Posts for 'Minerals' Category

Diamond is the ultimate gemstone, having few weaknesses and many strengths. It is well known that Diamond is the hardest substance found in nature, but few people realize that Diamond is four times harder than the next hardest natural mineral, corundum (sapphire and ruby). But even as hard as it is, it is not impervious. Diamond has four directions of cleavage, meaning that if it receives a sharp blow in one of these directions it will cleave, or split. A skilled diamond setter and/or jeweler will prevent any of these directions from being in a position to be struck while mounted in a jewelry piece.
As a gemstone, Diamond's single flaw (perfect cleavage) is far outdistanced by the sum of its positive qualities. It has a broad color range, high refraction, high dispersion or fire, very low reactivity to chemicals, rarity, and of course, extreme hardness and durability. Diamond is the April Birthstone.

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A pendants necklace (from Old French) is a hanging object, generally attached to a necklace or an earring. In modern French this is a word meaning “during” (also the gerund form of "hanging").Pendant silver jewelry from ShalinCraft comes in two forms – gem stone pendant and unique silver pendant.

A gemstone or gem, also called a precious or semi-precious stone, is a piece of attractive mineral, when cut and polished its used to make jewelry or other adornments. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry.

The gemstone pendant necklace comes in different stone pendants like amethyst pendant, coral pendant, peridot pendant, garnet pendant, onyx pendant, citrix pendant etc. Choose your gem stone pendant necklace according to your birthday or religious preferences.

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Need to accessorize those wardrobe basics with unique investment pieces that are big on style but affordably-priced?

Check out Rocks at the Filipino Zone in Greenbelt 5 for one-of-a-kind colorful pieces designed by architect, interior designer, restaurateur and now jeweler Ana Rocha.

Although there are a lot of fancy (read: fake) though fashionable jewelry and accessories available in the retail market today, it pays to save up for precious pieces that you can treasure.

Rocks promotes individualism in each piece so you know that you're getting something special. Rocha's style showcases uncommon, usually asymmetrical cuts of stone, which reflect her architectural background. Two lemon quartz stones, for instance, may be cut in two different yet very angular ways and used as a pair of earrings.

Rocks also offers a wide selection of pieces made of vibrant gemstones, all set in yellow white, pink and even black gold. Take your pick from pink tourmaline, amethyst or garnet, to name a few.

Aside from the main line designed by Rocha, Rocks also showcases works by four promising Filipino jewelry and accessory designers.

Spark by Madel Lazaro offers 14-karat gold pieces with natural-colored diamonds; Icon by Vicky and Bea Panopio features silver pieces clad in gold with gemstones; Vintage by Elizabeth Payte presents handmade crocheted beaded pieces using glass beads, old coins and the like, formed into flowers and leaves; and Colonial by Bernice Olalia offers pieces made from mother-of-pearl and other indigenous products.

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  Name: Azurite
Derivation: From "lajward" (Persian) blue
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Description: Azurite is dark blue. It can have flat crystals. You can see layers of them to the left, and the specimen on the right is a single crystal. 

You usually associate "azure" with being pale blue, like the sky, so it may seem odd that such a very dark blue stone has this name. However, if you rub a mineral across something, the colour that gets rubbed off is called the "streak". It's not always the same colour as the stone itself. This colour sometimes helps to identify the mineral. Azurite may be dark blue, but its streak is pale blue, and if you grind it to a powder, it makes a pale blue paint pigment, for painting skies!

Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure. A rock is an aggregate of one or more minerals.
Minerals range in composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of known forms. The study of minerals is called mineralogy.
Chemistry and crystal structure define together a mineral. In fact, two or more minerals may have the same chemical composition, but differ in crystal structure.
Crystal structure greatly influences a mineral's physical properties.
There are currently just over 4,000 known minerals.

What`s in a rock? Well, the Central Dakota Gem and Mineral Society says there`s a lot.

That`s why it held an open house Sunday so kids and their parents could take a look at some unique gems and rocks. There was a little bit of show and tell and little bit of touch and see. There was even a jewelry making demonstration for anyone who wanted to take home a new necklace or bracelet. The society says to some people rocks may seem boring, but to others they`re simply fascinating.

"Each person`s likes and dislikes are different. Some people are fascinated with fishing, others hunting. Some of us like rocks. Why? They`re pretty," says Russell Oliger with the Gem and Mineral Society.

If you`d like to become a member of the gem and mineral society. It has regular meeting the first Sunday of every month at the Masonic Center at 1009 Basin Avenue in Bismarck.

You can do gem work with acrylic, glass or crystal rhinestones. 

Purchase acrylic, glass, or crystal flat-backed rhinestones. These are often available at craft supply stores.  They're colorful, and make simple patterns look special.  Gems, some body giltter, and gilding make a henna pattern dazzle.

Apply gems with Liquid New Skin, spirit gum, or eyelash glue.

Dab the adhesive on the skin, then dab it on the back of the gem, then stick the gem on the skin.
Acrylic rhinestones are very inexpensive and easily available at craft stores.

Most adhesives disolve the silver back of the acrylic gem, and make it look cloudy instead of sparkly.

