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Post by vegasjames on May 28, 2024 18:47:34 GMT -5
Bertrandite and Tiffany stone are two different things. Bertrandite is a beryllium mineral mined around the world. It is colorless to pale yellow and may or may not be present in Tiffany stones.
Bertrandite is only present in the ore referred to a Tiffany stone in a concentration of around 0.04-0.07%, which is why the majority of the ore does not contain any bertrandite.
Tiffany stones, which is not opalized fluorite either since fluorite does not opalize, is defined as a conglomerate of up to 16 different minerals predominated by fluorite. Therefore, Tiffany stones do not have a specific make up, and instead can vary quite a bit in composition. This is also why they can vary so much patterns, hardness and stability and in some cases color.
As for the name "opalized fluorite", again fluorite does not opalize. Fluorite can be an inclusion in opal, which is not the same thing. Another example of fluorite inclusions in opal is Morado opal from Mexico, which can look a lot like the Tiffany stones. The difference is that Morado opal is actually opal included with fluorite. Tiffany stones again are a conglomerate of various minerals that may include fluorite, common quartz, chalcedony, opal, calcite, dolomite, manganese, bertrandite, etc.
I wrote this on the "opalized fluorite" name previously on another rock board:
"As for the claim of being opalized fluorite, this is nonsense as fluorite does not opalize like calcium sources do. I will not get in to all the science behind this, but the basic explanation is that calcium has a special relationship with silica, which is why we often see opalization of calcium sources such as shells and bones. Fluorite though does not have this same property and thus does not opalize. People are confusing inclusions with replacement. When we find an ant in amber, do we falsely claim that the amber is "antized"? How about when carbon inclusions are found in diamonds, do we call the "carbonized"? Or when we find chlorite inclusions in quartz, do we call the quartz "chloriteized"? So why are we calling opal inclusions in fluorite "opalized", especially when opal again may or may not even be present in Tiffany stone".
Also note that I wrote "Tiffany stones" as in plural. The reason for this is that another common myth is that Tiffany stones only come from one location in Utah, the Brush-Wellman Mine. Tiffany stones have been fond in 4 locations I have heard of in Utah, and can be found in 3 locations in Nevada. Up until recently, the Brush=Wellman Mine was the only active mine digging this ore.
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
Member since May 2024
Posts: 1,852
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Post by tribeunited on May 28, 2024 19:50:13 GMT -5
Holy Batmobiles Batman! I am so glad you took the time to write all of this as a response! I now understand why it was labeled as such and why my Tiffany Stone slabs didn't appear similar. Turns out they were different all along. I'm embarrassed to admit I assumed Bertrandite was Tiffany Stone.
Still, the amount you know is mind boggling! Mind blown! Please forgive me and be patient as I ask really dumb questions.
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Post by vegasjames on May 28, 2024 20:04:48 GMT -5
Holy Batmobiles Batman! I am so glad you took the time to write all of this as a response! I now understand why it was labeled as such and why my Tiffany Stone slabs didn't appear similar. Turns out they were different all along. I'm embarrassed to admit I assumed Bertrandite was Tiffany Stone. Still, the amount you know is mind boggling! Mind blown! Please forgive me and be patient as I ask really dumb questions. As the saying goes, there are no dumb questions. Nobody knows everything, and a lot of learning involves asking questions.
A big part of the problem though is that there is so much misinformation spreading on the internet because people tend to simply repeat rather than to fact check from credible sources. I see a lot of this with medicine as well as stones.
In fact, I am thinking about posting a debate I had with a supposed "geologist" about opal and how chalcedony forms. It is rather long, but the guy contradicts himself many times, and eventually states as facts things that I already explained to him that he claimed I was wrong about initially. Lots of great info in the debate though.
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
Member since May 2024
Posts: 1,852
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Post by tribeunited on May 28, 2024 20:44:01 GMT -5
I'd be interested to read that debate, though admittedly most of it would fly over my head. The misinformation is really hard to sort through as a beginner. That's why I never question the labels accuracy, I just have to ask for a bit more when it doesn't make sense to me.
Thanks again Mr. vegasjames!
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Post by vegasjames on May 28, 2024 22:23:58 GMT -5
I'd be interested to read that debate, though admittedly most of it would fly over my head. The misinformation is really hard to sort through as a beginner. That's why I never question the labels accuracy, I just have to ask for a bit more when it doesn't make sense to me. Thanks again Mr. vegasjames! Just posted it:
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
Member since May 2024
Posts: 1,852
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Post by tribeunited on May 29, 2024 16:03:37 GMT -5
Heading over to read it now, thanks!
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