I am an old rock-hound,mainly quartz. Arkansas native. About 18 years ago I found what I thought was a milk quarts vein with strange green crystals,in it. After years of study and showing samples to a few folks,and some crude experiments,the consensus is that it is emerald in a beryl vein. Yes I can buy testers,etc. But I am also a very busy man, and new to this gem. My question is can I send a sample to interested party for opinion? And perhaps a written statement of results? If worthwhile,I will need a stone cutter,maybe willing to work on a percentage basis. Any ideas, I am way over my head,need help. Thanks.
As I said in the other thread, that's very interesting. There are, of course, a number of green gem minerals that might form in a white matrix, so there could still be a number of possibilities depending on the nature of your tests and what they've eliminated. I would really appreciate seeing pictures--while that isn't enough to identify them, I would enjoy seeing them, and the color has some significance.
These things I am aware of.However,I am new to this site and am not very familiar with it,please be patient with me I will post pics soon.I ran into a man who was working with the highway department and discussed it with him,(geologist who tested earth samples for them)he said there is a lot more chromium in our area than most know of,also vanadium.He gave me a sample of chromium diopsite and told me to do the scratch test with it.I scratched it,it won't scratch my sample.Don't leave much.These crystals are octagon like quartz,but don't have the pointed ends.Tried cleaning them with muratic acid,not much luck,and caused a white talky layer to appear on them.New problem.Was trying to clean red residue from them.Took a sample to Ron Coleman's,the old man was there,didn't do any tests but looked at them and said they were very unusual.Said a gemologist comes by once a week or so to help them identify stones.(10 or so years ago)Will get back with you,thanks.
I guess the crystals are hexagonal, octagonal prisms are not expected in minerals. Possibly a tetragonal prism with secondary, smaller (less wide) crystal faces at the edge between primary prism faces. If so the mineral is not beryl.
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Also, if you are doing hardness testing, it is wiser to use hardness points than chunks of minerals because it will give you more control and accuracy.
They are hexagons,usually clearer at the base end.Some clear,some slight tinted so as to have to put beside a clear to tell the difference,most decently green,some are deep emerald green.They have a rough,rugged free end,most have (if at all)a dark reddish-black cap of some other element that starts to point,then suddenly goes flat usually on the ends.Most of these caps have broken off and are laying around here and there.WE are in a volcanic area,with a lot of fault lines.The area has been logged a couple of times in the last 200 years.Caused damage? Don't know.
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:40 pm Posts: 2667 Location: South Dakota
send me a couple samples and I will have them run under the microprobe to see what they are (The size of a grain of rice or bigger) My email is barrett.jason@yahoo.com for futher information and address
_________________ MrAmethystguy ~ Some jokes just fluorite over my head!
I have an emerald expert (importer) I know in Ridgewood, NJ. He imports emeralds from Afghanistan and Columiba normaly and has a patent on the Excel treatment for emeralds.
If you want I can have him take a look at your sample.
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