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Kent
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« on: March 29, 2016, 09:04:46 am » |
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Mother in law brought this back from the rock shop at Hearst Castle.
Is it real ?
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jakesrocks
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« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2016, 09:16:34 am » |
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No. It was dyed to catch the eye of tourists.
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A day spent without learning something new, is a day wasted. Don  |
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Kent
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« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2016, 09:29:22 am » |
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Any idea how ?
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Amethyst Rose
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« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2016, 10:02:39 am » |
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It is a dyed brazilian agate. The Brazilians dye the agate after polishing and the dye only penetrates about a millimeter or so into the rock. The finished pieces are loaded into a 55-gallon drum and an analine dye is added of the appropriate color (blue, green pink, occasionally black) and the pieces boiled for several hours and the dye allowed to cool. the pieces are then removed and washed and shipped out. I have cut some cabs from druzy dyed pieces and broken slabs that a friend of mine gets. (He is a major dealer in Brazilian products and get 1000s of pounds of slabs yearly.) All of the dyed pieces when cut show that the dye does not penetrate all the way thru the stone and experience has also shown that the dye fades in sunlight.
Bob Johannes
The Amethyst Rose
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