The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Dec 19, 2012 22:20:53 GMT -5
Blue 'G' w/a hoodie on!!!!! Based on the average age of rocks in general I guess you could call it Blue "OG"!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by geoff on Dec 19, 2012 22:38:35 GMT -5
Here is the basic point I brought up that was promptly ignored. If I sold Gem Olivine, would you expect peridot or dunite?
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 19, 2012 23:04:00 GMT -5
... well it would depend largely on the pictures you supplied, and I would not buy w/o a picture.
but I get the point, I just referred to the "macro" part instead of the olivine example.
I think Blue-G is Blue-G and Kris is Kris. I'd prefer less hype, but I'll take hype any day over some of the disgusting and abhorrent and ignorant things that some folks here post in the Life/Universe section.
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Post by geoff on Dec 19, 2012 23:09:47 GMT -5
I'll take hype any day over some of the disgusting and abhorrent and ignorant things that some folks here post in the Life/Universe section. True story. Oh wait, you're talking about me.
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itsandbits
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 825
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Post by itsandbits on Dec 20, 2012 0:31:44 GMT -5
I don't think at a dollar a lb. you can compare gem olivine and "gem" lawsonite :<) I think the apples and oranges are really getting mixed up in this discussion. I have never had someone offer me a mercedes or jaguar for a buck. If someone offers me something for a buck, and I expect to get a silk purse out of it, the fool is me; allthough this stuff is underpriced in my opinion.
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Dec 20, 2012 0:48:40 GMT -5
allthough this stuff is underpriced in my opinion. SSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want Kris to raise his prices until I can get my stockpile setup !!!
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 20, 2012 1:02:42 GMT -5
I'll take hype any day over some of the disgusting and abhorrent and ignorant things that some folks here post in the Life/Universe section. True story. Oh wait, you're talking about me. actually, I had other folks in mind
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luvtogrow
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2012
Posts: 194
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Post by luvtogrow on Dec 20, 2012 17:40:22 GMT -5
Each cab I cut is like a child to me too, therefore, that's why I only use top quality material. I have cabbed some of this Lawsonite and I don't find it to be top quality material. Having grown up in the Bay Area, I know what's available in northern Calif and there's not much that's worth cabbing. Thank you for your offer of rockhounding in your area, but I'll pass. I don't even think I know of a person named Bob M. let alone a conversation with him urging me to try collecting at Area 54. Now if you'd like to invite me to come down to Arizona or Woodward Ranch to collect some rock to cab, I'd jump on the chance to collect some quality material. In short, my objection here is the way the material is being presented to the members. A spade is a spade is a spade-call it such. I probably didn't make much of an impression on you, Ed! I'm Bob and have many, many pounds of the panoche paisley poppy, and much more would like to show you. Can't get pics to post here but posted a few at rockhoundfieldtrips and sent you a couple to your email, last week. Would luv to take you out to the area anytime you'd like. Bob
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Post by stoner on Dec 21, 2012 22:04:44 GMT -5
I apologize Bob, I never got around to knowing your last name.
