gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059 
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 9, 2023 18:20:02 GMT -5
Of all the cabs I've cut over many years I think this one is my favorite -- today, at least. It's obviously a complex of copper minerals but I haven't yet identified all of them, especially the white metal. I bought a single small slab at a gem show and the dealer didn't know where it came from. I was very surprised at its hardness: it took a great polish at 3000K so I know it's silicated. Wish I had a ton of it! Any ideas of the source or trade name?  |
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 9, 2023 18:28:25 GMT -5
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 9, 2023 19:49:56 GMT -5
Yes,I'm acquainted with him, thanks. He'll see the stone. I suspect it would just be called Shattuckite but it's far more complex than any other I've seen. I suspect it's from the Ray Mine but would like confirmation of source and names of the metallics in it. I'm sure one is native copper. |
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fencejumper
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2021
Posts: 441
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Post by fencejumper on Dec 9, 2023 20:16:48 GMT -5
Of all the cabs I've cut over many years I think this one is my favorite -- today, at least. It's obviously a complex of copper minerals but I haven't yet identified all of them, especially the white metal. I bought a single small slab at a gem show and the dealer didn't know where it came from. I was very surprised at its hardness: it took a great polish at 3000K so I know it's silicated. Wish I had a ton of it! Any ideas of the source or trade name? Thants a ZINGER! |
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fencejumper
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2021
Posts: 441
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Post by fencejumper on Dec 9, 2023 20:17:07 GMT -5
Of all the cabs I've cut over many years I think this one is my favorite -- today, at least. It's obviously a complex of copper minerals but I haven't yet identified all of them, especially the white metal. I bought a single small slab at a gem show and the dealer didn't know where it came from. I was very surprised at its hardness: it took a great polish at 3000K so I know it's silicated. Wish I had a ton of it! Any ideas of the source or trade name? Thats a ZINGER! |
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 9, 2023 20:19:24 GMT -5
I don't anything about that kind of material. I had a customer ask about Ray Mine Blue Dot Chrysocolla so I bought a chunk from Tanner.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Dec 9, 2023 21:45:33 GMT -5
gemfeller  Holy smokes, Rick, that is a seriously drop dead gorgeous cab! If I had to guess, I'd say Ray Mine, too. I know that's the first thing that would have come out of Vince's mouth. 
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Post by jasoninsd on Dec 9, 2023 22:59:21 GMT -5
gemfeller  Holy smokes, Rick, that is a seriously drop dead gorgeous cab! If I had to guess, I'd say Ray Mine, too. I know that's the first thing that would have come out of Vince's mouth. ...you mean following a couple of expletives! LOL  gemfeller - Don't have any idea...but will also add my drool-worthy comment over that one! I'm super fascinated with how you say it's siicated...especially with the apparent mix of copper minerals in that one. I'm seeing what appears to me to be copper, malachite, and turquoise in that one! |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 10, 2023 13:48:27 GMT -5
gemfeller Holy smokes, Rick, that is a seriously drop dead gorgeous cab! If I had to guess, I'd say Ray Mine, too. I know that's the first thing that would have come out of Vince's mouth. ...you mean following a couple of expletives! LOL gemfeller - Don't have any idea...but will also add my drool-worthy comment over that one! I'm super fascinated with how you say it's siicated...especially with the apparent mix of copper minerals in that one. I'm seeing what appears to me to be copper, malachite, and turquoise in that one! Re: hardness. I've cut a lot of copper and phosphate materials over time but have never had one behave like this one did on the wheels. I didn't do a scratch test unfortunately and won't do one now because it's destructive. But the way this stuff reacted to being worked was very unusual. One person suggested it might be treated and I think that's a very remote possibility. Very unusual material but I'm awaiting word on a very similar-appearing stone from Mexico the seller says is silicated. The big ball of twine unravels slowly... |
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iamchris
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2023
Posts: 722
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Post by iamchris on Dec 11, 2023 8:59:32 GMT -5
If you proposed to me with that, not even knowing your name or if you're also a dude, I'd say yes.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 11, 2023 15:08:08 GMT -5
If you proposed to me with that, not even knowing your name or if you're also a dude, I'd say yes. LOL! No proposal forthcoming but it is a pretty rock, isn't it? |
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Post by Starguy on Dec 11, 2023 16:12:03 GMT -5
Wow. That’s a beauty gemfeller. I wonder if the blue could be attributable to cobalt. The metallic slivers are pretty puzzling |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on Dec 11, 2023 18:09:40 GMT -5
Wow. That’s a beauty gemfeller. I wonder if the blue could be attributable to cobalt. The metallic slivers are pretty puzzling I know cobalt is probably the chromophore for the new seam agates coming out of central Idaho but I'm inclined to think my stone is copper all the way: shattuckite, chrysocolla, maybe a bit of malachite, tenorite, native copper, possibly some turquoise, and who knows what else. One person suggested I shine a bright light on the metallic silver-colored area and when I did I was surprised that it had the same reddish copper color as the native copper in the stone. I don't know for sure what that means: one more puzzle to check out. |
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iamchris
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2023
Posts: 722
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Post by iamchris on Dec 11, 2023 19:12:03 GMT -5
If you proposed to me with that, not even knowing your name or if you're also a dude, I'd say yes. LOL! No proposal forthcoming but it is a pretty rock, isn't it? 😆 sure is! Not that I'm well-versed in the subject, but I've never seen another so striking. |
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Post by MsAli on Dec 11, 2023 19:27:27 GMT -5
That definitely looks like Ray Mine to me. I have a slab or two out in the do not touch pile
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Dec 11, 2023 23:04:06 GMT -5
I'm tagging vegasjames on this thread because he knows so much about the copper complex stuff. |
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Post by vegasjames on Dec 12, 2023 6:41:24 GMT -5
I'm tagging vegasjames on this thread because he knows so much about the copper complex stuff. Looks to me a lot like Kingman turquoise, which often has metallic inclusions like that. |
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