Chatoyant Stone

[Freeform]

Isnt Nummite have two driections? Like plates ? One way that flash, the other way they look like intersecting fibers?

[Mark]

Nuumite has at least two different views, depending on the orientation of the stone to the light source.  One way shows off the iridescent view with the metallic looking threads, while the other gives a more flat and homogenous look.

Mark

[ScarlettOSara]

Do you have a nuumite to show us please?

[Mark]

I do, but it will take a bit to find it and photo it.  I can't really use my right arm at all tonight, it has gotten much worse.  I am guessing that something is really torn and the doc was wrong.  Tomorrow i may have to go see an Orthopedic Surgeon.  

Mark

[Freeform]

I understand that a hobbyist tends to just like, vers knowning more about what it is they like. But all to often, it further confuses the newer or younger hobbyist which then often results in mis-information. Then comes the hobbyist sellers using this mis information to market items that are not what they are, and often for more than they are really worth.  

This is my stance on many of my replies to topics or post in this forum and others. if people only want information that suites them, they will rarley hear that from me.

Nuummite is formed of  Anthophyllite and Gedrite. Both which form Orthorhombic mineral structures. These structures do not make threads or needles, but rather thin tabs or plates.  The two driections am i talking about shows these tabs insecting. Resulting in either flat plate/tabs to the eye, or thin threads. But those threads are just the y axis we are seeing of the structure which is a thin plate.

Sorry for ball busting, but its what i do when still mostly what i see is misinformation. Hope your arm gets better.

[ScarlettOSara]

Shain, thank you. I am here to learn and hopefully not to look too much the fool.
I will do more research but if you can show some examples I would greatly appreciate your time and knowledge.

[Seth]

I agree Shain. That is why I did not put any pictures in on this one.

[ScarlettOSara]

Shain and Seth I have been picking up before now that you get upset by the postings. If I am the problem let me know and I will go about my business.
Everyone of us on this forum wants to learn and if you see something that needs more clarification why dont you tell us or show us? I would greatly appreciate it and I know others would too. There are some super intelligent people on this forum who know more about stones that I would ever understand in my lifetime. And never has anyone tried to force their opinion on anyone else or pretend to be a know it all.
I like to learn, its what makes life interesting. 
If there is something that offends you why dont you tell us and if something needs removal or changing or more clarification then tell us. George set this whole forum up for a learning, teaching, sharing good experience.
Nothing drives me nuts more than someone saying they know something but I am not important enough for them to tell me. That offends me.
Seth, I know you and Shain have some wonderful knowledge and stones to share and I would be honored and thankful if you would share with me.
Sincerely,
Sara, Warrior Princess of "I know more than you but you dont ask the right questions so you dont need to know syndrome"...
Ousted Princess of Keep your mouth shut kingdom:)

[Mark]

Sara, you are not the problem.

I have been very torn (and not just my shoulder), as to whether to respond to a couple of posts or not.  And since I am in a lot of pain and a bad mood, I am gonna respond.  Maybe I am wrong, but I’m taking it kinda personal and I feel a bit insulted.  I have been accused of misinforming this board and some may even read into that I have done it purposely, if I am to be included in the group of “hobbyist sellers” that use misinformation to market items for more than they are worth.

Sorry for ball busting, but its what i do when still mostly what i see is misinformation.

I understand that a hobbyist tends to just like, vers knowning more about what it is they like. But all to often, it further confuses the newer or younger hobbyist which then often results in mis-information. Then comes the hobbyist sellers using this mis information to market items that are not what they are, and often for more than they are really worth.

I am here to both learn and to help others.  I have never knowingly misled others and I am certainly not here to misrepresent stones to get more money for them.  I know most of the scientific mumbo jumbo about these stones.  I am a voracious reader when it comes to something I am interested in.  For the most part, I don't think most people care whether it was this property or that property that caused a stone's chatoyancy, just that it is chatoyant.  People that do care, go out and do research and find the causes of that property and will see that there can be several reasons why a stone is chatoyant.  I try to explain things in common terms that will make sense to the most people, and to tell the truth, I don't remember the exact scientific term for each property that causes a stone's look and feel.  I knew them, and then forgot their names, but I am still familiar with the property. 

