zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
|
Post by zarguy on Jan 9, 2017 15:47:03 GMT -5
Dean Otteson passed away on Oct 26 2016. Dean's wife is having health issues too. His brother David Otteson supposedly is in charge of the mine. I think the rumor about it being sold or leased to Chinese or Koreans is not true.
Let's have some collective optimism that it'll reopen in the future!
19 people from our rock club went last April. It was a blast & we all brought home some great turquoise. I've been cabbing it & silversmithing it. You have to learn to cab a different way. You chase the veins. I'm not talking about making ribbon turquoise cabs, but positioning the vein so it covers the entire face of the cab. Backing or filling is often required. Lynn
|
|
zekesman
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2016
Posts: 637
|
Post by zekesman on Jan 9, 2017 17:40:05 GMT -5
zarguy, Pic's?
|
|
|
Post by Psycho on Jan 9, 2017 21:53:45 GMT -5
True thought process Lynn. Thanks so much for the information and tips !
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2017 23:55:10 GMT -5
Otteson dead?
Is he the "White buffalo" turquoise guy?
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Jan 10, 2017 8:28:21 GMT -5
Yep Royston has the one true white buffalo turquoise. I really wanted to go on their tour! I don't know of another pay dig....
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 11, 2017 2:32:07 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on Jan 13, 2017 12:39:26 GMT -5
World Over, To form turquoise requires unique minerals, temperatures and dryness.
|
|
|
Post by Psycho on Jan 13, 2017 22:52:01 GMT -5
I've seen the top Image before but the bottom is a new one to add to the information collection.
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Jan 22, 2017 12:46:32 GMT -5
Ok here's an update on Royston. I spoke with Dave Otteson (I think Dave) at Pow Wow. He said they just closed it for now, and that I should call him around May (when he's out mining) if I want a tour. So I guess it has gone from "official tours" to "call and maybe you can get a tour". So all hope is not lost!
|
|
|
Post by Psycho on Jan 22, 2017 19:16:07 GMT -5
Sure would be nice to get a pail of material from those spoil piles lol
|
|
|
Post by orrum on Jan 23, 2017 8:31:05 GMT -5
Royston tour was on my bucket list. Glad I might be able to get a tour by appointment!!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2017 23:02:55 GMT -5
Based on the hundreds upon hundreds of pounds VISIBLE and likely tons invisible, at quartzite last weekend, I can say with great clarity, that yes, turquoise mines exist.
It is not a rare commodity. Just in demand.
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 23, 2017 23:19:12 GMT -5
Based on the hundreds upon hundreds of pounds VISIBLE and likely tons invisible, at quartzite last weekend, I can say with great clarity, that yes, turquoise mines exist. It is not a rare commodity. Just in demand. But a lot of it is low grade stones that has been stabilized and enhanced with epoxy that is sometimes colored with blue dye. A lot of the "turquoise" is also coming out of China, which sometimes turns out to not be turquoise at all.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2017 23:29:17 GMT -5
Based on the hundreds upon hundreds of pounds VISIBLE and likely tons invisible, at quartzite last weekend, I can say with great clarity, that yes, turquoise mines exist. It is not a rare commodity. Just in demand. But a lot of it is low grade stones that has been stabilized and enhanced with epoxy that is sometimes colored with blue dye. A lot of the "turquoise" is also coming out of China, which sometimes turns out to not be turquoise at all. I ignored most of the obvious crap. Otteson, and other named mines had lots of naturally hard nuggets and rough pieces. No shortage, at all. And to my eye, it's hard to tell chrysocolla from turquoise when it's rough stones like that.
|
|
|
Post by Psycho on Jan 23, 2017 23:46:46 GMT -5
What kind of price was the rough material going for ? How do you tell the difference between true turquoise and chrysocolla ?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2017 0:38:36 GMT -5
What kind of price was the rough material going for ? How do you tell the difference between true turquoise and chrysocolla ? I'm aware of actual purchases at $100 and $300 per pound. The higher end being a choice selection of some mine I never heard of. But clearly the buyer knew quite well. I'm no turquoise expert. I pray vegasjames will enlighten us on identifying the difference between chrysocolla and turquoise.
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 24, 2017 0:47:54 GMT -5
What kind of price was the rough material going for ? How do you tell the difference between true turquoise and chrysocolla ? Density testing is one way. Turquoise is around 2.6-2.8. True chrysocolla has a lower specific gravity and is softer than turquoise. I said "true chrysocolla" because the term gets thrown around a lot loosely. True chrysocolla is a copper silicate, but the term also gets used loosely for any unidentified copper ores. Another way to differentiate if you own the piece is with a phosphate test. As a copper silicate chrysocolla does not contain any phosphate. Get a phosphate test kit. The crush up a sample and add some hydrochloric acid to dissolve out any phosphate if present. Real chrysocolla will also gel in the acid as where turquoise will not. I usually let the crushed stone soak in the acid for a while. The pour off the liquid in to the test tube. Start adding some calcium oxide (lime for cement) slowly until the fizzing stops. There may be some precipitate, which may be an insoluble calcium phosphate if phosphorus was present. The add some distilled water up to the test line of the phosphate test tube. Add 5 drops of the first solution, which is an acid cap the tube and shake for 5 seconds. The uncap the tube and add 5 drops of the second solution (ammonium molybdenate), cap and shake another 5 seconds. Let sit about 3 minutes and check the color against the color chart. A high phosphorus content will form a blue precipitate.
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 24, 2017 0:49:53 GMT -5
Here is the best turquoise pricing guide I have found since it really breaks down the various pricing factors. tskies.com/value-turquoise/
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on Jan 24, 2017 1:20:19 GMT -5
Quick test - Crysocolla will stick to your tongue.
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Jan 24, 2017 2:55:12 GMT -5
Quick test - Crysocolla will stick to your tongue. So will some untreated turquoise. Mainly the lower grades. As the silica content increases so does the hardness and density and the turquoise is less likely to stick to your tongue. I would not test that way anyway. First of all who else has put their tongue on that rock prior. And there are reports of people being infected with pathogens from doing this with stones that were washed in dirty water.
|
|