tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 16, 2024 19:05:57 GMT -5
So, as the thread was titled, I found this in a box marked first priority. The only label on it was save... ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1718582671/-LbjRP_oQJu82X2PPPttSA_a8rig9.jpg) You can see some goldish flecks on it. Oh! and you can shine light through it like this: ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1718582728/fXcNRpkGRLy1V_uw5YoPow_h7z5cd.jpg) Maybe a Jade/Jadeite?
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 18, 2024 18:35:10 GMT -5
Does it look kinda sugary, coarse or frosty?
Just by the pictures, I'm going with aventurine. Some of it is quite nice. I think there is some referred to as "royal" or something like that. Of course, it could be dyed aventurine, too. I doubt it's jade (nephrite) or jadeite. But, don't be discouraged. You'll find some and once you do, it will be way easier to ID it again. Jade has a look about it that you can't really see in pictures.
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chris1956
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Post by chris1956 on Jun 18, 2024 18:52:38 GMT -5
It looks like it has the look of quartzite (small grains) so that is one thing in aventurine's favor. When you look at it under magnification does it look like it has mica in it? In the aventurine I have you can see the mica is all aligned in one plane.
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Post by Pat on Jun 18, 2024 19:10:50 GMT -5
I like it —- whatever it is.
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 19:17:46 GMT -5
It looks like it has the look of quartzite (small grains) so that is one thing in aventurine's favor. When you look at it under magnification does it look like it has mica in it? In the aventurine I have you can see the mica is all aligned in one plane. I got to get out my mica-scope! Kidding! I've got a microscope but it's a stereo microscope for electronics, I'll see what I can do with a different lens on it. I'll do some further testing in a bit and get back to you both on that rockjunquie and chris1956. Thanks both of you Pat - Thank you!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 18, 2024 19:21:59 GMT -5
I think those "goldish flecks" you mentioned is the mica that chris1956 mentioned.
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chris1956
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Post by chris1956 on Jun 18, 2024 20:00:51 GMT -5
Here is the aventurine description I posted in another thread recently.
Aventurine is a form of quartzite, characterized by its translucency and the presence of platy mineral inclusions that give it a shimmering or glistening effect termed aventurescence. The majority of green and blue-green aventurine originates in India where it is employed by prolific artisans. The most common inclusion in aventurine is fuchsite, a green chromium-rich mica. Just a few percent fuchsite by volume can impart a distinct green color to aventurine.
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 20:31:23 GMT -5
Thank you chris1956. I was following that aventurine thread, it was really cool to see what you made with that material too! I will switch my scope around in the morning, gotta dig out my other lenses and I'll update you in the morning.
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 21:46:24 GMT -5
rockjunquie - Here's some photos of the rock dry. To the touch its smooth as hell, feels almost polished. Maybe it will help a little. ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1718764900/lwiNIIOtTTCu3OU2uTmN5g_fazita.jpg) ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1718764901/Pe90JikhQTWS2uTwv1QLiQ_ykxkhn.jpg) As to the jade difference, I can't tell yet, even when I'm comparing it. The jades and jadeite I have found so far in slabs are from white, lavendar, green, some called serpantine nephrite, then stuff like this: ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1718765040/grAWBFvRQeu2HRVojcq2Rg_z0gtuq.jpg) This one was also labeled as serpantine jade. ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1718765114/eskPjRAdRNiJ5kGyuST8yg_qxbveb.jpg) Don't know why there are holes in it. Wrong shape for a bowling ball. Anyway, my point is, I can't tell yet what a jade feels like or looks like, they are all just too different so far!
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 21:48:20 GMT -5
But I can see that jades aren't sparkly... or mica-y? There's that much I learned so far!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 18, 2024 22:07:59 GMT -5
Serpentine is often sold as jade. Of course, those sellers are ripping people off, but in China it is quite common. There was a guy on the board who taught school in China. He went to gem markets and did show and tell for us. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I'll see if I can find some old threads. There are a lot of stones called jade. It really gets confusing.
As for your slab- I'm still thinking it's aventurine, but I could be wrong.