This thread was started to highlight a group of stones that have a specific property and to start a discussion on them and to show examples of them.  Chatoyancy and iridescence are properties applied to stones that describe how the luster and/or colors change depending on the angle that you are viewing a stone.  A couple definitions are in order.  Iridescent = a play of lustrous, changing colors.  Chatoyant = changing in luster or color.  Sounds pretty much the same.  There are quite a few stones that can fall under this category depending on how strict your interpretation.  Many of them have already been named and pictures presented.  There is some question as to whether Labradorite or Nuumite are chatoyant.  Maybe you should all be the judges.  If you have a slab or cab of Labradorite or Nuumite in your hand, and you turn the stone so that you see it from different angles, does the color and intensity of the color change?  They sure do at my house.  Now per the definitions of Iridescence and Chatoyance, these two stones sure seem to fit in this category.  What may be the issue here is not that they are chatoyant, but why they are chatoyant.  Labradorite has a property called birefringence.  Basically it is doubly refracted which means that light can go into it and be split into 2 different light rays that come back out at different speeds.   I believe that this is what causes Labradorite to change as you view it at different angles.  I don’t remember the mechanism for Nuumite, but it also changes color and intensity as you view it at different angles.   Also with Nuumite, I have seen what I will call threads.  These are long, thin, and metallic looking.  They are not hair like, they are rather more like small thin ribbons.   I  have some Golden Pietersite with very similar constructs. 

So that’s it.  You can each be the judge of what is Chatoyant and what isn’t.  There are often a variety of definitions, theories, and embedded beliefs of one thing or another in our Lapidary world.  Each one of has their own opinions and beliefs.  You now know mine with respect to Chatoyancy.

Mark

[Seth]

Sara, I have never claimed to know more than anyone else does about rocks nor have I ever hinted it any place on this forum. I think what Shain stated was clear and to the point. If you see something hidden there oh well. Another thing is I reserve the right to agree or disagree with anything I like with or without your approval.

[ScarlettOSara]

My dear Seth:)
I have seen posts where it looked like you are disgusted by what was said. Maybe even spit on the floor, I dunno its hard to pick up emotions from just words.
All I was asking very politely and I assure you I am always polite, is if you have a problem why not just say what it is.  I dont think there are any unreasonable people on this forum. I enjoy people greatly and I learn something from each one I come in contact with.
I am kinda clueless and not too bright. I am a blonde indian:) Nevertheless I did ask for clarification on Shain's post. I believe in research and I love to read. And I could prolly find all I ever needed to know from researching the stones myself. But isnt it more fun to talk to someone that has one and get their opinion and find out where they got the stone and how they cut it and why?
As for agreeing or disagreeing with me and my approval....lololololololol, sorry that was funny.
None of my exs ever agreed with anything I said and did it bother me??? Heck no but I do have a number of speed bumps in my driveway:)
And, my dear Seth, if you play your cards right you can be my new hubby:)

[Seth]

Sara, this is the last post I will make on this subject. I agreed with Shain bottom line. My post was clear and in english. It is rare that I see something I really don't like here. If and when I do say something about it again in simple english. If you did not understand it the person that I said it to did. You said above that you were not that bright. I am sorry for that but there is nothing I can do about it.

[ScarlettOSara]

takes all her dirty laundry off the line to include her flour sack bloomers:)
Mister Seth and I had a meeting of the minds and we decided to be friends:)

[Taogem]

I get that we are all human.. It is our nature on occasion for each of us to show our little humanoid character defects.

I learned long ago the importance of understanding there is a difference between a persons behavior and the kind of person they truly are.

Much more difficult to do online. As the occasional change in tone of voice, or not being able to pick up on body language leaves a person to concentrate a little harder on reading between the lines.. Trying sometimes to even place ourselves in the other persons shoes in an effort to understand their point of view better..

Sometimes it can be a bit trying though....

Rather than feeling the need to be "sorry for ball busting". Why do it ? Ball busting or belittling people because we are not geologists does not shed any light on a chatoyant mineral discussion. The majority of members here are in fact hobbyist with varying degrees of knowledge.

"Misinformation" sounds so .... intentional.  I have never seen anyone here intentionally mislead anyone. Rather what I constantly see is simple, inquisitive desire learn from those with more knowledge and or expertise.

Then I read responses from Mark and Sara.. Responding as best they can in an effort to both learn more, and at the same time smoothing out the negativity as best they can. Trying to turn the discussion into a positive one.

The discussion about Nummite being chatoyant or not is a perfectly fair one. What is the crisis to the newcomer ? Similar learning instances are brought up on here all the time. We talk about them, share some info, pics, references, etc...

Why would you not want to share your perspective if you have one ? Maybe a pic or two for comparison or to add to the discussion. Rather than just feed into the negativity with short meaningless and non contributing attitude.

The crisis to the newcomer is the negativity. The hint that they may not be good enough or smart enough to participate here. That they should bite their tongue for fear they may be labeled.

When in fact, it is the newcomer who is most important ! No matter the degree of their hobbyist status.

[Seth]

My post was made due to the fact that I have many, chatoyant, reflective, feldspar, shining, shiller and so on so it can get confusing. I have made posts of other rough here and people change the whole thread and show or say something about another material that has nothing to do with the original post. So in no way I wanted to put pictures on that one. Gets kind of old when you try and show material and the subject gets changed.