Lapidaryforum.net
Let's Rock => Rockhounding Tips, Maps, Trips Etc. => Topic started by: Itsandbits on October 25, 2014, 11:38:34 PM
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Note:
On inquiry from Frank, I am modifying this post as to what the material is, namely "sillimanite" Except for the SG it has all the same characteristics visibly as nephrite and even feels the same and you get the same white "milk" when cutting so I don't feel to bad about the misidentifying but I trust Franks opinion.
I know, it's getting boring reading my posts about the nephrite in this river but I kept getting this niggling feeling all week that I had left something behind at the site so I went back today and kicked rocks around till I saw it; white nephrite. There is large pieces of quartz vein boulders here and I kind of ignored anything white but something must have worked it's way into my subconscious because I just had to go back and see what it was. I found two large peices
and this is the one piece I could stuff into my saw; about 40# the other is about 75#
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bJhn0IP70pM/VEx2h6DImkI/AAAAAAAALWM/p9SwzLnG94M/w534-h713-no/IMG_20141025_184121.jpg)
I had to do a return cut to get through it
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1_i11zgz_Hs/VEx4Ln0I2dI/AAAAAAAALXk/p4DcAesP9LM/w534-h713-no/IMG_20141025_184138.jpg)
beautifull, gemmy, translucent material
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DeLZA0Q1y7w/VEx3-dO6FRI/AAAAAAAALWc/NPVRN3f6peg/w950-h713-no/IMG_20141025_195730.jpg)
I'll post a picture of a slab tomorrow
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Good lord man you are a machine Lloyd. And no I'm not bored at all about your nephrite posts :coffee2:
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Thanks Ernie:)
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Holly molly I hope you keep boring us to death. There is nothing in the nephrite or jadeite world that could bore me unless you post the same photo maybe ten times. You are coming up with some very interesting stones and I want to see and hear it all. Actually, I want to go there and walk in your shoes for a while. Okay, maybe walk behind your shoes because you would not want my stinky feet in them.
The mind is an amazing thing and more often than not it will tell us many things if we just listen to it. My mind is telling me that I should find a way to wrestle a piece of that stone away from you but my body is not a fighter so I guess I will have to beg. Beg, borrow, trade, buy and maybe even steal if given the chance good buddy, old pal. lmao I know, I am a pretty sad example of a human bean but I can not help myself when it comes to jade. I beg for jade from many sources with a project in mind then I hoard it like a life savings. I have thought about getting professional help but I kind of like who and what I am. Not many people will admit that they are an old whore with a rock problem but here I am in all my gory glory begging like a lap dog with no conscience.
Finally!!!!! End of babble and you can go on about your business. BTW Did I tell you that I :love4: :love4: :love3: :love9: your rock.
Jim
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Lloyd...
My Hubby and I are coming to BC for two weeks for Christmas and New Years. We have to meet up. I want to buy some of your Jade. :thumbsup: :toothy12: :toothy10:
Besides it gives my Husband an excuse to get away from his Parents for one of the days we are up there. :headbang:
And...
Why the heck would we get bored with your Jade photos? Dude... It's JADE!! It's gorgeous stuff! :wav:
**Makes a list of what she wants to buy**
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a couple of photos of the nephrite cut
I was doing break tests and didn't photo it before so I'm holding it together. this piece goes from 1/4 to 1/2 thick
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gbxdseS1kLuCKLmcbhFQi5DT0oVxt16gc-8hc2ZkUtY=w950-h713-no)
The material has pockets of semi clear; which is actually a very, very pale green but in the center of the big eye is a pocket of clear and some of the "bubbles" are clear too
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RW8JOFNZm1g/VE0sGgiDYUI/AAAAAAAALZs/6-8jw5r9axc/w950-h713-no/IMG_20141026_101456.jpg)
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WOW that's gorgeous stuff! I'm drooling! :icon_sunny: :icon_sunny:
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WOW nice stuff Lloyd :coffee2:
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Some of the blue spots I've found so far; only in the one cut, too bad...
