What IS this purple rock?I'm new to crystal and gemstone work, but there's this awesome shop in the Roosevelt district called Scratch Patch where you can pick out rocks from a huge pile on the floor. Only problem is, sometimes they're hard to identify, especially if the owner is stumped.
I picked out one really interesting dark purple opaque stone that has iridesence in the light. I can't find anything like it in my crystal encyclopedias or online, so far.
So my question is this: is anyone out there a knowledgeable rockhound?
Rachel, sounds like this great Russian stone, charoite http://www.mineralminers.com/html/chamins.stm The sample in this image contains more swirls than that pieces I've had--which are quite purple and dark.
Some amethyst can be very dark and opaque, too.
I know majority of gemstones from using them in my jewelry designs but I am not an expert on each stone that exists. David Rodolfo (he is a Biznik) teaches gemstone therapy, he would be the guy to go to I think. Rachel, I will definitely check out Scratch Patch. Gemstones in unprocessed form are very magical. There must be a reason why you were drawn to that one you picked out. :)
Thanks Banu. Scratch Patch is awesome. I invited the owner to join Biznik and I hope she does. It'd be so great to have her store be jamming with all the alternative healers here. Here's her website, in case she doesn't come on board: www.scratchpatchusa.com.
Leila, I don't know if it is charoite. It has NO swirls at all. It looks matte dark purple until you really get it in the light and then there's some surfacial iridescence.
Does it have small sparkly flecks in it or a big shiny stripe in it making it "iridescent" if it is small flecks of sparkle then that is probably mica in a dark tumble of Lepidolite. Other stones that are purple and opaque and matte are Charoite and Sugilite. Although they don't normally have a sheen to them. It is most likely Sugilite with a nice sheen like the kind that transitional sodalite has.
Sometimes it is hard to tell without holding it. It would be fun to find out though!
Ahhh girls who love rocks, beautiful.
I'll have to show you next time we run into each other, David. Or if I get motivated, I'll take a picture. But I don't think it's mica... it's more iridescent than sparkly, although one side of it almost seems to shimmer gold, but the other sides are definitely purpley iridescent.
LOL... I love the "Or if I get motivated."
I 100% understand...
-Andrey
Heh. And, obviously, I did not get motivated. :)
I love the website and the party idea. Thanks. I'm going to do a party with them.
Are you talking about Scratch Patch, Joanne? Yes, they're lovely! I'm always glad to help get them more business!
Is it possible that it's Sugilite? Here's a link: http://www.gemhut.com/sugilite.htm
Also, if it's got some green in it, it might be Labradorite - it's iridescent and has purple, green, and blue in it (looks a lot like Mother of Pearl, judging by the one on my desk, and my Labradorite necklace is more cobalt-looking with flashes of green and blue. Very lovely.)
Hello Rachel,
It was good seeing you today. Is it possible that the stone is Fluorite? I have some purple/green stones that are Fluorite and they are beautiful. There is a book called the Chrystal Bible - A definitive guite to crystals by Judy Hall. It is a great book, but hard to tell stones by color rather than names.
Nope, not flurorite. That's usually clear, no? I think it was probably sugilite.
Good to see you again, too, Lynn.
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