Uncle Ron Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Yo All ... I'm primarily a gold guy, but I like to pick up interesting rocks ... This one was given me by a former mining engineer ... He got it many years ago in Chile from a deep mine in a copper mining area ... He told me what it was but I don't remember ... It has flecks of some type of pyrite (I think) all through it and has a waxy feel ... There are some flecks that look like gold, but they're not, the seem to have shiny angular facets ... It's about fist size ... It is really more blue than the pictures show ... Different gradients of blue and it seems the interior is like turquoise ... It has kind of a blue-green streak and seems pretty hard ... It just barely left a streak on a piece of hard white quartz .. Anybody got any idea ??? Edited February 19, 2014 by Uncle Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Haderly???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_day Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Color looks like it might be chrysocolla, but chrysocolla is pretty soft stuff. 2.5 to 3.5 on the Mohs scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dorado Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 WAG.... gem silica! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relichunter2 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Variscite ?....I know Brazil has some...and Nevada. I have a piece myself..colors look similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haderly Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I would call it highly silicated Chrysocolla. Gem Silica used to refer to transparent chalcedony that is naturally colored blue by copper. The best Gem Silica should cut clean transparent stones that are free of inclusions. As the availability of high grade Gem Silica has decreased and the price increased more people are starting to lump in highly silicated Chrysocolla. Another trade name that is often used but more specifically to stuff out of Mexico is Parrot Wing Chrysocolla.As to actual mineral makeup that is extremely difficult without knowing the exact mine and what minerals have been found within the mine. There are over 140 copper minerals but it would be a safe bet to say the red is Cuprite and the Blue is Chrysocolla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Thanks, guys ... it weights a little over 177 grams or about 885 carats ... It does resemble the gem silica samples I found on eBay .... Actually it is identical to this rock I found on eBay ....Would some like to make me an offer on it? ... If so, email me at ron@az-gold.com ... Thanks, Ron Edited February 19, 2014 by Uncle Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haderly Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Thanks, guys ... it weights a little over 177 grams or about 885 carats ... It does resemble the gem silica samples I found on eBay .... Actually it is identical to this rock I found on eBay ....Would some like to make me an offer on it? ... If so, email me at ron@az-gold.com ... Thanks, RonRon – If your rock looks like the EBay link you provided then it would be Gem Silica. If you can see light through a corner then it would be closer to Gem Silica than Chrysocolla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 I 'bout blinded myself trying to look through the specimen into the sun ... It didn't seem to let light pass but the more turquoise inner portion of the rock seems like waxy glass ... It's a very hard rock too ... Cheers, Unc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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