET8OaT750vlCXxnmXQ5ySeVunfBbtKW7KoYn9lTydiDamh5Oj8cL-QCGTHpnKidagePLNX72GsrQqgdOYPYOvO_/s400/IMG_20200202_151823+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Chrysoprase </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The apple-green color caught my eye and the brown threads going through it impressed me. It was being sold by the gram, which normally is a no-no for me, but I couldn't resist. The seller had a few sample cabs of the material and they were story-worthy and very shiny! So he got to play with my credit card for a minute and I got to take home a chunk of the talkative Chrysoprase! <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu9_-xfZEaOeLEmqj-oPQXFW9lR9qg4lxJXdQy9GyTiYkASYP7-aa9FQSjX3rLbiwOZYHUrhF-_0HOJ1vc8ISHHt9lbgPHWyXOd4KEaiCMuDGC4dRVMbdzWFoxri9vMIuYw_4Ib3vaOPH/s1600/chrysoprase-example-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu9_-xfZEaOeLEmqj-oPQXFW9lR9qg4lxJXdQy9GyTiYkASYP7-aa9FQSjX3rLbiwOZYHUrhF-_0HOJ1vc8ISHHt9lbgPHWyXOd4KEaiCMuDGC4dRVMbdzWFoxri9vMIuYw_4Ib3vaOPH/s200/chrysoprase-example-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bing Image Gemmy Chrysoprase</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Before I saw this, when I've thought of Chrysoprase, I've thought of the gemmy variety. Chemically, Chrysoprase is a cryptocrystalline chalcedony that contains nickel giving it its green color in a variety of shades.<br />
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It can often be found at serpentine deposits.<br />
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Depending on where it is mined, it can also be called Australian Jade, Chrysophrase or Jadine.<br />
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WHAT MAKES GREEN ROCKS GREEN?<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia120UIMAlZszzgE1LaAdF_YaPM2TYpZliPJJk5PWUv_albrkJX8JD8GFRgd9hiqD3FZmfUHWHFx7t_8Tjm4Zz9utB2jtsLaODYGsEsYa7xA6UhbhHEpSqS8tlvT4Bnv_sdhRTUV0_qpQC/s1600/chrome-chalcedony_copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia120UIMAlZszzgE1LaAdF_YaPM2TYpZliPJJk5PWUv_albrkJX8JD8GFRgd9hiqD3FZmfUHWHFx7t_8Tjm4Zz9utB2jtsLaODYGsEsYa7xA6UhbhHEpSqS8tlvT4Bnv_sdhRTUV0_qpQC/s320/chrome-chalcedony_copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bing Image Chrome Chalcedony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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While the color in this mineral is from nickel, there are other green rocks and minerals that get their green from copper, iron, chromium, or manganese. Sometimes, chrysoprase is confused with Chrome Chalcedony which is colored by chromium.<br />
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Back to chrysoprase. The best place for me to find it is at rock shows 😏 It comes to them from mines in California, Brazil Indonesia, Western Australia, and north-central Europe. <br />
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IN THE SHOP</div>
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Working the material was a dream. A good dream (yes, we all know rocks that have turned out to be nightmares - I'm talking to you apatite). To me, this looks like a powerful need plants have to grow up from their roots to freedom. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsppuF3Ea8tUQKOzhfcbrjE_EFOgPzb_S2jcjbCoRAKp_KiFaQ0R2jXyX5MxLFzOPQhFX6CFGJf9y4HYtr522zxMIhbZFC1QdufdKnyMKuXJSTfEKBFzJcpJlXe7u-TcW4c666oJ5YeTH/s1600/IMG_20200204_104916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="613" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsppuF3Ea8tUQKOzhfcbrjE_EFOgPzb_S2jcjbCoRAKp_KiFaQ0R2jXyX5MxLFzOPQhFX6CFGJf9y4HYtr522zxMIhbZFC1QdufdKnyMKuXJSTfEKBFzJcpJlXe7u-TcW4c666oJ5YeTH/s320/IMG_20200204_104916.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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At between six and seven on the Mohs scale, chrysoprase is a firm rock, and I start it on the 80 grit wheel to do the rough shaping so it doesn't take forever. The next two wheels get the shape smooth and it's ready to polish. Since it is a fairly hard rock, I take my time on the three polish wheels to be sure I get the best result. On my Genie, I have a 50,000 wheel that gives a glass-like polish. The cabochon above actually is a combination of gemmy (the dark green which doesn't show it here, but is translucent) and not-so-gemmy chrysoprase. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QSOKzCbEdy-8IRfdAketPQj15MdhuYA3IVrlwojTpKMktAdtjNHI5mqGbrJK_6hgGw9t_c590DGNIlpIqQiZBhTbG6tK9fI1nlyjxjrMBcRS3_85cEA2LpejhKMOMKBcckN5t5-BIFj7/s1600/00886340014960960327003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="390" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QSOKzCbEdy-8IRfdAketPQj15MdhuYA3IVrlwojTpKMktAdtjNHI5mqGbrJK_6hgGw9t_c590DGNIlpIqQiZBhTbG6tK9fI1nlyjxjrMBcRS3_85cEA2LpejhKMOMKBcckN5t5-BIFj7/s320/00886340014960960327003.jpg" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chrysoprase from Western Australia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As you can see, the material I purchased (at the top), It has random brown lines through it, making me wonder what stories were lurking behind them. I forgot to ask the vendor where it came from, but seeing this picture of the mineral from the Yerilla Chrysoprase Mine in Western Australia, I suspect it may have come from there <br />
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All this has gotten me thinking about other gemstones that may not be all that gemmy. Check in next month to see what I learned about "gemstones" that are better on the grinding machine than the faceting machine.<br />
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Have a comment and don't want to sign into the server I post this blog on? Contact me directly at Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com <br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />
Your Lapidary Whisperer<br />
<br />
Donna<br />
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-45765316041819681392020-01-05T01:30:00.000-08:002020-01-05T01:30:09.092-08:00Aloha! Hawaiian Treats!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">I
just got back from spending Christmas week in Hawaii and was once again amazed
by the rock formations and lush landscaping I saw there! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">This
is me six years ago holding up the side of a lava tube at the Thurston Lava
Tube also called the Nahuku<span style="color: #555555;"> </span>in Volcanoes
National Park on the Big Island. I'd been hoping to do it again, but I was told that you
can't do that lava tube anymore, it's under the recent lava flows. It is a reminder to all of us not to wait to get out and see the natural wonders of our planet. They may seem like they'll be there forever, but changes are always happening--and we never know where or when.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">When I was in Hilo, I visited the Lyman Museum (look
for a review of it in an upcoming Rock & Gem). Not surprisingly, it
features some volcanic materials.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">The museum displayed “volcanic bombs” from eruptions. These are composed of basalt. When
the liquid is shot into the air, it comes together, twists around, and falls to
earth. The shape tends to be oval, like a football. The bomb may be solid or
hollow and they are collected as oddities for their shapes and textures.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZyZxvhhYTqUJT3c5R9-UDWLxWm1u3nKzsy0RbhdlPLthEHrRKNgbiwuFowicML8pVTl54DHb9H2iBYugRPGdQH5YFwdK9PrHCd_B_L2rfc05WM-0CyZeNVqjmqSylJ1Flw7p_KBOTSP4/s1600/IMG_20191224_110743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZyZxvhhYTqUJT3c5R9-UDWLxWm1u3nKzsy0RbhdlPLthEHrRKNgbiwuFowicML8pVTl54DHb9H2iBYugRPGdQH5YFwdK9PrHCd_B_L2rfc05WM-0CyZeNVqjmqSylJ1Flw7p_KBOTSP4/s640/IMG_20191224_110743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volcanic Bomb at Lyman Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pele's Hair from Lyman Museum</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Volcanic bombs and small sharp black
splinters are not the only interesting form that falls from the eruptions.
There is also Pele’s Hair, Pele’s tears, and spatter. The hair is formed when
lava is flying through the air and it stretches because it’s still molten. The
resulting thin strands are glass and they sometimes have a droplet at the end.
Some call those droplets Pele’s Tears. Frankly, Pele's Hair looks a bit like the hair I take out of my hairbrush; silvery gray with a touch of brown.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Another formation that is called Pele’s
Tears is the peridot crystals that can form in olivine. The spatter is exactly
what it sounds like, bits of lava that fall to the ground.</span><br />
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PLACE FOR LAPIDARIES</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivine with a few Peridot crystals</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5288995681748393249" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">The Hawaiian Islands are fascinating for many reasons, especially the chance to
see geology in action! It does have some minerals that lapidary artists and
mineral collectors look for, but they are largely in microscopic amounts of
labradorite, feldspar and plagioclase. The one you’re most likely to find is
olivine. Olivine is a green mineral that has very little silica and a lot of magnesium
and iron. It is the least stable mineral on the earth’s surface; when olivine
gets weathered, it pseudomorphs into iddingsite. While olivine is a
mineral because it has an identifiable crystalline structure, iddingsite passes
through many phases of change and so it is referred to as a rock, not a
mineral. When the olivine is mixed with pyroxene, it becomes peridot.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Lapidaries have been known to work with basalt when it is dense enough. It will be black and
probably have visible dots of other minerals in it and take a nice shine.
Because basalt can be light and fluffy as Scoria and goes on a scale to very
dense, it doesn’t have a Mohs scale number. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Full disclosure: Some of the information in this blog post appeared earlier in an article I wrote for Rock & Gem Magazine. I took the pictures of the Volcanic Bomb and Pele's Hair at the Lyman Museum where I took a whole lot of pictures for the upcoming R&G article.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Show Season is in full swing now. Don't miss the chance to see and acquire amazing specimens, slabs, and rough! Send me a picture of your favorite!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Until next time, Your Lapidary Whisperer,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Donna</span></div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-34197156304681509802019-12-05T01:00:00.000-08:002019-12-05T01:00:11.631-08:00Cotton Candy Agate for the Holidays?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">BECOME A ROCK SHOW VENDOR? See my article in the December issue of Rock & Gem Magazine! </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When I first saw a slab of peach and white cabbing material, I thought it looked like a sweet confection; then I saw its name, "Cotton Candy". It fit</span>.</span></span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then I showed it to an older rockhound, who authoritatively told me it was "Youngite". Being a curious sort, I decided to find out if they were one and the same thing. Frankly, I thought it was likely they were, but appearances can be deceiving. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">YOUNGITE</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Youngite (<span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">SiO<sub>2</sub></span> ) For many years, this was a popular slabbing material that was not terribly hard to find even though it was only mined in one plac<span style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: #111111; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: inherit; list-style: outside none none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">e inside the Youngite caves near the Glendo and Guernsey reservoirs</span> in Guernsey, Wyoming. The online expert on this stone is Mike Nelson, I got my information from him personally and his blog site, check it out: <a href="https://csmsgeologypost.blogspot.com/2014/05/wyoming-youngite-and-other-oddities.html" target="_blank">Click Here</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike says <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Youngite is a brecciated reddish-brown to
peach jasper that was then re-healed by deposition of cream-colored chalcedony.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Often the entire rock is then covered by
druzy quartz crystals.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">At one time Youngite
was fairly common on the market as collectors were able to pull numerous
specimens “off the walls” in Youngite cave(s) and voids near Guernsey.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> He says he understands that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">the caves are in the Guernsey
Limestone and the breccia clasts are actually derived from the limestone.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ie4T-4CYBvIUXxhl6HUmKPt59PHQHrO3vKV8GFDwIdaEeSB3ZlA5VRSmJM0A1kXjDHFovcOXioxDCZ1mYThe-cjEjUTQGZ77pnX7h5H8AtKdC-y94_OU-ZhZ3zlNTV6JtKsyQjnbwcnA/s1600/canvas.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="804" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ie4T-4CYBvIUXxhl6HUmKPt59PHQHrO3vKV8GFDwIdaEeSB3ZlA5VRSmJM0A1kXjDHFovcOXioxDCZ1mYThe-cjEjUTQGZ77pnX7h5H8AtKdC-y94_OU-ZhZ3zlNTV6JtKsyQjnbwcnA/s320/canvas.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: Midat.org</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This image shows the common exterior with botryoidal drusy quartz coating. The quartz portion is fluorescent, which is the quickest way to discover whether you have true Youngite. The Cotton Candy stone is not fluorescent, even though it often looks the same. </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-H97rJ1edVFnRyJSAV1SGd4sMWssPSEB2Lc8dSrEBEJO8odyPi1QOEqV7xWVmhvDmQ34BCB67VpL_G8zDXhWMy_kBN2Rn09dBiBSbEKykF0aPD2szgCf5JIsuDNmYXys_OguPl8XKLwmG/s1600/youngite+NEWgood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-H97rJ1edVFnRyJSAV1SGd4sMWssPSEB2Lc8dSrEBEJO8odyPi1QOEqV7xWVmhvDmQ34BCB67VpL_G8zDXhWMy_kBN2Rn09dBiBSbEKykF0aPD2szgCf5JIsuDNmYXys_OguPl8XKLwmG/s320/youngite+NEWgood.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Credit: Mike Nelson</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unfortunately, the area where the Youngite was mined is reported to be mined out and the specific area is no longer open to the public. There are some pieces available, generally at a pretty high price point. If you're considering investing in some, I suggest you ask the seller for regular and short-wave pictures from the same angle to be sure you're getting the real deal.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">COTTON CANDY</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I described my Cotton Candy slab and told him I believed it came from Mexico, that explained a lot of the differences between the two similar rocks. <span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">M</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ost of the
agate in that part of Mexico comes from volcanic rocks like Retaliate nodules
rather than sedimentary limestone like Youngite. The brecciated materials in both probably get their color from iron in them.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, they really are very different rocks. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">IN MY SHOP</span></span></b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26gXU3y_m7WsKgMdX6OB4zce9iA0sMWwl1szHw2hD6Bbc66-mtRe9lrk1rRA8Mavpn-qlRi8hbBxwES-s0TymiOdxjpZMKAfNy-PlQfN7fuBCfq0xUUZqzBhy9Fn6Y40Hel4JLLOWQUb1/s1600/IMG_20191118_094619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26gXU3y_m7WsKgMdX6OB4zce9iA0sMWwl1szHw2hD6Bbc66-mtRe9lrk1rRA8Mavpn-qlRi8hbBxwES-s0TymiOdxjpZMKAfNy-PlQfN7fuBCfq0xUUZqzBhy9Fn6Y40Hel4JLLOWQUb1/s320/IMG_20191118_094619.jpg" width="307" /></a></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I purchased this slab as "Cotton Candy" at a local rock show. As you can see, it's pretty dirty and my impression was that it was quite weathered, which turned out to be true. The colors changed dramatically when I worked with it.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">My finished cab from the slab above, </span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">You can see the pencil marks I made around the void that has the druzy coated botryoidal shapes and that I used to set the shape.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b4y1fy9B91gomtfKpAWU3nsuCdMdn9RiKsIaPromGSEYF4edh9J6BEYD2Gsx3bf96nru3_s0jADgr5zjRyQHUnh24thBW5-TqVhByk4R9M5pQWXmoP-Wz1XZqCPI0eM05Mp42o28XISO/s1600/IMG_20191126_111845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1154" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b4y1fy9B91gomtfKpAWU3nsuCdMdn9RiKsIaPromGSEYF4edh9J6BEYD2Gsx3bf96nru3_s0jADgr5zjRyQHUnh24thBW5-TqVhByk4R9M5pQWXmoP-Wz1XZqCPI0eM05Mp42o28XISO/s320/IMG_20191126_111845.jpg" width="230" /></a></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">After I got it cut, shaped, and polished, you can see the yellow-looking matrix has become white with a touch of blue tinge. The peachy material has finished out as pink and there are obvious bands around the void and the pink. It took a lot of scrubbing to clean the interior shapes, but it was worth it.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDvXDE6imqsKKc5Y67esxQoogzdZKORavtQEj_XF7jpXqlz7yccU_utoolrQOYNd5bZeWnoVvCUhIn1hoBL9HYaTFexeCd2nlveMI5HpNrXHdmmnhO2gB6LBzH4M9cyMoSJu3nHQ2WQN_/s1600/IMG_0570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDvXDE6imqsKKc5Y67esxQoogzdZKORavtQEj_XF7jpXqlz7yccU_utoolrQOYNd5bZeWnoVvCUhIn1hoBL9HYaTFexeCd2nlveMI5HpNrXHdmmnhO2gB6LBzH4M9cyMoSJu3nHQ2WQN_/s320/IMG_0570.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">My Youngite cab</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had purchased a small slab of Youngite years ago without knowing what it was, and made a cabochon with it. How do I know it's Youngite and not Cotton Candy? It's fluorescent! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Youngite contains chalcedony and quartz, so it fluoresces mostly green. I tried my teardrop cab above under the long and short wave lights, but nada. That was a real surprise since the botryoidal formations inside the vug appear to be quartz druzy, but they obviously aren't. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">To see how Youngite lights up, check out the image on Mindat.org at <a href="https://www.mindat.org/photo-952156.html" target="_blank">Click Here.</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Also, when you look at the two cabs, you'll notice how very similar they are. But, a very close examination of their mineral components shows that they are not the same thing at all. Sort of like green gemmy faceted stones. Are they apatite </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Ca</span><sub style="color: black; font-size: 11.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">5</sub><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">(PO</span><sub style="color: black; font-size: 11.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">4</sub><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">)</span><sub style="color: black; font-size: 11.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">3</sub><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">(Cl/F/OH) or are they emeralds </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Be</span><sub style="color: black; font-size: 11.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">3</sub><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Al</span><sub style="color: black; font-size: 11.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">2</sub><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">(Si</span><sub style="color: black; font-size: 11.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">6</sub><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">O</span><sub style="color: black; font-size: 11.06px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">18</sub><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">)? The only way to know for sure is to consult a gemologist.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">From a lapidary standpoint, I feel that both materials are excellent lapidary material. They are nice to work with and take a beautiful polish. I would caution about what I noted earlier. Because of its current rarity, real Youngite commands a relatively high price in the market. Cotton Candy is commonly available. If you are considering a purchase, be careful you get what you pay for.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Until next time, I hope you find joy (and great rocks) through the holidays you celebrate this time of year. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Your Lapidary Whisperer,</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Donna</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-30060359475824181592019-10-05T01:00:00.000-07:002019-10-05T01:00:06.218-07:00CRAZY FOR CRAZY LACE AGATE<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUeIKmpVcgZX3TkwyvkriLMZedzBkjXccyXErFezLbSKmRAF-z6j3qn6LF4yRsOin_c0YaQCCJ7xO4UpCc4AGl1ozS8kkDbNQQcuPLrgf0RWpJ4O0MiybGkaapNpP6NUp0aY2bLMVOPqk/s1600/IMG_20191004_124828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="807" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUeIKmpVcgZX3TkwyvkriLMZedzBkjXccyXErFezLbSKmRAF-z6j3qn6LF4yRsOin_c0YaQCCJ7xO4UpCc4AGl1ozS8kkDbNQQcuPLrgf0RWpJ4O0MiybGkaapNpP6NUp0aY2bLMVOPqk/s320/IMG_20191004_124828.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved working with the peach and white stone</td></tr>
