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Ulexite
Mar 28, 2007 18:57:59 GMT -5
Post by Condor on Mar 28, 2007 18:57:59 GMT -5
Here's a couple of pics of ulexite, also known as TV rock. I polished them by hand being that I ruined a lot of this rock by trying to tumble it in a rotary tumbler. It is very, very, soft with a hardness of between two and three. Top is rough. Bottom is polished. Again, top one is in the rough. Thanks for looking. Condor
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lastl98
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2007
Posts: 410
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Ulexite
Mar 28, 2007 19:54:50 GMT -5
Post by lastl98 on Mar 28, 2007 19:54:50 GMT -5
Wow! By hand you say? You did a wonderful job. I dare say that this is not your first try at this way of polishing? Almost looks like a clear mica. Very pretty indeed! Last
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Ulexite
Mar 28, 2007 21:13:14 GMT -5
Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 28, 2007 21:13:14 GMT -5
Condor can you show how that rock works? Its pretty cool
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Ulexite
Mar 28, 2007 21:39:03 GMT -5
Post by LCARS on Mar 28, 2007 21:39:03 GMT -5
Real ulexite is sooo freakin' cool, I just love it! I can't remember exactly what is often passed off as ulexite but is actually a different mineral with simillar optical properties. Anyone? Anyone... ? I think that stuff looks 100% genuine though based on way the slab, rough and polished pieces look. It's hard to photograph the effect of the words on a page underneath it appearing as if on it's top surface but I tried a couple times and got a pic that I think shows it's not just refracting, but channelling light as if through a bundle of oriented fibres. Hmmm, I know I have it around here somewhere... ? Ah-yes, here we go! If anyone reading this has not yet seen real good quality piece of oriented ulexite that's been slabbed and polished, you should do so as soon as possible, because the first time you see it you will think, "Whoa cool, this is awesome!". ;D
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Ulexite
Mar 28, 2007 22:03:30 GMT -5
Post by beefjello on Mar 28, 2007 22:03:30 GMT -5
Wow that's really neat stuff!
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Ulexite
Mar 29, 2007 10:30:55 GMT -5
Post by stefan on Mar 29, 2007 10:30:55 GMT -5
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RockyBlue
fully equipped rock polisher
Go U.K.
Member since June 2006
Posts: 1,719
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Ulexite
Mar 29, 2007 13:26:49 GMT -5
Post by RockyBlue on Mar 29, 2007 13:26:49 GMT -5
Hey Condor! I recieved a slab from Mark for the table and it is beautiful he said it was called TV Stone and i think he said it wasLiminite is this the same thing?There`s a pic posted by Mark but i couldn`t find it.it looks like opalized wood with a perfect frame around it in brown.........Rocky
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Ulexite
Mar 29, 2007 19:15:14 GMT -5
Post by Condor on Mar 29, 2007 19:15:14 GMT -5
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Ulexite
Mar 29, 2007 20:59:36 GMT -5
Post by LCARS on Mar 29, 2007 20:59:36 GMT -5
Hmmm, no it wasn't optical calcite but I have a photo of that too. I don't know what the correct term for that effect would be either...? Maybe bifraction? No, too simple... Hmmm.... OK, how about photopolar differential refraction then? Yeah, that will work! ;D
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Ulexite
Mar 29, 2007 22:13:14 GMT -5
Post by Cher on Mar 29, 2007 22:13:14 GMT -5
That's cool stuff, I can't imagine polishing stuff by hand like that. What do you mean we use it indirectly to clean our stones?
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Ulexite
Mar 29, 2007 22:25:26 GMT -5
Post by Condor on Mar 29, 2007 22:25:26 GMT -5
It's used to make borax. A lot of us use borax to clean off the rocks after the final polishing stage.
Condor
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Ulexite
Mar 29, 2007 22:33:42 GMT -5
Post by Cher on Mar 29, 2007 22:33:42 GMT -5
No kidding. Is that what it looks like coming out of the ground then?
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