Lapidaryforum.net
Let's Rock => Identifications of Materials => Topic started by: Stonemon on March 09, 2019, 03:50:14 PM
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This is an unknown from the stock of a closed rock shop.
Hard, 6-7 no color in the water when I cut it. Any thoughts?
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No color in the water = NOT lapis. Plus it looks more dull, waxy and purple than lapis. But I’m not too sure what it is. Maybe check the hardness? Color looks like a cross between some lepidolite I’ve seen and some Turkish agate or jade but ... are the inclusions pyrite?
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Looks similar to Burro Creek Jasper. The material there has the purple hue with gold flecks. A piece of Burro from the canyon North of the mine. Obviously you can get more or less of the gold inclusions depending on the piece. The material can range from intense Purple to very pastel Lavender. The rough has a Whitish crust on it. The last pic is fresh from water, it will have this translucency if kept moist and loses the translucency as it dries. Still trying different methods to stabilize the color to hold it. I have had success with keeping the darker colors and my latest attempt was to leave it in Sodium Silicate for a year and it is now drying to see if it retains the clarity.
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I think Steve just solved your mystery. Sure looks like Burro Creek to me, too. :occasion14:
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I agree Robin, looks like a match. This stock came from the Plush Oregon shop and the gentleman I got it from was not able to identify all of the pieces.
Thanks Steve, I believe you nailed it.
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My vote Sugilite
Looking for spelling found this. https://www.gemselect.com/sugilite/sugilite.php
Jack
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Ps if you want to try you can put it in water I have "re-hydrated" some of my Burro creek and almost all of it will darken and some with go back to translucent. Probably take a week or so in water to see a change and some the longer you leave it the better it gets. If you have time give it a shot as an experiment.
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I concur on the Burro Creek material.
Might be a purple Ledpidolite too, but that I have my doubts on.
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Take a look at blue quartz from brazil......
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Not that you need more suggestions but . . . I'd say its a deadringer for Dumortierite that I have cut not so long ago. It can be variable in the intensity of the blue, but the fibrous structure shows up as those white flecks in some orientations. Its a bit of a challenge to polish but the end result is good.
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Funny. I have dumortierite and it looks quite a bit like lapis but nothing like this image! Mine has black flecks ( possibly hematite or mica) instead of pyrite but the blue is very dark and not purple at all.