Lapidaryforum.net
Let's Rock => Identifications of Materials => Topic started by: Rustycat on March 29, 2019, 01:53:04 PM
-
I found this interesting and thought I'd share:
https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/jwl/d/okanogan-600-lb-pound-thulite-gemstone/6850254161.html
-
$16.65 per pound. It may be worth that much? In my opinion less than half of that
I paid $100.00 for a piece of Australian varisite. I will have to see it in person to determine what it would be worth to me. That quality and price they will have to discount it enough for someone to resale
-
A poor seller when cut into stones.
-
Thulite intrigues me, but I thought it came from Norway/Sweden? I see thulite rough on eBay but it doesn't look like that. Some day I'll get some to cut... my viking ancestry demands it.
-
The Norway Thulite is really pink.
-
The Okanogan Thulite deposit is listed in Mindat. No mention of color or quality but it's a known source.
-
Most thulite was collected from that site and later stolen from that site .this looks water worn so it was probably taken from the creek while the original site is well above the creek and interestingly has big blue sapphies in it as well, quite big and cab grade.
-
TUNK CREEK THULITE
near Riverside, Okanogan County, Washington, USA
-
The site is called Brown's ranch and the owner allowed collecting at certain times ( when his cattle were not in that pasture) but someone took folks there illegally and was
paid to do it.Damn shame but the guy who did the deed that got it closed is famous for being a greedy sob.
-
It still seems like over 16 a pound is a bit much especially since you don't know how it will cut up. Looking at the boulder you could easily get a slabs with a lot of green and a little pink and resale on those would be low making your recovery of the price per pound ify and the only one making out is the person selling the boulder. Normally large pieces unless specifically for artwork that need such a large piece would be discounted.
-
It is interesting that the price is $16 a lb considering a rather famous rock that went for the same price but from a bit east and north of that site.A friend who made his living as a forensic geologist also sold carving rock on the side. He knew landowners in various places and would sell sculptural quality rock with their permission as well as claimed rock. He sold a rock that was close to 20,000 lbs to a sculptor in a foreign country and he arbitrarily listed the price at $16 a lb not delivered.He now lives in a tropical paradise where memories of 30 below zero have faded.You can always ask I suppose and since the Maple Tree sold llanite for over $250 a lb on ebay ( bid up from about a buck which was pushing it) you never know. Remember the llanite rush of a few years ago?
-
Llanite, really? I have some and never found it that amazing. As for the web yep throw something on ebay and a 2" slab might go for .99 one week and the next week someone bids $25 for the same thing. All depends on what it is worth to that person. For prices it used to be that top material was the 10 to 20 a lb and the 30 a lb was the creme. Quartzsite the last 2 to 3 years it seems they want that for anything that has silica in it. Some real average Dino bone asking 200 a lb just because it had red in it like red is uncommon. There was one dino piece that was not over a lb and the guy wanted 1,200. (not specimen and not large cell just nice colors) who knows someone may have paid that by show end.
-
Yes llanite which is not very nice.Lots of rich people on the net and they seem to be used to getting their way so the bidding wars escalate.Will this kill the hobby ? People are claiming anything they can in the Washington jade fields with billionaires at the forefront. Our jade is virtually all junk.It reminds me of the wild speculation in mining stocks that ravaged the stock market again and again. Lots of greed and a shortage of common sense.