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Crazy Lace agate is a lapidary dream rock. It's basically a banded calcite, but it's so much more! The bands can come in almost any color, they can swirl, encase spheres, bend in fortifications, and even feature druzy coated vugs. This stone is mined in the
Mexican state of Chihuahua. Some claims in the area name the area name
of stone after itself like the Noriega. And yet . . . Rodeo Flats agate
from Arizona looks pretty much the same as does some agate mined in
Morocco. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkHFZHqo6btFh1AL2oVZU7H2vxxyxWYN6KmX4FxDMYAUOkWAGyLONESpfZy4baORqqQFHJIpPEuwB5YiDoYa5o1BpgasvPgqcXDWLFISJNtH_Crj09Q52fQBTqUOfuSOAmxoYEiG4R15_/s1600/IMG_20191004_125754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1134" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkHFZHqo6btFh1AL2oVZU7H2vxxyxWYN6KmX4FxDMYAUOkWAGyLONESpfZy4baORqqQFHJIpPEuwB5YiDoYa5o1BpgasvPgqcXDWLFISJNtH_Crj09Q52fQBTqUOfuSOAmxoYEiG4R15_/s320/IMG_20191004_125754.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This slab isn't high quality, but I love the pattern</td></tr>
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Did I say any color earlier? Well, when it comes in all blue, sold as blue crazy lace, it's definitely not from Mexico. Blue lace agate primarily comes from Namibia and South Africa with a bit in Romania. You'll often see them sold side by side with other lacy-patterned agates, but they are far distant cousins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRnqqClJazB5wY3hUrN-cRKPWXlu6g6Boa4oD3FyJi5eLKrUpnZeXPC5OImQFnXD7KlrLFKyMacHKvHfY9ZzA2cbTIGemikg5hAoF2MQn0eb2PL3axaqVX_qaGSGNdCkRuaZMo4cBS486/s1600/IMG_20191004_130000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRnqqClJazB5wY3hUrN-cRKPWXlu6g6Boa4oD3FyJi5eLKrUpnZeXPC5OImQFnXD7KlrLFKyMacHKvHfY9ZzA2cbTIGemikg5hAoF2MQn0eb2PL3axaqVX_qaGSGNdCkRuaZMo4cBS486/s320/IMG_20191004_130000.jpg" width="267" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Crazy Lace has color and motion</td></tr>
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In case you're wondering, I included this picture because I could! This one is so chatty that it won't slow down and tell me what it wants to have done with it. So, for now it's safe . . .<br />
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although . . .<br />
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if you look at it from either side, you can see landscape scenes with a bit of blue sky. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Yp33mDwp644AF_PDJZRoFwLy4X6FhxHqgVQhJcwAW21ePouvvn9IjoADtp_GfQFyhNrEiJ5y-JFhLDVWjh4TnUA3IRS5tH-g9Cb25e1yOeTiVWTmCdR-fKb93oP0POaOs2bidDQWvO3F/s1600/IMG_20191004_125909+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1070" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Yp33mDwp644AF_PDJZRoFwLy4X6FhxHqgVQhJcwAW21ePouvvn9IjoADtp_GfQFyhNrEiJ5y-JFhLDVWjh4TnUA3IRS5tH-g9Cb25e1yOeTiVWTmCdR-fKb93oP0POaOs2bidDQWvO3F/s320/IMG_20191004_125909+%25283%2529.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The slab has the beautiful sunsets I hope to use </td></tr>
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THE LAPIDARY EXPERIENCE<br />
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As the Lapidary Whisperer, I adore this stone! The colors and patterns tell me so many stories, and the stories can change simply by moving the templates around. It is also fun to create shapes by using a pencil to create the shape that shares the story the slab is trying to tell you. I've found that on occasion, I can incorporate the outer edge as a feature in the cab.<br />
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This slab is driving me a bit crazy. It wants me to use the sunset orbs, but the problem is they are very shallow and don't even show on the back of the slab, I'm afraid if I do any grinding, they'll disappear completely. <br />
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The good news/bad news is that this is not a fast mineral to work. It runs right about 7 on the Mohs scale and tends to take a while to work, especially on the lower number grit wheels. The good news is that it will take a nearly gem-like finish.<br />
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Be aware that if the colors of your crazy lace are unusually intense, it may be dyed and the colors will fade over time, especially if exposed to the sun. If the intense coloring is limited, like the slab below, it is probably natural. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-tjrnsf41yeJy0EsXG2t-OkizTzT7JqHsqyxIsB01-z_qC4bMmsnZussOsTFiGQZsi02u-rpL1AwRdPZ4lwmdINrBYIHKuYxEw4ZL-Eosnv2cfM3cW_Lpw_XzAQzNeFvJg3061Qv9_SB/s1600/IMG_20191004_125654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-tjrnsf41yeJy0EsXG2t-OkizTzT7JqHsqyxIsB01-z_qC4bMmsnZussOsTFiGQZsi02u-rpL1AwRdPZ4lwmdINrBYIHKuYxEw4ZL-Eosnv2cfM3cW_Lpw_XzAQzNeFvJg3061Qv9_SB/s320/IMG_20191004_125654.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A busy natural slab with red staining </td></tr>
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HISTORY?<br />
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I found only a few references to the history of this stone and the conflicted like . . . crazy! One source claimed it was first discovered in the late 19th century, and then forgotten until a construction crew found it when they were clearing land for road construction in the mid twentieth century.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfyjTZlqF7ShCZb3hFl9GI2WTEelV8TeYuYFn9fDHN1GjxCAGQNeOxtlLDUZho_yJc90TS97iTcQEmNxq9_JgWKPiDVO_nqnM4jM44ErY5k2-pE913zvd3e9rz2FOCPx5N-fH8r0VVkoS/s1600/d6acb931cd6bb9123acea83dbdfd4747--pagan-witch-wiccan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="570" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfyjTZlqF7ShCZb3hFl9GI2WTEelV8TeYuYFn9fDHN1GjxCAGQNeOxtlLDUZho_yJc90TS97iTcQEmNxq9_JgWKPiDVO_nqnM4jM44ErY5k2-pE913zvd3e9rz2FOCPx5N-fH8r0VVkoS/s320/d6acb931cd6bb9123acea83dbdfd4747--pagan-witch-wiccan.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cerridwen, image: Bing</td></tr>
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Yet, it had apparently already been discovered in Mexico long before the Spanish Conquests by pre-hispanic people who used it to appease the gods or as an amulet for those fighting wars. I even saw a site that credited this stone to Cerridwen in Celtic mythology (Gods of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Gaul) heaven knows how they got rocks from Mexico.<br />
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While I'm not into assigning mystical property to minerals, I saw several places where it was referred to as the "happy stone". Okay, I'll partially buy into that. Working with crazy lace in my shop does make me happy, because it makes such incredible cabochons.<br />
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<br />NOTE: Except for the image from Bing, all the other images are mine. If you want to use them, please ask.<br />
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Until next time, I'm your LAPIDARY WHISPERER<br />
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DonnaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-72664451828942339742019-09-05T01:00:00.000-07:002019-09-05T01:00:03.932-07:00SAGENITE - THE ROCK THAT'S GOING PLACES <h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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A rock that insists on telling you a story is a great rock to get to know! This Sagenite Rutile is an amazing storyteller. I see a wheel in motion over a coarse surface. What do you see?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn8Kf4qMbixpIQYKXCf3ANdN4OuY5MhifoWWDvCJPwf1JvrJUAnBsmJMzX0x6VAKR-YDUEePr425CtIvfn52fDwALRQe-ImeUjEhWCLgCtxG-U9uDHtS0EkXcsWuGpIi78qbc0g9u4LG-/s1600/Star+Rutile%252C+Brazil5+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn8Kf4qMbixpIQYKXCf3ANdN4OuY5MhifoWWDvCJPwf1JvrJUAnBsmJMzX0x6VAKR-YDUEePr425CtIvfn52fDwALRQe-ImeUjEhWCLgCtxG-U9uDHtS0EkXcsWuGpIi78qbc0g9u4LG-/s320/Star+Rutile%252C+Brazil5+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Credit: Marco Campos-Venuti Collection</span></td></tr>
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According to <a href="http://www.quartz-inclusions.com/Rutile.html" target="_blank">this site</a> Sagenite
can come in geometric patterns This variety is
formed when a pattern of crossed Rutile
crystals is present with angles of 60 degrees that is the twinning law of
Rutile. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGMc6tooMf-aRjAVlMprC1jnInncWXi-ySAkspazhPR_DfKAlU446Qt6gXqASLQdCcAAsy0X-rznhou7G1gx58dC1tYdIPlRsdtkXo9x7vbe1md-CgXEjxWyphhxwEejSfBTVa8hBp4MG/s1600/ZZZZZZZZXXXX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGMc6tooMf-aRjAVlMprC1jnInncWXi-ySAkspazhPR_DfKAlU446Qt6gXqASLQdCcAAsy0X-rznhou7G1gx58dC1tYdIPlRsdtkXo9x7vbe1md-CgXEjxWyphhxwEejSfBTVa8hBp4MG/s320/ZZZZZZZZXXXX.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Credit: Marco Campos-Venuti Collection</span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Sagenite loves to tell stories. At least the kind I work with in my
lapidary shop does. There are apparently two schools of thought when
this name is used to describe a rock. There's the one that describes
stones with vibrant, puffy strands that appear to be moving with an
unseen tide. I absolutely love these. The other is a variety of rutile
where the crystals criss-cross in a geometric sort of pattern. The look
is so distinctive that back in 1796, it was named sagenite from the
Greek and Latin word "sagena" or net. This piece looks positively architectural to me.</div>
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<br />
MY SAGENITE<br />
<br />
I haven't been able to acquire any saginite rutile to work on, but I've had a lot of fun with the kind that makes soft swirls.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO5yAV-HfCDGgCo8jXPTxiY8H78sqnY3bNMqXMwfwpFIDNjOZhL5uE_B0Yaba9qpr8lY5UYLpw-7OGPRmDHojOLdJlQ-8agOAWG27NOQRu8xqDdKC1hL9F7iEQTiUGEzp-HRZ15F5y4SY/s1600/20170915_074940.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1600" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO5yAV-HfCDGgCo8jXPTxiY8H78sqnY3bNMqXMwfwpFIDNjOZhL5uE_B0Yaba9qpr8lY5UYLpw-7OGPRmDHojOLdJlQ-8agOAWG27NOQRu8xqDdKC1hL9F7iEQTiUGEzp-HRZ15F5y4SY/s320/20170915_074940.jpg" width="320" /></a> I
fell in love with the slab I used to create this cabochon! It has the
yellowish Sagenite, along with white tube structures you can just see
inside the clear agate, and a vug that comes across as a whirlpool that
is causing the Sagenite to swirl around. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDbKhbzs7u7YIz_0kA_t9VJi6PYZzJL5dJs_40zf_sLLPhfhrwsCgUJPpVV1uDC16L8bsdkHrKkmTPFl0exeVfzdfzlIwhdO5gABIdP-WJbDDi01cA4TCzSh0Fa2IUU-AZ4WB8RPfP5lO/s1600/20170915_074940.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span id="goog_2095789185"></span><span id="goog_2095789186"></span></a></div>
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Pat McMahan, renowned agate expert, wrote that these Sagenetic filaments
are often arranged in fans or sunbursts in the agates and can come in
different colors. That is because the Sagenite in Agates is a
pseudomorph (where one mineral replaces a different one that has already
created the shape). As an interesting aside, he feels that the Sagenetic structures form in the still-hardening agate and they don't
extend into nearby banded agate which is formed at a different time.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDbKhbzs7u7YIz_0kA_t9VJi6PYZzJL5dJs_40zf_sLLPhfhrwsCgUJPpVV1uDC16L8bsdkHrKkmTPFl0exeVfzdfzlIwhdO5gABIdP-WJbDDi01cA4TCzSh0Fa2IUU-AZ4WB8RPfP5lO/s1600/20170915_074940.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">.</a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfFu4ilhl4Z-651sPkgWFpshVec5synXMJyzAravkYDOh14GfCYJ_KBa3nsRjA82O3GHmlQzEinluDc1uk6Nx0kZ2U7lZ9aRPycPpvY0gt1HFEQe7VDMS_i7mVLZQPLifeA-Rniy9vccX/s1600/20170915_075305+%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfFu4ilhl4Z-651sPkgWFpshVec5synXMJyzAravkYDOh14GfCYJ_KBa3nsRjA82O3GHmlQzEinluDc1uk6Nx0kZ2U7lZ9aRPycPpvY0gt1HFEQe7VDMS_i7mVLZQPLifeA-Rniy9vccX/s400/20170915_075305+%25282%2529.jpg" width="267" /></a>This cool piece of Sagentic agate really shows off the way the filaments can arrange themselves in groups of fans.<br />
<br />
The way it has a central open space in the agate with the filaments
swishing around it, makes me think of that sight you see when you're in
your car as it goes through the automatic car wash. All those soft
things rotating and slapping your car as you go through. <br />
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</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SGGnm3w4_PQONJStBI-GiR-m2mTclmXvvzO17dNp8uyOj1H19znIvN5mJIJZ-peD_6Dc9l4iTbCA066thr05LgprfTV3q2m0btGeQevF842LWV4kZhUo-k1vmWxgvLwawlaCSAM8inFH/s1600/20171018_143326.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="995" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SGGnm3w4_PQONJStBI-GiR-m2mTclmXvvzO17dNp8uyOj1H19znIvN5mJIJZ-peD_6Dc9l4iTbCA066thr05LgprfTV3q2m0btGeQevF842LWV4kZhUo-k1vmWxgvLwawlaCSAM8inFH/s320/20171018_143326.jpg" width="318" /></a><br />
<br />
The vendor who sold me this had a lot of slabs of this material. I asked
him what it was and he wrote "Sagenite" on the slab I purchased.<br />
<br />
I've had other people who have seen it agree that it is Sagenite, but
it's different from my other pieces because there's no cluster that the
formations spring from. <br />
<br />
However, I love the look like it's from a pot of spaghetti and it polishes like a dream!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Do you have a favorite agate cabochon that features sagenite? I'd love to see a picture of it!<br />
<br />
ROCK SHOW SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. I'd love to hear from you about what makes your show (or your favorite show) special. Don't forget pix! Send to Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com<br />
<br />
<br />
Until next time, have fun with your rocks!<br />
<br />
Your Lapidary Whisperer<br />
<br />
DonnaDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-49551976946294761482019-07-05T01:00:00.000-07:002019-07-05T01:00:03.041-07:00MARIPOSITE - LAPIDARY WORTHY?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhhSjh8CcBAmfM3YZsUcK3rvtHlsPRc7zVQtmtselJ9CROdkTEVgNY-jgpv00lQkwqX4pglmcEoOouTQdapyRQTKjXfkLwgLBpF4mgZOQbQbshB8HHqBLnPup7Wz7p5KclGGy-lI2BCqg/s1600/Garrison+memorial+2015+Dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1047" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhhSjh8CcBAmfM3YZsUcK3rvtHlsPRc7zVQtmtselJ9CROdkTEVgNY-jgpv00lQkwqX4pglmcEoOouTQdapyRQTKjXfkLwgLBpF4mgZOQbQbshB8HHqBLnPup7Wz7p5KclGGy-lI2BCqg/s320/Garrison+memorial+2015+Dad.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mariposite yard rock. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The green and white that make up Mariposite make it an attractive yard rock. But as they say in the television commercials, there's MORE!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">WHAT'S IN A NAME?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">When miners during the California Gold Rush discovered they could find gold and placer gold in the green and white rocks around them instead of standing in a cold creek with a pan, they named the rocks Mariposite for the town they were standing in. (Not a huge imagination happening here, but a great way to tell others where to find it).</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It can be found in many areas around the world, where it is mostly called Mariposite, except for Canada where they call it Virginite for some reason. Now, if you want to check my research, please check for Virginite on Google. When I checked on Bing, their articles under "virginite" were not about rocks. Nuf said.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">WHAT IS MARIPOSITE?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It's actually not a mineral. Depending on how you want to think about it, it's either a metamorphic rock or a conglomerate. Chromium-rich Mica give the rock its green color and its flash. Dolomite Marble or Quartz provide the matrix. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8j8h2fU5Jt_9p9HXPzKSpesJWiuBiKsQaC4PKi3dIgvXJt1XX2F0tXZ5hOjnEW4z5V5HXergNqfUJ99Dz57tkylfrjqp2QtjiFsgBrJgNkK7Jxe-GSnx-Itc24RGxVbyvoRuWK7Eg7Ge/s1600/20190704_181642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8j8h2fU5Jt_9p9HXPzKSpesJWiuBiKsQaC4PKi3dIgvXJt1XX2F0tXZ5hOjnEW4z5V5HXergNqfUJ99Dz57tkylfrjqp2QtjiFsgBrJgNkK7Jxe-GSnx-Itc24RGxVbyvoRuWK7Eg7Ge/s320/20190704_181642.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mariposite slab</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">CAN I CAB IT?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> That depends on your willingness to handle disappointment. First, let's examine the hardness on the Mohs scale of the mineral which compromise the rock</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Mica 2.5-3 </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Dolomitic Marble 3.5-4</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Quartz 7</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">As you can see, the Mica and Marble are similar in hardness, but soft as heck. If you want to cab it, plan on making it into a pendant where the edges are encased or it won't last long. When the Mica is next to Quartz, undercutting is a real problem. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I decided to create some Mariposite flowers for this blog post. Not my best idea ever. You can see that I got one (of several tried) flowers. The plan was to make three and make a divot in the center that would hold a cr</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">ushed yellow rock/epoxy mix to make it look like a flower. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBEVFR_vB-6JD0QBv_fE1wure76TaPGxgGBzRv1FOJmlGImSwz9pJpEHSPGrbXyQ1eJ23YuwbabPmC8iWLmU0XgzVQ-gw9ERHkyfQSqoxHWqEUnyEAEEGg0bbRarDbbyBjnMfRU5KexaS/s1600/20190704_181421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="554" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBEVFR_vB-6JD0QBv_fE1wure76TaPGxgGBzRv1FOJmlGImSwz9pJpEHSPGrbXyQ1eJ23YuwbabPmC8iWLmU0XgzVQ-gw9ERHkyfQSqoxHWqEUnyEAEEGg0bbRarDbbyBjnMfRU5KexaS/s320/20190704_181421.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower start in Mariposite </td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The first one came out fine. A bit rustic, but that was what I was looking for. The others, even though I was using 220 grit and higher, shattered. Apparently, this rock is known for, basically, falling apart. I plan to try to get some more done so I can make a flower arrangement, but I think I'll need to drop them on the floor first to see where the slab breaks naturally.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">OTHER USES</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Aside from gold mining and cabs, Mariposite has traditionally been used for other practical purposes including being a facing stone for buildings or fireplaces and even markers in cemeteries (although I suspect they weathered so quickly that their messages were soon lost).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Have you worked with Mariposite? What was your reaction?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Until next time, your Lapidary Whisperer,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Donna</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "noto sans" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.93px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-60457124089267812022019-06-05T01:00:00.000-07:002019-06-13T11:50:19.449-07:00Onyx or Not?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEKZGsPrJrooJc-QLGHaHwXbf0Qiu1Okvj6nKzdT1NluADaDeeRxwmA4W-NWSzmeJ6npYAlb_qPesDExcAGmqCC2KOvxyCuvCx-aZKE0tS_lBj7UWLZGET_Wf8oUU_RnACtR1aFxXbWLV/s1600/20190524_110402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1488" data-original-width="1468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEKZGsPrJrooJc-QLGHaHwXbf0Qiu1Okvj6nKzdT1NluADaDeeRxwmA4W-NWSzmeJ6npYAlb_qPesDExcAGmqCC2KOvxyCuvCx-aZKE0tS_lBj7UWLZGET_Wf8oUU_RnACtR1aFxXbWLV/s320/20190524_110402.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green striped Onyx lapidary slab</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I was thinking about a topic for this post, I noticed a slab of onyx on my worktable. The pastel green layers were beautiful, and still are, but now I know it's not really onyx.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Darn.</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's still a lovely material, but it's one of those situations where it's a lot catchier to call a mineral Onyx, than Banded Calcite.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The banded calcite, CaCO<sub>3, </sub>is a carbon-based mineral that is commonly found in Mexico and India. From a lapidary standpoint, it's pretty soft at around 3 on the Mohs Scale. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">POPULAR DECORATIVE MATERIAL </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cwShcP2nzcIttuBTnifeZBjoODYJV1-RHp0vMQ91R3RNpOU7ZtXVJTAYES77vmzg0QM2fPuHgWVOZgWk1JGG_mQ1550jF10GGyr4rCJ7nFq2niVsAdlPLXHhZCOIak5NqFnQt_YHXKeH/s1600/20190526_163147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cwShcP2nzcIttuBTnifeZBjoODYJV1-RHp0vMQ91R3RNpOU7ZtXVJTAYES77vmzg0QM2fPuHgWVOZgWk1JGG_mQ1550jF10GGyr4rCJ7nFq2niVsAdlPLXHhZCOIak5NqFnQt_YHXKeH/s320/20190526_163147.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onyx bowl in browns</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like me, you may have a bowl, carving, or chess set made with this soft stone. The softness of this material also means when you start working it on your grinding wheels, it is best to start with your second wheel in so you don't take off too much material too quickly.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJfJYU7qy61GuHOQ61cotXtXSX0115cufBllR5PoYkKH-7YBIgtObVysByL_TSyz1fSPQVtS4G0jSqqerNgd7rZfnK-BRCvNyLOHqa8PznbzD9Sj7ESn0JTXbhFFqPyE0IcVcxoAnkKVh/s1600/00788590014962488954184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="390" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJfJYU7qy61GuHOQ61cotXtXSX0115cufBllR5PoYkKH-7YBIgtObVysByL_TSyz1fSPQVtS4G0jSqqerNgd7rZfnK-BRCvNyLOHqa8PznbzD9Sj7ESn0JTXbhFFqPyE0IcVcxoAnkKVh/s320/00788590014962488954184.