Recent content by Piep

Being an agate, it will polish beautifully to a nice super glassy shine. It's a small piece, but the colour is very nice. In my opinion it's worth polishing, but don't expect to get any money for it. Carnelian is a fairly common stone and isn't a precious gem. You can buy it in bulk, fully...

That is a stunning specimen, fossickeract! Though I generally favor cut stones over 'natural' ones, I would think that this particular one is worth more in its natural state, as a specimen. Because of the phantom and its gorgeous termination and its size. Cut citrine (natural or treated) can be...

Should you ever be near Redcliffe, bring this stone and drop into the lapidary club there. They have 3 flat laps that get charged with diamond powder (come on a tuesday, when they get freshly charged) 400, 600 and 1200 grit on a hard calico back. Worth a try I'd say.

Emerald is in the Beryl family, with aquamarine and heliodor etc. Its crystals are hexagonal, where the crystals in yours are trygonal. Yours are dioptase. http://www.mindat.org/min-1295.html The big specimen in your first pic is boulder opal; the one in the background is dioptase. The 3rd...

Do you have facebook? If so, I suggest joining the Australian Crystals and Minerals group and post these pics there as well. There are quite a few very knowledgeable people in that group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/australiancrystals/

Yeah, I've seen this and not just on the resin bonded wheels. We have new sintered wheels at the club to replace the old 80/100 grit wheels. The 180/220 were not replaced and are (very very) well worn in so they weren't up to the task of getting the deep scratches of the new wheels out. It took...

Mindat.org is your friend: http://www.mindat.org/min-109.html

Those are great stones Lefty! I can imagine what the amethyst looks like, having seen something like it before, but can't do the same for the star spinel. A trick is to take more than one pic: one in indoor lighting, one in overcast or shade outside daylight and one in full sun (at an angle...

That is one stunning crystal! It's good to see you are learning some Australian too :) ! Take care and keep digging, mate!

Here's my post in the group https://www.facebook.com/groups/539242229527605/660396497412177/?notif_t=like I think I broke all the records with yhe number of likes and comments on that post.

If you are serious about selling some material and showing of your work in general for the whole world to see (and critique! remember that, because you will get some!) it is always a good idea to make a dedicated facebook page, instead of just putting it on your personal page for your friends...

There are several interest groups on facebook and there's nothing secret about them. I'll list a few here and you will be able to find more going from the suggestions that come up when you join these: First CABS AND SLABS, https://www.facebook.com/groups/539242229527605/ A big group with...

Thanks Bigjilm, I'm quite happy with the results myself. The effort has certainly been worth it as it sold the moment I posted it in a facebook group.

I believe they are Koroit boobook. The patterning is apparently quite characteristic for Koroit boulder.

Thanks all! I had to hand finish them, as the wheels kept pulling deep gouges in the top. SO handfinished up to 3000grit sandpaper and then onto tin oxide on leather: The crease in the top has been finished on 7000grit sandpaper and is as shiny and lustrous as the rest.