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hand2mouthmining
spending too much on rocks
Purveyors of California Gem Rock
Member since September 2011
Posts: 495
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Post by hand2mouthmining on Dec 22, 2012 21:27:34 GMT -5
Each cab I cut is like a child to me too, therefore, that's why I only use top quality material. I have cabbed some of this Lawsonite and I don't find it to be top quality material. Having grown up in the Bay Area, I know what's available in northern Calif and there's not much that's worth cabbing. Thank you for your offer of rockhounding in your area, but I'll pass. I don't even think I know of a person named Bob M. let alone a conversation with him urging me to try collecting at Area 54. Now if you'd like to invite me to come down to Arizona or Woodward Ranch to collect some rock to cab, I'd jump on the chance to collect some quality material. In short, my objection here is the way the material is being presented to the members. A spade is a spade is a spade-call it such. Ed, have you received Gem Lawsonite from us? My records don't show any shipments to you. Was the material you cabbed self collected, or passed on from another source? My reason for asking is simple and obvious; Not all occurrences of a stone are worth cutting, but disqualifying an entire range of materials on the basis of a single stone, a secondhand stone or one from another locality would be unfair. It would be akin to me disqualifying the cuttability of all garnet because our local stones are blocky and dark, with iron centers. The statement that "there's not much worth cabbing" in Northern California is subjective, and would be roundly refuted by countless rockhounds. The Panoche Hills are in Central California, and as such, exempt from that assertion. The hundreds of rockhounds that we've met there on field trips would agree with us, many wholeheartedly. "Perfection" is also a essentially subjective term, for what some call perfect might attract one man, and repel another. For example, I find "perfect" D flawless diamonds to be boring, no matter how large and valuable. But that's philosophy. Knowing that you did not receive your Lawsonite directly from us, we can't comment on the quality of the stone, or whether we'd have sold that quality of material. We are aware that some members of our field trip website, and other rockhounds in Northern California, have sold slabs of this material at Club Shows. Obviously, we can't be responsible for rock we didn't sell. If you did receive stone from someone who claimed to be unhappy with their purchase, why didn't they contact us about it? When contacted in a timely fashion and equitable fashion, we always respond with all due haste. Like most any reasonable and foresighted merchant, I desire ... Nay, covet my patrons satisfaction! If a customer did receive uncuttable rock and corresponded with us in a timely fashion, our policy has always been to replace the rock with the best grade possible. Mistakes are made, stuff happens, and "No Returns" policies are meant to discourage that small percentage of persons who would order from us just to look at the stone, then return it, expecting a full refund and reimbursement for shipping ... And repeat it over and over. Yep, that does happen, and that policy was set from experience. Repeated returns are costly and time consuming. That policy allows us to avoid undeserved PayPal & eBay claims, and concentrate on pleasing valued customers. That said, we can't reasonably be expected to reimburse for perceived value or hours invested when a cutter cuts stone and decides, in retrospect, that it isn't satisfactory. That's simply contradictory to industry policy. Any commercial broker, cutter or merchant will tell you that. You buy it, you cut it, it's yours. Nuff' said on that subject. Lawsonite conglomerate is like any other rock, and occurs in a wide variety of grades. Obviously, what the GIA performed tests on was some of the best quality material, both rough and cut. Thus the term Gem Lawsonite, referring to an un-usual quality material comprised primarily of Lawsonite, a common constituent usually found in a non-gem rock. Here are some photos of the actual stones submitted for analysis. Apologies for the crappy quality, I've been sick since Thanksgiving, an annual tradition, and took these at the kitchen table, bundled in my bathrobe. Lighting was cloudy sunshine through the blinds. Better photos will happen when wellness and sunshine return. As can be seen from these stones, they're of a much higher Lawsonite/Feldspar/Quartz density than the blue granite style material. Every time I cut open a bucket of nodules, we find new and unique patterns. As most any gem miner finds, most locations have a Top grade yield of 2 to 10% at most. Our percentage of Top material is much the same. I'm the experienced hand in Hand-2-Mouth, and spend hours at the saw cutting Blue G nodules, since there's generally no way to know what the pattern is or to tell the grade from an intact nodule. Most Top grade Gem Lawsonite can be detected in the rough, but it's comparatively scarce, and you have to know just what you're looking at to find it. We've