tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 6, 2024 17:50:21 GMT -5
Ok, to be fair, there are more than 10 things I don't know.... but today let's limit it to 10. (the other 8 posted earlier don't count - it's 10!) So....I have 10 more slabs I can't get a read on. They are perplexing little buggers! Anyone who wants to have some fun testing their rock knowledge, please join in. Anyone who thinks I should do more research - I agree. But people seem to have fun with this so I'm throwing this one at the members looking for a challenge. (Nobody said anything of the sort, that's just my guilt talking... everyone here is wonderful and kind and super supportive.) Without further ado.... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 realrockhound I'm tagging you because I see plumes. I'm not pushing you, just poking you a little. *poke* *poke*
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 6, 2024 18:30:24 GMT -5
2 is a rhyolite.
8 look like it could possibly be turquoise stringers (thin veins though the matrix).
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 6, 2024 18:34:14 GMT -5
vegasjames - I almost tagged you on that blue one, and you didn't disapoint as usual! Thanks so much I'll have to do some research when it comes to testing turquoise. I read something at one point about licking it to see if the tongue sticks to it...but I'm done licking rocks after that cacalite explanation earlier this week.
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 6, 2024 19:42:00 GMT -5
vegasjames - I almost tagged you on that blue one, and you didn't disapoint as usual! Thanks so much I'll have to do some research when it comes to testing turquoise. I read something at one point about licking it to see if the tongue sticks to it...but I'm done licking rocks after that cacalite explanation earlier this week. The licking is a myth. Turquoise can run from chalky where the tongue will stick to glassy where the tongue will not stick.
i would start by checking hardness. Good quality, untreated turquoise is harder than the much rarer chrysocolla.
If it was not in matrix I would say do a density test as well as turquoise also has a higher density, but this is not accurate with mixed stones such as veins in a matrix.
The other test would be for phosphate, which is found in turquoise, but not chrysocolla. Since this is a destructive test though, I would stick to the hardness test first.
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 6, 2024 19:56:41 GMT -5
Thank you vegasjames, I will! Also thank you for setting me straight on the myth of the lick test. You saved me!
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Post by parfive on Jul 6, 2024 21:57:03 GMT -5
First one is Bulico jasper from Mexico.
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tribeunited
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Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 6, 2024 22:12:45 GMT -5
oh thanks parfive! I felt like I should know that one, but I couldn't remember where I saw it before.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Jul 6, 2024 23:18:07 GMT -5
#9 is coprolite, very likely from southern Utah, maybe western Colorado.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 7, 2024 6:48:15 GMT -5
#9 is coprolite, very likely from southern Utah, maybe western Colorado. I thought 3 might be, too.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Jul 7, 2024 8:21:56 GMT -5
#9 is coprolite, very likely from southern Utah, maybe western Colorado. I thought 3 might be, too. Could be but I can't say either way on it, however I feel so sure about #9 that I'd bet the farm on it.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 7, 2024 8:32:38 GMT -5
I thought 3 might be, too. Could be but I can't say either way on it, however I feel so sure about #9 that I'd bet the farm on it. 9 for sure. I learned that from you!
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Post by rmf on Jul 7, 2024 9:25:04 GMT -5
#2 Goldfield Jasper (rhyolite) #8 I would say Chryscolla in matrix vs Turquoise though I would not fight about it unless there is a Phosphorus then for sure Turquoise
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Post by rmf on Jul 7, 2024 9:27:18 GMT -5
I am guessing #4 may be a morgan Hill jasper just the poppies got smeared
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 7, 2024 13:55:14 GMT -5
RWA3006 - Oh! thank you. I saw one exactly like this in the agate index - You are spot on sir. rmf - Thank you for all of the IDs. I never heard of goldfield jasper before. Thanks for helping me out again. As far as the chrysocolla goes - I did a hardness test as suggested by vegasjames. It scratches with a steel knife, does that indicate chrysocolla rather than turquoise? rockjunquie - thank you as well my dearest. I will mark #3 as a possible poopie. Is coprolite ever called a jasper?
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 7, 2024 14:04:33 GMT -5
RWA3006 - Oh! thank you. I saw one exactly like this in the agate index - You are spot on sir. rmf - Thank you for all of the IDs. I never heard of goldfield jasper before. Thanks for helping me out again. As far as the chrysocolla goes - I did a hardness test as suggested by vegasjames . It scratches with a steel knife, does that indicate chrysocolla rather than turquoise? rockjunquie - thank you as well my dearest. I will mark #3 as a possible poopie. Is coprolite ever called a jasper? No, coprolite is agatized dino poop.
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 7, 2024 14:08:15 GMT -5
Ahhh, another disturbing agate. I thought we had a poppy j and poopie j, my bad.
All kidding aside, I am really starting to develop a love of jaspers over agates. Calm down, I don't hate agates, I just prefer jaspers. The composition of agates is downright scary at times.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Jul 7, 2024 15:29:14 GMT -5
RWA3006 - Oh! thank you. I saw one exactly like this in the agate index - You are spot on sir. rmf - Thank you for all of the IDs. I never heard of goldfield jasper before. Thanks for helping me out again. As far as the chrysocolla goes - I did a hardness test as suggested by vegasjames . It scratches with a steel knife, does that indicate chrysocolla rather than turquoise? rockjunquie - thank you as well my dearest. I will mark #3 as a possible poopie. Is coprolite ever called a jasper? No, coprolite is agatized dino poop. This is correct. Specifically much or most coprolite from the American southwest is highly agatized, but it seems that once you go north of central Utah the coprolite specimens seem to lose agate and are more of a petrified mud consistency. The dinosaur digs in Wyoming, Dakotas, Montana and Alberta have a lot of coprolites but I've never seen any that would be worth cutting open to find beautiful agate.
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tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 7, 2024 15:40:42 GMT -5
RWA3006 - Thanks you for that information. I don't know if this specimen of coprolite was worth cutting open, but the collector thought it worth opening. I can't tell the good ones from the bad ones at this stage. I have more in the collection, like this one below. It might be asking a lot, but could you tell me what to look for as far as spotting which ones are good vs bad quality?
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 7, 2024 18:26:05 GMT -5
RWA3006 - Oh! thank you. I saw one exactly like this in the agate index - You are spot on sir. rmf - Thank you for all of the IDs. I never heard of goldfield jasper before. Thanks for helping me out again. As far as the chrysocolla goes - I did a hardness test as suggested by vegasjames . It scratches with a steel knife, does that indicate chrysocolla rather than turquoise? rockjunquie - thank you as well my dearest. I will mark #3 as a possible poopie. Is coprolite ever called a jasper? Turquoise can have a hardness of 5-6, and a knife 5.5. Therefore, a knife can easily scratch chrysocolla, and may or may not scratch turquoise. I would try something softer like a copper penny, which is 3.5. Chrysocolla is quite a bit softer than turquoise at 2-4, and therefore more likely to be scratched by a copper penny, which will not scratch good turquoise.
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ThomasT
has rocks in the head
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Post by ThomasT on Jul 7, 2024 18:33:50 GMT -5
Chrysocolla hardness can be all over the place... Gem Silica is still all around called Chrysocolla... whether it is a misnomer or not (and maybe should be called more properly Chrysocolla Chalcedony), it's as hard as any Turquoise.
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