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   Name: Amber
Derivation: From "anbar" (Arabic) ambergris
Description: Glowing yellow or orange translucent blobs. They sometimes have bits in. They feel light, and a bit like plastic.   Amber is fossilised pine resin (from the amber pine) which oozes out of the trunk and then sets. When it fossilised, it becomes amber. Often bits got trapped in the resin before it set, perhaps even insects (see right). The film "Jurassic Park" imagines that you could take a mosquito from a piece of amber, remove some dinosaur blood from the mosquito's stomach, extract the DNA from the blood, and clone a dinosaur. This is impossible, but not completely impossible, and it makes a good story!  Amber beads were common throughout Bronze Age Europe.
The Greeks called amber "elektron" (which may come from a Phoenician word for the sun, meaning "golden"). They noticed its power to attract small bits of ash when rubbed with a cloth. This is static electricity, and the word "electricity" comes from "elektron" or amber. Pliny, the Roman author, knew that amber came from resin, by its smell and the way it burns, but didn't realise that it was fossilised. You can find amber on the beaches of East Anglia UK. The top piece in the photograph above was found at Great Yarmouth on the east coast of England. Ambergris (which gives its name to amber) is a strongly smelling substance found in the intestines of some whales, which is used to make perfume. It is nothing to do with amber! But since amber can be found on beaches, perhaps people thought that it can from the sea, and so must be ambergris.

 Celestite (strontium sulfate) has a sky (or celestial) blue color that is unique in the mineral kingdom. The Small Celestite Geode/Cluster we offer here comes from Madagascar and displays small to medium tabular, highly prismatic, exceptionally clear crystals ranging in size from 1/8 to 3/8" cubed. The specimen you receive will be similar in quality and appearance to the one shown in the above photo and measure approximately 3 to 3-1/2" across, 1-3/4 to 2" deep, and 1 to 1-1/2" thick (at its widest points). Metaphysically, Celestite aids personal creative expression, helps reduce stress, and provides peace of mind. It also helps one adjust to higher states of awareness, provides access to and transfer of information from the angelic realms, and assists in clairaudient endeavors.This ethereal mineral is believed to aid personal creative expression, help reduce stress, and provide peace of mind. It is also said to help one adjust to higher states of awareness, provide access to and transfer of information from the angelic realms, and assist in clairaudient endeavors. First found in Italy in the 18th century, celestite crystals have since been unearthed in New York, Michigan, Ohio, Colorado, California, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Mexico. A nodular form, like a geode with an exterior of sedimentary rock and a cavity full of brilliant crystals, is found in India. The finest specimens of any type are from Madagascar. Celestite has the same structure as barite (BaSO4), and forms very similar crystals. While barite is not typically blue, occasional blue specimens are usually misidentified as celestite. The two may seem identical by ordinary methods, but a flame test can distinguish them. Scrape some dust from the crystals into a flame -- if the flame turns a pale green, it is barite; but if the flame is red, it is celestite. The red shown in the flame test is due to the presence of strontium, an alkaline earth metal. Strontium compounds are important components in signal flares, tracer ammunition, and fireworks (because of the red flame), color tv picture tubes and computer monitors (it absorbs x-rays and improves the brilliance of glass), and in making permanent ceramic magnets and refining zinc and beet sugar. Due to its extreme reactivity with air (it will ignite spontaneously when finely powdered), strontium is always found in combination with other elements in minerals like celestite and strontianite, and celestite is its primary source. Celestite (a.k.a. Celestine): SrSO4, strontium sulfate
Color: usually blue, but may also be colorless or yellow and contain tints of red, green, and brown
Habit: generally well-developed tabular or bladed crystals; also nodular, fibrous, or granular
Hardness: 3 - 3.5
Luster: vitreous
Transparency: crystals are transparent to translucent
Cleavage: perfect in one direction, less so in another direction
Fracture: conchoidal
Specific gravity: 3.9+ (above average for translucent minerals)
Streak: white
Other: red color in flame test, some specimens fluoresce under UV light, may fade if exposed to direct sunlight.

The Topaz is a development of the GEM award winning venturi steam trap, and has been specifically produced for clean steam systems used in hospitals and pharmaceuticals for sterilisers and sterilisation Unlike other steam traps, the GEM Topaz range of traps are easy to clean and are totally consistent and reliable, a key factor for sterilisation lines
They are machined from 316L stainless steel and are flanged for either Dockweiler or Triclover clamp fittings.

Compact and easy to fit, the Topaz traps have an overall length of 55mm for the two smaller sizes rising to 65mm for the 25mm diameter steam trap.

They are machined with rounded internal shoulders to prevent any possible bacterial build up.

Available in 15mm, 20mm and 25mm diameters the hard-wearing GEM Topaz is manufactured from 316-corrosion resistant stainless steel and is guaranteed for 10 years, obviating the need for repair or replacement.

The steam traps have been designed to withstand pressures up to 10 bar (145 psi) at 200C due to the rating of the Dockweiler or Triclover clamps.

Instead of utilising a valve mechanism to close off steam for maximum energy and water conservation, the highly efficient GEM Topaz uses the patented venturi orifice design to effectively drain condensate from the steam system.

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