spent years learning the visual cues and pattern recognition to tell the better material. Obviously, we don't show around Top grade rough samples before field trips, but we tell folks what they have when they ask. The offer to host you on a field trip stands. We've shared field trips with hundreds of rockhounds through our field trip website, at absolutely no charge to them. No special requirements, and almost all of the sites we share are elderly, handicapped and family friendly collecting sites. I've never turned a rockhound away from a field trip, or required them to be well dressed, well mannered, courteous or well spoken. Rockhounds are just like rocks, not every one of them is any one persons taste. I like rockhounds. Finally, a word on me, and my "sales tactics." As a wise man said, Kris is Kris ... Sometimes pompous, needlessly wordy and invariably "full o' bull." But also well intended, well meaning, sometimes sardonic and ALWAYS humorous. :cheesy: I make no apologies for my sales style, being weaned on Bugs Bunny cartoons and Ron Popeil's "Slice N' Dice" commercials. I feel that smilies and broad humor and big type and all that sort of stuff are entertaining ... And that the prices asked for our rock are reasonable. It's easy to sit on your porch and criticize a miner/vendor, underestimating the many hours (and $$$) involved in bringing you the slab that pops out of the mailer into your hand. In the case of the Panoche Hills, I've collected from Clear Creek to Silver Creek since 1987, and in the Panoche Hills around Little Panoche Creek since 2009. The collecting average has been several days a month, with gas, food and sometimes lodging. The hours involved in field work since 2009 number well into the hundreds, primarily in alluvial deposits. As you know, most rockhounds will drive by such material, since it's worn, rounded and tough to see into. With various folks, and especially my partner Al, I've worked into the northern Panoche Hills. Trust has been established with Farm, Ranch & Canal foremen and workers, even down to visiting the Basque/Mexican shepherds and making friends. It's paid off, since we're not just tolerated, but welcomed by these folks as part of "the way things are." Hours were spent sitting in the July sunshine, talking rocks with Canal Authority foremen who needed to be convinced that I wasn't there to sabotage the Canal or pick fruit off the trees. All time well spent, to establish new rockhounding sites that we freely and openly share with any rockhound. So yes, it stings when someone criticizes our efforts, inferring that we just wander around picking up rock. Like any obsessed, dedicated professional, there are countless hours and many dollars involved in the pursuit of quality lapidary rock. And sometimes you get lucky. We did. Best regards, Kris "IT'S INSAAAAAANNNNNNEEEEEEEE!!!" - Crazy Eddie
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Dec 23, 2012 14:32:57 GMT -5
This is blueschist, a polymineralic assemblage with Lawsonite as the preliminary mineral.
I'd be pretty happy to find some and its really pretty... but 'gem quality' Lawsonite? I think the report falls a little short of declaring that. I think it looks great polished but worry that it needs to be a considerable size specimen to show the lovely patterns to best effect. I think some good example cabs might help to make this 'move' for you and wish you luck.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2012 19:11:01 GMT -5
If a customer did receive uncuttable rock and corresponded with us in a timely fashion, our policy has always been to replace the rock with the best grade possible. Mistakes are made, stuff happens, and "No Returns" policies are meant to discourage that small percentage of persons who would order from us just to look at the stone, then return it, expecting a full refund and reimbursement for shipping ... And repeat it over and over. I am quite certain this paragraph is aimed at me. Unfortunately, once again you attempt to mis-represent the situation. My complaint is certainly NOT about uncuttable material. My material was totally cuttable. My complaint is about your blatant disregard for the truth, the utter and complete misprepresentation of the material I purchased and, further, the complete disregard for me and my perspective on this issue. Kris, you never once responded to my claim the material was not blue. Nor did you respond to my complaint that due to your written advertisement it was reasonable for my to expect blue material. Instead, you made empty promises nevber kept and when I went public you attacked me personally and threatened legal action. In short by omission you seem to agree my points about color and expectations to be valid, but refuse to do anything about it. So folks, based on this post by Kris and his actions in mine and other cases, you can be 100% certain that he will not care one iota about your unhappiness. His post above makes that blatantly clear. No refunds or returns for any reason. That is, unless he feels generous, you must take the rocks he sends you no matter what it was you expected to receive. My experience shows he is willing to promise one thing but send another. Caveat emptor.
