Help with a strange rock

[xobazzip]

This is a strange green quartz like rock that I have found and I would like some comments on what it may be

This is another side to this little rock

The local Rock Shop described it as Australian Jade but it has never been found in this area before (Could be a dropped item as I have only found one so far)

This would make it a green Chrysoprase

Any comments would be appreciated

 

[Syndyne]

G'day xobazzip,

I can guarantee you are 100% correct! That is certainly Chrysoprase. And it's not a bad looking piece either! The top quality Chrysoprase is usually apple green in colour with no flaws. I have heard it called Australian Jade before, but that's technically wrong.

I have a quite large similar looking specimen of it also, weighing about 2kg's with nice areas of clean apple green quality.

Kindest regards,
Shauno.

 

[xobazzip]

Hi Shauno,
The Rock Shop has introduced me to a W.A. mining group that sells Australian Jade and it certainly does look like this specimen but as you say it still may be incorrectly named.
This was found in New South Wales and I am told that is it basically found in QLD or WA.

Where did your specimen come from?

regards
Allan

 

[Syndyne]

Hi Allan,

Our piece came from a mine in Maryborough QLD.

Funnily enough Dad and I were talking about Chrysoprase last night and he mentioned me that they had bought a gem quality lump in the early 60's for 12 from a woman who ran a small slate stall on the Pacific Hwy, just near the Lane Cove turnoff. She knew Dad was a mineral collector and then sold him a piece that was about the size of a football, pure apple green and had no flaws. She told him at the time that it would be worth more than Jade one day. Unfortunately, Dad and my Uncle were pretty much broke soon after and had to sell most of their belongings including many top quality mineral specimens just to survive and save a few pounds to make the trip out here to start mining in 1964. They ended up selling that lump for 22.

Kindest regards,
Shauno.

 

[xobazzip]

Hi Shauno,

It is interesting to hear about little pieces of history like that....makes you wonder what ever became of the specimen and if it ever turned into something or is still sitting in someones collection.

Maryborough is where the Rock Shop lady said she purchases her specimens from and she said the price is going up all of the time as it is snaffled up to go overseas...in particular to China as they like nice shiny green bits

regards

Allan

 

[Syndyne]

Most definitely! I always wonder the same thing, just hoping it went to a good home, or was made into a beautiful piece of jewelry.

You actually made me get my entire collection out of storage finally! I've put it off way too long.

Many of these types of minerals are going up in price every day. That's mostly due in part to the mines or sources becoming exhausted and closed down for good.

I'll just post my lump up here for you to compare your nice piece. Just took a couple shots of it for you....

Kindest regards,
Shauno.

 

[Syndyne]

This piece is just slightly larger than a house brick.

I'll get a few better photos of this once I start getting all my other bits and pieces photographed properly. This is just a quick iPhone snap

Kindest regards,
Shauno.

 

[xobazzip]

Hi Shaun,

This is a lovely piece and looks a little less fractured than the piece I found.

I have seen some of the other images of pieces you have in your collection mate and have been very impressed.

It is good to see that you have dusted them off for another looksee.

regards

Allan

 

[Matt80]

Sorry to post to such an old thread but is this stuff worth much these days?
The last sample Shauno posted looks a whole lot like a couple of big blocks that one of my grandfathers had just laying around(he used to do gem mining among other things and traveled a lot over the years). The lumps were just laying around outside and were often used for things like chocks behind the cars to stop them rolling down the hill. Would have weighed at least 5kg each. When I asked my dad about it he said he knew of a spot there used to be what would have been hundreds of kilos of the stuff in 1-2 foot thick sections that a bunch of people came up and mined out years ago. The color from memory was slightly more green and no one seemed to think it was worth anything by the way it was treated and left around. No idea where it has ended up, but then he used to have big jars full of garnets and stuff along with all sorts of other interesting stuff in the old (abandoned) house/storage area that just ended up covered in dust.
If it is worth anything I might have to see if I can find out what happened to it. I always thought it looked nice.