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[lithicbeads]

It is time to sort my temporary rock piles into the useful and not so useful. The first picture is of two excellent variolites. The blueish one on bottom was acquired with the silver pick ( cash ) and weighs about 130 lbs. It is a very nice blue. The upper green- yellow one was a gift from an excellent jade collector of some renown.
 The first jade pictures is of two dubious but as of yet unproven jade  cobbles while the last picture is of cut proven jade cobbles - proven to be inferior in this case. These are of poor color , have well developed schistocity ( as evidenced by subtle white lines in the jade , parting planes ) , and numerous soft black spots. These jades will be saved for rock walls. A couple of a percent of collected jade cobbles are of excellent quality and there is little or no market for the rest so we end up with a few tons of jade rejects a year.

[Minkos61]

very cool material Frank 

[lithicbeads]

You want to try some variolite?

[Minkos61]

Sure I'd love to give it a try Frank!

[Itsandbits]

That first green variolite is like something I call frogskin variolite; looks identicle but the black is only about mohs 5.5-6 so takes a gentle hand to cut and polish. The jades remind me of the assortment I get; no telling whats inside till it's cut for sure.

[lithicbeads]

I would love to see pictures of your variolites .

[Itsandbits]

I'll have to dig thru my old pics on the computer and see if I can find them; should have put them in a folder:(
here's the only one I have on the online site yet. This frogskin is about 250lbs. and is still at the river LOL I have a couple of smaller ones in the yard that the green isn't so flattened off

[lithicbeads]

That is a good color combination. If you have ones with very defined round spots with good color I am always in the market for them. Thanks.

[Itsandbits]

there is no end of green rocks up here; seems like every one I trip over is green :) The bluey one you show in the background in your first picture is very similar to one I find which is teal? in black but it softer too; only for semi gloss finish unless the fabuluster will shine it up, I don't have any but should try to get some from the auto store.