herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Feb 26, 2012 17:48:16 GMT -5
Got this from Ralph and Mary Ann. My wife and kids loved it, so I thought I'd work it a little. It almost dissolves. Should I even try to polish it? Without water it is a light green, not nearly as bright. ![](http://daharsh.net/rock/g.jpg)
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Post by kk on Feb 26, 2012 18:06:04 GMT -5
It almost looks like rainforest jasper; but it should be harder than you describe, if it is.
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Post by helens on Feb 26, 2012 18:17:46 GMT -5
Maybe it's a green turquoise? I've never seen rough turquoise, and I know it's always stabilized these days or it can crumble. Plus, aged turquoise yellows and turns green eventually without stabilization. I don't know if it could turn that shade of green tho, but I don't know much about turquoise at all.
Another possibility, maybe someone tried to dye a piece of Tick Canyon howlite (can look it up). Paul generously sent me some, and if I didn't get to hold it, I would never have known how delicate it can be. Different pieces had different delicacy, some you could dent with a fingernail. Howlite definitely looks like and behaves the way your piece does.
It's sometimes called 'white turquoise' because it can hold dyes and colors. I have no idea the process, but maybe someone was testing if they could create a green turquoise out of it.
I'm pretty sure howlite has to be 'stabilized' (as in Opticon or similar), before it is cut, because it will fracture easily, and of course be too delicate to withstand normal jewelry abuse. But I know very little about any of that other than what I've read. Hopefully someone familiar with howlite and turquoise can come answer your question better.
I have no other surmises, but it may be a completely different stone.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Feb 26, 2012 18:57:22 GMT -5
It is almost as soft as chalk, not silicated as far as i can tell. Definitely not a jasper. Here it is dry:
[img src="http://daharsh.net/rock/gt.jpg["]
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Post by tandl on Feb 26, 2012 19:20:59 GMT -5
looks like chalk , also looks like gaspeite , i dont know
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Post by frane on Feb 26, 2012 19:36:40 GMT -5
Looks like Variscite to me. soft green color and kind of chalky. It is about a 4-4.5 on the MOH scale. I think it will dissolve if left in water if I remember correctly. Works better at being shaped on the 600 and up. It should polish but use a light hand all the way through.
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Post by NatureNut on Feb 26, 2012 19:40:07 GMT -5
Looks like a Serpentine and sounds like it acts like a Serpentine. Jo
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Post by helens on Feb 27, 2012 0:30:37 GMT -5
Maybe you ought to ask Maryann... bet she'd know:).
I never realized there were such a variety of softer stones! Now I'm curious what it actually is!
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Feb 27, 2012 11:05:07 GMT -5
that one I would put in the opticon/acetone soak to harden it a bit before I worked it
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Post by stonesthatrock on Feb 29, 2012 9:55:35 GMT -5
Well, you know i'm not sure what it is...... When i make up these boxes it slabs of some i know and some i don't... just look pretty. lol If it was that soft i wanna say chrysocolla, but the green is throwing me off. I will send you something else in a chrysocolla thats really pretty and stable. sorry mary ann
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Mar 1, 2012 0:56:47 GMT -5
Thanks all. Mary Ann there is nothing to apologize for, and no need to send anything else. There are 3 or 4 nice pieces of crysocolla that will be great. I was more curious, certainly not unhappy.
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Post by connrock on Mar 6, 2012 9:05:07 GMT -5
John,,, I don't know what that piece is but I can tell you that I have pretty good results polishing very soft material with a 4" muslin buff turning 1750 RPM's and Zam,,,,, after using a 1200 diamond wheel on it.
Good Luck,,,
connrock
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Post by stonesthatrock on Mar 6, 2012 9:27:34 GMT -5
your box is sent, with more to play with....... mary ann
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mystickoi
starting to spend too much on rocks
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Member since February 2010
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Post by mystickoi on Mar 6, 2012 9:33:33 GMT -5
I've bought some of this off of Ebay. It is called Verdite, and comes from Africa. It is very soft, but does take a reasonable shine. Verdite by Mystic Koi, on Flickr Bill
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