spokanetim
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2009
Posts: 656
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Post by spokanetim on Feb 7, 2010 0:48:45 GMT -5
Montana Sapphire's, The better quality ones are on top of the penny most the ones around it are fractured chips. To get them the corn blue color I believe they need to be heat treated. Little garnets found with the sappiere's
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Post by Toad on Feb 7, 2010 10:52:20 GMT -5
So are you going to facet them then?
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spokanetim
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2009
Posts: 656
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Post by spokanetim on Feb 7, 2010 12:39:27 GMT -5
I'm not going to facet them, I don't have the equipment or knowledge. Four of them are probably 2-3 carets and very clean/clear. They might be worth having a jeweler look at.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 7, 2010 13:59:44 GMT -5
Some of the mines in Montana will treat those gems for you,its worth a look...........
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Feb 7, 2010 20:43:19 GMT -5
I just sent some off to get cut here. www.lambertgems.com/gemcutting.phpNot sure if they are any good or even if I'll see them again but I will post on here either way once I know in the vendors section. Price was right though, unless I do never see them again..... Thats a nice batch, did you get them out of mail order gravel? If so who did you go through?
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Feb 7, 2010 23:54:05 GMT -5
That's really cool. I'll have to show my daughters what untreated sapphires look like.
Nate
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spokanetim
has rocks in the head
Member since October 2009
Posts: 656
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Post by spokanetim on Feb 8, 2010 10:23:41 GMT -5
I got three bags of "Sapphire Gravel" from a friend who had them setting around for a long time. The bags were really old and the labels were unreadable or gone. He was actually going to dump them into his gravel driveway to get them out of the way. Looking at example on-line I'd say these are from the Missouri River deposit www.gemgallery.com/Yogo.asp . I've fly fished this area several times, next time I'll bring my screens and gold pan! Let me know how that gem cutting service does. I sent some nice garnets off to a different service in Thailand and I wasn't to impressed with what I got back.
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Post by drocknut on Feb 8, 2010 16:25:41 GMT -5
I got three bags of "Sapphire Gravel" from a friend who had them setting around for a long time. The bags were really old and the labels were unreadable or gone. He was actually going to dump them into his gravel driveway to get them out of the way. Looking at example on-line I'd say these are from the Missouri River deposit www.gemgallery.com/Yogo.asp . I've fly fished this area several times, next time I'll bring my screens and gold pan! The bags are most likely from Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine or El Dorado Bar Sapphire Mine both near Helena, MT (Missouri River deposit). They were the only mines I know of that sold bags of sapphire gravel for screening a long time ago. They could also be from Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine near Philipsburg, Mt but with garnets in the bags I'd say Spokane Bar Mine. They are mined from a deposit along the river but sorry to say I don't think you'd get any from just screening in the Missouri River. There's a pretty fast current and it's rather deep in most places plus the deposits are concentrated in certain areas which are usually patented mining claims along the shoreline. You can still buy bags of sapphire gravel from Spokane Bar www.sapphiremine.com/The cornflower blue sapphires are Yogo sapphires which are not heat treated to get or maintain that color. Missouri River sapphires as well as others around the state can be heat treated to improve their color but not all of the sapphires respond well to heat treating. The color of the stone generally does not change, just the intensity of the color ie...a pink looking stone will just get darker pink, etc... I'm not sure but I think they heat treat most sapphires before they are faceted. The sapphires from Missouri River area come in a wide range of colors including yellow, green, pink, and light blue. The really dark blue sapphires are usually synthetic or heat treated but I could be wrong about that. I'm not an expert in sapphires just thought I'd share my experience, albeit limited. :2cents: Some of those garnets might be able to be faceted too although they are small. Those look like the typical garnets from Montana, at least those I've seen and screened for myself. I have a jar of them at home and I like screening for them because they are so easy to spot in the light. Our gem and mineral club has a "garnet hunt" for the kids at our annual show and it's a big hit. We use pre-screened gravel (just to get out the bigger rocks) that we collect from a private ranch and have a "light box" set-up so the kids can see the red-purple garnets easily. Think I've rambled on long enough...lol. . Hope the faceting goes well. Will look forward to your review of the company's services.
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dbrealityrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2010
Posts: 1,084
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Post by dbrealityrocks on Feb 14, 2010 14:50:03 GMT -5
I have used gem mtn sapphire to get mine heat treated and faceted and was pleased w/the results on 140 of them. whether or not I got the same ones back.. well I have no way of knowing. mine all finished out from .2- .75 carats
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