gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060 
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 9, 2020 19:43:35 GMT -5
Was this a surface find? The sculpted surface looks to me like wind-weathering, somewhat similar to "dreikanter" jades often found in Wyoming where the prairie winds blow pretty fiercely -- like Nevada's euphemistically-named "Washoe Zephyrs."
If you can get a small flat polished piece, a refractive index test could help nail down the ID. It should be in the 1.600 to 1.627 range. I have a refractometer and would be happy to test and return a sample, just out of curiosity.
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,633
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Post by RWA3006 on Oct 9, 2020 22:41:39 GMT -5
I found it partly buried and it's anybody's guess how much it had been exposed throughout the eons of time. I've found a lot of jade slicks and have often wondered at their tortured and sculpted surfaces .. I'd like to know how much came from weathering and how much came as it was originally formed. I think it's significant that the jade is probably much older than the country rock surrounding it.
I have not run a RI test on it and would like to, but the nugget is too large for my saws and I'm hesitant to defile the specimen with a man made alteration. I already regret slightly smudging an edge with the hammer. I guess I could nip a corner with a hand held 4" disc grinder with diamond blade like I do when doing stone masonry. Thanks for the offer.
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dreamrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
I got lucky this morning and was able to post this no others since
Member since November 2018
Posts: 1,232
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Post by dreamrocks on Oct 13, 2020 19:22:33 GMT -5
Check this out you may get surprised about what the skin of jade can and can not show you
I thought this was very interesting
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,633
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Post by RWA3006 on Oct 13, 2020 20:43:08 GMT -5
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dreamrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
I got lucky this morning and was able to post this no others since
Member since November 2018
Posts: 1,232
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Post by dreamrocks on Oct 13, 2020 20:52:43 GMT -5
No problem I take it you also found it interesting
Can’t go wrong with GIA
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,633
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Post by RWA3006 on Oct 13, 2020 20:56:02 GMT -5
Absolutely interesting, and it's great to get reliable info through GIA.
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dreamrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
I got lucky this morning and was able to post this no others since
Member since November 2018
Posts: 1,232
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Post by dreamrocks on Oct 13, 2020 20:59:12 GMT -5
They have some very good videos on YouTube some long an hour or more some short and only 1 or 2 minutes long but well worth the time to watch them
I have watched many of them sometimes more then once
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2020 11:53:16 GMT -5
If not nephrite, then you might consider beryl. There have been some big, whitish, opaque crystals come from central WY. That one would be very eroded and/or etched to look like that. I don't have a piece at hand (if I still have any WY beryl at all) to snap a photo, but the greasy texture rang a bell, and though the SG is a bit different, it isn't completely out of the realm. Just a thought.
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