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Post by bobby1 on Feb 22, 2011 16:53:26 GMT -5
Last week when we were at Tuscon I came across this material. I had seen small pieces before but they were very pricey. I decided to try some since I have never cut and polished any. It is also called Chrome Chalcedony. They only had a few 7mm beads as an example of finished pieces and, unfortunately I didn't get any photos. The beads were a medium light green with a slightly mossy appearance. The material comes from Zimbabwe. Nearly all the pieces were quite large and it took me a while digging through the pallets of rough to find a couple pieces that I could afford. The prices were $100 a kilo ($45 a pound) if you bought a smaller quantity and $60 a kilo ($27 a pound) if you bought a 100 kilos. Here are the photos: The rough comes as large seam pieces 1" to 3" thick and with a lot of bubble-like indentations and convolutions. It definitely not shaped so that you could get very large slabs out of it. The center piece is about 6" across. These are the pieces that I bought. The large one is about 7 ounces and I paid $14 for it, about $70 a kilo. The smaller one 1s 2.3 ounces and I got it for $5. I was able to talk the dealer down in price because it was late in the last day of the show and he was in the process of packing things up. I'm looking forward to cabbing this material (after I finish some other cabs that I have already promised. Bob
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Post by Toad on Feb 22, 2011 17:11:08 GMT -5
Looks like great stuff. Hope it works up well for you.
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stoneviews
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2009
Posts: 1,864
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Post by stoneviews on Feb 22, 2011 17:29:27 GMT -5
Cool looking stuff, can't wait to see your cabs from it.
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Feb 22, 2011 19:21:05 GMT -5
If anyone can show how beautiful this stuff is cabbed, it's you Bob. Looks like a few nice pieces will come from what you picked out.
Nate
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Post by Roller on Feb 22, 2011 20:03:13 GMT -5
looking foward to seeing those as well ...
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Post by 150FromFundy on Feb 23, 2011 7:40:22 GMT -5
At $45 a pound, I hope things work out! Looks like it will have a jade like appearance when polished. Nice intense green.
Darryl.
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Post by stonesthatrock on Feb 23, 2011 9:36:36 GMT -5
heres a piece ralph cabbed long time ago. I didn't even know it was around, i might have bought some, also. I love it because it looks simialar to an emerald and thats my birthstone.
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Post by bobby1 on Feb 23, 2011 10:38:30 GMT -5
Mary Ann, I only saw it at one dealer in Tuscon and I forget exactly which show it was at. Bob
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stoneviews
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2009
Posts: 1,864
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Post by stoneviews on Feb 23, 2011 11:33:41 GMT -5
mmmmm, Candy!!!
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Feb 23, 2011 20:38:01 GMT -5
Nice green. Can't wait to see the cabs
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