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hand2mouthmining
spending too much on rocks
Purveyors of California Gem Rock
Member since September 2011
Posts: 495
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Post by hand2mouthmining on Dec 24, 2012 23:28:22 GMT -5
Scott: No, that was not aimed at you. I'll PM you after Christmas about your case. That paragraph referred to the bad customer practices of a gentleman in Skokie, Illinois back in 2009. A friend in the business suffered through 5 rounds of returns before deciding to simply return the gentleman's order. Needless to say, my friend lost money. I learned from his sad experience. It's hard to say it more simply; If a patron is unhappy for whatever reason with their ordered rock (or for that matter, any merchandise), they should contact the vendor at the earliest opportunity. Don't cut it, email or call them. Don't wait, contact them. My words were by way of urging everyone to communicate, whether satisfaction or disappointment. Don't wait. I have referred to you recently, in appreciative terms. Your knowledge and willingness to research are appreciated and admired; primarily, the admittedly obscure reference to Central Park diabase, which had never come up in my searches. It was helpful, highlighting the visual similarities between widely varying areas and rock types. My appreciation was, and still is, genuine. Metalsmith: Your observation is noted. However, when that identification was proposed to local college and university petrologists, as well as a visiting USGS petrologist, their answer was "No." They pointed out examples, in the field and at the local Society workshop, of well silicated blueschist, with pronounced banding and sedimentary artifacts. One common Panoche Hills blueschist characteristic is a foliate fracture and appearance, where our Blue G has a rough, microcrystalline fracture. Blue G such as those stones sent to the lab has mossy/dendritic features not noted in blueschist from our area. In petrological studies found by a ixquick.com search of "Lawsonite subduction Panoche report", Lawsonite, a calcium aluminum sorosilicate is typically found as a tertiary or quaternary mineral in local blueschist, the dominant mineral being glaucophane, a sodium aluminum silicate. This is understandable, since the typical reaction of Lawsonite to surface conditions is dehydration to Anorthite, calcium feldspar, a secondary mineral of both blueschist & Blue G. Further petrological study will reveal exactly how the Lawsonite has been protected from dehydration. The simplest explanation is a secondary silicification, a theory detailed in one of my earlier posts in this subject. I'll be sure to put that theory on our Blue G webpage. As you can see, even in the crappy, ill-lit pics last posted, the Top grade material takes a mirror polish. For the purpose of denoting cutting quality rock with Lawsonite as the (un-usual) dominant mineral constituent, we've decided to call our product Blue G, Panoche Hills Gem Lawsonite. For a dictionary definition of "Gem", try dictionary.reference.com/browse/Gem?s=t. Many happy patrons consider it a gem grade material, and we feel it deserves that distinction. Plus, we have to call it something, and that's what we're calling it. As for size, me and my partner have mined nodules and vein fragments in excess of 90 pounds. and the largest Top gem nodule that I've seen was over 100 lb. One of my favorites is over 46lb., and sits in a place of honor in our yard. As my hucksterish ads note, we have many, many tons of Blue G. On a good day, we'll mine many pounds of Blue G. You're welcome to go look at our website and see lots more Blue G. You, and all interested rockhounds are also welcome to join us to hunt for Blue G in the wild. Merry Christmas, everyone! Kris
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bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Dec 24, 2012 23:38:35 GMT -5
whatever it is, I think it is pretty cool looking. I like those big chunks.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Dec 25, 2012 16:15:45 GMT -5
I am not necessarily in disagreement with you by proposing blueschist, as to the identification of Lawsonite as a primary mineral. Also, of course I don't have the benefit of a specimen to refer to, only what you have found and discussed. I'm sure that your petrologists recognise that blueschist is a metamorphic grade which is not necessarily dependent on the protolith. Rather than a specific 'rock' there can be a variety of rocks that could be considered blueschist. As a result of the petrogenesis, it should be considered that a variety of presentations is almost essential! The regional geo-assemblage is an accretionary melange such that a mixture of rocks from sediments: psammites and greywackes are interspersed with basalts that are scraped off along the subduction zone margin and uplifted with the compressional tectonics. Hence, whilst elsewhere in your locality sedimentary banding could well be present or commonplace (though not, technically, in schists), it may be entirely absent in your Blue-G should it be derived (for example) from basalt. See geology.about.com/od/rocks/ig/metrockindex/rocpicblueschist.htmfor a specimen that is not dissimilar in appearance to your Blue-G, but has glaucophane as a primary mineral - however, as the text discusses, Lawsonite could be the primary. Your descriptions of the rock containing silicates and feldspar interspersed with lawsonite are characteristic of blueschist to eclogite facies - and the association with jadeite. As the cooler surface material is subducted down below the crust into the mantle, it is slow to heat, but reactive to the pressure environment with immediate effect. Consequently the minerals are essentially characterised by high pressure, low temperature - together with the blue colouration, which is possibly derivative from glaucophane, but also could be due in part to metal discolouration within the lawsonite itself. Again, granularity in blueschist can be variable dependent on the rates of uplift, which is thought to be related to the entrainment in serpentinite diapirs and subsequent tectonic activity. In this region micro-crystalline mineral assemblages are known to exist as well as coarse - not all blueschist but other metamorphic grades too. In the blueschists and eclogites, the rapid uplift of a compressional zone is required to preserve the high P mineral assemblage. Your description of Blue-G as occurring in 'nodule's is again subliminally confirmative of the rather remarkable genesis of this (Lawsonite) blueschist via diapiric entrainment and yes, these rocks are rather special. Hope this helps
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Post by deb193redux on Dec 25, 2012 16:47:52 GMT -5
Way too geological for me, and I used to hang with some geo-scientists on a research vessel. LOL.
