ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
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Post by ziggy on Jan 23, 2017 15:37:52 GMT -5
The specific gravity of a mineral is a good way of determining what kind of mineral you have. Trouble I'm having is what if your mineral is highly intermingled with matrix rock to the extent that there is no way of obtaining a sample of the actual mineral itself but only the mineral with matrix included. How much will mixed in matrix mess with the specific gravity of the mineral your're attempting to identify?
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 23, 2017 16:46:45 GMT -5
Since a matrix can vary greatly in density it can really alter the results.
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
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Post by ziggy on Jan 23, 2017 17:26:50 GMT -5
That's what I thought. Guess sometimes one must go on visual or scratch.
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 23, 2017 17:40:45 GMT -5
That's what I thought. Guess sometimes one must go on visual or scratch. If I recall right there is a way to do SG using water displacement in a graduated cylinder. This would be a good way to check if you have a small amount of the isolated mineral from the matrix.
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
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Post by ziggy on Jan 23, 2017 18:51:26 GMT -5
I know how to check it. My problem is isolating just the mineral I want to check. You out can check s.g. using a digital scale, small container of water, some thread or a bent paperclip to suspend the sample in the water and a pen and paper. First weigh the sample and write that number down. Put the container of water on the scale and zero it. Now suspend the sample in the water and write that number down. Now divide the first number by the second number. The answer is the s.g. You confirmed my suspicions though with your first answer. Thanks
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2017 23:12:48 GMT -5
A puzzle!!!
I love it.
And trust your and your hubby's ability to use clever methods to achieve the necessary answers to the puzzle.
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
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Post by ziggy on Jan 24, 2017 16:08:02 GMT -5
A puzzle!!! I love it. And trust your and your hubby's ability to use clever methods to achieve the necessary answers to the puzzle. We would need to somehow get a clean sample of just the pink mineral in the rock below. The pink and the darker stuff are pretty well mixed. Not worth the bother to destroy the rock to get a clean sample. I will settle for calling it an idkwii stone. (Short for "I don't know what it is") It was found in Keweenaw and it has some native copper specks in the pink. Looks like datolite to me but I've been told it's not. I still think it is datolite, just not the best example. Someone claimed that it has mica in it....This stuff is harder than my stainless steel pocket knife. No sign of any mica.....Shines up like porcelain. I will have to settle for idkwii stone I guess.
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2017 16:14:06 GMT -5
Rhodonite is black and pink mixed well together
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
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Post by ziggy on Jan 24, 2017 16:17:14 GMT -5
It that ever found in Keweenaw? I don't think I have that. Does it ever come with copper inclusions in it? Don't forget where I found it. Based on where I found it, the copper inclusions and the fact that I have personally seen positively identified datolite very similar to what I have, I am going to overrule everyone and settle on datolite. I think it is nearly impossible to positively identify a rock based on a cheesy phone cam, especially when texture (an important part of identifying datolite) can not be judged. This thread started off as a question about specific gravity. So I am happy that my question on that subject was answered. I am going to not worry about that rock anymore..... thanks
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2017 10:01:50 GMT -5
Copper isn't harder than a stainless knife either.
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