showet
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2015
Posts: 65 
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Post by showet on Apr 5, 2016 10:49:14 GMT -5
I attended a rock auction recently and got a LOT or what I think are real bargains. At the end of the sale I bought tables full of rocks (I assume others had spent their money by then.)  Anyway, some of what I got was some of what I think is blue Missouri lace some of which are shown in the first picture below. I think they are Missouri because I live in Missouri and that is where I bought them also. I am not sure really how valuable these are or if they appear to be good quality because I have not worked with rough Missouri lace before. What do you all think? Cut, don't touch them, or just polish a face? (I am not real good at the pictures so they actually may have a little better color than shown.)   Top view of the picture above    |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2016 11:12:09 GMT -5
Cut
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 5, 2016 11:19:13 GMT -5
Consider keeping the drusy for a photogenic background and cut the rest imho
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Post by woodman on Apr 5, 2016 11:51:34 GMT -5
cut and face polish
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 5, 2016 12:57:08 GMT -5
CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT!!!!!!!
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Post by Toad on Apr 5, 2016 15:13:24 GMT -5
Cut
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Post by vegasjames on Apr 5, 2016 15:48:51 GMT -5
It will look a lot better cut and polished.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,503
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 5, 2016 17:26:58 GMT -5
Very cool but not Missouri material. That's African Blue Lace agate you've got there....Mel
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showet
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2015
Posts: 65
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Post by showet on Apr 5, 2016 18:43:21 GMT -5
How can you tell African from Missouri?
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Thunder69
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Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
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Post by Thunder69 on Apr 5, 2016 19:34:02 GMT -5
CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT!!!!!!! I will add another CUT to this..... |
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Post by mohs on Apr 5, 2016 20:00:00 GMT -5
looks to me like amethyst going on also
a cut would define that
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 5, 2016 20:29:09 GMT -5
I would agree with Sabre52 that it's African lace, I was grinding on a piece exactly like what you have just a few days ago. I also say CUT. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,503
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 5, 2016 21:44:22 GMT -5
African Blue Lace is a well known material that has been on the market for thirty years at least. Missouri lace tends to be more in the gray, white, cream, brown, yellow, black tones and the best is what they call "Red line Lace" and has a definitive red line. The African material often has those calcite pseudomorphs and that reddish tan matrix or crust. It is always shades of blue and sometimes has that amethyst or slight amethystine purplish tones. If you saw the two materials side by side, you'd easily tell them apart....Mel Missouri Lace of the nicest sort for comparison:  |
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jerrys
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 263
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Post by jerrys on Apr 6, 2016 11:54:05 GMT -5
These pieces are sowbelly agate from Creede, Colorado. African blue lace typically does not have the amethyst crystal layers included.
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jerrys
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 263
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Post by jerrys on Apr 6, 2016 11:54:57 GMT -5
They will make beautiful spheres and cabs
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,503
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 6, 2016 12:16:42 GMT -5
Nope, Sowbelly, while similar, usually has the dark inclusions, you find in sliver mine dumps. Not always, but usually, and the blues are not as strong and the lines less fine and contain more megaquartz in Sowbelly. African Blue Lace sometimes has the amethystine sections. The two materials do look a lot alike though the sowbelly veins are often much thicker. That orangey/tan limey crust is also a good indicator for the African material. I have a pretty good amount of it in my bins and have cut quite a lot of it over the years..Mel
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