Is this a Sapphire? Need confirmation

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I found this at Nundle over the weekend and just wanted to hear peoples thoughts on whether or not it's a Sapphire. Some say glass some say Sapphire but I wouldn't have a clue, all I know it has a blue tinge to it.

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Nugget.
 
I say there is so many different types of minerals and what not up there it could well be anything! I'd tend towards glass though, looks a lot like how glass ends up on the beach...
 
Hard to tell from the pic Nugget. If that chip in the end is perfectly flat ...ie...looks like it has chipped along a cleavage plane, then there's a possibility it could be Topaz. If there's any curve to it, then more likely glass,(glass and all quartz related stones do not have a cleavage plane.

My guess would be either Topaz ;) or glass. Not a sapphire, as it would slightly change colour on turning it through a 90deg axis.

Cheers Wal.
 
Thanks guys.

Wal, yes there is a chip but it's looks to be curved.

Are there any home tests that could be carried out to rule out glass altogether?
 
Scratch test mate. Hardness scale: Diamond 10...Sapphire 9....Topaz 8....Quartz 7 same as glass.

Glass and quartz will both scratch each other. Glass won't scratch Topaz. Topaz won't scratch Sapphire. Sapphire won't scratch diamond. Try scratching it with glass or quartz first.

Can send you up a couple of each to use as scratch testers if you like. ;)

Cheers Wal.
 
WalnLiz said:
Scratch test mate. Hardness scale: Diamond 10...Sapphire 9....Topaz 8....Quartz 7 same as glass.

Glass and quartz will both scratch each other. Glass won't scratch Topaz. Topaz won't scratch Sapphire. Sapphire won't scratch diamond. Try scratching it with glass or quartz first.

Can send you up a couple of each to use as scratch testers if you like. ;)

Cheers Wal.

That's good info Wal. Thanks. Pretty basic but if you never heard it before...

Rod
 
WalnLiz said:
Scratch test mate. Hardness scale: Diamond 10...Sapphire 9....Topaz 8....Quartz 7 same as glass.

Glass and quartz will both scratch each other. Glass won't scratch Topaz. Topaz won't scratch Sapphire. Sapphire won't scratch diamond. Try scratching it with glass or quartz first.

Can send you up a couple of each to use as scratch testers if you like. ;)

Cheers Wal.

Thanks Wal, if you could spare a couple of low graders that would be great.

P.S. I haven't forgotten about that Gem book, I'll send it back sometime this week. Thanks again for letting me borrow it.
 
Nugget said:
WalnLiz said:
Scratch test mate. Hardness scale: Diamond 10...Sapphire 9....Topaz 8....Quartz 7 same as glass.

Glass and quartz will both scratch each other. Glass won't scratch Topaz. Topaz won't scratch Sapphire. Sapphire won't scratch diamond. Try scratching it with glass or quartz first.

Can send you up a couple of each to use as scratch testers if you like. ;)

Cheers Wal.

Thanks Wal, if you could spare a couple of low graders that would be great.

P.S. I haven't forgotten about that Gem book, I'll send it back sometime this week. Thanks again for letting me borrow it.

No rush for the book mate,

Will send some of each for scratch testing this week. Might come in handy for your future trips to Nundle. ;)

Cheers Wal
 
I was going to say topaz. But looks like wal beat me to it. Glad he can be of assistance with the scratch test.
 
Nugget my opinion sapphire, or topaz, heading towards sapphire. $30 you can buy diamond tester, when going for sapphires it is the best tool I have ever bought, appart from a set of seives
 
hi all i was just wondering if anyone knowshtthttps://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/edit.php?id=48150#p
edit.php
 
I would say Topaz, if you hold a piece of quartz in one hand and this one in the other does it feel colder, Topaz always seems to feel cold.
 
A definitive way to test whether it is topaz or glass is a specific gravity test. This is done by weighing the stone in air on a set of gem scales. Then to way the stone again suspended on a wire into a glass of water. Stones weigh lighter in water. Then by a bit of simple maths you can calculate the specific gravity of the stone. Quartz has a specific gravity of around 2.6 and topaz 3.5. This sounds a bit complicated, but really is quite easy once you've done it a couple of times.

Will try and find a step by step of the process and post again. Cheers
 

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