Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
I can see you have an understanding of trapiche formation in emerald, Empyrean Gems, but I think it may be a stretch to make inferences on this garnet based on a photo. Trapiche formation is quite specific and involves far more than a "spoke" like pattern.
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:20 am Posts: 2756 Location: Southern California, U.S.A.
Barbra, I'm getting a 404 Not Found on your first reference. Thanks for posting the information.
I'm fascinated by this garnet specimen but have withheld comment because I've not been able to find much information on the trapiche phenomenon or even a comprehensive mineralogical definition of the term (beyond the origin of the name, etc.)
Hi folks, I don't think it's any revelation that a word or term used "gemologically" is quickly adapted or misconstrued to represent any anomaly that may be found in another "gem" species." The "trapiche" phenomena, I believe, was first referenced in an 1879 mineralogist digest referencing a Colombian emerald find. Later, documented corundum (ruby and sapphire anomalies.) A sugar cane processing contraption is probably the original descriptors observation because of the spoked wheels of the apparatus. See below, the Trapiche: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... acioCV.JPG
So, quite unapologetically I say, if it looks like a duck...... As an originalist, I may say it can only be an emerald....or a gear on a mill.
We all know that when science and marketing mate, there are no abortions. Just lonely children waiting for a home. Who will have a traphice garnet? He's cute, why not?
I'm still waiting for the CERN confirmations that Einstein missed by a quark or two and all of this is hearsay anyway.
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