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mindat.org Onyx image</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> TRUE ONXY is actually a variety of Agate, and as such, hits the Mohs scale between 6.5 and 7, making it more than twice as hard as banded calcite. According to Mindat.org, Onyx is a black and white banded agate or at times a monochromatic agate with light and dark bands. It does come in brown and red varieties; they are called Sardonyx. Mindat states, "Agate <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">and onyx are both varieties of layered </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalcedony" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Chalcedony">chalcedony</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands." The stones with parallel bands have been used to make cameos. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now, bear with me. </span>In the Mindat.org image, I would have just called this banded agate even though the brown layers are somewhat translucent. They are parallel, but also curved. Of course, translucence is not a requirement of Onyx. In fact, it seems to rule the material out.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCkLKki_XF7GYtiFuxbSJFAo4xfZ2RMUxFYTNVLKmIscet5MarDEo7t-O3Y0tETY_0Ezmfm7_PwJrFzordMKIK8D9Zlrc_t0ml4mTZHHhdXf3sOWFOzQIn1gGLwAK07s7pmyogOVdSeap/s1600/250px-Agate-Quartz-49959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCkLKki_XF7GYtiFuxbSJFAo4xfZ2RMUxFYTNVLKmIscet5MarDEo7t-O3Y0tETY_0Ezmfm7_PwJrFzordMKIK8D9Zlrc_t0ml4mTZHHhdXf3sOWFOzQIn1gGLwAK07s7pmyogOVdSeap/s1600/250px-Agate-Quartz-49959.jpg" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wikipedia Onyx image</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now, the more I get into this, the stranger it seems. Here's another image from Wikipedia they claim is onyx. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.28px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMrr0gd91tc2ETeXewWwaa5W6hyphenhyphenMwSp-nkXAJWjIZrpzWR5AEXfxcss-f8MFV0J2pYLWoA32N3HxghJ9wWepCG7w2aYYIiwmwP6HHb08YEjdRaZY4_7Z64XLjwf9R-aFBHdTT5ZF-_rAr/s1600/08545790014946292829392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="771" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMrr0gd91tc2ETeXewWwaa5W6hyphenhyphenMwSp-nkXAJWjIZrpzWR5AEXfxcss-f8MFV0J2pYLWoA32N3HxghJ9wWepCG7w2aYYIiwmwP6HHb08YEjdRaZY4_7Z64XLjwf9R-aFBHdTT5ZF-_rAr/s320/08545790014946292829392.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Limestone Onxy</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">According to Mindat.org, there are a lot of stones called onyx, like this limestone onyx(CaCO<sub>3).</sub></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Checking around the internet, I found claims of green onyx (can be one of several items), onyx opal, rhodochrosite onyx and more. It seems as if any mineral that is translucent is being labeled onyx. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">GETTING REAL</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Under the theory that "IT IS WHATEVER I SAY IT IS" I hereby declare that in America, Onyx is a translucent calcite. It is very soft. It has layers, most often parallel, and comes in a wide range of mostly pastel colors. The GIA might disagree with my declaration, but since they don't include Onyx as a gemstone in their online Gem Encyclopedia, well, my decision stands. </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">WORKING THE SLAB</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kGR5BLSRBPXR9cWRJgWtG3w29F0w6gim4TS6b2ryPo_shAvRU7GS_Q-V_OSS9RUwNB5xPpEGKUCAuEWxvnnYMeZ0ibvkQCjUZC5T4B627oyEJx0z-AgwjlQG77xoNPLt49lNSzYsQzFU/s1600/20190526_163311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1139" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kGR5BLSRBPXR9cWRJgWtG3w29F0w6gim4TS6b2ryPo_shAvRU7GS_Q-V_OSS9RUwNB5xPpEGKUCAuEWxvnnYMeZ0ibvkQCjUZC5T4B627oyEJx0z-AgwjlQG77xoNPLt49lNSzYsQzFU/s320/20190526_163311.jpg" width="227" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The slab at the top is the one that inspired me to do a blog on Onyx. So, of course, I had to work on some of it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I know the picture makes it look somewhat cylindrical, but it's not. I cut across the light bands and domed it, making the straight lines look like they are curved. From one side to the other, the back is flat. I played around with the top so that it is flattened in a way that mimics the curve in the rock making the picture a bit of an optical illusion. Then I put a bevel all around the back edge to keep the material from chipping.</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-7UNFQiMZniE55QV6iYn0sVGO9pbHy6PHlKeYOHdtGnPffVvtByDgz6zfWpYzX8UbQ1k40olHwMjdw5scdpFlSLohGY7wkbXdiWmDaszo2E6dqEHu9ScwItCGQD9H1OaTO7ruUhJU6OL/s1600/20190526_165559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="1600" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-7UNFQiMZniE55QV6iYn0sVGO9pbHy6PHlKeYOHdtGnPffVvtByDgz6zfWpYzX8UbQ1k40olHwMjdw5scdpFlSLohGY7wkbXdiWmDaszo2E6dqEHu9ScwItCGQD9H1OaTO7ruUhJU6OL/s200/20190526_165559.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fun stuff!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'd love to hear what you think on this topic. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Until next time,</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Your Lapidary Whisperer,</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Donna </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/GemStoneImage/1/86/Onyx.aspx" rel="gb_page_center[600, 550]" title="Onyx Image"><img alt="Finely Banded Black & White Onyx" class="mineralimg loading" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_MineralImage" src="thumbnail.aspx?image=GemStoneImages/onyx-gem-322316a-t.jpg&size=120" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); cursor: pointer; pointer-events: auto;" /></a></span></span> </div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-3613493280935267992019-05-05T01:00:00.000-07:002019-05-05T13:02:26.639-07:00CRAZY FOR CARNELIAN<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnHNxoQkWnoR2K2Cy-VNboUyvyZCN081cwoPLBAn6W-b3DDRBMk9tfK7_ppZcmp3pgAZ3UrB8DSbkQIfzghdvNewuhdw9gPTt6KrE-wWDuB1UQHnpFUb1cBT7B3_vM3Ny6cPHaS6uudS9/s1600/20190503_111818a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnHNxoQkWnoR2K2Cy-VNboUyvyZCN081cwoPLBAn6W-b3DDRBMk9tfK7_ppZcmp3pgAZ3UrB8DSbkQIfzghdvNewuhdw9gPTt6KrE-wWDuB1UQHnpFUb1cBT7B3_vM3Ny6cPHaS6uudS9/s320/20190503_111818a.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
As you read this blog post on carnelian, you may think back to my recent post on garnets. I'm not focusing so much on brown/red/gold rocks as much as I am fascinated in the way they both handle light.<br />
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Carnelian is a 7 on the Mohs scale; garnets are about the same at 6.5 to 7.5, so you'd think that they'd be about the same to polish. Not always.<br />
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There is some variation within the scale. For example, the cab on the cotton candy slab just refused to take a real shine (it's photographed wet), yet the cab I made with some lower-value carnelian that is infused with what I've heard called "corn flakes", takes a great polish--except where the cornflakes surface.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicySB9avmslyFO3Q2zms4uJXc9NciBA4u71uyRlXootkXYre7UfHbocfd1IswNMTwRatJWjU8pTG-LcJ1LJvOBIENqK1_7Ukz0jIUDppjPtnyzLgDuKuDlo6Q5rDytyG87dg82PzpfwNfK/s1600/20190425_154107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1183" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicySB9avmslyFO3Q2zms4uJXc9NciBA4u71uyRlXootkXYre7UfHbocfd1IswNMTwRatJWjU8pTG-LcJ1LJvOBIENqK1_7Ukz0jIUDppjPtnyzLgDuKuDlo6Q5rDytyG87dg82PzpfwNfK/s200/20190425_154107.jpg" width="147" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carnelian with "Corn Flake" inclusions</td></tr>
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While I'm continuing to explore better ways to get this particular piece of carnelian to take a nice polish, I love working with it because of the stripes and the quartz on top. It appears that at one time the quartz on top had shiny crystals. Weathering damaged them to the point that the top was mushy-looking. They were, however, tight enough that when I ground them down a bit they make an interesting top with flashes.<br />
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Carnelian is something I'd decided to do a post on, and kept putting aside. For starters, the only carnelian I had was not all that exciting, except for one piece with quartz crystals on top. I've probably looked at it a million times. I'd love to take the "V" on the right side and make it like a heart with a crystal top, but the quartz crystals on the right are more weathered and smooshed than the ones on the other side of the dip. Any of you readers have ideas for me?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGujrrbN-pS9iwQHGESYKqJ-EFV9JkrBm3XqMDwi6gIH1y6CBKLA6CGsnSW0ygTtF9WulDEkzRh3et1sXwComLEfa-LSu8uHd8bDS8HHCgSD4RPEdxKsrmf1VMDcreuY-W9X5LeeK5-jP/s1600/20190505_114706_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1600" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGujrrbN-pS9iwQHGESYKqJ-EFV9JkrBm3XqMDwi6gIH1y6CBKLA6CGsnSW0ygTtF9WulDEkzRh3et1sXwComLEfa-LSu8uHd8bDS8HHCgSD4RPEdxKsrmf1VMDcreuY-W9X5LeeK5-jP/s320/20190505_114706_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then my husband and I took a weekend trip to Northern California and scheduled a stop at Chapman's Gem & Mineral Shop in Fortuna, CA. This place has so much rough, any lapidary artist would give their eye teeth to have it in their back yard. I'd give you a link, but they don't seem to have their own web site, everyone else is too eager to promote them. In the yard, I came across a barrel that simply said, "Brazilian Agate". I was expecting the colorful, layered agate I've often seen at shows.<br />
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Nope, this huge space was full of carnelian. Now, carnelian and agate are chalcedony.When I first saw the sign, I expected the Brazilian agates that have layers of colors, but I was very happy to find this wonderful material.<br />
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<span class="gddataitem">It is believed that carnelian was originally named after the color of the kornel cherry. It comes in colors ranging from brownish red to orange and can vary from translucent to opaque. Like garnets, the specimens that are mined are often heat treated to bring out their best colors. Here in the U.S., carnelian is found in Oregon and New Jersey. Along with Brazil, where my latest rough was mined, it is found in Uruguay and India.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilSUB0dKf6j2pwUH5_b8klCTlzXoaqRhbavCTAYNtNvfg723Qoap5jLxpmc6IG_UPVU6TarLwixxsm-qirbfKxGvgYnrLS95uvFEQxNiYtwoLd2QXiGQu8uU3Yo0Ekx9-vH8jdJurIjWm/s1600/carving-carnelian-hook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilSUB0dKf6j2pwUH5_b8klCTlzXoaqRhbavCTAYNtNvfg723Qoap5jLxpmc6IG_UPVU6TarLwixxsm-qirbfKxGvgYnrLS95uvFEQxNiYtwoLd2QXiGQu8uU3Yo0Ekx9-vH8jdJurIjWm/s320/carving-carnelian-hook.jpg" width="209" /></a>This carved Carnelian hook shows what a talented lapidary artist can do. It was fashioned by Stephan Roess artist, (stephan.roess@gmail.com).<br />
<br />
This is a slab I cut from one of the pieces of rough I purchased at Chapman's. The fortifications where the agate bands suddenly change angle give it a lot of personality. I haven't worked it yet. It keeps smiling at me and as the Lapidary Whisperer, I listen to my stones and this one seems happy just the way it is!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPIUtRPPkDS9aD_IFvh9i5xVww-9ozYGk8P4LAcA3SXaJvlA3dwK_3PhOT5PpmVm2jsUXSyjXzDobYZs3FgS2X2VYCgvSgQO95rzsmlYml_37nzimhc4GryKtsoBo61IYwNS23UbV-ctu/s1600/20190503_111946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPIUtRPPkDS9aD_IFvh9i5xVww-9ozYGk8P4LAcA3SXaJvlA3dwK_3PhOT5PpmVm2jsUXSyjXzDobYZs3FgS2X2VYCgvSgQO95rzsmlYml_37nzimhc4GryKtsoBo61IYwNS23UbV-ctu/s200/20190503_111946.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carnelian slab with Happy Face</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="table_info" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_tblSources" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="table_header_gem"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="width: 99%px;">
<tbody>
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<td align="left" style="height: 27px;" width="90%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwHakMwGPPHVooxzwv3nEyj7NVG5o1-9ruh2RoGhKzO_7X2Qw8yf02cOomjfpX71Qq4JHASLvzKM_ejJHVFB7gDw7lIa7fgknSvWbvDC1uXRs47dm-I_subarQJ3tP2_UdNd7UARP9PSd/s1600/20190429_105541+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwHakMwGPPHVooxzwv3nEyj7NVG5o1-9ruh2RoGhKzO_7X2Qw8yf02cOomjfpX71Qq4JHASLvzKM_ejJHVFB7gDw7lIa7fgknSvWbvDC1uXRs47dm-I_subarQJ3tP2_UdNd7UARP9PSd/s320/20190429_105541+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's another slab quartz/carnelian with fortifications. It hasn't told me what it wants to be yet, but I have my eyes on it. <br />
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Until next time, I'm your Lapidary Whisperer,<br />
<br />
Donna<br />
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<br /></td>
<td align="right" style="height: 27px;"><a class="newtextIMG" href="http://www.minerals.net/text-gem/GemstoneSources.aspx" rel="gb_page_center[500, 90]" title="Gemstone Guide Help">
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<td class="table_text" colspan="2" style="height: 19px;"><br /></td>
</tr>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="table_info" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_tblTreatmentsAndEnhancements" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="table_header_gem"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="width: 99%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="height: 27px;" width="90%"><br /></td>
<td align="right" style="height: 27px;"><a class="newtextIMG" href="http://www.minerals.net/text-gem/TreatmentsAndEnhancements.aspx" rel="gb_page_center[500, 90]" title="Gemstone Guide Help">
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-63480249475057599742019-04-05T01:00:00.000-07:002019-04-05T11:22:22.893-07:00Ocean Jasper<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJd-htoqs1fvsawKh05mxi_R9i_LZ5ROW0f6qtO-KrXNYJsTwKy-I-zQ5WYYymv6wCxmRHNZ8LjM1v1UV9Hf5UePvCKmFORtJ4_qlwRoNnVe2es3mzFExkv2SSxqbm7Yyq7LhyphenhyphenL8D-UB1/s1600/oj-oceanjasperpebbles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="655" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJd-htoqs1fvsawKh05mxi_R9i_LZ5ROW0f6qtO-KrXNYJsTwKy-I-zQ5WYYymv6wCxmRHNZ8LjM1v1UV9Hf5UePvCKmFORtJ4_qlwRoNnVe2es3mzFExkv2SSxqbm7Yyq7LhyphenhyphenL8D-UB1/s320/oj-oceanjasperpebbles.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of Enter the Earth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Every
time I see Ocean Jasper, I'm amazed at the colors and patterns. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
became very curious about this delightful lapidary material. Thinking it
was so well-known in the lapidary world that there would be a wealth of
information available from a variety of sources (<a href="https://www.mindat.org/min-27171.html" target="_blank">mindat.org</a>, you disappointed me). I found myself doing my initial research at <a href="https://www.entertheearth.net/ocean-jasper/" target="_blank">Enter the Earth.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
first thing I learned is that rather than being a general description
of a multi-colored stone that typically features spheres and may include
banding and/or druzy, Ocean Jasper<span style="background-color: transparent; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">® is a registered trademark owned by the Gem Shop.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWP5qe2VXZMr3gIby_WaFiEy2N9DlpdQUxNqPpkAsvoaekTAmKmErBArqu95ANvjWycMemsfQfzp33hZPG7HGzhggnPBLBmQxxpzBP-kQzdxq1j8lNR2mLnBqyCEuihmcLNn2Uc2LDcLD5/s1600/OJ036c__53497.1414601189.1280.1280__82632.1525804214.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWP5qe2VXZMr3gIby_WaFiEy2N9DlpdQUxNqPpkAsvoaekTAmKmErBArqu95ANvjWycMemsfQfzp33hZPG7HGzhggnPBLBmQxxpzBP-kQzdxq1j8lNR2mLnBqyCEuihmcLNn2Uc2LDcLD5/s200/OJ036c__53497.1414601189.1280.1280__82632.1525804214.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of Enter the Earth </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">FUN FACT: This material that is only found on the
Northwestern side of the Island of Madagascar, which, at 228,900 square miles,
low off the eastern shore of southern Africa. It is the world's
fourth-largest island. Many of us know of as the supplier of 80% of the
world's natural vanilla.</span></b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Ocean Jasper is not mined from the ocean, but close. Paul Obeniche had seen references to the material in a 1977 photo
of Kabamby Ocean Jasper which was included in Grund’s <i>Encyclopédie des
Minéraux</i><span style="color: black;"> (French, “Encyclopedia of
Minerals”). </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Years later when </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> a prospector brought him samples, Obeniche set out to
prospect for it himself. He found it in October 1999 in northwestern Madagascar
when low tide made the veins visible. The material was underground and as
prospecting advanced, each additional vein has been found further inland. <br />
</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When you find Ocean Jasper at a show or online, it came
from <a href="https://www.entertheearth.net/gems-minerals/"><span style="color: blue;">Enter the Earth</span></a> which owns the mines. Obeniche,
who discovered the deposits, mentored Nadar Kawar who now owns the mine.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">FUN FACT: It was first introduced to rockhounds and lapidary
artists at the Tucson Show in 2000.</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZPIH50hK_QtVn1qIu1liKPX2TF8WWM34DvI3fKx8m-M9MdGmvH8KkdJWl7FuAr_ecg1tsSkNKQKDE4LgLGBASYkKL_XCoRIx4MlEnbjCoScBoG_Jnf6TdZrRCP-IR2MugD_YX3oe3YLF/s1600/fourthveinoj-624x624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="624" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZPIH50hK_QtVn1qIu1liKPX2TF8WWM34DvI3fKx8m-M9MdGmvH8KkdJWl7FuAr_ecg1tsSkNKQKDE4LgLGBASYkKL_XCoRIx4MlEnbjCoScBoG_Jnf6TdZrRCP-IR2MugD_YX3oe3YLF/s320/fourthveinoj-624x624.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of Enter the Earth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When asked about the availability of the material, Chris
Matthews, spokesperson for Enter the Earth, says, "We never know how
much Ocean Jasper is going to be available. Some years there is
none. For example, we had no new rough from 2006-2013. The vast
majority of what is found is lower quality, with little to no color and
patterning. Since we only import the "A" and "B"
quality rough and polished materials, Ocean Jasper may be limited, even when
being actively mined. Speaking for lapidaries everywhere, I hope they find an
endless vein of the best stuff this year!</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"While we have not found anything large enough to be
called another "vein", we have hit a few larger pockets of rough
since 2014. The most recent one is very dark green, with light yellow and
white banding, and the previous one was more muted, mostly blueish green,
yellowish green, and gray." They continue to search for more veins and
pockets. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NOT OCEAN JASPER</span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
There are many kinds of orbicular jasper in the world, but the trademarked
Ocean Jasper is found only in Madagascar. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmItF3E5tXSy2artQcWwDAHQ780nxLH8mzdCa8XxLmGyl8XRwyo_b_0GSR3w9XrtL0ai5JXs35MkRdMmNN80JyW3SKL9Zxmhs-GdjV-qGyTscm_NUhOG_DjXRoU9BSRcaxLla13KLJ0hN/s1600/20190404_175922a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1245" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmItF3E5tXSy2artQcWwDAHQ780nxLH8mzdCa8XxLmGyl8XRwyo_b_0GSR3w9XrtL0ai5JXs35MkRdMmNN80JyW3SKL9Zxmhs-GdjV-qGyTscm_NUhOG_DjXRoU9BSRcaxLla13KLJ0hN/s200/20190404_175922a.jpg" width="155" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kambaba jasper, green and dark, is also found in Madagascar, but it is not
Ocean Jasper. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pHCAxXi2HF7MoPA-EoT2XBBz6qKpzUpz85lJBGC0AukLq4jGiC6Z3cLrpytDpPOdN8tUUQFXYBZhAvV5n5IDhQOEVVYC5VzQ2u4Cv1mOr3Xns_6Xcx_qHWXUnb7LfJYFgbucciO8T_f-/s1600/20190405_110058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="1600" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pHCAxXi2HF7MoPA-EoT2XBBz6qKpzUpz85lJBGC0AukLq4jGiC6Z3cLrpytDpPOdN8tUUQFXYBZhAvV5n5IDhQOEVVYC5VzQ2u4Cv1mOr3Xns_6Xcx_qHWXUnb7LfJYFgbucciO8T_f-/s200/20190405_110058.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Other orbicular jaspers I've seen have been distinctly different enough
to easily differentiate them from the Ocean Jasper material such as this piece of Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper. </span></div>
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<b>VIEW FROM THE LAPIDARY SHOP</b></span></div>
<div align="center">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYhy-ciCLEabqAXgvBB4dVNmepwZp_pRwt8yboD6WqfK6_lAqPGNEtfndY2p7dpbEe7eILw7cdw8K3t9qwry7tuV0H2V3wRYSM30oakglIMzzSnJsd2Q7aZfdIkvjAuXpuyARCzW5mJ20/s1600/20190405_105935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYhy-ciCLEabqAXgvBB4dVNmepwZp_pRwt8yboD6WqfK6_lAqPGNEtfndY2p7dpbEe7eILw7cdw8K3t9qwry7tuV0H2V3wRYSM30oakglIMzzSnJsd2Q7aZfdIkvjAuXpuyARCzW5mJ20/s320/20190405_105935.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Ocean Jasper! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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While my experience with Ocean Jasper is somewhat limited, I love this
material. In addition to telling stories with its orbs and patterns, it has two
