Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Aug 31, 2013 17:13:01 GMT -5
Good day fellow rock people:) Over the next while I would like to upload some images of rocks I don't know what they are, one so I can learn and two so I can ID them so I know what they are when I work them:) Some of you guys are walking encyclopeadias of rock ID info, I am very impressed. Hope you can help me out with ID's. I can't tell you where the rocks came from as they were in an old estate collection I bought. The images are taken dry, no flash under daylight lamps with a Nikon D80. On this monitor the colors are pretty accurate. If you need more info or images let me know: Thanks in advance very much Tom ONE TWO (this one may actually be from our own Tony, for sure not the estate collection) THREE FOUR FIVE (front is polished and a shot of the rough) SIX SEVEN (2 different specimens but same type of rock) EIGHT (2 different specimens but same type of rock)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 17:53:38 GMT -5
#1) - might just could be Burro Creek #2) #3) ??black feather?? #4) sodalite - although if there is pyrite present it might could be lapis #5) #6) #7) looks totally like it could be what I have been calling "Turkish Rainforst Chrysoprase". I thought I was sole US importer by accident, perhaps not. Sorry np photo of the rough at the moment #8) looks like one of those Indian agates green tree perhaps??
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Post by tntmom on Aug 31, 2013 18:58:18 GMT -5
#6 is Blue Lace agate
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 31, 2013 19:10:13 GMT -5
Deleted - responded to wrong post.
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Post by helens on Aug 31, 2013 19:14:54 GMT -5
1- purple lepidolite. just got a whole bunch of it and the polish it will take is SICK looking (have some in final tumbler polish now). MIGHT also be purple cow because of the red streak. Is it translucent at all when polished? Looking at it again on a different system, it could be Burro creek too.
2. want to guess Owyhee because of the blue-green... but it doesn't really look right... too wispy
3. Blue G from Hand 2 Mouth- doesn't look like Medicine bow or black feather because it's so opaque. If there's any pink and/or yellow and very opaque but porcelainy (small pores), it might be eudialyte.
4. Sodalite
5. maybe dumortierite?
6. Blue lace agate
7. not sure... resembles Sonora sunrise, but don't think that's it.
8. Green India tree agate
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 20:04:20 GMT -5
Tom - I am afraid due to my bad relationship with helen you are getting bad advise. You need to scratch test the #1 & #7 both lepidolite and sonoran sunrise are soft enough to easily scratch with a pocket knife. I make no judgements. They are what they are. I'll let you see some images of my turkish rainforest chrysoprase and decide for yourself. I will point out your #7 looks like it has conchiodal (glassy) chips, specifically the right side of the top one. Here is an image of the turkish rainforest chrysoprase. This is to show the outside of a dry example. They are two consecutive cuts placed back in order to illustrate the outside. I guarantee the identity of these images. I got them directly from Turkey and named the stone myself. Here is a bad image of a slab. Fuzzy & a bit overexposed.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 20:10:04 GMT -5
Here is an image from this website showing Blue G variation posted by the miner. Sorry helen that one was a flyer. Here is your stone for side by side comparison And here is the black feather I found on ebay. You decide. You might scratch test #5 Helen could be spot on with dumorierite. Looks quartzy and dumortierite is a mineral "in quartz". Good call on that one.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 20:43:45 GMT -5
Here is my hunk of burro creek. It was sent as a gift from beefjello. I trust the identification. Compare the "rind" or "skin" of yours to mine. My purple did not show in the image well. It is "grape-cicle"!
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 31, 2013 21:23:04 GMT -5
Here is an image of the turkish rainforest chrysoprase. This is to show the outside of a dry example. They are two consecutive cuts placed back in order to illustrate the outside. I guarantee the identity of these images. I got them directly from Turkey and named the stone myself. Yes, but is the material colored by nickel? That's what defines chrysoprase from other green chalcedonies like Mtorolite (colored by chromium.)
