World Jade Symposium 2014

[asianfire]

Hi there Jim, all is good!
Just one question on the ring though: dunno28
Why the jagged inner rim in the ring? Are you drilling holes before using core-drill?

Kerry, congrats on the setup, but ...... really...... it is an ongoing process that never really finishes. lol15

[wyrock]

Thanks Kurt. I probably should have added another photo and an explanation but I had hijacked sampson's thread so was trying to keep it short.

If I am afraid of blow out or the ring breaking I sometimes do not drill the center all the way through then finish it from the other side with the rotary. Adds quite a bit of time but I do not have to start over from scratch if it breaks.
Jim

[asianfire]

Ahh, that's what I thought.  lol15
I don't think Sampson will mind too much as the posts relating to intended WJS are quite slow in coming.

[kjsspot]

OK, here's the slab of what was called Wisconsin Jade.  The guy who sold me my cabbing machine sent it to me.  He's using it for inlays on his counters & floor.  (Can't wait to see that when it's done!)

I tested it and the hardness is the same.  It's between 6 & 7.

[wyrock]

WOW, if that is jade I want some. Do you know how good it polishes?
Jim

[kjsspot]

I don't.  I haven't messed with it yet.  How do I find out if it's really jade?  The hardness is correct.  That's the only test I know so far.  LoL

[Michael S Hoover - Redrummd]

The only way to be certain the sample is Jade requires destructive analysis through x-ray diffraction.   I have provided a lot of different samples to the UW geology department for analysis including their Edwards Jade test samples.

The 1st photo of the slab does not appear to show typical Jade structures to me.   The 2nd photo has the sort of mix I see in the green area to the left and upper area but I have not seen this sort of red mix before so the photos are inconclusive.

Can you post a dry photo of the surface on an angle to show the composition structure?   On most Jade I can see the felting structure in slabs and in sanding through 600 grit.  After 1200 grit the structures start to disappear as the surface polishes.

[kjsspot]

sure  front & back with two lighting sources

[Michael S Hoover - Redrummd]

These photos do look like Jade but it is not enough to give a positive yes or no.  Do you have the ability to get a specific gravity?  It that falls into the correct range for Jade I would be more likely to say yes it is LIKELY to be Jade.  Again only XRD testing can be positive for Jade.

[kjsspot]

I think I can at club next month.

[itsandbits1]

if you have a small digital kitchen scale it is pretty easy to get a pretty close idea of SG on it using a peice of fishing line and water

[kjsspot]

oh i do!  OK - I'll look it up.

[kjsspot]

I got 2.68.  I was rushed though.  I'll try again when I get home to double check.

[Michael S Hoover - Redrummd]

That is WAY to low to be Jade and right in line with an agate, chalcedony or jasper.

[kjsspot]

I wonder if the green is jade and the red something else bringing it down. I may cut a piece of each and test them separately.