wi54880
starting to shine!
Member since March 2009
Posts: 33
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Post by wi54880 on Jun 14, 2009 21:41:43 GMT -5
I was at a zoo today, and the polished rocks seemed to have glitter or sparkles in them? Can I do this with mine?
Also, they had different colored quartz. The packaging even said polished with color.
Anyone know anything about this?
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Jun 14, 2009 23:22:57 GMT -5
what you probably saw was "goldstone"...it's a man-made material with the specks and flakes already in it.
As for the dyed stone, I'd speculate it's done either prior to the polish stage or after it, probably not during it.
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Jun 15, 2009 0:38:03 GMT -5
The quartz was probably crackle quartz. I'm not sure how they do it but it does look neat. Maybe having the name will help in a internet search?
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Post by MyNewHobby on Jun 16, 2009 20:02:54 GMT -5
Okay .... I am still new at this so bear with me ...
Why would anyone want to add glitter or other artificial coloring to any of the rocks we work with? Aren't they pretty enough naturally without artificial interference?
Just my 2 cents ...
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Post by johnjsgems on Jun 17, 2009 8:36:40 GMT -5
A lot of the unbelievably colorful quartz rock on the market are colored with mineral salts and or heat. Rock and Gem magazine had an interesting article on it a while back. I agree with Julie. Natural is better.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 17, 2009 12:14:43 GMT -5
Yep, I'm with Julie too. The cool things about rocks are the beauty, pattern and color that are put in place by natural forces. I prefer natural stones and avoid artificially colored or created stones. It's much more interesting to study how geology created unusual or beautiful patterns....Mel
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catskillrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,270
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Post by catskillrocks on Jun 18, 2009 10:19:34 GMT -5
I'm with Julie, John & Mel. However I'm wondering where wi54880 mentions rocks with glitter or sparkles in them, (not the different colored quartz) could that be either mica or quartz crystals in the stone that are reflecting the light? Or something like that? Just wondering.
Don
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Post by johnjsgems on Jun 18, 2009 10:56:11 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure as someone said the "sparkles/glitter" material was the man made "gold stone". It comes in a purple or brown base generally. We found beads last year with glass milafiori (sp?) flowers mixed in. Near Silverton, CO in the Rhononite area we collected a white material shot through with pyrite flakes but it wasn't the "glitter" affect gold stone has.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Jun 18, 2009 18:37:56 GMT -5
I'm not sure about glitter, but I've heard that if you add enough chocolate syrup, they'll taste just like chocolate syrup. ;D   The rocks that you're referring to do in fact sound like goldstone to me as well. |
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Jun 18, 2009 19:41:36 GMT -5
can't we please let this thread just die already?
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Jun 18, 2009 20:14:40 GMT -5
Okay .... I am still new at this so bear with me ... Why would anyone want to add glitter or other artificial coloring to any of the rocks we work with? Aren't they pretty enough naturally without artificial interference? Just my 2 cents ... Kids love 'em.... my son likes the goldstone and the dyed quartz..... |
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Post by MyNewHobby on Jun 18, 2009 20:46:14 GMT -5
Randy ..... you're funny!!!! I would be silly enough to try it though!!!
RallyRocks ... Nope! ;D
The rest of you lovely persons ....
I learned a couple of things here ...
I did not know that there was such a thing as dyed quartz. I will now go back into the last 3 issues of Rock & Gem to see if I have this article.
Very cool!!
One more thing .... The only silly question/stupid question is the one not asked.
Wi54880 .... thank you for asking ... I learned a few things here.
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The rocks that you're referring to do in fact sound like goldstone to me as well. 
