peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Mar 31, 2011 9:54:26 GMT -5
Here's one I've always wondered about. From an estate. Acquired sometime in 1992. It's the right color and it "looks" volcanic, so my buddy told me that it was Sugilite. However, the same buddy told me that some Purpurite from Namibia was also Sugilite, so I don't take his Identifications too seriously any more. In the photo, it has a very lightweight, almost "lava" like look. However, in life, it is HEAVY. Weight 6 pounds. Six inch ruler in the photo to give the scale. What do you folks think? I'm afraid to cut it. Despite the weight, which suggests that there's some mass in there, it looks way too pitted and cratered on the outside to make a good cutting material. I don't want to ruin a nice specimen onto to find that it's worthless as cutting material. So I'm probably not ever cutting this one...would just like to slap a name on it while it enjoys its spot in the mineral cabinet.
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auplater
starting to shine!
Member since January 2011
Posts: 28
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Post by auplater on Mar 31, 2011 11:56:45 GMT -5
Looks more like purpurite than sugilite to me, but could be either, need more info... purpurite heavier than sugilite as well purpurite sugilite what's the hardness... (purpurite scratched with a knife, sugilite not scratched by a knife) 4 to 4.5 vs. 6 to 6.5 mohs John L.
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Mar 31, 2011 17:25:42 GMT -5
Yeah, I just tested it, and I scratched it, although with some difficulty. Maybe 4 is about right for Mohs but I've never been real good with scratch tests.
There was other Purpurite in the estate but it didn't look like this, other than of course the color. The other stuff I would call really low-grade. I slabbed it and tried to cab it, soak it in muriatic acid, and all that good happy "stuff" but ended up selling it in bulk just to get rid of it to somebody who thought he might have better luck. That stuff had kind of a metallic sheen, at least the slabs did. Don't remember much what it looked like before we slabbed it, other than kinda ugly. Turned black if I touched it too much -- but Sugilite does the same with me, must be my skin oils. Heavy as heck...I will investigate a bit more about Purpurite. Meanwhile, I keep this big guy in my cabinet. If it is either mineral, I want to continue to minimize touching on it, because I don't want it absorbing any skin oil that might cause a color change.
Thanks for the suggestion.
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rocpup
spending too much on rocks
Pink Limb Iris
Member since March 2011
Posts: 465
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Post by rocpup on Apr 2, 2011 10:17:32 GMT -5
My thinking, that it in not sugilite from the color, pattern, and most sugalite has a darker to near black mixed with it. I have seen similar material come from Mexico but I do not have a name. Sometime you can crush the material with a scratch test and appears like a scratch. Once I was chastised on a scratch test because I questioned a Jade rock. There is little good purple rock and from what I see you got a keeper.
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oldgrouchy
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 240
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Post by oldgrouchy on Apr 9, 2011 7:45:01 GMT -5
I agree with it being purpurite. I have both of them and it is DEFINITELY not Sugulite.
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