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Post by Son Of Beach on Aug 16, 2022 19:56:11 GMT -5
I've found a few pieces of quartz that have what I can best call a shimmer effect similar to what Labradorite does when you move it around. This is straight out of the lake, I haven't tumbled it at all.
It doesn't have the dramatic color change like Labradorite, just that what almost looks like a thin layer of shine that seems to wrap it.
Does anyone know what this characteristic is called? Iridescence perhaps? |
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Post by mohs on Aug 16, 2022 20:46:21 GMT -5
Yo Chad Pure opaque quartz does have iridescent Or even opalish sheen Just the other day I picked up some small pure white Quartz is endlessly fascinating This is small piece I pocketed & just took picture of  Doesn’t show much Butte the micro-- glistering grains & bluish sheen Really concentrate the attention I always looking for that desert sheen on micaceous schist Your piece as that strong sheen |
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Post by Son Of Beach on Aug 16, 2022 21:01:48 GMT -5
That's a cool piece Mohs, I've been lucky to find some that look like yours, hard to pass picking it up.
I looked a little and found that Labradorite is a type of feldspar, so that explains why it reminded me of it.
Must be some kind of feldspar rich quartz, really curious if it'll hold up in the tumbler.
That graphic granite I've is similar and it seems to quite nicely.
You ever find any of those desert rose quartz?
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Post by perkins17 on Aug 16, 2022 22:13:53 GMT -5
I found some orange (what I originally believed to be) quartz in California with that same effect. What I later learned is that calcite tends to have that same shimmering quality so that's what I'm going to stick with. If yours really is quartz (I'm not doubting your ID, just speculating) I'm not sure. I'll follow this thread and see what others say.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2022 7:33:28 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2022 7:38:20 GMT -5
I know moonstone is typically whitish and opal looking but some is darker. This is from the web.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 17, 2022 13:31:08 GMT -5
I've found a few pieces of quartz that have what I can best call a shimmer effect similar to what Labradorite does when you move it around. This is straight out of the lake, I haven't tumbled it at all.
It doesn't have the dramatic color change like Labradorite, just that what almost looks like a thin layer of shine that seems to wrap it.
Does anyone know what this characteristic is called? Iridescence perhaps? Are you sure it's quartz? The stone shows adularescense, or "moonstone" glow that's usually only seen in some feldspar gems. I suppose crystal twinning that causes the effect in feldspar is possible in quartz but I'd need to research it. There's a lot of confusion about the names for various optical effects in so-called "phenomenal" gems: those that display stars, eyes, etc. A wonderful little book, "Phenomenal Gems" by Fred and Charlotte Ward, helps enormously to understand the differences in plain language. It's part of the Fred Ward Gem Series and I can provide ordering info if anyone's interested -- no commercial involvement on my part. Fred has published many gem articles in National Geographic and other periodicals and has a wonderful way of simplifying the complex. |
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Post by Son Of Beach on Aug 17, 2022 13:53:59 GMT -5
Thank you all for your replies. I've never seen moonstone, but it certainly looks like it could be that. It never occurred to me that I could or would find any. Quartz is my generic go to for unknown shiny clear rock. Seeing how moonstone, laboradite are both feldspars, it makes perfect sense that it might be. I found this article very interesting describing the how and why of the schiller effect. The article goes on to mention, in rare cases, that it can be found in quartz.
You can see that little rugged pocket in the clip, to me that looks more like a quartz/granite type mixture, but I can see how they all get intertwined.
More importantly, will it tumble, or will I destroy it in the process?  |
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Post by perkins17 on Aug 17, 2022 14:05:42 GMT -5
Son Of Beach that's interesting, thanks for sharing the knowledge. It should be fine to tumble, as I cut and cabber mine and didn't lose the effect. That's a neat find. I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 17, 2022 14:31:20 GMT -5
Thank you all for your replies. I've never seen moonstone, but it certainly looks like it could be that. It never occurred to me that I could or would find any. Quartz is my generic go to for unknown shiny clear rock. Seeing how moonstone, laboradite are both feldspars, it makes perfect sense that it might be. I found this article very interesting describing the how and why of the schiller effect. The article goes on to mention, in rare cases, that it can be found in quartz.
You can see that little rugged pocket in the clip, to me that looks more like a quartz/granite type mixture, but I can see how they all get intertwined.
More importantly, will it tumble, or will I destroy it in the process? Thanks for posting that article. There's a spot near Cambria, CA called Moonstone Beach and while I've never seen an example, locals say quartz that "glows" can be found there. This site is supposed to the the Quartz "Bible" but a brief inspection doesn't reveal a cause for the glow: www.quartzpage.de/#I'm playing hooky from other work I should be doing today -- maybe others can find what I couldn't. Or maybe the site doesn't cover that particular phenomenon. |
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Post by mohs on Aug 17, 2022 15:04:07 GMT -5
that shimmer seems platy
how easily (or not)
does it scrtch...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2022 15:07:30 GMT -5
Son Of BeachIve found moonstone at Lake Michigan and Superior. (As well as in Wisconsin when we had a cabin up there.) I have tumbled 3 pieces of it and it came out looking good.
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Post by mohs on Aug 17, 2022 15:14:58 GMT -5
I received moons ago, some personally hounded rough Pennsylvania moonstone from a long time valued RTH member who hasn’t posted in some time  It really shimmied and shimmered Butte could be difficult to capture in still shot  Hope that member NatureNut Jo  Is rolling the way she likes …. Ed |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2022 15:24:30 GMT -5
Son Of BeachI don’t know what I did with the other two pieces but this is the largest piece I have that got tumbled. (Sorry its so loud, thats the tumblers going) 
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rockbrain
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Post by rockbrain on Aug 17, 2022 15:39:55 GMT -5
Just to keep the info straight, the moonstones from Moonstone Beach that gemfeller mentioned are not moonstones. The Cambria area rocks area chalcedony real moonstone is feldspar. |
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 17, 2022 16:09:25 GMT -5
Just to keep the info straight, the moonstones from Moonstone Beach that gemfeller mentioned are not moonstones. The Cambria area rocks area chalcedony real moonstone is feldspar. Read my post again carefully |
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Post by Son Of Beach on Aug 17, 2022 19:49:09 GMT -5
Good to you know you guys can work this, I have it set to go in next weeks batch Still diggin them heart's, Ed. |
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Post by mohs on Aug 18, 2022 14:53:29 GMT -5
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