[Rockhounds] Re: Darwin, CA Pyrite RATED PG-13

Sat Dec 6 09:07:16 PST 2008

Hello Julie,
The MineralLabs hardness kit is an excellent kit. Very too bad your
rockhound friend discounted it.  It is true there are differences in
hardness's of some minerals. The best example I know of  is the mineral
Kyanite that has two hardness's, it is 4 1/2 length wise and  a 7 cross the
crystal. There can be sight differences depending on the crystal face or
cleavage surface. Also one might be fooled by a weathered surface.

As you say, the minerallab kit includes hardness picks 2-9, a magnet, streak
plate and glass plate.  Usually my first step is checking the magnetic
property of an unknown mineral if it is heavy, dark and metallic or
sub-metallic. Then checking the hardness helps narrow the field. I have a
very good microscope and I can see the faintest of cuts.  Once I have the
hardness I check a mineral guide that pictures minerals by hardness.
Narrowing it down, I check the other physical properties, color, color of
powder (streak), crystal system if any can be seen, reaction to HCL,
cleavage, fracture and tenacity, if I have enough of a specimen to
experiment with. I have managed to find mineral guides that organize
minerals by  their properties. Over time you will find this process narrows
as you lean more about minerals.  You will begin to know where to start your
investigation.

So have a great time identifying and using your kit.  If I had only one
purchased tool I would choose the best microscope affordable and then some!

Carolyn Reynard
Poughkeepsie, NY

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie Siebel" <julie at pandemoniumgraphics.com>
To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors"
<rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Re: Darwin, CA Pyrite RATED PG-13

> The fun thing about this for me has been that, several years ago I got
> the...MineralLabs I think?...pic set for hardness testing, that comes with
a
> picks, a magnet, and a scratch plate. I had been lusting after that kit
for
> a couple of years. About 2 weeks after I got it, someone that we
rockhounded
> with whose opinion I sort of respected said "Nah, hardness of even various
> localities of quartz varies...you can't go by that". I was crestfallen
> because I'd been DYING to get that kit, and finally got it, and then
figured
> it was worthless, so I just....ignored it after that.
>
> But now, John just dragged out all these rockhounding-trips-past, and he's
> actually been using the darn thing :D Yay!
>
> We were definitely aware of cleavage/hardness/scratch tests, but flashing
> cleavage - errr "cleavage flash" - has certainly brought up a lot of
> interesting discussions...I had no idea there were that many named nickel
> minerals ;-)
>
> J.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Carolyn Reynard" <sunstone3 at hvc.rr.com>
> To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors"
> <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 11:17 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Re: Darwin, CA Pyrite RATED PG-13
>
>
> > Hi John,  Not bad at all! We are having a bit of fun with this one.
Next,
> > try identifying your metallic mineral by a little streaking!!!
> >
> > A streak test will give you the color of the mineral in powdered form.
> > Firmly rub the mineral on an unglazed piece of tile.  Pyrite will give
you
> > a
> > greenish-black color, Galena will give you a dark gray, Arsenopyrite
will
> > streak black.  Also there is a difference in hardness, Pyrite is 6 - 6
> > 1/2,
> > Galena a 2 1/2 -3   Arsenopyrite a 5 1/2 -6. I have added Arsenopyrite
> > because it is another hydrothermal mineral.
> >
> > I'll take my bubbly in a glass!
> > Carolyn
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "John Siebel" <john at pandemoniumgraphics.com>
> > To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors"
> > <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 10:13 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Re: Darwin, CA Pyrite RATED PG-13
> >
> >
> >> Oopie! Yup, your right. It's your nickel. Now, back to galena...
> >>
> >> John
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >> From: <Pmodreski at aol.com>
> >> To: <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> >> Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 7:05 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Re: Darwin, CA Pyrite RATED PG-13
> >>
> >>
> >> > John, I'll betcha a nickel those measurements you just gave are in
cm,
> >> > not
> >> > mm???  If it weighs 1.75 lbs....
> >> >
> >> > :  )
> >> >
> >> > Pete
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > In a message dated 12/4/2008 8:00:55 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
> >> > john at pandemoniumgraphics.com writes:
> >> >
> >> > Man am I  biting my tongue! I can't make out crystal structure with
my
> >> > weenie
> >> >
> >> > Optivisor (tm). But it is predominantly pyrite and at 11mm x 6mm x
6mm
> > it
> >> > weighs nearly 1.75 pounds if that helps  any.
> >> >
> >> > John
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > **************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and
> >> > favorite sites in one place.  Try it now.
> >> >
> >
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000
> > 010)
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> >> > multipart/alternative
> >> >  text/plain (text body -- kept)
> >> >  text/html
> >> > ---
> >> > -- 
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> >> > Subscription Services:
> >> > http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> >> > List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> >> > http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
> >>
> >>
> >> -- 
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> >> Subscription Services:
> >> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> >> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> >> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
> >
> > -- 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> > Subscription Services:
> > http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> > List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> > http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
>
>
> -- 
> _______________________________________________
> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> Subscription Services:
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html