spicemen
off to a rocking start
Member since June 2017
Posts: 13
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Post by spicemen on Nov 11, 2017 23:14:13 GMT -5
In the book, "The Complete Guide to rocks and minerals" on page 43 is a pic that looks close to this rock. It would be nice but I sure it's not. The Plc I took the reddish portion of the Rock is brighter.
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,424
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Post by Wooferhound on Nov 12, 2017 0:18:11 GMT -5
Cool . . . Page 43 . . .
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Nov 12, 2017 15:16:20 GMT -5
hope so for what?
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,424
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Post by Wooferhound on Nov 12, 2017 18:12:17 GMT -5
42
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Post by spiceman on Nov 12, 2017 18:41:08 GMT -5
Ok, for those of you that don't have the book, it says.... "Rubies are among a number of rare and precious gem minerals That form when certain oxides are crystallized by the heat and pressure of metamorphism." My rock looks close to the picture shown.
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Post by spiceman on Nov 12, 2017 18:48:33 GMT -5
Page 43 bottom photo. The real rock looks closer to the image in the book.
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Post by pauls on Nov 12, 2017 18:56:03 GMT -5
Easily tested spiceman, do a scratch test and a Specific Gravity test.
Ruby is Corundum so real hard, hardness 9, the only thing that will touch it is Corundum (the same hardness) and Diamond, a hardness scratch test will soon tell you if it is Ruby.
Ruby also has a high Specific Gravity. If it's as big as it appears then you should be able to feel that its heavy when comparing it to a similar sized bit of Quartz for example. But a genuine SG test is easy to do if you have a good set of scales.
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Post by spiceman on Nov 13, 2017 18:30:33 GMT -5
Easily tested spiceman, do a scratch test and a Specific Gravity test. Ruby is Corundum so real hard, hardness 9, the only thing that will touch it is Corundum (the same hardness) and Diamond, a hardness scratch test will soon tell you if it is Ruby. Ruby also has a high Specific Gravity. If it's as big as it appears then you should be able to feel that its heavy when comparing it to a similar sized bit of Quartz for example. But a genuine SG test is easy to do if you have a good set of scales. I Nice info, thanks. Right now my resources are limited As far as testing equipment. I found that rock in a bag of rocks bought for landscape. So no loss. It might take a while to get something to Scratch test with, But thanks
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Nov 13, 2017 19:07:26 GMT -5
Looks like corundum to me. I have about a pound of it I bought before I had any idea of, well, anything. It's not too expensive, I think I paid $20/pound, cheaper than Lapis Lazuli which I like a whole lot more. It's too hard to tumble, ask gmitch067!
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Post by spiceman on Nov 13, 2017 20:33:09 GMT -5
Looks like corundum to me. I have about a pound of it I bought before I had any idea of, well, anything. It's not too expensive, I think I paid $20/pound, cheaper than Lapis Lazuli which I like a whole lot more. It's too hard to tumble, ask gmitch067 ! If it is Corundum, have I got a deal for you. Thanks for the info. More testing, keeps me busy.
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Post by MsAli on Nov 13, 2017 21:02:13 GMT -5
Easily tested spiceman, do a scratch test and a Specific Gravity test. Ruby is Corundum so real hard, hardness 9, the only thing that will touch it is Corundum (the same hardness) and Diamond, a hardness scratch test will soon tell you if it is Ruby. Ruby also has a high Specific Gravity. If it's as big as it appears then you should be able to feel that its heavy when comparing it to a similar sized bit of Quartz for example. But a genuine SG test is easy to do if you have a good set of scales. I Nice info, thanks. Right now my resources are limited As far as testing equipment. I found that rock in a bag of rocks bought for landscape. So no loss. It might take a while to get something to Scratch test with, But thanks My question is if it came out of a bag of landscape rocks, where did the bag originate from?? Not going to find a random Ruby in most landscape bags...
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Post by RickB on Nov 13, 2017 21:21:27 GMT -5
Try shining a long wave black light on it. If it's ruby it will glow bright red. Rick B
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Post by spiceman on Nov 13, 2017 21:31:08 GMT -5
I Nice info, thanks. Right now my resources are limited As far as testing equipment. I found that rock in a bag of rocks bought for landscape. So no loss. It might take a while to get something to Scratch test with, But thanks My question is if it came out of a bag of landscape rocks, where did the bag originate from?? Not going to find a random Ruby in most landscape bags... I have no idea where it came from. But, I don't think they checkout what's going in the bag. Just so they are rocks. But yes, a ruby is far fetched but you don't know if you don't try.
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Post by spiceman on Nov 13, 2017 21:33:40 GMT -5
Try shining a long wave black light on it. If it's ruby it will glow bright red. Rick B I like that way of testing the best, will give it a try Thank you
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Post by gmitch067 on Nov 13, 2017 21:34:33 GMT -5
Looks like corundum to me. I have about a pound of it I bought before I had any idea of, well, anything. It's not too expensive, I think I paid $20/pound, cheaper than Lapis Lazuli which I like a whole lot more. It's too hard to tumble, ask gmitch067 ! Oh... it IS easy to tumble corundum. I started (rotary) tumbling my Amazon load of corundum back in February 2017... and it is still going strong! I even took it out to the 220-grit stage in my rotary tumbler once for a few weeks but did not see any changes. But otherwise it has never advanced beyond the 80-grit stage!!! It HAS reduced in size a little with rounded off corners, and maybe a few have escaped to other stages, but mainly I use it as an aggressive (and very expensive) grit additive to beat-up big ugly agates. Lol!
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Luminin
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2017
Posts: 400
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Post by Luminin on Nov 13, 2017 21:52:27 GMT -5
Beat up big ugly agates you say? I think it's time I put my corundum to work then! 😂
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fishnpinball
Cave Dweller
So much to learn, so little time
Member since March 2017
Posts: 1,491
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Post by fishnpinball on Nov 13, 2017 22:04:09 GMT -5
Looks like corundum to me. I have about a pound of it I bought before I had any idea of, well, anything. It's not too expensive, I think I paid $20/pound, cheaper than Lapis Lazuli which I like a whole lot more. It's too hard to tumble, ask gmitch067 ! Oh... it IS easy to tumble corundum. I started (rotary) tumbling my Amazon load of corundum back in February 2017... and it is still going strong! I even took it out to the 220-grit stage in my rotary tumbler once for a few weeks but did not see any changes. But otherwise it has never advanced beyond the 80-grit stage!!! It HAS reduced in size a little with rounded off corners, and maybe a few have escaped to other stages, but mainly I use it as an aggressive (and very expensive) grit additive to beat-up big ugly agates. Lol! So it lasts longer than the ceramics they sell us for the vibes? Might have to try that for a change.
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Post by pauls on Nov 14, 2017 2:36:55 GMT -5
Not all Ruby fluoresces under UV. I bought a bag of Thialand Rubies last year at our club show, about half a pound for $5, only about half of them fluoresce but boy do they look good when they do.
Yeah it's pretty cheap, this trader was giving away an extra bag with each one he sold too.
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ubermenehune
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 293
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Post by ubermenehune on Nov 14, 2017 13:49:26 GMT -5
If you have a digital scale, that's really the only equipment you need for specific gravity testing. That, plus a bucket of water and some string, which I assume everyone has.
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