Tag Archives: Chrysocolla

Searching Your Own Blog

What do you do when you have a stone you know nothing about?

Mexican Crazy Lane Agate along side an Aspenite Cabochon the day they were purchased.

I found a gemstone cabochon the other day recalling that I had purchased it in Tucson at one of the shows. I really forgot what is was, so I searched my own blog from this year’s Tucson Shows hoping to find out (again) what it is, and found a picture of the cab captioned “Aspenite“.

I searched “Aspenite” on line, and guess what? My own blog was pretty much the only information I could find on the stuff. So I answered my own question with my own answer. I guess I’m just amazing!

I was standing next to a woman at the Walgreen the other day that was talking to herself. She realized she was talking to herself, and apologized for it. I told her that talking to yourself is often OK. I , myself, do it at times when I seek someone intelligent to converse with. I mention this because, searching for my own answer, on line, was sort of like that.

When I wrap a gemstone, it speaks to me (most of the time telepathically), and whispers (hints) how it wants to look as jewelry. I just do what these little voices in my head tell me to do. Every so often I pick a gemstone that may be (how do I say this with sensitivity?) like three fries short of a Happy Meal. This Gemstone will force me to do a dumb thing, like cut or scratch a wire, ruining a pendant. After so many years I have learned to recognize these trouble making stones and I let them languish in their own misery in a seedy bucket with more of their kind. I got a little off track there for a while..have coffee and focus Don.

My blog indicated Aspenite is, according to a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) analysis, a Silicated Limonite with Chrysocolla, from Oro De Conception, in North Central Mexico. I must practice saying this, so it virtually “flows” off my tongue, with perhaps a spanish accent ala Ricardo Montalban. The GIA advised that the material had no name, so the finder named it after his home town. I am fortunate I took notes on this stuff; this made it possible to answer my own questions about it. I was not so stressed after coffee and by reading my own answer.

The claim made to me, by the seller, was that Aspenite is quite scarce (Yeah right; I’ve heard this before, so I take it with a grain of salt). From what I can determine it is indeed scarce. I recall the cost matched the scarcity claim.

snob-appeal-jewelryasppend

A simple two-tone gold and silver did wonders for this stuff. This piece was hand-picked by me for it’s wonderful combination of colors. Orange and green together is a remarkable combination I’d never seen before. Orange is not my favorite color, but I must like it. My Chevy Colorado is “Camaro Orange” for example. I like it not only for the color, but that we can see it in any parking lot we are in. I again got off track..sorry..

My point here is the best answers to your questions may dwell within you. At my age the only problem is finding or remembering them.

Quartzsite-Let’s See What We Got

Olivenite-Caution should be taken with this stuff as it is a Copper Arsenate.

Cheetah Jasper with Apatite inclusions.

Returning to Tucson after 2 1/2 days exploring the Desert Gardens Show and several other locales around Quartzsite, we re-lived our adventures by taking a close look at our spoils.

A few of the very fine Imperial Jasper slabs I selected.

Cobra Stone-India. Some is wet so you can see the color better.

Cobra Stone-India (AKA Coquina Jasper). Some is wet so you can see the color better.

There were several slabs I picked out from at least that many dealers. One was an interesting stone from India called “Cobra Stone”. By looking at it you can see why it got its’ name. In actuality the reddish matrix is filled with a multitude of clams. When the stone is oriented and cut the little clams look like cobras.

I also mentioned the scarce crystal Rhodocrosite from Argentina I stumbled across. There is some left, but I picked the top pieces I saw. You can still find this beautiful pink material around, but is is uncommon. Generally a story comes with a rock purchase. With this Rhodocrosite we were told that Chinese bought the Rhodocrosite Mine from an unwilling to sell miner. The wrote him a check for so much money, he just walked away. The

Crystal Rhodocrosite ( color not enhanced)

Chinese converted this mine into an open pit operation in search of precious metals and rare earth minerals, doing so much damage, and violating so many mining rules, that they got evicted. In the meantime their dynamite destroyed a wonderful gemstone mine.

Coprolite-Yes I did indeed buy this crap.

I found some great Apatite-included Cheetah jasper at T-Rocks. This is actually spoil rock from the Brazilian Apatite Mines. It used to be just left in the discard pile until someone realized what great cutting material it is. The rock varies widely in color and pattern, but nice Cheetah Pattern is what most look for. The beautiful Apatite is a bonus.

Condor. The colors were classic Condor. Some of this is damp, but the Az sun just dried the slabs off immediately.

I bought a couple pieces of Condor Agate. I usually am not excited by most of this stuff, but occasionally I find such beautiful coloration that it just screams “CONDOR”. I found these two pieces, out of the whole box, begged me to pick them out.

Pickings were very good, but there were no crowds. Maybe shoppers are waiting for the week end.

All these rocks we bought with the plan of turning them into the top-quality wire wrapped stone jewelry that we sell. You might not be able to see it yet, but come back over future months to see the results! Like us on Facebook to keep up with new items and all our blogs from Tucson.

