gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,775
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 9, 2017 19:03:06 GMT -5
I thought some here might be interested in seeing this chatoyant opal from Tanzania. It's clearly an opal pseudomorph of some fibrous material, probably a type of asbestos. Anyhow it'll cut some great cats-eye cabs when I get around to slicing it up.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2017 19:56:18 GMT -5
Will it really make a catseye? I would have guessed it would be more sheen like the gemmy selenite rods we see everywhere...
That's so cool!
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,775
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 9, 2017 20:15:34 GMT -5
@shotgunner, yes, it yields very fine cat's-eye stones. So does some of the selenite but it's much too soft to be practical. The fibers in sections of this Tanzanian opal are straight enough to cut some really great eyes. It also comes in several colors. I have a few pieces of grayish-white, a black and a reddish rough. Bought it years ago and recently unearthed it while digging through some old boxes. Neat -- and now rare -- material.
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2017 20:29:09 GMT -5
Thanks Rick. Lesson for the day!
Gratitude amigo!
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