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Post by krazydiamond on Dec 24, 2005 20:08:11 GMT -5
Christmas Eve is when we open a few presents from friends and relatives that live far away. i received a small piece of Moldavite! frankly it looks like a dried reindeer poo, but i looked it up and it's apparently quite a rare thing. i'll try and photograph it for the forum at some point, but, as i say, it's rather...um....(raisin like) weird looking. (actually, held up against light it is a lovely translucent green).
it's the thought that counts and my neice is a pretty cool lady. Merry Christmas, everyone!
KD
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 24, 2005 20:49:05 GMT -5
THat's a rare hunk of glass you've got there KD. Maybe a hunk of the rock that melted and blew up into the atmosphere when the big comet wiped out the dinosaurs or maybe when a meteor hit the moon in ages past. Very kewl. I find the whole tektite group fascinating. I've also seen some neat jewelry made from them....mel
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Post by docone31 on Dec 24, 2005 21:05:50 GMT -5
Nah, Moldavite is not part of the KT meteor. However, do you not dare tumble it!!!!! It facets really well, and makes a stellar gemstone. It is worth hanging on to. Moldavite is really worth just hanging on to. Any photos, and weight?
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Post by Cher on Dec 24, 2005 21:10:21 GMT -5
Holy cow KD I had to search and find it .... man that stuff is worth a mint. What a wonderful present you got, can't wait to see a picture of it.
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Sabre52
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Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 24, 2005 21:37:39 GMT -5
Docone: *S* Ok I said maybe. *L* Actually I've heard it speculated the KT meteorite as a possibilty for Bediasites from Texas not Moldavites from Moldavia. ( the article said maybe fragments of the off planet object combined with melted rock from the Earth, were thrown into space, and fell back through the atmosphere creating the molten glass like material) . The composition of tektites supposedly resembles no known rock from which they could have formed, the temp needed to melt them is much higher than that requred to melt Pyrex, and markings on many indicate passage through the atmosphere so extraterrestrial origin is probable. Although I should say this is apparently all speculation anyway as no one knows for sure. I've always found it curious though, that many of the areas of tektite fall ( ie US gulf states of Texas and Georgia, parts of Australia, Borneo, Philippines etc seem to be coincidentally near area where large interplanatary objects are supposed to have struck the Earth......mel
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Post by docone31 on Dec 24, 2005 23:03:50 GMT -5
Its ok. Here in Floriduh, when they are putting in new developments, roads, etc., the graders roll up nodules of nickle/iron. They are all over the ground. Our ground water is so full of iron that the sprinklers leave deposits on sidewalks. Everyone is doing research to find where the iron could have come from. Like duh.... The fossil strata ends below the iron deposits. Since Floriduh is a coral reef/sandbar, where would nodules of iron come from? In my Moldavite collection, I have three "perfect" 120ct, 140ct, nad 230ct pieces. One of these days, since I do facet. One of these days.
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earthdog
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Don't eat yellow snow
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Post by earthdog on Dec 24, 2005 23:41:52 GMT -5
Most everything I read when I did a google lookup, says the leading theory concerning their origin is the "Meteorite Impact Theory". Anyway you think how it came about, it's a cool looking stone, glass or meteorite.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 25, 2005 0:48:38 GMT -5
Docone: What you say certainly makes sense too. Man, a 230 carot moldavite would sure cut one glorious stone! The Moldavian stones are a very nice green. As an aside, out here in the west we see a lot of stones cut from Mt. St. Helens glass which is created by melting the ash from the eruption. Darned if some of it doesn't look just like the green of moldavites. I've often been put off buying a Moldavite for my collection for fear it would be a fake. Doc, how would I tell if one was authentic and not a blob of this volcanic glass?....mel
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Post by docone31 on Dec 25, 2005 8:53:44 GMT -5
Ok, African Moldavite is phoney. Moldavite is a dark green, African Moldavite is a lime green. There are usually no bubbles in authentic Moldavite. I also have several pieces of Mt. St. Helens. When I went there, I found this piece of red obsidian that just screamed take me home. I still have it and one of these days I will go across the isle and have Sands cut it and polish it. Moldavite is georgeous when faceted. I have faceted meteorites, apache tears, anything from volcanic, or meteor origin. I just like the motif.
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Sabre52
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Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 25, 2005 9:35:04 GMT -5
docone: Thanks for the ID advice. Next time I see some I'll check it out a lot closer. Faceted volcanics,Moldavites, meteorites etc sounds like a really interesting collection. Love to see some pics sometime....mel
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rckhndk
starting to spend too much on rocks
My rockhound buddy
Member since November 2005
Posts: 208
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Post by rckhndk on Dec 26, 2005 17:53:02 GMT -5
Docone, you might want to pick up some of those nodules that are being dug up. There are NO natural sources of Nickel-iron on Earth! Iron meteorites can sell for 50 cents or more a gram. Watch out, if word gets out, you might have Robert Haag the Meteorite Man invading! *-)
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drupe
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2005
Posts: 1,245
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Post by drupe on Dec 26, 2005 18:00:59 GMT -5
Hey Guys Would someone please put a pic of Moldavite on the board. Please Pete
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Dec 26, 2005 18:08:24 GMT -5
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Post by Alice on Dec 26, 2005 19:20:24 GMT -5
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Post by krazydiamond on Dec 26, 2005 19:25:51 GMT -5
hmmm, interesting link, alice, thanks, i think i will keep it "as is" for the time being.
KD
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stefan
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Member since January 2005
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Post by stefan on Dec 27, 2005 10:15:35 GMT -5
Pretty cool KD- I don't think (at those prices) I would do anything to it- Into the collection!
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drupe
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2005
Posts: 1,245
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Post by drupe on Dec 27, 2005 10:19:58 GMT -5
Thanks, Rallyrocks.
Pete
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Post by LCARS on Dec 28, 2005 2:27:02 GMT -5
Trippy dude! Gotta love those techtites eh?...
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