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Post by Aaron S on Nov 21, 2008 17:35:11 GMT -5
Hi All, I had to use my diamond coated sanding and cutting tools on this stone, that I cut from a much larger boulder. Attached are multiple photos, including translucency. The stone takes a nice polish. Any ideas what it is? Thanks, Aaron
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Post by Rebel KGC on Nov 21, 2008 20:19:17 GMT -5
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Post by Aaron S on Nov 21, 2008 21:29:01 GMT -5
Hmmm, I am contemplating my theory of it being Jade. Coming from a Jade rich area. It in my mind looks alot like Agate. It has a light green tint, and unfortunately, it looks nothing like the Jade Rocks I have from the same local. It stood out. I am going to be sold on agate. If the following is true of Agate. On Jade they say a good test is to hold the stone in your hand till it is hand temperature, and then hold it out in the palm of your hand in the room for 25 seconds, then touch it with the tip of your tongue and if it is cold it is Jade. Does that apply to Agate as well? I am attaching 2 additional photos. The transparent portion of the rock has slightly different characteristics then the metallic portion Black and white strips. Probably agate. This piece is a small scrap of the rock from cutting it: The parent rock is the square rock that looks like a Zebra stripe. Thanks, Aaron
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Post by Rebel KGC on Nov 22, 2008 9:03:05 GMT -5
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Post by Aaron S on Nov 22, 2008 12:51:22 GMT -5
Well, thanks. Agate it is. I guess it was good practice, since in theory Agate is harder then most Jade, and better to make my cabbing mistakes on a Agate, then on the Jade I collected. So a positive, but darned, I spent 2 weeks cutting and grinding that thing with my little Dremel. FYI, if you buy a Dremel, get the plugin one and not the rechargeable battery. Every time I get into the rock I am working on it runs out of juice and I have to wait for it to charge. That rock did have alot of traits of Jade, but the one thing I thought of last night that was not so much like Jade was the internal cracks. I seemed to find little cracks on these pieces that looked flawless before I began cutting. So a lesson learned. Hopefully next time I post it will be of an Emerald Green Cab. I have spent so much time looking for that perfect flawless piece of Jade, and after working one of my Jade stones in the very center is Emerald green transparent, and translucent Jade. LOL, of course my next post will probably be trying to determine if my Jade is Jadeite or Nephrite. Of course it will be Nephrite because if I think it is Jadeite, undoubtably the law of rockhound forums is it must be the lesser of the 2. LOL.
Thanks,
Aaron
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Post by Michael John on Apr 26, 2009 3:29:45 GMT -5
The large square piece doesn't appear to be agate. It looks like quartz or chalcedony in matrix, MAYBE a jasper.
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Post by imarockhound on Jul 17, 2009 16:16:37 GMT -5
I'm with Michael John, it doesn't appear to be agate. I have seen something like that piece but can't remember what the person called it. I believe it's more like a jasper. Also when you said "metallic portion" I thought, not agate generally. I'm not sure about the hand then tongue thing with regards to agate. Generally I know agate to have the hardness of quartz (6.5-7), is generally translucent, transparent, or opaque, takes a great polish, and is found in a variety of colors. Could the stone you have cut and polished possibly be quartz that has been stained by the minerals in the rock? (I don't mean dyed like they do with a lot of agates especially those Brazilian ones to make them look "pretty" - oh don't get me started on that one...lol) I have never seen agate look like the "parent" rock in the picture. Generally agate has a wrinkled or bubbly outside and doesn't appear in even stripes like those in the picture. I could be wrong but have seen a lot of Agate, especially living in Montana. Hope you get it identified, would love to know what it is.
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