tribeunited
fully equipped rock polisher
Not all materials look exactly the same. But all exact materials are exactly the same.
Member since May 2024
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 6, 2024 20:00:54 GMT -5
I'm going to tag dreamrocks on this one, I think it's her department. I think this is tourmaline, not 100% sure on that, and I don't know what is surrounding it. It's a pale green color. I'm putting in pictures of the outside of the rock. It is also flourescent, a very hot pink color. I don't know if that matters but the husband says it does so I'm showing that as well.
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khara
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Post by khara on Jul 7, 2024 5:16:51 GMT -5
There is a Watermelon Tourmaline. So is the rough that you show broken in two and the last pics are of the inside?
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 7, 2024 6:07:11 GMT -5
It doesn’t look like any kind of tourmaline that I have ever seen. I have seen tons of it and it’s definitely not a watermelon tourmaline or a tourmaline.
No clue what it could be
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ThomasT
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Post by ThomasT on Jul 7, 2024 8:06:56 GMT -5
Color wise it does appear something like Elbaite watermelon tourmaline to me. But not exactly. The way it's fractured, and the outside rind makes it look like it's not watermelon tourmaline.
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ThomasT
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Post by ThomasT on Jul 7, 2024 9:21:45 GMT -5
What is the approximate hardness of the piece? Looks kind of like some kind of calcite or fluorite perhaps, the way it fluoresces.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 7, 2024 12:36:53 GMT -5
Don't think it is tourmaline. Tourmaline forms in pegmatites as crystals. This looks to be a nodule. I don't believe I have ever read of tourmaline forming in nodules (but I have not read everything!).
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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 13:11:17 GMT -5
dreamrocks - Thank you lady! I knew I was right to ask you. khara - Yes, it is a nodule broken open like an egg. ThomasT - The outer rock appears metallic, also leaves a mess like mica. The inner pale green is soft with a hardness of around 4ish. Easy scratched with steel but not copper. The middle pink is much harder, easily scratched with quartz but not steel/carbide masonry bits. 7.5? hummingbirdstones - Thank you. I was looking at every tourmaline on mindat and came to the same conclusion Not finding nodules of any kind.
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 7, 2024 13:32:54 GMT -5
Tourmaline does not form in any form with a outer crust or skin like agates do. They do from time to time have feldspar or cookite on them but always on a crystal Many gems do take on a gem nodule form but they are generally always a solid chunk of gem material regardless if tourmaline or not. Like this smoky did showing a double tourminated crystal perched on top and is attached to the nodule To me that has the colors of apophylilte however never seen it in a nodule like that, normally it’s in crystals
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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 13:35:02 GMT -5
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 7, 2024 13:36:48 GMT -5
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 7, 2024 13:49:41 GMT -5
Tourmaline does not form in any form with a outer crust or skin like agates do. They do from time to time have feldspar or cookite on them but always on a crystal Many gems do take on a gem nodule form but they are generally always a solid chunk of gem material regardless if tourmaline or not. Like this smoky did showing a double tourminated crystal perched on top and is attached to the nodule To me that has the colors of apophylilte however never seen it in a nodule like that, normally it’s in crystals When tourmaline forms in a nodule form it like the smoky will form one or more crystal faces Another thing most not all crystals have striations running the length of the crystal. Are few are sometimes smooth running the length of the crystals usually when they are found tightly packed in the pockets then the outer crystals make up for the others not having striated crystal faces. Those tend to be fairly deeply striated crystal faces
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ThomasT
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Post by ThomasT on Jul 7, 2024 15:24:44 GMT -5
Looks like perhaps some kind of calcite or fluorite, the way it fluoresces.
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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 15:28:40 GMT -5
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khara
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Post by khara on Jul 7, 2024 16:44:07 GMT -5
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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: 1,674
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 7, 2024 17:25:14 GMT -5
those little nuggets have me lost now. I was all set to abandon all hope of tourmalines until I saw those. Now? Ya got me swinging.
I also saw some nuggety looking material called ruby corrundum (I think) that looked close too. I need to do more research on deeper testing of calcite and flourite like thomas said above as well.
This is why I stick to Jaspers and slabs. These gem like specimens always go back in the box.
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ThomasT
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Post by ThomasT on Jul 7, 2024 17:29:36 GMT -5
I feel quite certain from both your hardness test, way it fractures, crystal growth pattern around the edges, and the fluorescence test that the material is neither tourmaline nor corundum ruby.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 7, 2024 17:47:49 GMT -5
those little nuggets have me lost now. I was all set to abandon all hope of tourmalines until I saw those. Now? Ya got me swinging. I also saw some nuggety looking material called ruby corrundum (I think) that looked close too. I need to do more research on deeper testing of calcite and flourite like thomas said above as well. This is why I stick to Jaspers and slabs. These gem like specimens always go back in the box. Ruby IS a corundum as well as sapphire.
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dreamrocks
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Post by dreamrocks on Jul 7, 2024 17:48:41 GMT -5
khara actually those top pictures are actually called bi-colored 2 colors & 3 colors are tri- colors True watermelon tourmaline has a center core People do sell bi-colored tourmaline as watermelon tourmaline when it has red but that is not a true watermelon tourmaline. There’s also a price difference in the red bi-colored are usually higher especially if the dividing line in the colors are nice and sharp or defined Bi-colored True watermelon tourmaline can be clear or opaque
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ThomasT
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Post by ThomasT on Jul 7, 2024 17:59:19 GMT -5
I have been grinding on corundum ruby and sapphire crystals for years... that material isn't 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: 1,674
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Post by tribeunited on Jul 7, 2024 19:36:09 GMT -5
I'm still in agreement with ThomasT - the different hardness on the two materials ruled out tourmaline. I was only commenting that photos like the ones posted by khara and others I found on the internet had me swinging - meaning I have no clue! (does anyone else say that for I don't know? You got me swinging? I don't know where that expression came from, it's just one we use LOL)) I didn't think it was corrundum, I suppose I was poorly explaining where my search went when I tried IDing them through photos. Anyway, this one is another specimen with great notes that need further looking into by either myself when I get proper test kit or the expert when I'm ready to call one in. Thanks again everyone.
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