What about materials with a metallic appearance ?

[Taogem]

The colors are beautiful on both materials..

The metallic blue in the Mohawkite is really something though..  I bet a finished cab would be fantastic !

Even without seeing how it polishes out, it is my favorite of all the metallics shown so far..

I did a quick search and read from one site that it is not considered a mineral but is a combination of copper arsenates with Nickel and Cobalt. Then another site talked about the how the crystals are similar to the Domekite you mentioned.

Really great that you have so many different metallic minerals to share.. I am really enjoying this thread and look forward to more pics !!

[Mark]

I have more metallics, i just have to find them.  I know i have several copper slabs that have varying amounts of metal.  I'll look for them.  They are super hard and the little i tried to work with them, i gave up quickly.  I have some Covelite too, light purple and darker.  And there is Kiwi Jasper with copper, I can find some pics of that.  Lets go see. 

[Mark]

Off to search the wilds of Mark-ville for more.  I'll be baaaaaacccccckkkkkkkk, as Ahnold would say.  Mark

[Taogem]

This Leopard skin with copper is sure nice..

You sure have a great variety of all sorts of things ! Not just these metallics, but many others too..

My few varieties pale in comparison !

[Mark]

You probably have a net worth too.  They don't come cheap.  Actually, sometimes they are really cheap.  Other times really expensive.  I try to be reasonable now adays.  I just figure that many of these slabs, rough, or specimens are one of a kind and never to be seen again.  I am doing my part to save them for future generations, at least my future generations.  I would love to start a museum some day with just slabs, rough, and cabs.  I may do that online.  I think that would be cool, to be a destination on the web for rockhounds and lapidaries looking to id their stones.  Mark

[rocknroll]

those are all super cool slabs!!   I'm amazed at all the different cabbable materials out there.
.....so i'll be trying to cab one of everything till i figure out what i like best 

[Taogem]

I think that would be cool, to be a destination on the web for rockhounds and lapidaries looking to id their stones.  Mark

That is a super idea Mark !

Do you have a younger family member or two interested in rocks ?

[Mark]

My kids are interested to a degree, but then again they are just 8, 8, and 11.  All three have rock collections, mostly stuff I have given them and a few things they have found.  Kids find interesting rocks anywhere, no matter how bland they look to us adults.  Both my sons have gone down to the basement and cabbed a little.  They usually last 5 to 20 minutes.  Sometimes it seems like they are interested because they get to spend one on one time with Dad, and one will want to help me because the other one does.  My daughter hasn't really cabbed.  She does like rocks and she has a couple of necklaces we made for her with my cabs.  I bet someday she gets a lot more interested when she is older and really starts wearing jewelry.  I want them all to be interested enough, so that they will enjoy the stuff i have collected.  A lot of the pieces are basically one of a kind and I want them to treasure them, kind of like i treasure all the antiques my Mom gave to me.  Hopefully they will remember sitting on the floor with Dad and sorting through all the cool rocks and want to keep what I give them as a reminder.  Mark

[Tam]

real quick George, The second one in the 3 pics of yours is the same as the second one in my 3 pics, just a different cut. and sorry about the Rhodonite having so much Magnesium oxide ( I think that's what that is.) I didn't realize that I gave you that.

Tam

[Taogem]

real quick George, The second one in the 3 pics of yours is the same as the second one in my 3 pics, just a different cut. and sorry about the Rhodonite having so much Magnesium oxide ( I think that's what that is.) I didn't realize that I gave you that.

Tam

Ok, got ya...

On the other, that is why you brought it over.. For the metallic ( Mangesium Oxide ).. So glad you brought it.. Initially, I just thought might be able to get a cab out of it with that and the Rhodonite in a cab.

Still going to try and cab the Magnesium !

Lots of interesting metallic minerals have been shared here. It's the names of them that I have been following up on and doing searches for. Unusual metallics mixed in with other cabbing specimens.

Now that some terms like, Chromite, Marcasite, Hematite, Nickel, Pyrite, Muscovite, Magnesite, Galena, Pyrite, Shlerite, Chalcopyrite, and Tetralisite, Tenorite, have come up, been doing searches looking for potential cabbing material.

I am sure there are many more.. !!


 

[Mark]

Seems like no one is going to guess.  Do you guys just have no idea or don't like the game?  Anyways, the quartz with metal slabs and cabs are: On the left slab and cab - St Josephines Crown, Josephinite, or Awaruite from Josephine and Jackson Counties, Oregon  The slab and cab on the right are Silverado from Canada.  I think they both look a lot alike, my wife thinks they are the same.  The color of the metal can go from gold to a metallic green tint, which i really like.  The quartz can be very white or dirty gray.  St Josephine's Crown is supposedly nickel iron.  I have also heard that it has precious minerals in it like Silver and Platinum as impurities.  There are people who get it mixed up with Mohawkite, but they don't really look much alike.  You can find St Josephinite or Awaruite in mindat.org.  I have never been able to find anything on Silverado.  The story i have is this, my dealer got it from a shop in Canada that was closing.  The owner told her, that a miner brought it in and sold it, but came back some time later when precious minerals had gone up in price.  He wanted it back because the precious mineral value was worth quite a bit more than he had gotten.  But I believe he was out of luck, because I now own the chunk, I mean slabs.  They thought that it had either Silver or Gold in it, maybe that's why its called Silverado.  But who knows if that is a valid name.  I have never seen Silverado except for the one time, and Josephinite I see occasionally as a small 2 x 2" or so, slab.  They cab rather nicely and they are relatively or very rare, something that I really like.  Hope you enjoyed.  Mark

[rocknroll]

   awesome!!...very informative Mark!   ....i have a very flashy bronzite cab almost finished 

[Mark]

Cool, i am gonna have to go look through more boxes and find my Bronzite and possibly Hypersthene slabs.  I just paid for a new order and may have it tomorrow.  Got some Gem Silica, Purple Turquoise (yes purple, dyed and stabilized), Chrysocolla, SciFi Jasper, and a couple of other things.  These are really good quality slabs from my friend at gems24 on ebay.  He has great stuff including super Ocean Jasper and sometimes really choice Willow Creek Jasper.  He also has Indonesian "Ocean Jasper", Turquoise, Sonora Sunrise and many other things, including many different saw blades.  I buy my green slab saw blades from him, he is cheaper than most if not all others i have seen.  And he is a great guy.  Look him up sometime and check out his stuff.  Tell him I sent you.  By the way, I have had my ice cream and so there is no chance of an ice cream accident tonight.  Still could drench myself with Mt Dew though.  Have a great one, and I can't wait to see your Bronzite cab.  Mark

[Mark]

I'm not sure what I am gonna cab tomorrow morning.  I have so many blanks, but want to look for some new slabs.  Have to find something cool for the contest, though i forgot what we were cabbing.  Oh man, i must be really bored at work.  I just noticed that i made the top 10 posters.  I was like 12th a week or two ago, now i am 6th.  You guys must be getting sick of me by now.  Maybe we should have a vote for Me to shut up or continue.  Work has been such a strain the last month or two and breaking off to post something has been a good break for me at work.  Hope i don't come across as too wacko.  I really enjoy this forum and all you people.  Just wish you guys and gals were more talkative.  Don't be afraid and nothing is dumb to ask, we really enjoy helping people and encourage you all to speak up.  You don't want this to become a dictatorship do you?  Please exercise your right to free posting.  I bet you all have great stories, great ideas for topics of discussion, and really cool jewelry, cabs, slabs, etc.  Mark

[rocknroll]

....i enjoy them Mark!     are you missing the beautiful cali sunsets?      ....i just got down from the roof after 4 hours of fun