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Post by helens on Aug 31, 2013 21:23:17 GMT -5
Our fighting has nothing to do with iding rocks, Scott. All below pieces are mine except the Blue G: Dumortierite: Purple lepidolite (hope for your sake it's this, I had to wipe drool off my chin every time I checked the tumbler this week:)): Burro Creek: Burro Creek: Purple Cow: more purple cow: Amethyst Sage End cut: NOT my Blue G- I forgot to take a pix of mine... still have to do it: Black Feather: Alaskan Eudialyte:
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 21:28:42 GMT -5
Here is an image of the turkish rainforest chrysoprase. This is to show the outside of a dry example. They are two consecutive cuts placed back in order to illustrate the outside. I guarantee the identity of these images. I got them directly from Turkey and named the stone myself. Yes, but is the material colored by nickel? That's what defines chrysoprase from other green chalcedonies like Mtorolite (colored by chromium.) Complete honesty: The term Chrysoprase came from Turkey. I am told they had it tested. I cannot prove it. I added the "Turkish rainforest" to be descriptive, because of the look and it needed to have a different common name from the Aussie materials.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 31, 2013 21:50:35 GMT -5
Shotgunner, if you want to send me a little chip of the clear green material -- nothing big -- I'll do my best to see if I can find a spectroscopic signature for an ID.
The name "Turkish Rainforest" tickled me. I immediately tried to think of rainforests in Turkey, but of course you were romancing the mottled green appearance which sort've resembles the hues rainforest jasper. Interesting stuff.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 22:49:39 GMT -5
Shotgunner, if you want to send me a little chip of the clear green material -- nothing big -- I'll do my best to see if I can find a spectroscopic signature for an ID. The name "Turkish Rainforest" tickled me. I immediately tried to think of rainforests in Turkey, but of course you were romancing the mottled green appearance which sort've resembles the hues rainforest jasper. Interesting stuff. PM me your addy and I'll mail you a cutoff. That'd be great. Knowledge is power. It can just as easily be turkish rainforest jasper! lol RE: the name "Turkish Rainforest" was meant to be oxymoronic, and still, as you described, "romancing the mottled green appearance". In my romancing I actually saw the iron orange lines as trees/branches/limbs/twigs. I am glad it caused at least one smile. My ego ain't part of this. I was simply trying to assist the OP. Hopefully, he can do some self diagnostics and determine the dif between the materials. Tom there is no possible way that is sonoran sunrise. Please scratch test and report results here. Further, the test for blue G versus anything similar in appearance is "can you break it?". If it's blue G it is likely you cannot break it. If you can it is only with tremendous effort. I can compare it to jade. I have cut both. Jade is weak-sauce compared to the toughness of blue G. If you can break of a chip, it is not blue g. Too bad it ain't blue. helens I'll be happy to send you some blug for comparison. PM me a mailbox addy and it's yours.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2013 22:51:32 GMT -5
come to think of it. I can also look for nickel in the flame spectroscope at class. Just have to make class! lol
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Post by helens on Aug 31, 2013 23:52:22 GMT -5
Yah... the Sonoran was a thought because of the blue green... but the rust red is all wrong. The texture doesn't look as spongy as Sonoran either. Just pulled out some sonoran from my tumbler and it's undercut. I don't like the stuff anymore. Here's the red/blue from Sonoran... it's VIVID, and as I said, spongy looking. This is old stock sonoran, so it's got the green 'flowers': This is what it looks like all cut up, I don't think the color in this stuff varies much: I can't tell by the rough... haven't looked at enough of it. Maybe if you slice some, it will be easier to pinpoint.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
|
Post by Tom on Sept 1, 2013 9:25:40 GMT -5
Good morning every one, thanks for the many responses and your time. The last thing I want to do is to cause any discontent among the members of RTH, sorry for that.
