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 Post subject: What is it
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 6:27 pm 
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I have a piece of what I think is Gem silica it's very gem quality I think it might have came from inspiration mine not for sure I just would like someone to give me some info on this piece I have here's a picture of it if anybody could please give me some information


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 Post subject: Re: What is it
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 7:28 pm 
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Curious. Stephen should have some insight.
He's seen everything....


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 Post subject: Re: What is it
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 9:03 pm 
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I appreciate your faith in me Barbra :) I have seen similar material to this before--it's a mix of chrysocolla and agate, but the two are still separate components--blue chrysocolla with agate in between. I think that this type of geometric zoning is the result of overgrowth on the initially botryoidal chrysocolla, though there may be some sort of pseudomorphic action going on too.
Here is one I cut that ended up showing a sort of similar pattern from Peru:
Image
I could certainly believe that this material is from Arizona, the color mix looks right. As to whether it's gem silica, it depends to some extent on who you ask, but the important distinction is whether the agate/chalcedony itself is colored blue by copper as opposed to having clear agate with independent, unagatized chrysocolla mixed in (a feature which makes itself very obvious when you attempt to cut it as they have very different hardnesses). But there is something of a continuum here, and it's possible to have chrysocolla plumes with blue gem silica in between them too, which could also be the case here.
Here's a picture of apparently unagatized chrysocolla mixed in with gem silica:
Image
On the other hand, here's a cab I cut from mixed botryoidal chrysocolla with non-gem silica agate:
Image
Hard to tell the difference in a photo.

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 Post subject: Re: What is it
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 9:32 pm 
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thank you that was very educational and it so you think it is chrysocolla with agate I have to see more pictures if that would help


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 Post subject: Re: What is it
PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 9:46 pm 
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Where was this material found, Pcroci?


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