Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
Latest activity
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
Charts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Gemstones, Minerals & Fossils
Lapidary
⭐ Show Us Your Cut Stones - Before And After Photos
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Lefty" data-source="post: 162593" data-attributes="member: 2976"><p>There seems to be occurences of <strong>heaps</strong> of different things in the Hartz range area Thomas. I could easily spend months camped out there scratching aound - but I know someone who would have something to say about that <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>I don't know much about kunzite but I thought it was supposed to be a fairly difficult sort of stone to work with. This stuff cut without any difficulty and once I switched to cerium it polished up quickly and very nicely.</p><p></p><p>It could ultimately turn out to be just nice, clear quartz (I have to get my bum into gear and send a few bits off for testing) but I know that gem quality petalite is found at Hartz range.</p><p></p><p>Petalite and quartz have a similar appearence, fairly similar hardness (given that Moh's scale is a little simplistic), fairly similar SG, both display a conchoidal fracture, can both contain black tourmaline needles - biggest difference is that petalite has a strong cleavage plane while quartz has none. Many of these pieces have a blocky sort of appearence and there is just something about the stuff that's hard to put my finger on that leaves me wondering every time I tell myself it's probably just quartz.</p><p></p><p>Interestingly, if petalite - lithium aluminium silicate - is heated to 500c and held there it actually <em>becomes</em> quartz as the lithium and aluminium leave the compound.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lefty, post: 162593, member: 2976"] There seems to be occurences of [b]heaps[/b] of different things in the Hartz range area Thomas. I could easily spend months camped out there scratching aound - but I know someone who would have something to say about that :) I don't know much about kunzite but I thought it was supposed to be a fairly difficult sort of stone to work with. This stuff cut without any difficulty and once I switched to cerium it polished up quickly and very nicely. It could ultimately turn out to be just nice, clear quartz (I have to get my bum into gear and send a few bits off for testing) but I know that gem quality petalite is found at Hartz range. Petalite and quartz have a similar appearence, fairly similar hardness (given that Moh's scale is a little simplistic), fairly similar SG, both display a conchoidal fracture, can both contain black tourmaline needles - biggest difference is that petalite has a strong cleavage plane while quartz has none. Many of these pieces have a blocky sort of appearence and there is just something about the stuff that's hard to put my finger on that leaves me wondering every time I tell myself it's probably just quartz. Interestingly, if petalite - lithium aluminium silicate - is heated to 500c and held there it actually [i]becomes[/i] quartz as the lithium and aluminium leave the compound. [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Gemstones, Minerals & Fossils
Lapidary
⭐ Show Us Your Cut Stones - Before And After Photos
Top