onewomanarmy
has rocks in the head
Carpe Silicis!
Member since January 2007
Posts: 645
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Post by onewomanarmy on Jan 30, 2007 15:26:53 GMT -5
I was tumbling a couple of pieces of sodalite in a mixed batch at 60/90 just to get an idea of how it tumbles. These were from a batch of sodalite I bought from The Rock Shed. I knew these would tumble down fast from what I've read on here - so after a week I pulled them out. As I was rinsing the pieces I pulled out of this tumble - I noticed a flash in the sodalite. I don't know if this is what is meant by "fire" or not - but it was almost as if a there was a layer of silver just underneath the surface and when tilted the right way catches your eye with a bit of a flash. Is this typical of sodalite? If I tumble or grind down more will I enhance or lose this flash? I don't have any pictures to show - not sure I can capture what I'm talking about anyway...
Just curious.
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Post by krazydiamond on Jan 30, 2007 15:57:39 GMT -5
the term you are looking for is "chatoyance", here is a good definition: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatoyancyi've seen the "flash" in slabbed sodalite, but not as often in tumbled rock, depends on the quality, i guess. KD
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onewomanarmy
has rocks in the head
Carpe Silicis!
Member since January 2007
Posts: 645
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Post by onewomanarmy on Jan 30, 2007 16:12:06 GMT -5
ohhhh - cool - I'd never heard of that! I must have just gotten lucky with a piece - the other piece I had going didn't show anything like that. Thanks for the info!
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Post by Tweetiepy on Jan 30, 2007 16:24:42 GMT -5
I've had sodalite that floresces under a black light - pretty cool!
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jan 31, 2007 1:04:03 GMT -5
i've read that it is rare for sodalite to have pyrite inclusions like lapis does but the blue swirlstone i have which is a sodalite, feldspar, quartz mix frequently has pyrite in it. my guess is that it is pyrite within the stone.
kim
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Jan 31, 2007 11:09:57 GMT -5
Yea I have a slabbette of sodalight that has a flash- Not real common but very cool when it happens!
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onewomanarmy
has rocks in the head
Carpe Silicis!
Member since January 2007
Posts: 645
|
Post by onewomanarmy on Jan 31, 2007 12:26:20 GMT -5
Yeah - it is very cool - it came out of my 60/90 tumble (which is as far as I've made it in this process at this point!) and I've picked it up and looked at it several times. I debated putting it back in for a day or so to see if it enhanced the flash - but was afraid of losing it - so I guess I'll stick it in the 120/220 when I start it. Hopefully I won't lose it - it's one of my first surprises in this hobby.
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Post by sandsman1 on Feb 5, 2007 0:50:01 GMT -5
i seen the flash before and it was in the real dark almost black stuff i like the real dark sodalite best its like a blue/black color
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