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 Post subject: Identifying raw stones, pricing?
PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:21 am 
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Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:07 am
Posts: 2
Hello new here, hopemy question aint taboo or sumthin.
I have been finding some small gems in a stream. They are small and translucent and gather lots of light. all smooth edges and very glossy.
Two of them stick to grease under water. They will also cut glass.
I have about a dozen. I have looked at them under my bausch and lomb stereo zoom4 and I cannot find any Identifying markings on the stones.
There are no traces of crystal form.

So I am wondering how can I have these pebbles positivley identified?
What kind of price am I looking at to have them analyzed. I have spoken to local jewelers only to learn that I have more knowlege of natural stones than any of them. ( I cant believe those guys are certified).....
Anyway, what is the simplest and easiest way for a poor farm hand to get some shiny rocks identified?

Hope sumone can help , thx


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:06 am 
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Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:39 pm
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Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
If you're near a large city, there should be some gemologists around. If you're "out in the sticks", perhaps the geology department of the local college could help. There's always the yellow pages. ;) There also may be some "easy" tests you can do on your own, although I'm not really the right one to cover those.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:59 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:20 am
Posts: 93
Location: thailand
hi,maybe you could try the mineral id key at www.rockhounds.com ,(bobs rock shop).eg colour id,luster,scratch,streak tests etc.
obviously you wouldnt want to do the scratch tests on "gem",quality material as its destructive.
if you're living in burma,& theyre red & shiny,i'll be you're best freind. :D

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:10 am 
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Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
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Location: San Francisco
Hello and welcome.
Gem-n00b's suggestion was excellent.
Bring them to a mineralogist (either a student or professor can help) in a local college or university and ask them for help in identification.


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 Post subject: Re: Identifying raw stones, pricing?
PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:13 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:29 pm
Posts: 93
Ragnor wrote:
Hello new here, hopemy question aint taboo or sumthin.
I have been finding some small gems in a stream. They are small and translucent and gather lots of light. all smooth edges and very glossy.
Two of them stick to grease under water. They will also cut glass.
I have about a dozen. I have looked at them under my bausch and lomb stereo zoom4 and I cannot find any Identifying markings on the stones.
There are no traces of crystal form.

So I am wondering how can I have these pebbles positivley identified?
What kind of price am I looking at to have them analyzed. I have spoken to local jewelers only to learn that I have more knowlege of natural stones than any of them. ( I cant believe those guys are certified).....
Anyway, what is the simplest and easiest way for a poor farm hand to get some shiny rocks identified?

Hope sumone can help , thx


Hi,

If you tell us in what region you live we may have a clue of what it might be !


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:17 pm 
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Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:06 pm
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Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Yes, if we know what state you found them in or area. What color or colors are they?

In Iowa I find lots of Lake Superior Agate in stream beds. The very small pea sized speciemens can be almost ruby red & very translucent. They usually don't show banding this small & could be confused with other stones such as Garnet, etc.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:37 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:05 am
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I'll third Gem-n00b's and Barbra's suggestion, check with a college or university geology department. The geologists in my department receive these requests all the time, and they always oblige.

Here, one walk-in resulted in the discovery of a huge, anomalous marble deposit in a region not known for that material. A lot of that multi-colored material now graces kitchen countertops around the country. On the other hand, 9 times out of ten, it is slag glass.

Good luck


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