geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 288
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Post by geoff59 on Nov 4, 2022 11:32:49 GMT -5
I am wondering if anyone has some good info/experience on successful eudialyte tumbling Thank you in advance!
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,019
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Post by gemfeller on Nov 4, 2022 18:02:47 GMT -5
Lapidary grade eudialyte is pretty and seems solid enough to cut nice cabs, based on the few I've cut. But I'm curious about where you're finding enough to tumble. My understanding is that it's fairly rare, mostly a collector stone. The little I've worked came from the Kola Peninsula in Russia.
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geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 288
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Post by geoff59 on Nov 5, 2022 5:48:36 GMT -5
I was fortunate enough to get some a few years back, the source being someone I knew closing up/retiring their lap side business. They have since passed on. I have about 6 pounds I think. So it was a 1 time opportunity. I’ve never seen it offered elsewhere. I can’t recall where it came from, except that I know it wasn’t Russia, I probably have the info somewhere.
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geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 288
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Post by geoff59 on Nov 5, 2022 5:56:49 GMT -5
Seeing that it is listed a 5-6 on Moh’s, my only idea so far is to use a sodalite recipe. Over this coming winter I want to try to tumble a barrel of it on my 33b.
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
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Post by SirRoxalot on Nov 14, 2022 10:47:14 GMT -5
Kipawa, Quebec produces wonderful eudialyte. I’ve faceted and cabbed a bit, but tumbling probably isn’t a good idea. Majority is mixed with other minerals, exceedingly granular, fragile, and cracked, from glaciation, thousands of years of weathering and then some blasting. At its best, makes a fabulous cab, or can be face polished, but not a great choice for tumbling. The associated agrellite is the biggest problem. Slabs can look great, but break with a bit of pressure.
The Russian material is quite different. Dark red on black, appears to be a simpler mixture of minerals, and much more solid. I imagine the dark matrix is amphibole or pyroxene, which present their own challenges, and suspect the eudialyte would undercut. It’s not exactly cheap, so I wouldn’t be running a full load, but wouldn’t hesitate to chuck an end cut in with a load of feldspar, or something equally soft, and see what happens. If you decide to run a barrel of eudialyte, I’d suggest overfilling it a little, using lots of smalls for cushioning, and keeping a close eye and ear on it. Good luck, send pix.
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geoff59
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2022
Posts: 288
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Post by geoff59 on Nov 15, 2022 10:21:32 GMT -5
here is what I have. The source is somewhere in Norway.
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