"Blue John stone" Routh on matrix from Castleton Derbyshire UK close to where i live.
About the Stone: Blue john stone is only found in cave mines at Castleton Derbyshire uk Blue john is a rare Fluorite that forms blue to dark purple band rings or veins. Was used in 18th to beginning of 19th century for making huge vase's or ornaments. Now a days, Made into small jewellery.
Blue john is stilled mined in small amounts from "Treak cliff cavern" No large veins of Blue john exist any more with been over mined and only small pockets are now found.
Stone: Blue John - Type of Fluorite. Colour: Blue. Dark purple. Yellow. Pink. Red. Black. Green. Colour less. Refractive Index: 1.43 Relative Density: 3.2 Hardness: 4 Crystal group: Cubic Tenacity: Brittle Origen: Castleton Derbyshire uk
PS: Specimens I have I got way back in late 80s and stored away till just recently got out to take photos off. Never weighed them just stored away. There was mined from "Treak cliff cavern".
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2017 10:39 am Posts: 62 Location: Birmingham - England
Film? Did someone eat a link?
When I first saw the top post I went away to look for info on this stone. (I was looking for sources of UK gem materials at the time) I did find a small shop still selling ash trays and other stuff made from blue john - I cant find the link right now but this is an interesting page of info if you're interested in flourite mines in the UK:
There are far more mines than I imagined there would be (we are a very tiny country after all) I'm not so sure I'd class blue john as a gem stone myself - It seems to fall more into a class like fine granite - nice when worked and very attractive but not so gem like. Am I way off field there?
I'm not so sure I'd class blue john as a gem stone myself - It seems to fall more into a class like fine granite - nice when worked and very attractive but not so gem like. Am I way off field there?
I see Blue John more as a ornament then a gem since it use to be made in to bowls and verses but now the blue band window is shown in jewellery or in to low grade purple jewellery. Its rare in its own right as its only found there in that 1 location.
The bands of blue rings you see, Or to Low grade Blue John that looks much like amethyst which i got just a week ago for a specimen.
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2017 10:39 am Posts: 62 Location: Birmingham - England
Nice rocks - I wonder how much of it is left?
There's quite a few things that seem to only be found in very few or one location - (The sort of thing that interests my research gene) Maw sit-sit is another curious one that's quite different from the stuff surrounding it and only found in one specific place. (I feel a book theme coming on ...)
I think there's 17 veins with a new one that's found in 2015. There's only small pockets left with the new one now been largest, Also every vain has its own characteristics so a miner can tell which vain from the 17 the blue john is mined from if there see it.
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