Plenty of rock is geologically special, but nobody wants to cut and polish, much less wear.
Blue-G is modestly successful as a lapidary rock because good blue is unusual, and it seems to polish pretty good. As I said earlier, I am not likely to buy the top grade rough or slabs unless I have a special project, because in that price range there is lapidary rock that is much more exceptional, or scenic, or both.
I'm gathering that the bigger splotches of clean blue are also being given the most regard because they have the most Lawsonite. I note this type was sent for ID. To each his own, but IMO this is less attractive/desirable. It looks splotchy, like mange. It is all visual for me. (I will even treat sub-par material to stabilize if the visuals are good.) For my taste the pieces with 1/3 blue, 1/3 gold, and 1/3 black in a tight ragged pattern are the most attractive.
I think there is reasonable opportunity to market this material. I think it will be hard to sustain the $10/lb price for rough, but maybe for slabs and cubes. I think that the B+ grade will likely find its level at rock shows and ebay sales at around $4 to $6 a lb. Much more and you may as well buy picture jasper or lace agate.
metamorphic, diapirically entrained, or whatever. plenty of geologic mystery about agate formation, but a lot if it sells for just a few $, depending mostly on visual punch.
it is "nice" stuff, with B/B+ grade offered here at a great price. (I bought some, and my club friends did too.) A few slabs of A/A+ grade would sit well in most collections or stockpiles. the chance to go on a field trip and get stuff like this is an nice added bonus for the whole H2MM operation.
.... but the amount of ink this rock and this ID is getting brings me back to thoughts about hype. I can see some people turned off or disaffected.
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hand2mouthmining
spending too much on rocks
Purveyors of California Gem Rock
Member since September 2011
Posts: 495
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Post by hand2mouthmining on Dec 25, 2012 20:43:47 GMT -5
Daniel, I'm in agreement with you; my preference, from this point, is to provide good lapidary grade Blue G, for cutting and petrological research. Those who wish to order some can easily search, or check the sales and swaps. Those who'd like to discuss their findings are welcome to contact me. Your comment on "mange" made me guffaw and grin! Just goes to show that tastes differ. The Blue G you enjoy most (B+) will be affordable, being the larger percentage of cutting grade Blue G. You and your friends patronage is appreciated.
Metalsmith, you're past my depth. I've no formal training, only practical field experience and endless questions. The best thing to further your research is to contact me for samples, and correspond privately until there is new data to disclose.
My thanks,
Kris
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Dec 26, 2012 13:52:32 GMT -5
my apologies - I thought you had been getting 'into it' with the petrologists.
Take my thoughts to your specialists and let them chew it over and see what they think.
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Post by gingerkid on Dec 27, 2012 8:57:59 GMT -5
Hi, Kris! I think the Blue G is gorgeous cabbing material and I've seen some beautiful cabs that Lloyd has produced from it (he loves it! ), but I am confused about the Blue G being called "Gem-grade Lawsonite." From what I read in the GIA gem report on the cabochon and rough you submitted, the Blue G has primarily not only Lawsonite, but also (primarly consists of) Feldspar and Quartz, along with other minerals in it. I'm not an expert, but unfortunately I agree with a few others that the Blue G shouldn't be called nor advertised as "Gem-grade Lawsonite," or "Lawsonite" since the GIA gem report states otherwise. Maybe if further testing is done on Blue G, then you could confirm whether or not it's Lawsonite or what it should be properly called. This is suggested in the "comments" section of the GIA gem report. Have you posted the GIA gem report on the Gemology Online forum for review? Here's some faceted gem-grade Lawsonite I found on Steve Perry's site: www.steveperrygems.com/gems/raream.html I looked over your site, and hope to see some chiastolite specimens, and cut materials on it soon! I love that stuff!!