of my favorite characteristics: it is stable and contains druzy-lined vugs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I bet that you, like me, have worked with material that
contains orbs of one sort or another and found that when you were busy trying
to craft a shape and polish it, that many of the little orbs were busy jumping
ship, leaving you with small, spherical holes. Not the look you were hoping
for. I haven't had this problem with Ocean Jasper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As your Lapidary Whisperer, you know I'm always looking for
the story in the stone. Druzy-lined vugs are perfect for giving a cabochon
character. For example, this is one of my Ocean Jasper cabs. I absolutely
love the shiny dark green druzy that lurks like a hidden forest in this Ocean
Jasper cab I made. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjUUbnkku8bkHoVjugXseq03ZynrBW-3Nsbro2bVT_IC6KaXp84NISbtGqdGfJyo_6vHbF3Ec8eIf36yrITmfbKD5buz7QHTJ_OKcXO46KQSK0KjXtXJfPc_rQMvxjWW3CwNZqK6fTh21/s1600/20190404_180034+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1600" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjUUbnkku8bkHoVjugXseq03ZynrBW-3Nsbro2bVT_IC6KaXp84NISbtGqdGfJyo_6vHbF3Ec8eIf36yrITmfbKD5buz7QHTJ_OKcXO46KQSK0KjXtXJfPc_rQMvxjWW3CwNZqK6fTh21/s320/20190404_180034+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMse8_9uwkd_6kiLFqfQYk1AMbLH6GCAmmDw9tR73oq8n541Lw054MdOD5noycY7gwH1Api1_SOY54a7wMaHQQebFOpbCVaOfmpdnmBm_ylo9enpOBrJGnLp5L5Pw5G55dmrUCOsr3UqAr/s1600/20190404_180034+%25282%2529.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I've
found that the pieces and slabs of this jasper take a very nice shine, always a
good thing in my book!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Depending on the vendor you shop with, Ocean Jasper can be a bit dear, but it's
absolutely worth it. It's for sale at the Enter the Earth site, some other
vendors and at shows. I've mostly seen it priced by the slab or by the pound
(when I see prices by the gram, it tends to scare me away). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
I'd love to see what you've done with the Ocean Jasper you have. Send me an
image at Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Next time, let's talk about carnelian, the mineral named after a fruit!</span></div>
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Until then,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Your Lapidary Whisperer,</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Donna</span></div>
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-45772461260252779232019-03-05T01:00:00.000-08:002019-03-05T01:00:04.567-08:00GARNETS<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkslcWRl2L4K8ZnZbi0JKnLcEk9-t9iV8hmTxwohpfLgXZ4XghxUityTvf4UwGGuTkKNmJ9teIftJxCyV3yncfm1u6vZKfg41ZekpCcweHJlD4EzvWHCb9QVZC5a36vRvyoRj_ptND9NWz/s1600/759px-Garnet_Andradite20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="759" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkslcWRl2L4K8ZnZbi0JKnLcEk9-t9iV8hmTxwohpfLgXZ4XghxUityTvf4UwGGuTkKNmJ9teIftJxCyV3yncfm1u6vZKfg41ZekpCcweHJlD4EzvWHCb9QVZC5a36vRvyoRj_ptND9NWz/s320/759px-Garnet_Andradite20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Wikipedia</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> One of the fun things about doing this blog is that I often start it thinking the subject will be simple and I'll get through it in no time. So . . .</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Garnets, I thought! I'll do a blog post on garnets! I love them, I've seen them in a few different colors, and I've heard words like Grossular thrown around a lot. Should be a piece of cake, right? You already know the answer; it's not. </span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iBCo5h5CpvWvbp6Pwriu1rLRzp6ehuQvrz-ILdksMN8nOym1X5e-0S2ULJjgeFBLmOYJ6_iNTu0Spix8YlEMUrWV-0-tGsWXpLp6844VWy1WIqHfqge9Sh2FXl5PHm2EwpfZZti-fKFh/s1600/Garnet.uvarovite.500pix.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iBCo5h5CpvWvbp6Pwriu1rLRzp6ehuQvrz-ILdksMN8nOym1X5e-0S2ULJjgeFBLmOYJ6_iNTu0Spix8YlEMUrWV-0-tGsWXpLp6844VWy1WIqHfqge9Sh2FXl5PHm2EwpfZZti-fKFh/s320/Garnet.uvarovite.500pix.jpg" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uvarovite Image: Wikipedia </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">First, garnet is more of a category than a specific gemstone. For identification, these six minerals are considered garnets: pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular, uvariote and andradite. All of the species have similar crystal forms as well as physical properties, but they contain different chemicals. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">MORE THAN A PRETTY FACE</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Garnets are not only gemstones, they've also been used as abrasives since the Bronze Age. Really! If you go by any place that sells sand paper or other abrasives, you'll see that garnet is used on products in a wide range of grits. Somehow, it seems sad to think gemstone and see sandpaper, but like other gemstones, garnet occurs in a range of qualities and not all are gemmy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">FUN FACTS </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As gemstones, early in history, they were named "granatum" which meant pomegranate because the color of the stone resembled the color of the pomegranate seeds. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes red garnets and other red gemstones, like ruby spinel, are collectively called carbuncles. Early Latin defined carbuncle as a burning coal. In medieval times a carbuncle was a stone with magical properties. It could create light in a dark place. According to Wikipedia, In the French romance of c.1150, a fictionalized Charlemagne finds that his bedchamber in Emperor Hugo's palace has such lighting. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">However, for people today, a carbuncle is more likely to be know as a cluster of boils in flesh cause by a staph infection. (No, I'm not putting a picture of that kind of carbuncle in my blog!)</span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Grossular garnet from Quebec, collected by Dr John Hunter in the 18th century, Hunterian Museum, Glasgow.jpg" data-file-height="2056" data-file-width="3088" height="213" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Grossular_garnet_from_Quebec%2C_collected_by_Dr_John_Hunter_in_the_18th_century%2C_Hunterian_Museum%2C_Glasgow.jpg/800px-Grossular_garnet_from_Quebec%2C_collected_by_Dr_John_Hunter_in_the_18th_century%2C_Hunterian_Museum%2C_Glasgow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grossular garnet </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">BACK TO GROSSULAR</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my (limited) experience, any time a cluster of small garnet crystals is found together, it is referred to as grossular. Yet, as you undoubtedly noticed above, it is a specific kind of garnet. It comes in most colors except blue, but is most often green. In fact, it's name is a nod to the gooseberry's in Siberia which are the same color as the grossular garnets that are mined there.Yet, because it can come in many colors, my original understanding of the term may be more accurate than I thought. Here's a golden specimen of grossular garnets that was collected by Dr. John Hunter in the 18th century.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WORKING ON GARNETS </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5DBiFRo0o674AtiDq5LBA0cpkshC6rrCJjVMWkZO1xVxmrHdyk5165ZecdgSjjVf1z_vn6FHuHi3gu4zMK_fs48l0Yw8QAQ7lCfiIGylhVRySZbgwi2hKMhBNEXBE3S4XlAxR_AOvHra/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="1114" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5DBiFRo0o674AtiDq5LBA0cpkshC6rrCJjVMWkZO1xVxmrHdyk5165ZecdgSjjVf1z_vn6FHuHi3gu4zMK_fs48l0Yw8QAQ7lCfiIGylhVRySZbgwi2hKMhBNEXBE3S4XlAxR_AOvHra/s320/IMG_0854.JPG" width="237" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
lapidary purposes, it helps to know that garnets can range from 6.5 to
7.5 on the Mohs scale. Because of this, it can be cabbed and faceted. In some circumstances where they are not gemmy enough for jewelry, you can tumble them like I did here! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a bunch of small grape garnets tumbled to help the color come through and put in a wine glass. Now,
they are part of one of my rock meal cases as "grape wine".</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">MY GARNETS </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
I am one of those who really enjoy garnet jewelry, especially the reds and red/browns. There's something both earthy and full of life about them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nbiu3pg4yH0G-Qw1S9hXt55d8iNulHqGQWJw5TZGRri8RjeT1JU8torZqL39uMDB03ENLURHvZFhDLvdYydkHmOkpCS3s04EKwRRdX4BPNqF003WTXCqosanJShuI-bPusy4DEa3Nfww/s1600/20190303_105932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1291" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nbiu3pg4yH0G-Qw1S9hXt55d8iNulHqGQWJw5TZGRri8RjeT1JU8torZqL39uMDB03ENLURHvZFhDLvdYydkHmOkpCS3s04EKwRRdX4BPNqF003WTXCqosanJShuI-bPusy4DEa3Nfww/s320/20190303_105932.jpg" width="320" /></a>This ring goes everywhere and always makes me smile.The warmth of the golden/red color is seriously classy without being too blingy.<br />
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And, of course, as a rockhound, I've managed to acquire a piece of rough rock that contains garnets. It's pretty cool the way there are pockets all through the rock and the perfect garnets are nestled inside.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1cGa2_rN6h3sNiAl5AhZMafMLhDPLvs8dTfDa33-tZagyMSbe8RmAMWDSkbKJTT2dA1NiWYX1jgUuVjmRZ25dH6_wLBylxlQU5R4POII-Enp3JrevbxJxbsooVfzXrto5XlXOGKhiqaN/s1600/20190216_160827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1cGa2_rN6h3sNiAl5AhZMafMLhDPLvs8dTfDa33-tZagyMSbe8RmAMWDSkbKJTT2dA1NiWYX1jgUuVjmRZ25dH6_wLBylxlQU5R4POII-Enp3JrevbxJxbsooVfzXrto5XlXOGKhiqaN/s320/20190216_160827.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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So, what is your favorite garnet and why? Drop me a note with a picture!<br />
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Take time while it's still show season to go out and find some yourself (maybe not as much fun as searching them out in nature, but easier and cleaner!).<br />
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To get the latest scheduling for rock shows around the country, go to Rock & Gem's website <a href="https://www.rockngem.com/ShowDatesFiles/ShowDatesDisplayAll.php?ShowState=ALL" target="_blank">Here</a> <br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #666666; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "roboto" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>Until next time, I'm your Lapidary Whisperer,<br />
<br />
Donna<br />
<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-76951420196177773642019-02-05T01:00:00.000-08:002019-02-11T14:56:02.793-08:00CHANNELING A NEW THOUGHT<h2>
</h2>
CHANNELING A NEW THOUGHT<br />
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Perhaps some of you remember my post in January 2018 about Channels in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5288995681748393249#editor/target=post;postID=8539384401930279938;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=22;src=postname" target="_blank">Geodes</a> and whether those channels brought material into the geode being formed or drained material out. It was a lot of fun to research and I got some really good answers. But maybe not all the best ones . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByuPhgL6aU-6AVjRmthdT9V9OPnhdMWlmZu3JnKivstZ3tkhH4wXpmT94znTDNyUgdU3oYVZWzriTvauS3nC3nivRYupNIWRTiz-cG5q-KuWmlZ79xcbFK7eV1LslQrPU3J_nLPL2kNnV/s1600/Figure-24-big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="731" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByuPhgL6aU-6AVjRmthdT9V9OPnhdMWlmZu3JnKivstZ3tkhH4wXpmT94znTDNyUgdU3oYVZWzriTvauS3nC3nivRYupNIWRTiz-cG5q-KuWmlZ79xcbFK7eV1LslQrPU3J_nLPL2kNnV/s320/Figure-24-big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Unfortunately, I went about my research in a less-than-scientific
manner beginning with a false belief that since I'd seen and photographed
those channels in some geodes, they must have or previously had similar
channels in all geodes.<br />
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Oops.<br />
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<br />
Last week I was thumbing through some older Rock & Gem Magazines and found the accurate information,pop right up in front of me. In the June 2016 issue, an article by Marcos Campos-Venuti titled, <i>Big Band Theory: A New Explanation of Band Formation in Nodular Agates</i>.<br />
<br />
Campos-Venuti wrote, "A connective channel is also a primary structure and has not been formed by deformation of the bands. This channel is simply a small interruption of the and where water flowed quickly into the cavity as opposed to seeping slowly through the porous first chalcedony layer.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5mzYZgjZfYApOS9cCNkzj7KLY_5xFAtMCDinpHeRueso0PWNvDYe4LGmxy3ieOso_wYMFIRxUZpUCjM69PLi-224vkK6sICmo6EafS_lze91UHblMvNJqdw_QlMF1vBG7xFlnKNpjnwb/s1600/20171118_115916_1511038040374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5mzYZgjZfYApOS9cCNkzj7KLY_5xFAtMCDinpHeRueso0PWNvDYe4LGmxy3ieOso_wYMFIRxUZpUCjM69PLi-224vkK6sICmo6EafS_lze91UHblMvNJqdw_QlMF1vBG7xFlnKNpjnwb/s320/20171118_115916_1511038040374.jpg" width="180" /></a>"For that reason, the terms "outflow channel and "inflow channel" are wrong and result from the erroneous perception that the channel was formed by deformation of the bands from the inside to the inside or vice versa." The mineral-rich water seeps into the hollow area during wet seasons when it is submerged. When the dry season arrives, the water/liquid thickens and adheres to the inside of the geode in bands of chalcedony.<br />
<br />
One of the causes of horizontal layers of chalcedony inside a geode can be caused by a slow drying process. When that happens, material can be dripped from the top as (sometimes causing stalactites), settling into flat layers on the bottom. <br />
<br />
The channels themselves are caused by a weakness or crack in the outer layer of the the geode as it forms. That crack increases the flow of the fluid and can create layers that seem to create a balloon shape rather than a round one with the balloon opening being the channel itself.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26IZHwIwV7_JoJJDbiJNRLk27SNZ5zIS_X7wfc0aMhm4kbh8lUM29FE4SsY5iiWnyG9rGcfXvMpo631LdPVMnSe67B8mxLHy8m5O06CL9R2fu5ZkJubydaJiyEjVd8EnFroAYCq2rtbhT/s1600/20170421_122743+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1399" data-original-width="1600" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26IZHwIwV7_JoJJDbiJNRLk27SNZ5zIS_X7wfc0aMhm4kbh8lUM29FE4SsY5iiWnyG9rGcfXvMpo631LdPVMnSe67B8mxLHy8m5O06CL9R2fu5ZkJubydaJiyEjVd8EnFroAYCq2rtbhT/s320/20170421_122743+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's pretty easy to see the channel on the right side because of the staining. Chalcedony wasn't the only material that seeped into this geode.<br />
<br />
After looking at countless geode images that have inclusions, I believe this cutie contains crystals of sphalerite, It's mineral composition is (Zn,Fe)S or zinc sulfide. The iron in it led to the staining at the opening of the channel and the crystal surfaces after the geode was opened to the air.<br />
<br /><br />
BEST LAID PLANS<br />
<br />
In last month's blog, I was planning ahead for a fun trip to Tucson and Quartzsite and all the new material that was waiting there for me to rescue it and bring it home so we could get to know each other in my little shop.<br />
<br />
As the poet Robert Burns wrote back in 1785, <i>The best laid schemes of Mice and Men oft go awry, And leaves us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy! </i><br />
<br />
I don't know how he knew I'd take<i> </i>a bad fall in late January that would knock off the top of my tibia and crack the bone the long way, but I agree with Burns' comment on the grief and pain! I may even still be looking at surgery, so I'm VERY unhappily cancelling all my arrangements. There's just no way I can safely handle the jostling crowds this year much less carry or cart my finds back to my vehicle. I'd been especially hoping to find some gemmy dino bone for cabbing at decent prices,<br />
<br />
Darn.<br />
<br />
I hope all of you who manage to go have amazing experiences and find your dream rocks in Arizona this winter.Here's hoping for better luck for me next year. <br />
<br />
WHAT DID YOU FIND?<br />
<br />
<br />
Send me pictures of your favorite find this winter in Arizona and I'll try to use them in a future blog post. Please send them directly to Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com<br />
<br />
Until next time, your Lapidary Whisperer,<br />
<br />
Donna <br />
<br />
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<i></i><br />
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-78030937703439528552019-01-05T01:00:00.000-08:002019-01-05T01:00:02.227-08:00Petrified Palm - Two Views<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">* </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">News
about Tucson and Rock & Gem at the bottom of this post.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If someone tells you they have Petrified Palm, the first
question is where from? I don't mean Madagascar or Louisiana. I'm asking
you whether it is from the trunk or roots.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The trunk slices tend to be very plain with small nearly
identical markings evenly displayed. These are remnants of the rod-like
structure that forms palms. I confess I tend to find petrified palm trunk a bit
boring. I like rocks that talk to me and tell me their stories. This reminds me
of a cat taking a nap. It's just there, not doing much of anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
Here's my proof. </span></span></div>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvxG6Hg2wyij03XWoOeHB2dskTgGMFSLGgAQRQJbpVwTDoQJkXaAk3OCHGmLuTFWAutSLI_6SAIcKs3qDHfaT_cleTIipwblCAZkfonLIMYx7oNSpLr6dKDnt8rdRFRoFmZ6-XUd7lITk/s1600/IMG_1043.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvxG6Hg2wyij03XWoOeHB2dskTgGMFSLGgAQRQJbpVwTDoQJkXaAk3OCHGmLuTFWAutSLI_6SAIcKs3qDHfaT_cleTIipwblCAZkfonLIMYx7oNSpLr6dKDnt8rdRFRoFmZ6-XUd7lITk/s320/IMG_1043.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Years ago at our club show, my rock club had this massive ugly
rock they were trying to sell. Nobody wanted anything to do with it. I finally
made a ridiculously low offer and it was mine. I suspect because then they
wouldn't have to drag it out of there. I would. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2L8lv2eT1HxEsWE7Qh5_6km7kvcBwuux5F-3kSi1c-4qw1VEJDXfj53uiBLucAFxefkN5FD294HWTQ_TsxmGB9Fh0Nq6g7MXaaMJBtdWuK9P-9tYCgzjHEoPs_92Xp0DYdy6joasPYod/s1600/20190103_152029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1216" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2L8lv2eT1HxEsWE7Qh5_6km7kvcBwuux5F-3kSi1c-4qw1VEJDXfj53uiBLucAFxefkN5FD294HWTQ_TsxmGB9Fh0Nq6g7MXaaMJBtdWuK9P-9tYCgzjHEoPs_92Xp0DYdy6joasPYod/s320/20190103_152029.jpg" width="243" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2L8lv2eT1HxEsWE7Qh5_6km7kvcBwuux5F-3kSi1c-4qw1VEJDXfj53uiBLucAFxefkN5FD294HWTQ_TsxmGB9Fh0Nq6g7MXaaMJBtdWuK9P-9tYCgzjHEoPs_92Xp0DYdy6joasPYod/s1600/20190103_152029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2L8lv2eT1HxEsWE7Qh5_6km7kvcBwuux5F-3kSi1c-4qw1VEJDXfj53uiBLucAFxefkN5FD294HWTQ_TsxmGB9Fh0Nq6g7MXaaMJBtdWuK9P-9tYCgzjHEoPs_92Xp0DYdy6joasPYod/s1600/20190103_152029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPsUBHFMXoTp-BR7loJUswi696hNoq8AaBrOY5ahmqFJaua-UP5g9Wd9e5q5VzM9MMepxpX3Mp9uH5oGdNaiMVELCMOTwbl59IYn81-VLbtPEgOIbPKp6PMnhK02p2tZCSH_kh7VhhfvD/s1600/20190103_152029.jpg"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I took it to the shop where I had access to a large saw and
cut it in half. It is palm. This is how the cut edge looks. It now rests in my
yard under a redwood tree that keeps trying to cover it up with droppings. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Admittedly, there are those who hold a different
opinion. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In Louisiana, they have declared petrified palm the state fossil. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
Texas, they conveniently ignored biological reality and named "Petrified
Palm Wood" the state stone in 1969.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sorry, Texas. Palm is not really wood.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NOT WOOD?</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm paraphrasing the detailed information from Han's
Paleobotany Pages. <a href="https://steurh.home.xs4all.nl/engpalm/epalmox.html"><span style="color: blue;">Click here.</span></a> Palm does not conform to the
definition of wood because wood tissue is formed by cambium. All deciduous
trees have that cell layer which produces bark on the outside of the tree and
wood on the inside. He gives amazing descriptions of how they are different and
I suggest you use the link above if you want to know more. I'm ready to go back
to lapidary.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ftXubNcg080t_NP53R7QZZRlVnZvaLc5vYewHewxBAZT5-aX9E3QxKCrEgdiff0ydNiFVeJFyUkrHmDfpCK_pDqUcbSDv9gIWZ8P4OqDtrf21-pV1Ti3pYau-uEKTxzJDX8CpzNzc9Cl/s1600/20181222_152138.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ftXubNcg080t_NP53R7QZZRlVnZvaLc5vYewHewxBAZT5-aX9E3QxKCrEgdiff0ydNiFVeJFyUkrHmDfpCK_pDqUcbSDv9gIWZ8P4OqDtrf21-pV1Ti3pYau-uEKTxzJDX8CpzNzc9Cl/s320/20181222_152138.jpg" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">COME TO ME, MY PRETTIES . . . </span></span></div>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The other source of petrified palm--and to me the most
interesting--is the root structure. The first time I saw petrified palm root,
the colors and movement made me think it was crazy lace; but it really wasn't.
