[Rockhounds] Faceting hanksite?

[Rik Dillen]

IMHO faceting hanksite is completely unthinkable, as this compound is water
soluble. In theory it could perhaps be treated in an apolar solvent, such as
xylene.
Anyway, I don't see the purpose of trying to facet hanksite, as it would
effloresce almost immediately.
To keep natural crystals (with crystal faces conditioned by the original
brine in which it grew) in good condition is already a very difficult task,
let alone faceted faces.
I'm afraid that if someone listed hanksite as "faceting rough" either the
stuff he/she is selling is no hanksite or he/she does not know what hanksite
actually is.

Grts,

Rik DILLEN 
E-mail rik.dillen at skynet.be 
Homepage : http://users.skynet.be/rik.dillen 

MINERANT 2009
9-10/5/2009
Antwerp Expo - Antwerpen - Belgium
www.minerant.org

-----Original Message-----
From: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
[mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com] On Behalf Of Kris Rowe
Sent: woensdag 22 april 2009 0:29
To: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
Subject: [Rockhounds] Faceting hanksite?

I've been wondering, has anyone on the elist faceted hanksite? I've seen
eBay entries that asserted that a hanksite crystal was "faceting rough," and
others where the details stated that hanksite "cannot be successfully
faceted."

Being a cabbing & sculpting lapidary, as well as being well aware of my own
limitations & not wishing to drive myself crazy cutting evaporates with a
hardness of less than Mohs 4, this is purely a case of curiosity, as well as
an attempt to find someone who's actually put their sanity in such peril.

If you're such a person, you have my express and well earned admiration.
Whatever the outcome of your attempt was, if you've tried this feat, please
tell us the tale.

Please note that I am not soliciting opinions of eBay or its sellers or
users, and that this is not a commercial, sarcastic or humorous post. I have
hanksite in my collection, and am simply trying to satisfy my own curiosity.

Thanks, all.
                    Kris

-- 
"You never get closer by pushing away ... " - Me


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