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hand2mouthmining
spending too much on rocks
Purveyors of California Gem Rock
Member since September 2011
Posts: 495
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Post by hand2mouthmining on Dec 27, 2012 17:45:50 GMT -5
whatever it is, I think it is pretty cool looking. I like those big chunks. Thanks, B! We love the Blue G and agree with you. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to try some. We'll keep it affordable. my apologies - I thought you had been getting 'into it' with the petrologists. Take my thoughts to your specialists and let them chew it over and see what they think. Metalsmith, no apologies necessary. My intent in starting this thread was to announce to our Blue G customers the GIA Identification Report findings. Its gone much farther than intended, and in directions that sometimes were not helpful. I'd prefer to discuss it in a different way now. Perhaps you would like to start another thread for discussion? If talented geo-enthusiasts wish to examine and discuss the material, I'll take part, but I'm not trained or qualified to do the petrological research. As for the petrologists, they're like me ... They need to make a living. When we can afford more lab work, we'll do it. The cost of what we've had done was equal to 2 months of my work gasoline costs, for the pleasure of giving ourselves and our customers information. If folks want to see more commercial lab work done on Blue G, we welcome them to purchase some, and help us to pay for it! BTW, we have lots of good, hard Navy Blue blueschist, some with the classic garnet association, some with chrysotile & amphibole, some with sparkly mica ... Fun cabbing rock. I'll post photos of cabs, soon. Hi, Kris! I think the Blue G is gorgeous cabbing material and I've seen some beautiful cabs that Lloyd has produced from it (he loves it! ), but I am confused about the Blue G being called "Gem-grade Lawsonite." From what I read in the GIA gem report on the cabochon and rough you submitted, the Blue G has primarily not only Lawsonite, but also (primarly consists of) Feldspar and Quartz, along with other minerals in it. I'm not an expert, but unfortunately I agree with a few others that the Blue G shouldn't be called nor advertised as "Gem-grade Lawsonite," or "Lawsonite" since the GIA gem report states otherwise. Maybe if further testing is done on Blue G, then you could confirm whether or not it's Lawsonite or what it should be properly called. This is suggested in the "comments" section of the GIA gem report. Have you posted the GIA gem report on the Gemology Online forum for review? Here's some faceted gem-grade Lawsonite I found on Steve Perry's site: www.steveperrygems.com/gems/raream.html I looked over your site, and hope to see some chiastolite specimens, and cut materials on it soon! I love that stuff!! Hi, Jan! Thanks for the note. Your suggestions are appreciated. For the time being, we're calling our cutting grade conglomerate rock with a primary Lawsonite component, this: Blue G, Panoche Hills Gem Lawsonite. We have to call it something to market it, and "Red Bull" was already taken. Gemologists I've spoken to find that acceptable as a trade name. It is not meant to be a scientific identification. It's meant to identify our material, while providing a location based category for other miners and vendors to use with similar material. They can drop the "Blue G" if they like, and call it "Marvin" or something else if they prefer. If I really wanted to argue the point, I'd point to Turquoise, which is called that even when it contains a high percentage of associated minerals such as cuprite and other copper "ides", or even gold. I'm tired of arguing, so I won't ... Darn! Just did! As far as we know, it's the first primary Lawsonite conglomerate commercially available in quantity for lapidary use. Thanks for pointing me to Steve Parry's site, his offerings quadrupled the number of faceted Lawsonite crystals I've seen. Personally, I wouldn't buy one, I'm mostly a cab guy. His cabbed example is nice, and within the range of our Lawsonite conglomerate, perhaps a bit darker blue, with a great polish. Note, he lists it as "rare", and SOLD. This will be my last post to this thread. I'm finally starting to get over the nasty Flu (crossed fingers) and have orders to fill (YEAH!), hucksterish advertisements to post, websites to update, emails to answer and grandchildren to spend time with. I'll also get to lead a field trip this Sunday, and hunt for the wild Blue G, my favorite prey! :drool: Be sure to check our website for regular updates. I'm working today on more chiastolite photos and collecting tips, and hopefully getting some new listings up, too. Thanks! Kris
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