[Rockhounds] quartz sphere question

Mon Sep 29 01:37:15 PDT 2008

Dave,

The sparkle is easily explaned by internal reflection of the inclusions. As
you turn the crystals (or move them), these reflections shoot around inside
them. 

Axel

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
[mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com]
> Namens betdav97 at aol.com
> Verzonden: zondag 28 september 2008 1:44
> Aan: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
> Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] quartz sphere question
> 
> Axel,
>   These are also small quartz crystals that have petroleum ,
> they fluoresce green under long wave and blue under short
> wave. When you have a handful they sparkle just like diamonds,
> I don't mean to sound trite, but they really sparkle. The largest
> may be 1 cm. most are smaller. We find them by looking for oil
> seeps in the limestone, than try to open a pocket and use
> hemostats to pick them out. Time consuming but my fingers
> won't easily pick up items that small.
> Dave
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Axel Emmermann <axel.emmermann at pandora.be>
> To: 'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> collectors' <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Sent: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 2:27 pm
> Subject: RE: [Rockhounds] quartz sphere question
> 
> 
> 
> Dave,
> 
> Is this in crystals ore massive quartzite? The crystals that I'm talking
> about are only about 1 cm (0,39 in) or less in size. The Afghan quartz
> inclusion are a few millimetres.
> Very pretty indeed but small. I can send a photo off list to any who
> wants
> it.
> 
> Axel
> 
> 
> > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> > Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
> [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com]
> > Namens betdav97 at aol.com
> > Verzonden: vrijdag 26 september 2008 22:47
> > Aan: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
> > Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] quartz sphere question
> >
> > Axel,
> >   Our quartz from WV that has petroleum and
> > carbon inclusions, that fluoresce also.
> > dave
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Axel Emmermann <axel.emmermann at pandora.be>
> > To: 'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> > collectors' <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> > Sent: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 2:46 pm
> > Subject: RE: [Rockhounds] quartz sphere question
> >
> >
> >
> > I have dome "herkimer quartz" from Afghanistan.
> > The gas bubbles inside contain a naturally cracked petroleum with
> > methane
> > bubbles, petroleum and asphalt. All very nicely fluorescent too.
> > The bubbles sometimes show a "negative" quartz crystal shape. As if a
> > small
> > quartz crystal inside dissolved somehow. Rather puzzling.
> >
> > Axel
> >
> > > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> > > Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
> > [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com]
> > > Namens Pmodreski at aol.com
> > > Verzonden: vrijdag 26 september 2008 4:29
> > > Aan: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
> > > Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] quartz sphere question
> > >
> > > I'll try too...
> > >
> > > Almost all quartz crystal will have some imperfections--fractures or
> > cloudy
> > > patches or inclusions.  If it does have them (check it out with a
> > magnifying
> > > lens), it's probably confirmed as quartz.  If it has none, if it  is
> > > absolutely clear with no flaws at all, it is likely glass.
> > >
> > > Along the same line, to be more sure; scrutinize any such
> > imperfections
> > > closely.  If they are bubbles, little spherical ones, it is probably
> > glass.  If
> > > they are lines or planes of some sort, then, quartz.   If you don't
> > see
> > ANY
> > > such things of any sort--well, as I said, I'd suspect  glass, but
> one
> > couldn't be
> > > absolutely certain.
> > >
> > > Look at in under a black light too.  A lot of glass fluoresces, at
> > least
> > > slightly; most quartz does not, except for any inclusion particles
> > perhaps.
> > >
> > > Measuring the specific gravity is probably "easier said than done".
> > One
> > > easy way; weigh it on an accurate balance, then measure the diameter
> > with
> > an
> > > accurate pair of calipers, and calculate the volume and then the
> > specific
> > > gravity, using "simple geometry which everyone remembers (ha ha)
> from
> > high
> > school &
> > > college math & physics.  Quartz should be very close to  2.65 grams
> > per
> > cubic
> > > centimter; glass, as Kreigh says, should be somewhat  less.
> > >
> > > P.S., I just tried looking this up (density of glass), and the two
> > are so
> > > close, it would not be very reliable to use density to distinguish
> > them,
> > I'm
> > > afraid.  I find the density of common "crown" glass to be around 2.5
> > g/cc,
> > but
> > > can vary from 2.4 to 2.8, and "flint glass" and lead crystal (which
> is
> > glass)
> > > are even higher.  Oh well.
> > >
> > > cheers,
> > > Pete
> > >
> > >
> > >
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