Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 15, 2008 12:08:00 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Well, just got back from the ranch again. Only went out for rocks twice because I was so tired from cutting weeds for our fire control work and listing the place with a real estate guy. Very hot and dry already this year and after digging a bit, I think the poppy jasper is just about exhausted unless someone were to go in with mechanized digging equipment. Pretty hot digging for this old coot anyway! I did also get to make a quick trip to the chiastolite site and my wife and I found a few crystals. So much dust it was very difficult to pick them out. So much easier after a little rain. Anyway, here's a pic of our cross crystal finds. Largest are about 7/8 inch across. Thanks for looking....Mel
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Post by Jurrasic Jonje on Apr 15, 2008 15:38:53 GMT -5
Those are really interesting.
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Post by connrock on Apr 15, 2008 16:02:26 GMT -5
Those are soooooooooooo cool Mel!
What exactly are they?
connrock
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rollingstone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since July 2009
Posts: 236
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Post by rollingstone on Apr 15, 2008 16:10:03 GMT -5
Nice chiastolite. That reminds me that I've got some somewhere that has been through coarse grind, then got put aside. Will have to finish it someday, I recall your previous batch turned out very nicely. -Don
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Post by Bikerrandy on Apr 15, 2008 16:22:54 GMT -5
It's been so long that anyone's posted any of those that I had forgotten they exist. Those are cool!
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Apr 15, 2008 18:29:02 GMT -5
They are very, very cool, Mel. What can you do with them?
For some reason they remind me a little bit of sushi rolls...mmmmmmm...sushi rolls...
Mike
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 15, 2008 18:50:26 GMT -5
Connrock: Chiastolite is a variety of andalusite found in only a few places worldwide. They form as irregular stick like crystals in metamorphic slates with tiny mica crystals coating the outsides. Most are four or eight sided and the black cross markings are caused by carbon inclusions.Usually they weather out as small chunky pieces of crystal though a cowboy I met says on one of the private ranches has fields full of large crystal to four inches. I've looked but can't find that place *S*. My largest is like 2" long. The cross patterns vary depending on where in the crystal the chunk broke from. Another locale has tiny clear crystals instead of the opaque ones.I guess some cultures regard them very highly as good luck pieces and Japanese tour buses actually sometimes visit the site so the tourists can gather some.
Mike: They cut and polish pretty well and the cross patterns make them unusual jewelry pieces. A buddy of mine makes silver and chiastolite matching necklace, bracelet and ear ring sets with crystals of matched size and pattern and they are very neat!.....Mel
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Post by connrock on Apr 16, 2008 5:40:26 GMT -5
Thanks Mel,,,, They are really unique and must make very pretty jewelery.
connrock
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Post by texaswoodie on Apr 17, 2008 6:55:38 GMT -5
Cool Mel!. If you have any of those polished, I would enjoy seeing a pic or two.
Curt
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 17, 2008 11:54:32 GMT -5
Curt, Here are a couple of pics of some tiny crystal sections that I tumble polished. Mostly 1/4 to 1/2 inch or so. So far, I've not achieved a mirror polish. I need to try some other formulas but they do sort of take a shiny satin finish in the rotary. My buddy who hand polishes the sections for jewelry has better luck...Mel
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holdemplyer
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2008
Posts: 418
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Post by holdemplyer on Apr 17, 2008 12:17:08 GMT -5
that is some really cool lookin' stuff right there!
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,787
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Post by adrian65 on Apr 17, 2008 12:57:24 GMT -5
Very nice! It's the first time when I see red chiastolite.
Adrian
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one80mike
freely admits to licking rocks
@(-_-)@ Princess Leia!
Member since February 2007
Posts: 908
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Post by one80mike on Apr 17, 2008 19:24:47 GMT -5
Thanks for the polished pics, Mel. They are so cool.
Mike
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 17, 2008 21:27:22 GMT -5
Yeah Adrian, the red ones are rare, followed by solid black ones with a white cross ( my favorites!) I think the red color is due to staining with iron salts which is kinda weird because the soil at that site is not nearly as red as in some of the local areas.....Mel
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