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 Post subject: Beautiful Unexplained Flames of Color - New Pictures -
PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 7:21 pm 
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I have no idea what causes that but I think it's very pretty!!

I would very appreciate if someone could tell me what it is.

Blue-Aqua Scapolite

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Some of the stones are almost microscope clean!

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 Post subject: Re: Beautiful Unexplained Flames of Color - New Pictures -
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 3:21 pm 
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Very difficult to take good pictures with bad equipment!

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 Post subject: Re: Beautiful Unexplained Flames of Color - New Pictures -
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:10 pm 
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Those are fractures in the stone. The reflections from the near and far sides of the fracture are interference colors which are related to the thickness of the fracture, (similar to oil films on water).

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 Post subject: Re: Beautiful Unexplained Flames of Color - New Pictures -
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:24 pm 
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michael_e wrote:
Those are fractures in the stone. The reflections from the near and far sides of the fracture are interference colors which are related to the thickness of the fracture, (similar to oil films on water).


Ok! Do all clear stones have the potential to display that
effect if they are fractured? Because I never saw this on
any other picture before.


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 Post subject: Re: Beautiful Unexplained Flames of Color - New Pictures -
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:40 pm 
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It's a relatively common effect (sometimes known as "fracture fire"), though it's mostly visible in colorless stones. It rarely shows up in a finished stone since a stone is really likely to split along the fracture during cutting.
As a side note, that's a rather unusual color for scapolite. I've seen blue scapolites before, but only as part of a tenebrescent effect.

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 Post subject: Re: Beautiful Unexplained Flames of Color - New Pictures -
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:32 pm 
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Scarodactyl wrote:
It's a relatively common effect (sometimes known as "fracture fire"), though it's mostly visible in colorless stones. It rarely shows up in a finished stone since a stone is really likely to split along the fracture during cutting.
As a side note, that's a rather unusual color for scapolite. I've seen blue scapolites before, but only as part of a tenebrescent effect.


The name is well chosen, I did not even know it before
I used 'flames' to describe it :)

It is a known fact that Scapolite and Calcite are locally
abundant, and while I can't be certain, everything points
out to this. The crystals appear Tetragonal to me and seem
to be prone to weathering. It is also very soft, feels almost
like plastic or resin to the touch.

They come in a variety of Blue and Green shades

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 Post subject: Re: Beautiful Unexplained Flames of Color - New Pictures -
PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:01 pm 
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That's interesting, and quite beautiful-looking material. That said, scapolite is actually not terribly soft--it's a solid 6 on the 'ol Moh's. But whatever you're dealing with sure looks interesting.

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