I was wondering if anyone can help identify these two samples from the same area of Clear Creek Management, CA. Nearly positive they are same material.
SG-2.63
Scratch with fingernail- No
(Approx. 6-7 MOHS)
Dissolves in acid- No
It looks to me like an obsidian? to me but why not check in with your nearest gem club or gem lab, there are always amazing people at the gem clubs and if you google the one closest to you it might even be people that you know, it always makes the visit a little more exiting.
best regards jarryed.
I agree, and have signed up to a lapidary club but have had trouble making it in for orientation.
It looks like I didn’t add a pic that I had meant to, which I think show it’s true colors and patterns better. Pretty sure it isn’t obsidian, but not positive. Found in Clear Creek Management Area, CA.
Scott, a very quick google brings up this page: https://www.blm.gov/visit/clear-creek
There is a mineral mentioned called “Tremolite”. Googling that shows the same kind of stone. The green colour is produced by iron. Beware that this mineral contains asbestos (the white bits) which is highly dangerous if inhaled.
From: https://www.mindat.org/min-4011.html
I found some crysotile nearby and asbestos is a warning in the area. Could tremolite jade be ruled out by the specific gravity? This has an SG- 2.6 and another of the same material has nearly the same SG. I keep thinking it might be beryl(emerald) because another piece from the area, with a small bit of gold seems to be a better match visually to beryl than anything else and the SG is in the beryl range.
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…Well it certainly is something. I love the colour. I would suggest cutting it or having it cut, Green gems are tricky in genral so it has to be cut perfectly then getting it correctly tested is step two as the area is known for a few different mineral types, it may even be a bigger discovery than expected. It could still be an obsidian but something is throwing me off a bit and as it is difficult to tell properly from a picture, I would hate to give you the wrong information, though it looks like an obsidian in many regards there is just something abut the colour and secondary hue that looks suspicious and I would say that secondary testing is needed to be sure.
best regards Jarryed
I know it’s something interesting but have a tough time knowing how to separate what minerals might be making up a whole rock like this. I see 3-4 different types of minerals in this, and one is likely gold. How is it possible to do testing of something like this to determine if it is gold, and what other minerals accompany it, and what the approx purity is, if so? SEM seems like a good non-destructive test but as I understand it, only gets the surface, or shallow depth results. Microprobe has also been suggested but I don’t know where I can have that done.