It had a riot of colors but with no discernible pattern like you find in crazy
lace. What it really looked like was a bunch of colorful worms writhing around
happily together. Sometimes it looked like a long tube, others looked like the
end of a pipe agate, and then there was sky blue quartz filling in the spaces
between. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOiMOGNyNSIsEti4bTWi9C71la7ZHWRbBE2FMQuZ67UwVxl4JNlm7mloJYFasdB0a-nt2PWGcmsctq96xES7lDjfEI5KgjQIK0vmPOVyfuujwTBimn8dFiLADcSc3vrQsJwwG5xSUKg2d-/s1600/47096293_10210660814155087_8357561588382695424_o.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Depending
on where you are in the world, the petrified palm roots will have colors they
have absorbed from the fossilizing process and the patterns will also reflect
the kind of palm it was. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOiMOGNyNSIsEti4bTWi9C71la7ZHWRbBE2FMQuZ67UwVxl4JNlm7mloJYFasdB0a-nt2PWGcmsctq96xES7lDjfEI5KgjQIK0vmPOVyfuujwTBimn8dFiLADcSc3vrQsJwwG5xSUKg2d-/s1600/47096293_10210660814155087_8357561588382695424_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOiMOGNyNSIsEti4bTWi9C71la7ZHWRbBE2FMQuZ67UwVxl4JNlm7mloJYFasdB0a-nt2PWGcmsctq96xES7lDjfEI5KgjQIK0vmPOVyfuujwTBimn8dFiLADcSc3vrQsJwwG5xSUKg2d-/s320/47096293_10210660814155087_8357561588382695424_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> For example, lapidary artist Sue Gallagher
(Rockhound Dog Designs) shared this picture of palm root she has that hailed
from Malaysia. You can clearly see the root writhing effect where the two
colors meet.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gZ2RbVKSoCttTdUXcjTF1Jn91zHlAKkEh3rWWu4ldYk7-LES3srYXj2k80mUJ_4iNcrB7niVBbJ7dxebVTvv7ejec1l-FZrj85pXE5Q3oNIS3g4wA4hSGF6I4pZ7P-KoTPiGg6lTorpa/s1600/47230118_1460969247366460_5326628211549798400_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="732" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gZ2RbVKSoCttTdUXcjTF1Jn91zHlAKkEh3rWWu4ldYk7-LES3srYXj2k80mUJ_4iNcrB7niVBbJ7dxebVTvv7ejec1l-FZrj85pXE5Q3oNIS3g4wA4hSGF6I4pZ7P-KoTPiGg6lTorpa/s320/47230118_1460969247366460_5326628211549798400_n.jpg" width="244" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gZ2RbVKSoCttTdUXcjTF1Jn91zHlAKkEh3rWWu4ldYk7-LES3srYXj2k80mUJ_4iNcrB7niVBbJ7dxebVTvv7ejec1l-FZrj85pXE5Q3oNIS3g4wA4hSGF6I4pZ7P-KoTPiGg6lTorpa/s1600/47230118_1460969247366460_5326628211549798400_n.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"><br /></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Jason Brousseau (NM Stone Supply on Facebook and
instagram)shared this picture of a cab he made with petrified palm root, As you
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FROM A LAPIDARY STANDPOINT</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Petrified palm is a chalcedony and clocks in at about 7.5 on
the Mohs scale. That means it will take a fabulous shine. In fact, when I'm in
Tucson this year I'm going to be looking especially for this. If you want to
see a wider range of the looks of Palm Root, check out the RockhoundUSA site
where the material is compared to Dali Paintings : <a href="http://www.rockhoundingusa.com/gallery/palm/index.html"><span style="color: blue;">Click Here</span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SPEAKING OF TUCSON</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Make your trip to Tucson and Quartzsite this year better
than ever by checking out some wonderful places to see and collect. Check out
my article, <i>Eyes on Arizona: Road Trip</i>, in the January 2019 Rock &
Gem Magazine. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Not a current subscriber? The magazine has recently
had an editorial update and the articles and pictures are better than ever! You
can subscribe at: <a href="http://www.rockngem.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.rockngem.com/ </span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> I'd love to see what lapidary creations you've crafted
with Palm. Send me your images and comments to Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Until next time, I'm your Lapidary Whisperer,</span></span></div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-55256682257528111132018-12-05T01:00:00.000-08:002018-12-05T01:00:06.443-08:00 SHOW SEASON: RUMINATIONS ON ROCK SHOWS* HELP YOUR LAPIDARY WHISPERER - SEE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG*<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVSBXGbx9wMl-afD8MjV5GpkxmBt4xB9aqChLnaQasEndPuLltvRlA3lTv6UOoTwcWulUT0g3A1O6ZaCUpaq52wOfMdAIGoITDdcbC3_7VncSv51VXYdNOA0wmYNlw-hqQSksI1bMmr3G/s1600/20181104_132229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVSBXGbx9wMl-afD8MjV5GpkxmBt4xB9aqChLnaQasEndPuLltvRlA3lTv6UOoTwcWulUT0g3A1O6ZaCUpaq52wOfMdAIGoITDdcbC3_7VncSv51VXYdNOA0wmYNlw-hqQSksI1bMmr3G/s320/20181104_132229.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at our local rock show</td></tr>
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Show season started for me at the beginning of November when my Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society had its annual show. This year our lobby was decorated with a full-size replica of an actual dinosaur head! As far as I'm concerned, rock shows are addictive!<br />
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I love the way many online slab sellers are very meticulous in describing their slabs with multiple photos and exact measurements. They're the real pros. Yet, online, it can be hard to tell if the piece is a smidge too thin or thick for the shapes you'd like to create with it. Does it the same thickness all the way through or does it tend to get thinner as it goes across? Does the texture of a mixed material change indicating a possible problem with undercutting? Are the cracks fully healed or do they catch your fingernail? The good dealers will tell you everything you need to know, but not every dealer does. I see shopping for slabs and rocks as a sensory experience so I prefer to do it in person. I've also come up with some thoughts about what I've learned I'd like to share with you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI1tajIS_qjXetSHfB8ItdR4FIUf1sRntX1-bOmINm3dLjn-9HUxyaNO6xOf4eFZhkGziqbNtMLcq5fAJXrSdy1H8Be7QiW-fdxggg2H2sIou-4oFlzykOq2ycbtuiMrKvjLjx2FPogKa/s1600/20180215_111027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1126" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI1tajIS_qjXetSHfB8ItdR4FIUf1sRntX1-bOmINm3dLjn-9HUxyaNO6xOf4eFZhkGziqbNtMLcq5fAJXrSdy1H8Be7QiW-fdxggg2H2sIou-4oFlzykOq2ycbtuiMrKvjLjx2FPogKa/s320/20180215_111027.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>DOG GONE IT </b>If the show is indoors, don't plan to bring your dog. Yes, Fido goes rockhounding with you, keeps you company in your shop, and loves everyone, but no. I know many indoor venues do not allow pets, period. Don't snicker and think you've seen the dealers inside these "dog free" spaces who have a dog or two hidden behind the skirt of their tables. It's one of those don't ask/don't say things, but it doesn't mean <i>your</i> pet is welcome. Their dogs aren't out in the aisles bumping into the attendees or (for larger dogs like mine, sweeping merchandise off the tables with their tails). </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">And for goodness sake, don't get one of those fake "Service Dog" vests so you can bring your dog in. Believe it or not, everyone else can see that your dog is not a properly-behaved service dog and they (including the vendors) know that if you'll cheat at that, they can't trust you. Leave the service dog designation to well-trained animals and the people who actually need their help. If the show is outdoors, Fido is likely to be very welcome and a great conversation starter.</span></h4>
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<b>BRING YOUR OWN BAG(S)</b> Get one or more reusable bags that are strong enough to carry 30 lbs or more. Some can be folded small enough to tuck into your back pocket until they're needed. Vendors are prepared to wrap your slabs or other purchases, and they often put them into plastic bags, like the ones from the grocery store. These thin plastic bags are likely to break if you load them too heavily or have unwrapped sharp edges, and they're hard to hold onto. Occasionally, vendors will have nice small paper bags, which are great as long as your slab isn't wet. Again, hard to hold onto, especially if you need your hands free to shop some more!<br />
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<b>BRING SMALL BILLS AND CHANGE</b> Believe it or not, thieves and pickpockets love rock shows as much as we do; but for different reasons. Getting your wallet out every now and then means you have that many chances of putting it down and forgetting it or having it spirited away in the excitement of the moment. By keeping small bills and change in your pocket, you can pay for small purchases easily. When you get out your wallet or credit card to make larger purchases, be very aware of what's going on with them.<br />
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<b>WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES</b> This should go without saying until you see someone who stopped in to see the show on their way home from another, dressier event. Keep an old pair of sneakers in the trunk of your car and don't worry about how they look with your better clothes. I've never heard of a fashion blogger working a rock show! You're likely to be on your feet for a long time and the only places for visitors to sit are at the food sales area. Hot dogs anyone?<br />
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<b>BRING BUSINESS CARDS</b> If you have a business or hobby related to rock shows, bring business cards and wear branded shirts to the show. I know they have been great for starting conversations and I've picked up some information for this blog that way and brought in new readers.<br />
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<b>BRING GLOVES OR HAND SANTIZER </b> Remember when your mother told you not to touch something because you don't know where it's been? Yeah, you're not taking that advice when that sweet slab of blue lace agate is tempting you from just underwater in that bin, right? Unfortunately, you don't know where that rock has been and it has probably been steeping in the water that every other rockhound has dipped their germy fingers into it. Thin plastic gloves, like the ones used in food service are good for that. I usually bring utility gloves also t so I don't get injured when I pick up a sharp rock. If you absolutely don't like gloves, bring some hand santizer and use it frequently. <br />
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<b>WET/DRY </b>If a slab is wet, dry it to see if the water is hiding any cracks. If it's dry, wet it to see what kind of shine it's likely to take. I dry them on the side of my jeans. Not terribly sanitary, but nobody's perfect.<br />
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<b>BE SKEPTICAL</b> I've had vendors tell me their rock was one thing when even a newbie lapidarian knows is not true. Not just things like the difference between agates and jasper which can sometimes be a judgment call, I'm talking the difference between rose quartz and rhodocrosite!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bdOWFdnRyW5Ih53X15Si7S2SNyOltyeHiG561E9w1ZNdlJdlIEGcsplib_TJh40joeH8C9zvRaEdmYjycwPh64H2LyMhFo56WmUw7d_4H8Q3yfYARuRCM9DWj-Subiera2qAtEg6Uspg/s1600/20171014_152258+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bdOWFdnRyW5Ih53X15Si7S2SNyOltyeHiG561E9w1ZNdlJdlIEGcsplib_TJh40joeH8C9zvRaEdmYjycwPh64H2LyMhFo56WmUw7d_4H8Q3yfYARuRCM9DWj-Subiera2qAtEg6Uspg/s320/20171014_152258+%25282%2529.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dendritic opal with stories to tell</td></tr>
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<b>LISTEN TO THE ROCKS</b> And not just because I'm the Lapidary Whisperer. While you're listening to see if that slab has something to say to you,you can be envisioning what it wants to become. If it doesn't whisper to you, maybe it really wants to be someone else's rock.<br />
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<b>HELP!</b><br />
* I'm looking for people who are vendors at rock shows for a project I'm working on. If you are a vendor I'd like to ask you a questions. I'm hoping to get one or two who have not been in the shows for a long time to talk about their start-up experiences. Contact me at Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com Thanks!<br />
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Have a great Show Season! Until next time, I'm your Lapidary Whisperer, Donna <br />
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<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-84700088798470090372018-10-05T01:00:00.000-07:002018-10-06T14:15:14.485-07:00Colorful Moss and a Mossy Surprise!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As my regular readers know, I love listening to the stories the rocks tell me! If you're looking for a category of rocks that are especially chatty, you can't beat those we call "mossy". There are others that love to tell stories, including rhyolite and dendritic rocks, and they're close behind. But nothing beats the storytelling talent of a mossy rock.</div>
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You may have noticed I consider mossy rocks and dendritic ones to be different items although some people use the terms interchangeably. For details about how they differ, see my previous blog post <a href="http://www.lapidarywhisperer.com/2017/11/thanksgiving-with-dendrites.html" target="_blank">"Thanksgiving with Dendrites."</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-YujCy4Jjwb7CjoOQtvs1uPO75V4nM_oq19W25NUam8e6DElRtqrTZvzkGOAV_CPSqKWlMvDjzoUHVq-Ive54BcVakhCCCrn46iU3TKavsd9LhLtLOfJfDQZd7BP8D1OrWQZ9C2JN3Ek/s1600/20180928_083052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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I call this beauty "The Fire Swamp", because it reminds me of the scenes in the <i>Princess Bride</i><br />
movie where Westley and Buttercup fight their way through the Fire Swamp while trying to evade capture. As a bit of an aside, their major danger there was "rodents of unusual size" and now there is actually a documentary movie about huge swamp rats (nutria) infesting Louisiana titled <i>Rodents of Unusual Size</i>, check it out on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2877296/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">IMDB. </a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">TOTALLY ENCLOSED MOSS </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuZ_9f9urFV31u-QSwA2u0egPodKThVDMihpLfX7oQR1wqGaJ7n8OD6CzaK5FRK08SVGIXALtBx_JY0cUl2FBIWi4K4upGrFmSrQ85BhCp5L3q15R867Y6EO1ssrhkJsx0iQn3MZkzQJE/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuZ_9f9urFV31u-QSwA2u0egPodKThVDMihpLfX7oQR1wqGaJ7n8OD6CzaK5FRK08SVGIXALtBx_JY0cUl2FBIWi4K4upGrFmSrQ85BhCp5L3q15R867Y6EO1ssrhkJsx0iQn3MZkzQJE/s320/IMG_0670.JPG" width="320" /></a>Like the cab above, I've had the good fortune to work with some beautiful colorful ones from around the world, even if I don't always know where they came from. At the lapidary shop where I go every week, they'll often ask where I found a particular rock, and they're getting to expect my answer to be along the lines of "Tucson" or "the show last weekend" instead of some prospecting site. This delightful mossy agate is keeping its secrets so far, When it finally tells me what it wants to look like, I'm all in!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6-IoJ9AagR23PwpkwWDGbMcVWl1wgDcZvSXdmhVL50E3IudxBStwuW_lld1d3C6_uxNXraRT9XYVV09lOvZZJHGWUQAr4ri1sUwWrAgk6jmOryolPw8-IvpeFHQRiKkB7QtP16GOvWY3/s1600/20180928_082654_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1600" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6-IoJ9AagR23PwpkwWDGbMcVWl1wgDcZvSXdmhVL50E3IudxBStwuW_lld1d3C6_uxNXraRT9XYVV09lOvZZJHGWUQAr4ri1sUwWrAgk6jmOryolPw8-IvpeFHQRiKkB7QtP16GOvWY3/s320/20180928_082654_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This cab is made from fully-enclosed moss in a clear quartz matrix and I'm pretty sure I know where it's from. This is from a slab of Regency Rose Graveyard Point Agate from the Owyhee Mountains in Oregon. This one told me it felt like fire and smoke and that's the story I tried to show when I made this cab.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPH3EZopjZhgDUd-le_QPBaUl5o4EpGvUQHnjT2rV-PL2YUjF7HeRd0kI6C3zhKILg3mONMcDIqIVkGpuyR-RtwsTxrW6gcCant4NjABbP1WAvCdwWQkUm9Wf9mPwLd0vsYmF7NpoGJt_G/s1600/20180928_083229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPH3EZopjZhgDUd-le_QPBaUl5o4EpGvUQHnjT2rV-PL2YUjF7HeRd0kI6C3zhKILg3mONMcDIqIVkGpuyR-RtwsTxrW6gcCant4NjABbP1WAvCdwWQkUm9Wf9mPwLd0vsYmF7NpoGJt_G/s320/20180928_083229.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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This is very different kind of mossy agate. This one has a name I'd never have guessed from looking at it. It's Stinking Water Plume Agate! That name would seem to fit better on the "Fire Swamp" at the top. This material has a delightful snowstorm story and it hails from Stinking Water Pass in Oregon and I've only seen it available at a show once. Grab it if you see some. It makes the most beautiful winter-scene cabs! <br />
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<b>SURPRISE! MOSS <i>OUTSIDE</i> THE ROCK!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee1SQcEUUG_FA-wMFMPgZWcBsTmzJYlT6rwYCMkZlvsjqFT0ogz9X-uGEnLy6tQQdpgQtl_bJAMuadgINxFotnHlRRjnq2M0u9_xmy59E7JrZiuS13oGhBAUMfNVgAqlllv82bWHXxvs-/s1600/20180928_082453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1600" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee1SQcEUUG_FA-wMFMPgZWcBsTmzJYlT6rwYCMkZlvsjqFT0ogz9X-uGEnLy6tQQdpgQtl_bJAMuadgINxFotnHlRRjnq2M0u9_xmy59E7JrZiuS13oGhBAUMfNVgAqlllv82bWHXxvs-/s320/20180928_082453.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I cut this bubbly beauty off the edge of a piece of Regency Red Ghost Graveyard Plume Agate. The way this happens is the plumes actually form first and then over time they are surrounded by agate. In my experience, many pieces can be sliced and often take a wonderful polish if they are solid enough. This one seems to be showing me a wildfire with strong winds. Or, it could just be that I live in Northern California and this has been a horrific year for wildfires. What do you see?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tBkXqC3HcgRY8HD1Lau8p7LlbIvs7vR7tyQtpxW6099naQrUl2NCFOeaxrtUy609YW6YSd2u1wi_o96b0PdK7ff2SuONjfMZwuenzG1UicsxSK-8XysJ1-GH0bwx2safOw6djWEBp_bT/s1600/20180928_083443+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tBkXqC3HcgRY8HD1Lau8p7LlbIvs7vR7tyQtpxW6099naQrUl2NCFOeaxrtUy609YW6YSd2u1wi_o96b0PdK7ff2SuONjfMZwuenzG1UicsxSK-8XysJ1-GH0bwx2safOw6djWEBp_bT/s320/20180928_083443+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>This whole slab is less than four inches long. I love the imaginary mouth complete with quartz crystal teeth and the red lines. The lines themselves are only about as thick as a sewing thread, and they have teeny-tiny quartz crystals coating them like a blanket.<br />
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I photographed this one wet because the red lines look so fragile and the white bits matrix are nothing more than a collection of bubble-like material, that I'm afraid this one might not make it through the polishing stage, so I'm keeping it as a specimen. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPTg4m7PiZMEhYMyIQz630CJPVNl9lfmsD1PC5y7oaaGBywULjzbpucPZqH8SEywABN6Lurgjht_w-GeTY0iyd156Bdqa_sebZbDwC2i27bFI_XoTE4HRJy5gElQH_lSU0YGl9gr-7t3d/s1600/20180928_081920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPTg4m7PiZMEhYMyIQz630CJPVNl9lfmsD1PC5y7oaaGBywULjzbpucPZqH8SEywABN6Lurgjht_w-GeTY0iyd156Bdqa_sebZbDwC2i27bFI_XoTE4HRJy5gElQH_lSU0YGl9gr-7t3d/s320/20180928_081920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Admit it, this one looks like a snail on its way off the page! At less than three inches long, it is one I love to look at. Theoretically, I could cut off the last third to make a cab. The other side has several interesting small vugs lined with biotryoidal quartz, but I'd sure miss my snail!<br />
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Has a rock told you as story lately? Send me a picture of the rock and the story it told you. Maybe I can use it in a future blog post.<br />
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Until next time, I'm you Lapidary Whisperer,<br />
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Donna<br />
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-71405607133733407952018-09-05T01:00:00.000-07:002018-09-05T01:00:02.882-07:00THERE'S A TIFFANY STONE - AND IT'S NOT A DIAMOND<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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When I first heard of Tiffany Stone, I expected it to be a soft, cool aqua, like the Tiffany Jewelry boxes; Pantone 1837 for those of you who, like me, love side trips when you're doing research. The color number refers to the year that Tiffany & Co. was founded. That wasn't the color. It's purple!</h2>
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Tiffany Stone is also the name of an actress known for her work in <i>A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.</i></h2>
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<i> </i></h2>
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Enough trivia. Back to the important stuff, rocks!</h2>
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YUP, ROCKS</h2>
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A lot of what I write about in my blog is committing lapidary on minerals, but Tiffany Stone is actually a rock. Here's the difference:</h2>
