gypse
Moderator
Registered: 12/05/04
Posts: 2,082
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camyam73
Registered: 04/05/06
Posts: 88
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| | 04/29/07 at 04:37 PM | Reply with quote | #2 |
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I found it's 1.5 to 3 on the mohs scale... But mine isn't ridiculously soft, as I have severl pieces of it. I find celesite to be MUCH softer!
Cammy |
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wiretreasures
Registered: 02/09/05
Posts: 134
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| | 04/29/07 at 04:41 PM | Reply with quote | #3 |
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Don't think it rates a Mohs scale number. After much debate, last I heard it is stone impregnated with color (maybe paint). I find it scratches easily and have not put it in the tumbler. I have gotten some of the plastic balls Nancy suggested, but haven't tried them on anything yet.
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gypse
Moderator
Registered: 12/05/04
Posts: 2,082
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| | 04/29/07 at 07:47 PM | Reply with quote | #4 |
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Everything I have read, it is a natural stone. To the best of my knowledge, the lab that had originally tested it and said it was man-made reversed themselves. They had been given stablized (like turquoise) material to test. When given "raw" material, they said it was natural.
There are still a lot of sites with the 2002/2003 controversy info out there - but the more recent stuff is saying that it is natural. There is a pic of the vein floating out there also.
And even if it is an elaborate hoax - I like the stuff. It does't take a high polish, so I'm assuming it is relatively soft - especially since it is clay based. I didn't think it was as soft as Cammy is saying though.
(Sure wish some of the mags that declared it man-made would do a follow up. There are various notes saying that it was being re-studied, but can't find anything much in writing since 2003. The biggest question mark seems to be that no one is allowed to see the mine.)
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Szarka
Registered: 11/01/06
Posts: 11
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| | 12/13/09 at 02:13 AM | Reply with quote | #5 |
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Mind dat has articles and test showing it to be man made. Very expensive still! Now China is manufacturing a replica out of a real stone, highly enhanced of course. Kind of funny really. |
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NancyF
Moderator
Registered: 02/23/05
Posts: 1,272
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| | 12/15/09 at 07:01 AM | Reply with quote | #6 |
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I think some of it is real...some is enhanced...and some is man made.  It is stablilized if it is real I hear...like Turquoise to hold its color and so it won't fall apart. ;D |
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ladyfisher
Registered: 12/01/08
Posts: 187
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| | 12/15/09 at 11:56 PM | Reply with quote | #7 |
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I bought some from a guy that had some rough. It did look stabilized...and he took samples of it to three universities, and two said "real" and one said "can't really tell either way". At Tuscon a vendor had rough and again, it looked stabilized, large veins a few inches across. |
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janety
Registered: 03/13/06
Posts: 434
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| | 12/20/09 at 05:20 PM | Reply with quote | #8 |
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Way I heard, Cal-Silca comes from when the stones are cut and the debris settles and is allowed to dry. Layers and layers of color. So man-made from actual material????
Janet
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