peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Sept 9, 2010 14:10:19 GMT -5
We don't have rocks in New Orleans, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised that some of my mentors weren't real strong on their rock identification. I have several specimens of this stuff, which I *believe* to be an arsenic ore, orpiment/realgar in matrix. If anyone recognizes this material, I'd love to hear from you. I have never worked it, but it's my understanding that it should be worked wet while wearing a respirator. I put it in sunlight to take this photograph, but I store it in the dark. So I'm taking the precautions I should take, I think, *IF* I have the correct identity. I'm thinking of swapping or selling my remaining material but first I'd like to be sure I know what it is. If it's orpiment/realgar, it can't sit out on rock tables, because light would eventually cause it to lose its nice color, so I want to give people accurate information.
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Post by jakesrocks on Sept 9, 2010 15:31:11 GMT -5
Realgar and orpiment are both far too soft to be cabbed or tumbled, with a hardness of only 1-1/2 to 2 Mohs. A test to find out if it is one of these two minerals would be to heat a small chip with a torch, and see if it gives off a garlic odor. I hope you don't lick your rocks to bring out the colors. Don
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
|
Post by peachfront on Sept 9, 2010 17:51:56 GMT -5
I sure don't lick this one! What the heck is it good for, then? Just as a specimen? I wonder if I could spray it with some clear acrylic to put some shine on it. I have enough to experiment with...
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Post by jakesrocks on Sept 9, 2010 17:58:44 GMT -5
You could try that. At least it would prevent dust from the rock being breathed in. In contact with air and humidity, it may break down into a powder. It would probably take quite a bit to make you sick, but don't let kids or pets mess with it. And now off to the books, to see what other orange minerals resemble it. Don
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