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MINERAL: A mineral has a specific chemical composition and you will see the chemical formula for each mineral tells what the chemicals in the mineral are and their proportions. For example, the mineral Quartz is SiO2 which tells you it is made up of Si, or silicon, and oxygen. Some varieties, like Rose Quartz, have colors as a result of inclusions, but the inclusions don't change the formula. Usually, minerals each have a distinctive crystal formation that results from the atoms of their formula. For more details on how this works, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_formula" target="_blank">Click Here</a></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpmonnxwsXxgAYEKof3kufamHg5ngbFpoUQO6IEajkSlSOvxNwrjYxUHREhw_ZiIFMSTl8Fz70gvFcrZ3lKxnrbswg4_yBye5IsfxwSE-0fZ_Ew_7qeyd6fFxCI1ntPkCDrgXTslYQp7q/s1600/20180829_154132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpmonnxwsXxgAYEKof3kufamHg5ngbFpoUQO6IEajkSlSOvxNwrjYxUHREhw_ZiIFMSTl8Fz70gvFcrZ3lKxnrbswg4_yBye5IsfxwSE-0fZ_Ew_7qeyd6fFxCI1ntPkCDrgXTslYQp7q/s320/20180829_154132.jpg" width="320" /></a>
ROCK: Unlike minerals that always have the same formula, rocks are formed as an aggregate that includes more than one mineral. Rocks are not identified by their chemical formula, but by the way they are formed; Igneous (formed by fire), Metamorphic (changes over time), and Sedimentary (mineral or organic bits that have settled and hardened). Tiffany Stone is a sedimentary rock that is primarily fluorite with additions including opal, calcite, quartz, and others. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></h2>
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BEWARE</h2>
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When you see some at a show or online and it's expensive, don't be surprised. The only place it is mined in the world is at the Brush Wellman beryllium mine at Spor Mountain in western Utah. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span> If a vendor tries to tell you it is so expensive because it is imported from China or Africa, walk away. It's expensive because it's rare.</h2>
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TIFFANY STONE ON THE LAPIDARY BENCH</h2>
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I purchased my specimens at the Arizona shows in the winter. I got two nice, but not remarkable, nodules. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi851ote2-Ke_R7P03UCxhNHC30HtSLQd3wmxfhoME5L0UH5xLL2PbBFIsMagz6uGKL6BbXsGiVtAWzATjo2YY1u3K3pFROKKle0moiQIVALTV4DBXwEZbYcu8OwYA4NHUxD1ebC_ufOG1U/s1600/20180829_153021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi851ote2-Ke_R7P03UCxhNHC30HtSLQd3wmxfhoME5L0UH5xLL2PbBFIsMagz6uGKL6BbXsGiVtAWzATjo2YY1u3K3pFROKKle0moiQIVALTV4DBXwEZbYcu8OwYA4NHUxD1ebC_ufOG1U/s400/20180829_153021.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
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When I sliced the first one, I noticed it was awfully soft. Depending on your source, it will run between 4-5.5 on the Mohs scale, and even at the top hardness it is a pretty soft stone. When you make cabochons with it, plan to mount them in protected settings (not rings) because it's very easy to scratch, ruining the surface finish.</h2>
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One of the distinctive aspects of Tiffany Stone is the swirling pattern often found. It became a problem for me because my piece was so soft that a bit of it flaked off where the swirl met some different-colored material on my grinder wheel. I stopped right there and stabilized all my slabs before continuing any further.</h2>
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I also realized that I could skip some of my wheels because of the softness. I have a 50,000 grit wheel which normally makes anything shine, but I found it took cerium oxide on leather to get the best possible finish which was a luster more than a shine. </h2>
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WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN?</h2>
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That's the question I ask myself when I'm working with a new material. I'm afraid my answer is that I probably won't. </h2>
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On the plus side, it's easy to work on (after I stabilized it).</h2>
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On the minus side, it's expensive and doesn't take a real shine. My pieces are roughly the same color as amethyst/purple sage agate which is much harder and reliably takes a high shine.</h2>
<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Have you worked with this material? If so, what was your impression?</h2>
<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I hope you enjoy my blog post. If you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them. All the photos in this post were taken by me. They are available for a small fee. Please do not take and use them without permission--it's stealing. Thanks for supporting ethical behavior on the Web!</h2>
<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
See you next time!</h2>
<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Your Lapidary Whisperer,</h2>
<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Donna </h2>
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</h2>
<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</h2>
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</h2>
<h2 class=" b_entityTitle" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-spacing: 0px 0px; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">found in beryllium ore </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">found in beryllium ore </span></h2>
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</h2>
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</h2>
<br />
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</h2>
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</h2>
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<a href="https://geology.com/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">Home</a> » <a href="https://geology.com/gemstones/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">Gemstones</a> » </div>
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Tiffany Stone</h1>
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Author: <a href="https://geology.com/authors/hobart-king/" rel="author" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">Hobart M. King</a>, Ph.D., GIA Graduate Gemologist</h4>
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<img alt="Tiffany Stone" src="https://geology.com/gemstones/tiffany-stone/tiffany-stone.jpg" style="float: none; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-right: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 380px;" />
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<b style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">A Tiffany Stone nodule</b>, sliced in half and polished. Can you see why some people call it "ice cream stone"? Public domain image by Scott Horvath, USGS.</div>
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What Is Tiffany Stone?</h2>
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"Tiffany stone" is a trade name used for a purple, blue and white <a href="https://geology.com/gemstones/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">gem</a> material that can be cut and polished into beautiful beads, cabochons and <a href="https://geology.com/store/tumbled-stones/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">tumbled stones</a>. Geologically, Tiffany stone is a <a href="https://geology.com/rocks/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">rock</a> composed primarily of <a href="https://geology.com/minerals/fluorite.shtml" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">fluorite</a> with smaller amounts of <a href="https://geology.com/gemstones/opal/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">opal</a>, <a href="https://geology.com/minerals/calcite.shtml" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">calcite</a>, <a href="https://geology.com/minerals/dolomite.shtml" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">dolomite</a>, <a href="https://geology.com/minerals/quartz.shtml" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">quartz</a>, chalcedony, bertrandite and other materials. Other names used for Tiffany stone are "opalized fluorite," "ice cream stone," and "bertrandite."</div>
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<img alt="Tiffany Stone" src="https://geology.com/gemstones/states/utah-tiffany-stone.jpg" style="float: none; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 380px;" />
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<div class="caption" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: #eeeeee; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -7px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px; padding-top: 7px;">
<b style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Utah Tiffany Stone:</b> "Tiffany Stone" is an unusual material found as mineralized nodules in a beryllium tuff at the site of the Brush-Wellman beryllium mine. It is thought to be an opalized fluorite. Tiffany Stone is also known as "bertrandite" and "ice cream opal." It is a rare material found only at the Brush-Wellman location.</div>
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<h2 style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700;">
Where Is Tiffany Stone Found?</h2>
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Tiffany stone is a rare material. It is mined at one location worldwide - the Brush Wellman <a href="https://geology.com/usgs/beryllium/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">beryllium</a> mine, at Spor Mountain, western Utah. It occurs there as nodules that are part of the ore produced at the mine. The nodules typically contain between one and two percent beryllium by weight.</div>
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The United States Geological Survey reports that the nodules are carbonate clasts that have been largely replaced by fluorite. Small amounts of bertrandite, a beryllium mineral with a chemical composition of Be<sub style="float: none; font-size: 11.06px; line-height: 24px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;">4</sub>Si<sub style="float: none; font-size: 11.06px; line-height: 24px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;">2</sub>O<sub style="float: none; font-size: 11.06px; line-height: 24px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;">7</sub>(OH)<sub style="float: none; font-size: 11.06px; line-height: 24px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;">2</sub>, occurs as submicroscopic grains within the fluorite.</div>
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Almost all of the Tiffany stone mined at Spor Mountain is crushed and used to produce beryllium. A small amount has been carried out of the mine by employees, and a small amount has been gathered by collectors who have rarely been allowed into the mine. These are the only sources of the gem material because Brush Wellman has always been interested in producing beryllium and has not been interested in Tiffany stone.</div>
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Other Names for Tiffany Stone</h2>
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The most appropriate name for Tiffany stone is “opal fluorite” or “opalized fluorite.” These names reasonably represent the composition of most specimens. Another popular name is “bertrandite.” That name is incorrect because bertrandite is a <a href="https://geology.com/minerals/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">mineral</a>, which only comprises a few percent of the rock known as Tiffany stone. It is also called "ice cream stone" because of its delicious color.</div>
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There are numerous stories behind the name “Tiffany Stone.” Some people attribute the name to Tiffany and Company, the famous luxury goods retailer. The company has never been associated with the mine or with Tiffany stone. Others attribute the name to the daughter of a Brush Wellman employee who collected the colorful nodules brought home by her father. This story is possible, but the names of the miner or his daughter are not found in any written record.</div>
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<h2 style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700;">
Where Can You Buy Tiffany Stone?</h2>
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Jewelry made with Tiffany stone is unlikely to be found in a mall jewelry store. Instead, it is most likely to be sold at a gem and mineral show, at a <a href="https://rocktumbler.com/blog/rock-shops-in-north-america/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">rock shop</a>, or by a lapidarist at a craft show. You might also find it at an online craft marketplace such as Etsy. Some of these sellers are likely to be the same person who cut the stone and made the setting. You will rarely find that when buying <a href="https://geology.com/minerals/diamond.shtml" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">diamonds</a>, <a href="https://geology.com/gemstones/emerald/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">emeralds</a>, <a href="https://geology.com/gemstones/ruby-and-sapphire/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">rubies</a> or <a href="https://geology.com/gemstones/fancy-sapphire/" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">sapphires</a>!</div>
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<h2 style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700;">
About Using Tiffany Stone in Jewelry</h2>
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Although Tiffany Stone can be very attractive, there is an important thing to consider when using in jewelry - it has a <a href="https://geology.com/minerals/mohs-hardness-scale.shtml" style="color: #0033cc; font-weight: 700;">Mohs hardness</a> of only 5 to 5 1/2. That makes it very easy to scratch. If Tiffany Stone is used in a ring, it will quickly show signs of wear and lose its nice polish and luster. For that reason, Tiffany Stone is best used in pendants, beads, earrings and other types of jewelry that will not be subjected to abrasion.</div>
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One thing about Tiffany Stone that will probably make you happy is its price. Even though it is very rare and quite beautiful, cabochons with beautiful color, pattern and size can usually be purchased for $75 or less. It also looks great in white metal. That allows it to be placed in a sterling silver setting, getting you the whole piece for a price of $150 or less.</div>
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A </div>
</section></article>Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-34847012964879083782018-08-01T01:00:00.000-07:002018-08-27T16:24:59.328-07:00The Wonder From Down Under - Boulder Opal<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 97%px;"><tbody>
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</h3>
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<tr><td valign="top" width="6%"><br /></td><td valign="top" width="6%"><br /></td><td valign="top" width="6%"><br /></td><td valign="top" width="71%"><h3 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBx8_VmMcugyPnaM_xXZnttA3EPDrvUmVg6ax2AbemIaFPm1AE_ukw9jKiKMaPKMqGUNsUoe1Zw5-g0gct1RvBhY8kJ51DowvGcwBI1P6WqZLq7D6UhLFdGurxvcZ3FpUy1zdmPCtjVnO/s1600/20180720_104610_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1083" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBx8_VmMcugyPnaM_xXZnttA3EPDrvUmVg6ax2AbemIaFPm1AE_ukw9jKiKMaPKMqGUNsUoe1Zw5-g0gct1RvBhY8kJ51DowvGcwBI1P6WqZLq7D6UhLFdGurxvcZ3FpUy1zdmPCtjVnO/s320/20180720_104610_001.jpg" width="216" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">Boulder
opal has a special place in my mind. Most of the times I've seen
precious opal in jewelry, it is absolutely beautiful and obviously
exceedingly special. Yet, boulder opal, which is a type of precious
opal, has a striking ying/yang quality of extraordinary beauty in a
matrix that is as ordinary-looking as dirt.</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">When
this piece was broken, it cleaved along a plane of opal leaving a lot
of it exposed, but very difficult to use. The opal itself is exceedingly
thin and the surface is uneven, so it can't be cabbed. Boulder opal is
mostly cabbed by cutting across the thin lines of opal to emphasize the
difference between the opal and the matrix.</span></h3>
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</h2>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">But,
when it comes to capturing every bit of the incredible color, hope
springs eternal! I found a bit a little over one inch long that had opal
showing along the <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9O7AQ0L8LBXaClDyXhmUFSUr5yKarkuxHd1HPzSfFYV5agOqUeA2J0sRt4KAnLkaDsKUoFRIixD6MOlsYoNZOd77LYljshlmq4JwTxlPjhmqTL1a1fpofPy-JI10K9kPr4aXe0UfyDby/s1600/20180731_140219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1143" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9O7AQ0L8LBXaClDyXhmUFSUr5yKarkuxHd1HPzSfFYV5agOqUeA2J0sRt4KAnLkaDsKUoFRIixD6MOlsYoNZOd77LYljshlmq4JwTxlPjhmqTL1a1fpofPy-JI10K9kPr4aXe0UfyDby/s320/20180731_140219.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
top edge. There wasn't enough on any side to do a
proper cabochon, but there was a little bit. I made it into this
free-form cab that looks like it is flowing through the matrix. I
didn't grind it down to make a smooth surface the whole way; partly
because I didn't want to waste any of the gorgeous opal and partly
because it gave more of a look like it was active and moving. </span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">OPAL FOR CRAFTSPERSONS</span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></h2>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
natural irregularities of opal make it unsuitable for most commercial
jewelry making. Much of the material you see, especially if it is
reasonably priced, is likely to be laboratory-created. From the
craftsperson's point of view, it is a beautiful, predictable product to
work with.This pendant I received as a gift shows two varieties of fire
opal and I love it and I'm pretty sure it was made with lab-created
stone.</span></span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqiVeoIILLFD-0nSHT-Am-xxKeaAVjhTVW9NB0YsEj_kqW4tINTacmvynJ6CPde1pCvlUHsb5-hyrGs2cchY10aKngFasUQ4RDDfXiWNycuR87FV9J0X3yJ22UIAeqn_t55MqIls7Eos5g/s1600/20180731_153524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="807" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqiVeoIILLFD-0nSHT-Am-xxKeaAVjhTVW9NB0YsEj_kqW4tINTacmvynJ6CPde1pCvlUHsb5-hyrGs2cchY10aKngFasUQ4RDDfXiWNycuR87FV9J0X3yJ22UIAeqn_t55MqIls7Eos5g/s320/20180731_153524.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
</span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">WHERE IN THE WORLD? </span></h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">You
won't find this very cab-worthy stone nearby unless you are in
Queensland, Australia although small amounts have been reportedly found
in Brazil and Canada. It's a lot easier to get it the way I did--I
purchased two chunks at the show in Tucson earlier this year. One of
them is pictured at the top of this blog post.</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">ORIGINS </span></h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Back when dinosaurs were alive (the </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Cretaceous
period - approximately 50-65 million years ago), silica from
decomposing rocks mixed with water creating a gel. This settled into the
cracks in the ironstone or sandstone boulders or puddled on the top and
solidified over time become boulder opal. </span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Notice
I called this "precious" opal; there is also an opal material called
"common". The difference is both how it formed and more importantly, how
it looks. Precious opal is formed when the gel opal sets down in a
series of rows. When seen in the light, it flashes iridescent colors
that can include red, yellow, blue, green, often
called "fire" because of the dramatic play of color, sometimes called
"flash". The value of the stone depends on the drama in the flash. </span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqptG4i9Ga1jq-wI3lf04PunycGl7nFnEO-ae40DrKy8QYtI37JaHBY7v25L3tMwxcpsijyZ7OUYOqRelnET4gdCD8JFFVBWSahjR311paLZ4cOs3ppOYA5bSiwDd3u8qQFZCo0-l5pWso/s1600/20180731_141204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqptG4i9Ga1jq-wI3lf04PunycGl7nFnEO-ae40DrKy8QYtI37JaHBY7v25L3tMwxcpsijyZ7OUYOqRelnET4gdCD8JFFVBWSahjR311paLZ4cOs3ppOYA5bSiwDd3u8qQFZCo0-l5pWso/s320/20180731_141204.jpg" width="228" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">Common
opal, on the hand, is well, common; but not without its charms. A
friend once gave me a hunk of common opal. I took one look at it and
decided it looked like halibut to me, so I tidied it up a bit and liked
it so much I ended up making a meal display for the "Rock Hard Cafe"
display I take to shows. My halibut is shown here with a sandstone
baking potato and some jade peas.</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">CARING FOR YOUR BOULDER OPAL</span></h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">You've
probably learned that opal dries out and has to be stabilized in water,
with oil, or chemical preservatives like Opticon. </span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">According to <a href="http://www.opalsdownunder.com.au/learn-about-opals/introductory/opal-facts-myths" target="_blank">Opals Down Under<span style="color: black;"> </span></a>boulder
opals are very stable, can not absorb water, and are unlikely to crack.