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-r9rY3B2FJrk/VE1DJacT5bI/AAAAAAAALcQ/a7kleq9oQ-A/w950-h713-no/IMG_20141026_115311.jpg)
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Wow again. I had no idea that it would look that way. Super cool.
You know that I was kidding about the beg, borrow, steal, buy or whatever right? I have so much jade right now I don't have places to put it all and I am running out of projects to use it on.
Jim
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That's funny you should say that Jim; I just sent you a pm about it LOL
Here's what a real slab of it looks like.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EIKyVH0L-Xw/VE2oT6tFIPI/AAAAAAAALkY/1iiqSZEvFEY/w1197-h618-no/IMG_20141026_190422.jpg)
like dominoes
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-84gMVMRRGvk/VE2rm2S4tLI/AAAAAAAALk8/iq5BFVNoKYk/w1196-h482-no/IMG_20141026_190715.jpg)
a cab I'm working on; pic taken in the dark backlit
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eSp0goEeefk/VE3N5s7ufII/AAAAAAAALog/jJJuyMaHcRA/w950-h713-no/IMG_20141026_213346.jpg)
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a five minute rough and prepolish picture for Frank at 1500 on the resin wheels
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0owPwKxpiWhIUEfTU0kgB-4G-Pvtz4uaikIA0RBkasY=w1197-h533-no)
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Now I'm doing more than drooling, I think I'm going to faint!
Those slabs look delicious. :notworthy:
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WOW just friggin awesome Lloyd!!! I like that stuff thanks for posting it :icon_thumright: :coffee2:
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THANKS Amanda and Ernie,
This stuff reminds me of "lacewood"
I thought Frank had wrecked my day by telling me it was sillimanite but it's harder than nephrite, works easily, has a felted structure so is a tough material, and has a nice pattern; what's to be disappointed about LOL
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It works up much better than jade. It is quite difficult to find down here. It occurs in just a few drainages in western Washington and is scarce on the beaches. The Snake river at the lower end of Hell's canyon is a well known source and I suspect that may be because it was transported there from B.C. by glaciers.
You have many more crystals in yours then any I have ever seen and your pieces dwark the average weight down here which is about three pounds. The areas with less crystals has an oddly pleasing swirling structure, interesting rough.Thanks for the pictures , sillimanite for sure and yes it has been called " mutton fat jade " down here for at least 70 years.
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Jade, Sillimanite or not, I still want some when I come North In December. :headbang:
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I have a cabochon cut by my friend Sheila of Rocfeathers. She lives in WA. I'm thinking it might be the same stuff. She said her's was the tailings at a mine but it looks exactly like your "mutton fat."
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Its hard to tell from the picture Amanda but your stone looks more opaque but from what I have seen on the net, it comes in so many forms that It's hard to tell; I COULDN"T FIND ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE TO THE LOOK OF THE ROCK I have but most of the examples do show rock assemblages containing sillimanite as opposed to the one I posted which seems quite pure with very minor impurities. I'm putting together a box I'll ship to your inlaws so you can pick it up at Xmas; just pm me their address sometime.
Now that I know what to look for Frank, I have a rock from another location that I was at a loss to identify but now It is clear what it is too, about 2 lbs. There is a vid on youtube of a BC jade supplier; secretively as to location, showing a 60 lb rock that I suspect is this too and calling it mutton fat jade from the Fraser; where I got my initial id from as he sells to the Chinese and should know better. Now that I know what to look for, I'm sure I'll find some smaller pieces too but there are some larger rocks that I just can't move as this material is so heavy but I'm hoping the river won't either. :)
The clearer material in the rock does have crystallization in the center of some that would make me tend to not use over 200 grit to rough out a cab again; I USED 100 and was quite aggressive roughing out the 5 minute cab and it shows although I'm going to redo it starting at 320 and see if the crystal areas respond to that.
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I'm putting together a box I'll ship to your inlaws so you can pick it up at Xmas; just pm me their address sometime.
Woot!
Let me get with my hubby on that. Married to him almost a year and I still cannot remember his Parents address! :thumbsup:
Let me know what you want for your rock. :headbang: