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Let's Rock => Identifications of Materials => Topic started by: vitzitziltecpatl on July 15, 2018, 09:35:43 PM

Title: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on July 15, 2018, 09:35:43 PM

Older club member losing eyesight to macular degeneration brought some pieces to Robin and me for IDs today. We got them all figured out except this one. Any help re possible source location would be greatly appreciated.

The first piece is nodular. The most striking thing about it is the black outlines around some of the features. Other than that it has pretty common colors. The gentleman who collected it did most of his hounding in Idaho and eastern Oregon.

The second piece looks like some obsidian, with a dirty tan/green appearance when backlit. I've just never seen any with a pure white rind like this one. Also probably from Idaho.

Title: Re: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: bobby1 on July 15, 2018, 11:00:50 PM

 First one is Chapenite from Ft Irwin in Southern Cal
Some Obsidian does come with a white rind, Pink Lady for an example.
Bob

Title: Re: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on July 16, 2018, 07:42:18 AM

Thanks, Bob.

I considered Chapenite, but never saw it with the black boundaries before.

From what little I've seen (in hand and online) Chapenite colors and patterns vary widely. Most common features seem to be "blobs" of color with veins branching off between them.

Are there definitive characteristics for positive IDs we could all use for Chapenite?

Title: Re: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: bobby1 on July 16, 2018, 09:07:37 AM

Here is a photo of a piece that I have had for many years. It is about 4" across.
Bob
(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/chapinite%20057_zpszxpgb5pv.jpg) (http://s151.photobucket.com/user/Rocksbob/media/chapinite%20057_zpszxpgb5pv.jpg.html)

Title: Re: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: bobby1 on July 16, 2018, 09:11:09 AM

Here is a photo of a large cab that I made from this material.
Bob
(http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/Chapenite%201_zpslbqv4wi6.jpg) (http://s151.photobucket.com/user/Rocksbob/media/New%20Photos/Chapenite%201_zpslbqv4wi6.jpg.html)

Title: Re: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: yukonjade on July 16, 2018, 04:59:07 PM

  The material resembles Pastelite I got at Burro creek Arizona.   :headbang:

Title: Re: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: bobby1 on July 16, 2018, 05:30:11 PM

I have some slabs that have the same colors that you see in your slab. One of the things that distinguish the material is the infilling of white quartz between the brecciated segments.
Bob

Title: Re: ID Help For Club Member
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on July 17, 2018, 07:03:13 PM

Thanks for the info. I've passed it along to our friend.

Bob, you especially might have seen our friend's name on at least a couple of articles in Rock and Gem. His name is Max Hatch, and he used to do nice multi-stone inlay pieces in silver. Other types of silversmithing (hollow-formed pieces and such) too, but he did some roadrunners, hummingbirds, antelope, etc that were really good.