They are about the same harness as glass (about 6.5 on the Mohs scale).
Soaking a boulder opal in water may hide small flaws (be sure to see it
dry if you're thinking about purchasing it), and rubbing it with oil
will only make your boulder opal oily, but neither will do anything to
enhance your stone.</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In
terms of preventing damage, Opals Down Under states, "The only major
things that can damage your opal are impact, extreme fluctuations in
heat (e.g. placing your opal over a flame) or exceedingly low humidity
for long periods. Extreme variations in heat cause the opal to expand
and contract, causing cracks or crazing." One thing that can definitely
damage opals over time is having it touch other surfaces and acquire
tiny scratches that affect the shine. If that happens, a professional
jeweler can polish the stone and remove the scratches. The possibility
of scratching these beautiful stones is why many people choose to wear
their opals as pendants or earrings to protect them from contact with
other surfaces. It's also a good idea to store them in a jewelry box or
bag. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f233f; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "adobe-caslon-pro" , serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">If you're
thinking about working on some boulder opal, I say go for it! The
material is soft enough that it won't take forever to cut, shape, and
polish it, and you'll love the results!</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Have you worked with boulder opal? I'd love to see a picture of the cabs you made!</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Until next time,</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Your Lapidary Whisperer,</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Donna </span></h3>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-76014022457611574572018-07-04T01:00:00.000-07:002018-07-04T01:00:21.291-07:00IS THAT PRETTY GEM LYING TO YOU?<h2>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZNdI_Z6af58pJl74bV3x0hyphenhyphenLgBW-gSz2mqCPqPTD-bA5UQAex_6cruX2zdieiv5epi-P104-VO5W_QSicukrKv5j4S4JvY90eIQcSPCTItJakyO2rmX4WF_SnI0OAlBki3xP7X4jt8QW/s1600/Apatite_verte_%2528Russie%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZNdI_Z6af58pJl74bV3x0hyphenhyphenLgBW-gSz2mqCPqPTD-bA5UQAex_6cruX2zdieiv5epi-P104-VO5W_QSicukrKv5j4S4JvY90eIQcSPCTItJakyO2rmX4WF_SnI0OAlBki3xP7X4jt8QW/s1600/Apatite_verte_%2528Russie%2529.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wikimedia.org </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times","serif";">Is it aquamarine? Is it
tourmaline? Sapphire? Nope, these bright blue crystals are apatite. This
phosphate of calcium mineral's name comes from the Greek and means
"cheat" or "I am misleading". </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times","serif";">Apatite comes in bright blue,
as well as green, yellow, pink purple clear and even in a cat's eye version. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times","serif";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;">If you are purchasing
apatite, be aware that sometimes, especially for the blue and green stones, it
has been heat-treated to enhance the colors. Be sure to ask the vendor about whether the stone has been heat-treated or otherwise enhanced.</span></span></span> <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIKulAjyAYXi3-OiQppChhHcHlBD5T1tn4BpffYaNmUi4giwuzvFfExJSMJx3XDgVOCLMjmHjdp7a0lRjqlxDANbP5AIwDvuArSQ5MzZQEW4Y6gaUJXFsu6kPwk8KdtKgAq2uxJikdn3Z/s1600/256px-Apatite_taill%25C3%25A9e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIKulAjyAYXi3-OiQppChhHcHlBD5T1tn4BpffYaNmUi4giwuzvFfExJSMJx3XDgVOCLMjmHjdp7a0lRjqlxDANbP5AIwDvuArSQ5MzZQEW4Y6gaUJXFsu6kPwk8KdtKgAq2uxJikdn3Z/s1600/256px-Apatite_taill%25C3%25A9e.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didier Descouens, Wikimedia.org<br />
<br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span> <br />
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This incredible blue apatite has been faceted and I love the way it plays with light. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCw8206Qtbh6UJ4ylEnj3bpHGKvZ2bSmunv8AA2nuUdvMWBmB_cqk2wQI_I4Dvaw9mjjshYhzWzy_R7Ip-GcrQ6h842CWFR4QVVAEQQDYOB4cpjVrqeED8tqPkcF0DSpTtRnEFLSzimVr/s1600/20180630_151039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCw8206Qtbh6UJ4ylEnj3bpHGKvZ2bSmunv8AA2nuUdvMWBmB_cqk2wQI_I4Dvaw9mjjshYhzWzy_R7Ip-GcrQ6h842CWFR4QVVAEQQDYOB4cpjVrqeED8tqPkcF0DSpTtRnEFLSzimVr/s320/20180630_151039.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
HAVING AN APATITE OF MY OWN!<br />
<br />
<br />
When I was in Arizona for the rock shows this past winter, I saw this huge shipping crate filled with blue apatite that was sparkling in the bright sunlight--so I bought some.<br />
<br />
This is what I got. It's obviously not as gemmy as the faceted piece above. In fact, it looks a bit like a whole bunch of the crystals like the specimen at the top got squished together.<br />
<br />
That said, I had high hopes when I started working on it. I found it a bit unstable on the long upward lines, but not always.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fnIBit0-GZ4afFxErdKBmukB-BWJY7oY54q5bRHr5_ar2sxg943j-FbP-KRwKoZpGPbXliP34TebACQSbOCLdkzcbLk6GhCnKCOTFG_e5Gqlvy2KTPAUZGQxjvdj7wZPbA_SPq0F6s_b/s1600/20180630_154737+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="694" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fnIBit0-GZ4afFxErdKBmukB-BWJY7oY54q5bRHr5_ar2sxg943j-FbP-KRwKoZpGPbXliP34TebACQSbOCLdkzcbLk6GhCnKCOTFG_e5Gqlvy2KTPAUZGQxjvdj7wZPbA_SPq0F6s_b/s320/20180630_154737+%25283%2529.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br />
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<br />
This is a blow-up of the first small cab I made with this material. I'm pretty disappointed with it. I knew the color would be uneven, but I'd hoped it would take a polish, or at least a luster. I'll be trying another piece of it later, but first I'm going to stabilize it and see if that will give me a better result.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
ON THE GRINDER<br />
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At about 5 on the Mohs Scale, you'll be able to work apatite fairly quickly, say compared to quartz. Some of it can be a bit brittle, and if you think yours may be, take the time to stabilize it before you cut or grind so you won't have bits flying off and ruining your cabochon.<br />
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Apatite can also be sensitive to heat, so be sure you don't let your saw get hot and keep the geysers focused on the wheel you're using. apatite <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjUPNcoJLA0DYUuyoUiDb41mT3se3D80wsq6AwsXdy9ySJbdrapg4ALyxOoXmQ2i28_AGm3flJ1EL8f0u_5hNd6NX_-Tg_LuE_Xs561doCF_zRSHMlIGJcjjrf_R5L5xPKy-AtCQYIM4z/s1600/Apatite-%2528CaF%2529-Orthoclase-253921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="449" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjUPNcoJLA0DYUuyoUiDb41mT3se3D80wsq6AwsXdy9ySJbdrapg4ALyxOoXmQ2i28_AGm3flJ1EL8f0u_5hNd6NX_-Tg_LuE_Xs561doCF_zRSHMlIGJcjjrf_R5L5xPKy-AtCQYIM4z/s320/Apatite-%2528CaF%2529-Orthoclase-253921.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com-CC-BY-SA-3.0</td></tr>
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The color of this specimen of green apatite makes me think of peridot.It's so gemmy that it could probably be faceted. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvedw4L8KEdFc6cWDydwJ8CdEQBuEbV7JOIqgqehXsnW3u2cuMkGzLvkMrupBtTdi6n0Wsf9F7TuQ66GzywkshDbD7XGtiJISXmMOgNQdkmHB7Pine3U1g48aTWLlE-MwXw8oveo-Y5T7c/s1600/20180630_153137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1547" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvedw4L8KEdFc6cWDydwJ8CdEQBuEbV7JOIqgqehXsnW3u2cuMkGzLvkMrupBtTdi6n0Wsf9F7TuQ66GzywkshDbD7XGtiJISXmMOgNQdkmHB7Pine3U1g48aTWLlE-MwXw8oveo-Y5T7c/s320/20180630_153137.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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YUP, THEY'RE APATITE!<br />
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When I first saw these earrings at a street festival, I wondered how they could sell emeralds in a place like that! One look at the price and I was convinced they weren't emeralds, in fact, they were quite affordable--so I bought them! <br />
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AN UPDATE FOR MY READERS<br />
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I've been delighted to produce a new blog post every other week for the last 19 months. Demands on my time will force me to cut back to once a month for right now. I hope you'll continue to look for <a href="http://www.lapidarywhisperer.com/" target="_blank">www.LapidaryWhisperer.com</a> the first week of the month.<br />
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I'd love to hear from you and hear what you like about my blog and what you hope to see in future blogs. Email me directly at Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com<br />
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See you soon!<br />
<br />
Donna, your Lapidary WhispererDonnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-65426240596688212602018-06-20T01:00:00.000-07:002018-06-20T01:00:16.987-07:00BARE BONES AND BEAUTY - Cabbing Fossilized Bones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmS2yQCHm5rlsBXclBv-AieLvXaeipCU8X3cBcLaeY6je8URapAvlYV8yJ3PUlIfA_YXu8DVk4ExEKXtpnUozLx0628J3GMI1EXzkwtnIhGeARC0tIqKQJuCJY9SBtfyxtq8BwqRMiTXN/s1600/post-29-1208033655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmS2yQCHm5rlsBXclBv-AieLvXaeipCU8X3cBcLaeY6je8URapAvlYV8yJ3PUlIfA_YXu8DVk4ExEKXtpnUozLx0628J3GMI1EXzkwtnIhGeARC0tIqKQJuCJY9SBtfyxtq8BwqRMiTXN/s640/post-29-1208033655.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Dinosaur Gem Bone cabochon. C<span style="color: black;">redit
to Dan and Denise Schaefer with ColordoProspector.com.</span></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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A while back, I did a post about cabbing rocks that had animal names like Leopard Jasper and </div>
Tiger Eye <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5288995681748393249#editor/target=post;postID=3598142929907140215;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=9;src=postname" target="_blank">Click here</a>. While they had names that reflected how they looked like animals. They weren't the remains of animals at all.<br />
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In
this blog post, we'll look at cabbing materials that are actually the
petrified bone remains of animals. The two I've
seen most often are petrified bones allegedly (I've had some sketchy provenance claims from a few sellers at shows) from whales or
dinosaurs, but other fossilized bones can be found including sea creatures and land animals.<br />
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QUICK GUIDE TO IDENTIFYING PETRIFIED BONE<br />
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1. If it is still in matrix, it is probably a different color and texture from the host rock.<br />
2. Try to view the inside of the specimen. If it is solid and the same color as the outside, it's probably just a rock.<br />
3.
If you can see a web-like structure, possibly with canals, it is likely
to be of biological origin. Bone should not look like a mossy or
dendritic pattern.<br />
4. Lick it. Really, don't do this unless you're
pretty sure already. Many fossilized bones are very porous and you will
feel your tongue stick a bit. Personally, I prefer to gently slide my
finger across it. <br />
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WORKING WITH PETRIFIED BONES<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdshOZ9XaCBQYdObIEqprnCAZvZcc_404Dx0Q_vxrgCH2BsdZj-Grzj0IB3nUt9UjvvcT9tXidaOoEleX4oz2Z5SXIsa_igrOwi7WKS4AEY_KRRl0qbMRygyn31ZKHZUyotS_Q5_Ll-4Y/s1600/20180608_145632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdshOZ9XaCBQYdObIEqprnCAZvZcc_404Dx0Q_vxrgCH2BsdZj-Grzj0IB3nUt9UjvvcT9tXidaOoEleX4oz2Z5SXIsa_igrOwi7WKS4AEY_KRRl0qbMRygyn31ZKHZUyotS_Q5_Ll-4Y/s320/20180608_145632.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
I fell for this slab of unidentified bone the minute I saw it. Not for the golden colors at the top, they are oxidation and dirt and came off easily.<br />
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The flat side of the slab showed clearly delineated bone structure that has mostly been filled with minerals in the blues and browns. This picture shows a bit of red that isn't really apparent when I worked the material. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL950olEalz8H4BNYKfTasnIQ7yGdtZo-2TH8ECv38EXASD_T6Bq5h0SqYXTwaM252frRvjgu8nfb9wzuL49JBUyv90wvarTwq4_w2Lf0U4pC4P78hHvNuwRNMS66TBHJXRPCdeUR2k5mw/s1600/20180612_133454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL950olEalz8H4BNYKfTasnIQ7yGdtZo-2TH8ECv38EXASD_T6Bq5h0SqYXTwaM252frRvjgu8nfb9wzuL49JBUyv90wvarTwq4_w2Lf0U4pC4P78hHvNuwRNMS66TBHJXRPCdeUR2k5mw/s320/20180612_133454.jpg" width="270" /></a><br />
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I picked a rather dark portion to cab away from the edges where it was less friable. I think the colors came out really well.<br />
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If you can enlarge the image on your screen, you'll see a few empty cells. I could have filled them with epoxy, but I thought it was more visually interesting this way.<br />
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One advantage of working with petrified bone, is that it is a nice medium hardness, This piece took a great polish fairly easily.<br />
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This free-form cabochon of Dinosaur bone was made by Steve
Leidenthal. Notice the rough edge at the top that highlights the
natural nature of the specimen. Petrified dino bone like this clearly
shows the separations in the soft marrow. I love the bright colors on this one.<br />
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Steve also made this free-form Whale bone cabochon. It also highlights the original coarse edge of the bone specimen. <br />
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COLOR <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SrusXcpkBdDp2c-Bx_vaXKqb9VFg6JVORWQXdlAFcKxMAvzq9fG7P_fkiEUnOWD6fQDjjUUbDKVONMaO0yIbirJhcHYBztiGzpQVYrMVgAMMtGtW0DHpPiznFUqIH-J3dBLRkzMTNiNU/s1600/post-29-1208033749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="640" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SrusXcpkBdDp2c-Bx_vaXKqb9VFg6JVORWQXdlAFcKxMAvzq9fG7P_fkiEUnOWD6fQDjjUUbDKVONMaO0yIbirJhcHYBztiGzpQVYrMVgAMMtGtW0DHpPiznFUqIH-J3dBLRkzMTNiNU/s320/post-29-1208033749.jpg" width="320" /></a>Depending on where the bone was fossilized, it may have been exposed to minerals that can add considerable color<span style="font-size: small;">--or not. Some remains a dull brown no matter how much you polish it. However, on a better specimen y</span><span style="font-size: small;">ou will find red when either Iron or Hematite are found in the petrified bone you are working on. </span><br />
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Dan and Denise Schaefer own the web site <a href="http://www.coloradoprospector.com/" target="_blank">www.ColoradoProspector.com</a> and they allowed me to use several of their dinosaur gembone images including this one. What incredible color they have! <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You may also be surprised to discover jaspers, agates, and other minerals have replaced the original softish tissue in the bone. If you're lucky, you may find that the center of the petrified bone has filled with quartz or other crystals</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">SPECIAL TREAT!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7kDBnaLTqOLVvS18fcZhGugtjSK7BB9qa9xi5lNUMVCcfVN_yavqUaRqgvQkfqW-J_YZmIazo20LP_GjqZq0LDiA_1LQsphd39mrkp4acJJUdutu-BH6-pe_Y6hC1CWQ0TzuTjX9BD4Y/s1600/whaleskull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7kDBnaLTqOLVvS18fcZhGugtjSK7BB9qa9xi5lNUMVCcfVN_yavqUaRqgvQkfqW-J_YZmIazo20LP_GjqZq0LDiA_1LQsphd39mrkp4acJJUdutu-BH6-pe_Y6hC1CWQ0TzuTjX9BD4Y/s320/whaleskull.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Collections</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This topic of this post is cabbing petrified bones but I recently saw an image at a program on fossils given by Cristina M. Robins, PhD, Senior Museum Scientist at the University of California Museum of Paleontology that I couldn't resist sharing with you. This image shows a fossilized whale skull and instead of the crystals growing in the bone, they grew inside the skull where the brain had been. Isn't it amazing?</span><br />
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Everything in this blog is covered under the copyright laws of the United States including the images. If you wish to use any of the images, please contact the copyright holder which I list as the source of the image. That source has given me permission to use the image in this particular use and no other. If there is no credit line, the image is mine. If you wish to use my blog writings or my images, please either link to my blog or write me at Donna@LapidaryWhisperer.com for permission. Thanks for respecting my work.<br />
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Your Lapidary Whisperer, Donna <br />
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<br />Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-73328270784175332018-05-23T01:00:00.000-07:002018-05-25T11:27:41.305-07:00VOLCANO ERUPTING! WHAT NEW ROCKS ARE BEING CREATED IN HAWAI'I?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YD43EfY3E38sRHXAGGdUTjznWySN0nzQcchYr1KvK8nMHtQAz4EIrqq0Y8_xwuxzO8BJv3Bh2_7pn5s5qsLkd7s1Ax1i5JQ9VFkBgWT6w9zjz91IzKXIW0cwfC20EqToil8zZMzhVFVT/s1600/IMAG0370+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YD43EfY3E38sRHXAGGdUTjznWySN0nzQcchYr1KvK8nMHtQAz4EIrqq0Y8_xwuxzO8BJv3Bh2_7pn5s5qsLkd7s1Ax1i5JQ9VFkBgWT6w9zjz91IzKXIW0cwfC20EqToil8zZMzhVFVT/s320/IMAG0370+-+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="description">This is me holding up the side of a lava tube at the Thurston Lava Tube also called the Nahuku<span style="color: #555555;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span></span>in Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. </span><span itemprop="description"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a4a4a; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="description">One good thing about the volcano erupting on the Big Island of Hawai'i right now is that its doing something lapidaries love--creating new rocks! </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="description">Unfortunately, most of it will be Basalt, the ugly cousin in the rock family. Basalt is the stuff you see hardened over the current lava flows, but it can hide some lovely secrets! </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="description"> </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description">ROCKS FROM THE HAWAI'IAN VOLCANOES </span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"> </span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Volcanic rocks originate from igneous magma within the earth's crust. When most of us lapidaries think of volcanic rocks, the first thing that comes to mind is Obsidian; that beautiful black/brown glass rock that makes magnificent cabochons.</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;">However. . . Obsidian isn't all that common in Hawai'i. It's only found at the </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Pu'u Wa'awa'a Volcano on the west side of the Island of Hawai'i. The current eruptions are at Kilauea, on the eastern side. </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;">After the Mt. St. Helens Volcano erupted, some clever glass makers created ornaments from the ash, so I decided to find our if the ash or Basalt from Kilauea was good for that. I'm not a glass maker, but I sure enjoy making cabs from slag glass! </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="font-weight: normal;">No such luck, a phone call to Hot Island Glass, a glass studio in Maui let me know that the Hawai'ian lava Basalt doesn't have enough silica for art glass. </span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PELE'S TEARS</span></h2>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgd4w_a1KZZOYBcEXujZWz3zJrhfhHOLAVOUE71kPwAPxFPpOu2FHzYuuWKs42BlXSJ15HdME8q1TFoZhlceryP9dT37jzh3XQEpUSWDPp9Y1pSsGeIKwfBJXOYaFTVZPkYy43bgQPV-0/s1600/20180522_111904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="1600" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgd4w_a1KZZOYBcEXujZWz3zJrhfhHOLAVOUE71kPwAPxFPpOu2FHzYuuWKs42BlXSJ15HdME8q1TFoZhlceryP9dT37jzh3XQEpUSWDPp9Y1pSsGeIKwfBJXOYaFTVZPkYy43bgQPV-0/s400/20180522_111904.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Olivine on Basalt from Hawaii </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There are several lovely minerals found in the Hawai'ian Islands, including Jasper, Sunstone, and Labradorite, but for my money, Olivine is the most interesting.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Olivine can be found in basalt and it is the mineral that can become the gemstone Peridot. </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Island legends say that Peridot is the tears of the goddess Pele. </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQSTswSFidhC6y0eV7COrm3ZWWwX62W3Vsr1SA-9fmH0hS6Y-1F_c6kpMQ_tU4v_fDuGldbXTFEmyrG2PTQLcVFXI9VU_Ai9WBnRFy4xw0TCKmSsOEsHZOEjpyltjtO240wy-QxmoAJyA/s1600/20180522_131600.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQSTswSFidhC6y0eV7COrm3ZWWwX62W3Vsr1SA-9fmH0hS6Y-1F_c6kpMQ_tU4v_fDuGldbXTFEmyrG2PTQLcVFXI9VU_Ai9WBnRFy4xw0TCKmSsOEsHZOEjpyltjtO240wy-QxmoAJyA/s320/20180522_131600.jpg" width="309" /></a></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Peridot is a 7.0 on the Mohs scale, about the same hardness as Jasper. so it can be cabbed, but the remarkable translucent properties it can have also make it appealing to faceters. It is known as the gemstone for August birthdays. </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The green stone in this ring is faceted Peridot sitting on an Olivine and Basalt specimen.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span> </h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A lot of</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Peridot is found at the Diamond Head landmark in Oahu. It's often called the "Hawai'ian Diamond". </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SUNSTONE</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUsOOIM_uW-AHaLN-NxwaTUdIgs8_XbBR1clORwmeCsbpbj1KDHx_IfYHTtawakJKaYuyTRfRaim7jIWbych0DNyhHtB1KOrvaXMtfqAveiF_UF-O_ILBtrcpQGYbyf7JayqTs3cwxh4N/s1600/Sunstone1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUsOOIM_uW-AHaLN-NxwaTUdIgs8_XbBR1clORwmeCsbpbj1KDHx_IfYHTtawakJKaYuyTRfRaim7jIWbych0DNyhHtB1KOrvaXMtfqAveiF_UF-O_ILBtrcpQGYbyf7JayqTs3cwxh4N/s1600/Sunstone1.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This beautiful mineral is also found in Basalt flows. It comes in a range of colors and translucency's from absolutely clear to milky peach with some browns and reds. When you look at it from different directions, you are likely to see a "spangled" flashing of light.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">LABRADORITE</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulq3eVHtJzRPwpg4q1ouTLJTE7gYRHvKRIjN_6c4QEdKDuPOjFulFLSRpHDHs2h5C2tQlsdezsek2avm-fmpzEo1eZIAypMO31drr6qw2Jyn3Ql9kQgIuM7D0zXdMQt5BJnv1_LwZE11S/s1600/Resized_20170829_160811b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="689" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulq3eVHtJzRPwpg4q1ouTLJTE7gYRHvKRIjN_6c4QEdKDuPOjFulFLSRpHDHs2h5C2tQlsdezsek2avm-fmpzEo1eZIAypMO31drr6qw2Jyn3Ql9kQgIuM7D0zXdMQt5BJnv1_LwZE11S/s320/Resized_20170829_160811b.jpeg" width="284" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Labradorite</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 23.94px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> is also formed in Basalt and has been found in the Hawai'ian Islands - although probably not this piece from my collection. </span></span> </h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Travel Tip! </span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">If you get a chance when you're in Hawai'i, try to get by the Papakolea Beach in Mahana Bay where the sand is green because of all the tiny Olivine crystals found there.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">No less dramatic are the black sand beaches (Basalt sand) found on several islands. This sand is formed when the hot lava falls into the ocean and explodes from the temperature difference and is ground into ever smaller pieces by waves.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">That's all for today. Until next time, I'm your Lapidary Whisperer, </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Donna</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="description"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a4a4a; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span itemprop="description"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></h3>
<br />
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Hawaii's Rocks From'A'a to (almost) Z'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 95;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
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<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xLWFhLmpwZw==' alt=''A'a'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 94;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0yLWFuZGVzaXRlLmpwZw==' alt='Andesite'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 93;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0zLWFzaC5qcGc=' alt='Ash'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 92;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS00LWJhc2FsdC5qcGc=' alt='Basalt'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 91;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS01LWJvbWIuSlBH' alt='Bomb'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 90;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjcvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS02LWhvcm5pdG8uanBn' alt='Hornito'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 89;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjgvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS03LWxhcGlsbGkuanBn' alt='Lapilli'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 88;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Lava tube'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 87;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzAvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS05LWxpbXVfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Limu'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 86;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzEvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMC1vYnNpZGlhbi5qcGc=' alt='Obsidian'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 85;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMS1wYWhvZWhvZV9sYXJnZS5qcGc=' alt='Pahoehoe'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 84;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMi1wZWxlLWhhaXIuSlBH' alt='Pele's hair'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 83;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMy1QZWxlVGVhcnNfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Pele's tears'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 82;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNC1QaWxsb3dTYW1wbGVfTS5qcGc=' alt='Pillow lava'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 100;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide cycle-slide-active" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNS1wdW1pY2UuanBn' alt='Pumice'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: visible; z-index: 99;">
<h2 class="h1 slide-text-title">
</h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description">
</span></span></h3>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Hawaii's Rocks From'A'a to (almost) Z'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 95;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xLWFhLmpwZw==' alt=''A'a'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 94;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0yLWFuZGVzaXRlLmpwZw==' alt='Andesite'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 93;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0zLWFzaC5qcGc=' alt='Ash'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 92;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS00LWJhc2FsdC5qcGc=' alt='Basalt'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 91;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS01LWJvbWIuSlBH' alt='Bomb'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 90;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjcvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS02LWhvcm5pdG8uanBn' alt='Hornito'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 89;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjgvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS03LWxhcGlsbGkuanBn' alt='Lapilli'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 88;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Lava tube'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 87;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzAvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS05LWxpbXVfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Limu'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 86;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzEvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMC1vYnNpZGlhbi5qcGc=' alt='Obsidian'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 85;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMS1wYWhvZWhvZV9sYXJnZS5qcGc=' alt='Pahoehoe'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 84;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMi1wZWxlLWhhaXIuSlBH' alt='Pele's hair'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 83;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMy1QZWxlVGVhcnNfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Pele's tears'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 82;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNC1QaWxsb3dTYW1wbGVfTS5qcGc=' alt='Pillow lava'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 100;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span itemprop="description"> </span>
</span></h3>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Hawaii's Rocks From'A'a to (almost) Z'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 95;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xLWFhLmpwZw==' alt=''A'a'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 94;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0yLWFuZGVzaXRlLmpwZw==' alt='Andesite'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 93;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0zLWFzaC5qcGc=' alt='Ash'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 92;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS00LWJhc2FsdC5qcGc=' alt='Basalt'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 91;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS01LWJvbWIuSlBH' alt='Bomb'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 90;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjcvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS02LWhvcm5pdG8uanBn' alt='Hornito'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 89;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjgvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS03LWxhcGlsbGkuanBn' alt='Lapilli'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 88;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Lava tube'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 87;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzAvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS05LWxpbXVfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Limu'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 86;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzEvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMC1vYnNpZGlhbi5qcGc=' alt='Obsidian'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 85;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMS1wYWhvZWhvZV9sYXJnZS5qcGc=' alt='Pahoehoe'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 84;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMi1wZWxlLWhhaXIuSlBH' alt='Pele's hair'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 83;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMy1QZWxlVGVhcnNfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Pele's tears'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 82;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNC1QaWxsb3dTYW1wbGVfTS5qcGc=' alt='Pillow lava'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 100;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide cycle-slide-active" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNS1wdW1pY2UuanBn' alt='Pumice'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: visible; z-index: 99;">
<h2 class="h1 slide-text-title">
</h2>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide cycle-slide-active" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNS1wdW1pY2UuanBn' alt='Pumice'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: visible; z-index: 99;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span itemprop="description"> </span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span itemprop="description">
</span></span></h3>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Hawaii's Rocks From'A'a to (almost) Z'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 95;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xLWFhLmpwZw==' alt=''A'a'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 94;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0yLWFuZGVzaXRlLmpwZw==' alt='Andesite'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 93;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0zLWFzaC5qcGc=' alt='Ash'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 92;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS00LWJhc2FsdC5qcGc=' alt='Basalt'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 91;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS01LWJvbWIuSlBH' alt='Bomb'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 90;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjcvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS02LWhvcm5pdG8uanBn' alt='Hornito'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 89;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjgvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS03LWxhcGlsbGkuanBn' alt='Lapilli'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 88;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Lava tube'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 87;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
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<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzAvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS05LWxpbXVfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Limu'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 86;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
<div class="slideText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzEvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMC1vYnNpZGlhbi5qcGc=' alt='Obsidian'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 85;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div class="sidebar-box">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMS1wYWhvZWhvZV9sYXJnZS5qcGc=' alt='Pahoehoe'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 84;">
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMi1wZWxlLWhhaXIuSlBH' alt='Pele's hair'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 83;">
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMy1QZWxlVGVhcnNfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Pele's tears'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 82;">
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNC1QaWxsb3dTYW1wbGVfTS5qcGc=' alt='Pillow lava'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 100;">
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide cycle-slide-active" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNS1wdW1pY2UuanBn' alt='Pumice'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: visible; z-index: 99;">
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span itemprop="description"> </span></span>
</h3>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Hawaii's Rocks From'A'a to (almost) Z'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 95;">
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<br /></div>
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xLWFhLmpwZw==' alt=''A'a'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 94;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0yLWFuZGVzaXRlLmpwZw==' alt='Andesite'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 93;">
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0zLWFzaC5qcGc=' alt='Ash'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 92;">
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<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS00LWJhc2FsdC5qcGc=' alt='Basalt'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 91;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MjYvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS01LWJvbWIuSlBH' alt='Bomb'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 90;">
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</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjcvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS02LWhvcm5pdG8uanBn' alt='Hornito'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 89;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjgvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS03LWxhcGlsbGkuanBn' alt='Lapilli'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 88;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83Mjkvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS04LWxhdmEtdHViZS1za3lsaWdodC5qcGc=' alt='Lava tube'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 87;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzAvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS05LWxpbXVfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Limu'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 86;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzEvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMC1vYnNpZGlhbi5qcGc=' alt='Obsidian'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 85;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzIvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMS1wYWhvZWhvZV9sYXJnZS5qcGc=' alt='Pahoehoe'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 84;">
<span class="slide-credit"></span>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzMvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMi1wZWxlLWhhaXIuSlBH' alt='Pele's hair'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 83;">
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzQvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xMy1QZWxlVGVhcnNfbGFyZ2UuSlBH' alt='Pele's tears'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 82;">
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<div class="multiPageItem cycle-slide" data-cycle-pager-template="<a href=# class='slideNum thumbNav'><img src='https://img.purch.com/rc/115x78/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny83MzUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdm9sY2Fuby1nbG9zc2FyeS0xNC1QaWxsb3dTYW1wbGVfTS5qcGc=' alt='Pillow lava'></a>" style="display: block; left: 0px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 0px; visibility: hidden; z-index: 100;">
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288995681748393249.post-32488242389884250222018-05-09T01:00:00.000-07:002018-05-09T01:00:01.261-07:00Breccia or Conglomerate? Enquiring Minds Want to Know!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h4>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJL82LkjrT0pP2JCJRRTwijhQYIJADiuzAs8Y9Mnf8PGSPZCo_YChzQlxwwP9MRaQaDNsADaFbnKy0V4Rt_GT8On9_w04D5AUTV9T9ZL7_b0PcprlAQpXthfiPlgJU1bbFq2YotCdnGF9/s1600/20180325_150607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1600" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJL82LkjrT0pP2JCJRRTwijhQYIJADiuzAs8Y9Mnf8PGSPZCo_YChzQlxwwP9MRaQaDNsADaFbnKy0V4Rt_GT8On9_w04D5AUTV9T9ZL7_b0PcprlAQpXthfiPlgJU1bbFq2YotCdnGF9/s640/20180325_150607.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breccia </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class=" b_entityTitle" style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-spacing: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
For me, the fun thing about brecciated or conglomerate rocks is the way they tend to tell stories. The image at the top looks like a landslide with the larger, heavier pieces crushing the smaller ones as it rolls forward. Or maybe it's wood (although it's not) logs resting on smaller material. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> While
I'e found that the terms "brecciated rocks" and "conglomerates" are
often used interchangeably in the field to cover rocks that are formed
by bits of rock being held together by a matrix, I discovered that the
two names are kissing-cousins in the rock world. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">BRECCIA</span></span><br />
<div class=" b_entityTitle" style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-spacing: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: outside none none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Technically,
breccia is a sedimentary rock that is made up of broken sharp clasts
(bits) that weathered off the main rock. They can be found at the bottom
of the formation or have moved in a debris flow. These clasts are bound
together in a that may or may not be the same material
as it is compacted to form this new rock. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Some minerals, like sandstone.granite can form breccia completely of
their own material when the larger bits are compacted in with mineral
grains. Breccia formed with multiple types of are clasts referred to as
polymict breccia. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
cool looking brecciated combo rock is definitely not jasper or agate.
The bits caught in the black material are also the pink and apparently
broke off it before being contained in the black.about 5.5 on Mohs scale
for both colors.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously, these pictures are not to scale, but you can see that this brecciated rock made a lovely cab.</span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_PdICcbRBJuXma49eRCDN29zoZ3Bk9F3c7KAcK6VRZZa1qHNFiBb8TLt91MVkk704lOhkny2fsurU85DhyphenhyphenTWTHID_s2gfZOM0RaSrhnyU8d4zIgRbxNnQOkwrQtsEyjVIj1hCTZPjxcX/s1600/20180508_161251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1178" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_PdICcbRBJuXma49eRCDN29zoZ3Bk9F3c7KAcK6VRZZa1qHNFiBb8TLt91MVkk704lOhkny2fsurU85DhyphenhyphenTWTHID_s2gfZOM0RaSrhnyU8d4zIgRbxNnQOkwrQtsEyjVIj1hCTZPjxcX/s320/20180508_161251.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekZP1EywahCcqKE-ULa-ZSel_yMUESq3HvPDOZWBiFn333-H2nDbFDYEGPKY4yCIkwroIMTjRTFCyDFWlDZ24GvKkn-ZsI3WiYzD-1JFPoIw-0pvhIfaoc1zZnTWjosHd5h0juqI3grZr/s1600/20180423_092249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekZP1EywahCcqKE-ULa-ZSel_yMUESq3HvPDOZWBiFn333-H2nDbFDYEGPKY4yCIkwroIMTjRTFCyDFWlDZ24GvKkn-ZsI3WiYzD-1JFPoIw-0pvhIfaoc1zZnTWjosHd5h0juqI3grZr/s320/20180423_092249.jpg" width="126" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">CONGLOMERATE</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
When the bits that weathered off the primary rock have gone a distance
and have had their sharp edges rounded by water or the action of a
debris field, you have a conglomerate.Some beautiful ones occur when the
clasts are held together in a matrix of quartz or calcite. Of course,
most of us see an example of a man-made conglomerate every
day--concrete.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IV4z-_x-0feBK3Bk-eHF-YIrTZx08G0FKTqwdCzxNNfoiK0eqtahCrAjRmrIc6SYjXngt7Yly8o77805uq2bAcSIekJKkNndhcZkPkZ4uHaDdfV5Oai4S6Ky-V6sgFz8PYFIha1XXvlL/s1600/20180402_092953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1505" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IV4z-_x-0feBK3Bk-eHF-YIrTZx08G0FKTqwdCzxNNfoiK0eqtahCrAjRmrIc6SYjXngt7Yly8o77805uq2bAcSIekJKkNndhcZkPkZ4uHaDdfV5Oai4S6Ky-V6sgFz8PYFIha1XXvlL/s320/20180402_092953.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
This cross slice from a large conglomerate jasper/agate rock has smoother edges and a bit of white agate that brightens the look. I know some people make clocks out of slabs like these and this one would be a natural since it already has a natural void in the center!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5CFRaIqZO2uvTW0ZssvoZSOttfT4x5lTqGcSbz4ZFnisNezujAScMmd09rUrRYwXbwIDs5HU0Tyd3O1Lwde_DcI6i34qzTxqn914QmaaIPDB3bIgibnXwXv7hyrE7u3_Mn8Vty07cC40/s1600/20180402_093109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1349" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5CFRaIqZO2uvTW0ZssvoZSOttfT4x5lTqGcSbz4ZFnisNezujAScMmd09rUrRYwXbwIDs5HU0Tyd3O1Lwde_DcI6i34qzTxqn914QmaaIPDB3bIgibnXwXv7hyrE7u3_Mn8Vty07cC40/s320/20180402_093109.jpg" width="291" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This one has wonderful colors and the brecciated bits are softly rounded and could be mistaken in some areas as a moss. It's primarily jasper with white and clear agate matrix.You know it's near my dinner time, because I'm seeing a red and yellow pepper salsa over a sour cream-filled burrito..</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">
I fell in love with this brown and clear conglomerate jasper/agate because I can see all the way through it at some points because the agate is so clear. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhr1cNTgb8J85kznAZPhamYt-hSWBnwoLdwFDQtyG57PDHBXMPjMJcVqyWyHzK6WDZ5Jv0-h2kNxn3jNysxj4ZWxCdy64ZEt56QDJCpOJsKuO2t_QqYAuTtQkAJkTk9c8p_nC8iAAOG3F/s1600/20180402_093258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhr1cNTgb8J85kznAZPhamYt-hSWBnwoLdwFDQtyG57PDHBXMPjMJcVqyWyHzK6WDZ5Jv0-h2kNxn3jNysxj4ZWxCdy64ZEt56QDJCpOJsKuO2t_QqYAuTtQkAJkTk9c8p_nC8iAAOG3F/s320/20180402_093258.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">If you're enjoying my blog, please pass it on to your friends!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Want to write and tell me something? I'm eager to hear from you!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Until next time,</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Donna</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Your Lapidary Whisperer </span></div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791896031463009992noreply@blogger.com0