This has the look of nephrite:
Spinach green nephrite is very common.
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pebblesky
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Post by pebblesky on Jun 18, 2024 22:15:03 GMT -5
In Chinese the character 玉 can basically represent any stone that is beautiful and good quality. It doesn't have to be jade, jadeite (in Chinese it is 翡翠), serpentine or nephrite. It is really up to the translator to better understand the context and translate the terms properly.
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 22:17:49 GMT -5
Thank you my dear. I agree with the consensus not a jade and a possible aventurine. Every time we can't figure one out, husband calls it a keeper.
I'll look for my lenses tomorrow. The scope is set to widen the field and reduce standard magnification, but it does have a camera hole that hooks up to my computer. So if I can find the right magnification, I can post photos of the view through the microscope. Won't that be fun???
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 18, 2024 22:23:23 GMT -5
Yes, the guy who was there, spoke Chinese. I didn't mean to say that the Chinese were ripping people off- rather the material names were interchangeable. My grandson was dating a girl in China- talk about a long distance relationship. She used to fly here with her mother. One time her mother brought me a big piece of, what looked like, mutton fat jade. She was extremely wealthy and trying to impress. She got it from an artist friend who carved jade. Well, turns out it wasn't jade at all. You can read about it here. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/83506/omg-mutton-fat-jade
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 22:42:12 GMT -5
Wow, thanks! I'm actually kind of glad in a way that China sellers are also ripping off Chinese people. That's horrible to say, but I hear so many times about how the sellers intentionally mislead international buyers, it was starting to feel like they were picking on us. Not that all Chinese sellers are doing it, just some shady ones...
For example, I bought an ssd from China last year. Out of curiosity when it arrived I took it apart to see what inside of it. Yeah, I know that's weird. Inside the device was a flimsy circuit with micro-sd storage! Rip off! Ok, that was off topic of rocks sorry!
Did you ever ask her what it was or present her with the jewelry gift?
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 22:49:25 GMT -5
In Chinese the character 玉 can basically represent any stone that is beautiful and good quality. It doesn't have to be jade, jadeite (in Chinese it is 翡翠), serpentine or nephrite. It is really up to the translator to better understand the context and translate the terms properly. I like this pebblesky. It explains a lot about how translated words can be misleading without being intentional Thanks for this!
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 18, 2024 22:51:31 GMT -5
Oh an now I feel like a jerk for bad mouthing. I've earned quite a few slaps lately...
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pebblesky
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Post by pebblesky on Jun 19, 2024 0:01:17 GMT -5
Yes, the guy who was there, spoke Chinese. I didn't mean to say that the Chinese were ripping people off- rather the material names were interchangeable. My grandson was dating a girl in China- talk about a long distance relationship. She used to fly here with her mother. One time her mother brought me a big piece of, what looked like, mutton fat jade. She was extremely wealthy and trying to impress. She got it from an artist friend who carved jade. Well, turns out it wasn't jade at all. You can read about it here. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/83506/omg-mutton-fat-jade Interesting read! I hope her mother didn't pay too much for that serpentine (from the mohs hardness it seems). If that piece has high purity, uniform white color, very fine texture and waxy surface feel, it is still very nice. My very inexpensive white serpentine doesn't even look 1% close to yours
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 19, 2024 15:06:40 GMT -5
Did you ever ask her what it was or present her with the jewelry gift? I thought it best to avoid the subject. But, I did thank her profusely.
I gave her one of the prettiest spectrolites pendants I ever made and a gorgeous red, lady's Cross pen. She loved them.
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tribeunited
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 19, 2024 18:49:15 GMT -5
rockjunquie - Good call! That's a happy ending This is for chris1956 - I broke out the mica-scope today. The highest magnification I have is 2X - so the pictures aren't much help. They didn't come out very well, but I am posting this because you took the time to write out such a helpful response on aventurine for the second time this week that I felt just saying I did it and not posting a photo would be rude. ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dosm6sdda/image/upload/v1718840935/1_xgvkjg.jpg)
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