A nice slab of Purple Opal (AKA Bertrandite, AKA Tiffany Stone)

Some of the deluxe Aventurine from near Pikes Peak.

Some of the deluxe Amazonite from near Pikes Peak.

A fist sized piece of superb Chrysocolla picked from the 60# I found at the Desert Gardens Show.

Shopping the Quartzsite Rock Shows 2014

A pleasant 4 hour drive from Tucson, the town of Quartzsite (where there is no Quartzite in Quartzsite) is a small oasis in the desert mountains about 20 miles from the California border. The town explodes during the winter months with Snowbirds, Rockhounds,flea market shoppers, and RV fans. The giant RV shows are in full swing, but there is some early rock picking around also.

Desert Gardens

Later in the month the Powwow opens as does the Tyson Wells Show, but our favorite show in Quartzsite has always been the Desert Gardens Show (there are no gardens at Desert Gardens). This is a tent/RV tailgate show in a large dusty lot along the freeway. Bargains can be found by the astute buyer, and always lots of interesting rock. I go to Desert Gardens mainly for the rough rock, but other hidden treasures can often be found.

The REAL gem amongst all the rocks at T-Rock.

Our first stop in town was T-Rock that our Upper Peninsula friends Mike and Theresa Thompson own. I found some lovely lavender opal, and several other random pieces of gemstone rough. They are open all year in case you come through off season. I’ll be hitting that place again.

Real nice color in this bucket of Chrysocolla.

At the third booth we looked at, Bonnie seemed to be lusting over a couple small buckets of Chrysocolla. I recongnized this to be old stock from the Ray Mine. You would swear it was Turquiose, it was so blue. I guessed there was around 60-70 pounds. Bonnie said we could keep some and sell some, so I bought it all.

How do we get this home?

We looked at a 4400# piece of Tiger Iron as well as a piece of Gaspeite I would guess to be about 800-1000# at the Australian Outback Mining booth. Peanut wood was available, but not as good a quality as ten years ago. There was one very unusual Peanut Wood piece that was combined with Mookaite. We were told that it came from their area where they mine Mookaite. No Peanut Wood was available last year in the way of Peanut Wood, so even though we did not get any, it will make other’s happy.

What is more fun than buying rocks? Talking to the dealers; picking their brains, so to speak. You can learn so much and fill your trivia banks just by chit-chat.

Next I spotted some Royal Imperial Jasper slabs that the dealer had acquired in a collection he purchased. Amazing, nice stuff indeed. Expect some Royal Imperial Jasper jewelry in the future.

We saw some buckets of crap (Coprolite), but did not buy any.

Coprolite (petrified poo)

4400#!!! Look over Bonnie's shoulder for large Gaspeite.

We did not finish looking at the Garden’s show today, but was have another day. I’ll keep you posted.

Gaspeite.

Mookaite/Peanut Wood

Tucson-You didn’t Think I Was Done; Did You?

69 sunny

I was going to be really depressed today. Tomorrow we head back to snowy northern Michigan. Except for the one I sent out today, all the flat-rate boxes should be awaiting our arrival.

In order to get over this downer I was in, we went to look at some mineral specimens today, and wow, did that turn out to be fun!

This piece of Ray Mine Chrysocolla will make fantastic jewelry.

Close-up of previous specimen.

I was not expecting much when I saw a small classified ad in the paper for two mineral collections for sale. Today we went to see them. What we found was some of the nicest Chrysocolla I’ve seen, from the old Ray Mine. The Ray Mine has not been hunted much in the past few years, but back in the 70’s it produced some of the finest Chrysocolla specimens ever

Drusy (druzy) Chrysocolla on Ray Mine specimen mined in the 70's. The druzy is actually clear quartz over chrysocolla.

A nice selection of Ray Mine specimens.

found, including gem silica, Druzy Chrysocolla, and remarkable cutting and jewelry material. Some of this collection was old material from the 70’s. Joe said he had a friend at the mine, but the last time he (or anyone) was allowed in was a couple years ago. I guess the liability issues came into play as is common in many of the good hunting grounds anymore. I know this will make top-notch chrysocolla pendants.

Joe had many other Arizona specimens that he was weeding from his personal collection, as well as other southwestern and Mexican minerals. Money was exchanged and we left very pleased, but what do you do with approximately 100 pounds of rough rock the day before we leave?

The solution presented itself at a UPS Store nearby that was open, unlike the Post Office today which was on holiday in honor of our Presidents. We wrapped some of the material up with some packaging material Joe had given us, and the store, for a fee, took care of the rest. I carefully explained to them what was valuable, which was not wrapped, and what was not so important (the wrapped stuff). We left the store with a relieved feeling. I now have a good feeling that the valuable druzy will arrive safely.

This striking piece of Peacock Ore (Bornite) is most likely from Zacatecas, Mexico. This particular specimen has amazing colors. Borite is a copper ore.

Bonnie hinted quietly when she spotted a really great piece of Mexican Peacock Ore, so I bought that also.

Man I hate the thought of snow, but we are also eager to get home.