Ok rocks:
#1, Can't be scratched with a knife, seems very hard. Scott; I don't think its Burro Creek, this material is almost entirely purple with very few copper colored "plumes". Some slabs are all purple. Helen; Although it does look very much like purple lepidolite from what I see online, it is hard (won't scratch with knife) and I have not polished any yet but I don't think it will be translucent, it seems very solid with a strong backlight. I will try to cab a piece today or tomorrow.
#2, Some kind of picture Jasper maybe Owyhee but still up in the air.
#3 I am Leaning towards the Black Feather as Scott suggests. Helen I don't think it is Blue G for a couple reasons; 1. it does not look like the images I see on line although the images you posted are close. I don't think its Blue G and 2. I am pretty sure its been sitting in a tub for 25 years and I don't think Blue G was discovered that long ago?
#4 Ok I can buy Sodalite, although this sample is way darker than in my picture very dark blue. I don't see any pyrite but was kind of hoping for lapis:). I will label it sodalite though.
#5 Dumortierite, is another name?? "Desert Lapis", anyway I have 5 pieces of Dumortierite at home and the skin is all wrong, this stuff is harder, I will need to cut a slab for y'all to see. Its possible but not certain.
#6 Blue Lace Agate, I put this to bed, thanks all
#7 This Material won't scratch at all, I will cut a slab of it today and post that, I think that will help you guys alot.
#8 Duh, I knew this, why did I post it, yes Indian Green Tree, sorry to waste your typing fingers:)
Thanks again for your help and time, I will slab a couple some and repost to help you.
Tom
#2
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
|
Post by Tom on Sept 1, 2013 12:28:36 GMT -5
Hi Everyone, Ok here is a cab of #1 (I see my dome sucks). Left images not back lit, right images back lit. Top right seems closest to the color of actual rock on this monitor. This rock is hard, damb hard at least like Montana Agate or harder. I chose to cut a cab with some inclusions in it but there is plenty of area that is just purple shades. Here is a slab of #7. This material is also pretty hard so I figure some kind of Jasper? Thanks again. Tom
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Post by helens on Sept 1, 2013 12:47:46 GMT -5
Aha... first one looks like burro creek to me. The 2nd one, I have a similar rock that's driven me batty for a LONG time. My wild guess is it could possibly be a bloodstone without the red. But in my own case, mine's faintly blue green chantoyant, and bloodstone is NOT chatoyant that I've seen. Here's mine: Here's another, same type rock: The strange thing is, every now and then, someone else pops up with a similar/same rock in that same dark blue/green color, and everyone gets stumped all over again. It can't be that rare, or it wouldn't be popping up periodically, but no one seems to know exactly what it is. I have a slab of similar coloring, and just decided I'd call it Blue Mountain Jasper... not because that's what it is, but it resembles it, though Blue Mountain photos I've seen are not this dark a shade: It would seem to me that every old collector has a piece or hunk or 10 in this color... yet so far, no one has been able to ID it. The color is STUNNING, the sheen in my 2 chunks rivals pietersite (not true for the slab, which is just color), the texture of the rocks I have up top are unlike any other stone I own, and most resemble satin cloth, and at this point, my specimen slabs/chunks number in the thousands. And so far, I haven't seen anyone figure it out, even tho it seems like rocks this color are pretty common since soooo many people have some.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2013 19:21:26 GMT -5
#1 is certainly burro creek.
#7) now that you have cut it does not look like turkish rainforest chrysoprase.
Helen's slabs are carefully selected high end stuff. She has a good eye for beauty. Trying to compare those to random slabs @ estate sales stuff may be productive, or not. Estate sale stuff can be awesome, but most likely is average quality cuz the good stuff was gone thru.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
|
Post by Tom on Sept 1, 2013 19:49:28 GMT -5
Thank you everyone, I am putting #1 to bed, so ID''s had for #1, 3, 4, 6 and 8 done. #2 likely maybe Owyhee, #5 could be Dumortierite and #7 a total mystery. As for the estate sale I bought it all it was not picked through, nor was it a huge amount around 800 pounds most of which is Montana and Brazil Agate.
Thanks
More to come
Tom
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