Unknown rock crystal need help to ID.

[G Freeman]

Digging a pond here in Virginia to clean it out with backhoe found some good crystals in the mud and dirt I was bringing out from about 15 feet down and this is one of the crystals I found. A few different photos of the same rock from different angles. This crystal is harder than 7 as quartz will not scratch it. Transparent enough that light will shine through it. Thanks for all the help.

 

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[DDancer]

Did you try the scratch test with another piece of quartz? If so quartz wont scratch quartz Just have to ask. Judging by the faceting I'm tempted to say you found topaz.

 

[G Freeman]

Did you try the scratch test with another piece of quartz? If so quartz wont scratch quartz Just have to ask. Judging by the faceting I'm tempted to say you found topaz.

Have several pieces of quartz I tried to scratch this piece with no scratch at all.

 

[DDancer]

Try a hardened steel drill bit~ hardness about 7.5. If it does not scratch then try a carbide tip drill bit or saw tooth~ hardness 8.5 to 9. Topaz is 8 and quartz is 7 on the hardness scale.

 

[G Freeman]

Try a hardened steel drill bit~ hardness about 7.5. If it does not scratch then try a carbide tip drill bit or saw tooth~ hardness 8.5 to 9. Topaz is 8 and quartz is 7 on the hardness scale.

DDancer.

Tried a high speed steel drill bit from Westline Drill Bit set and it did scratch it. After I wiped it off it did leave a little scratch mark. so what does that tell me. Found some more of this stuff today. Will probably post some of it tomorrow after I get it in the sunshine for pics.Thanks.

 

[niffler]

Nice quartz crystal, these can be worth some money

 

[DDancer]

G Freeman,
The hardness test lets one sort materials to aid in identification. Quartz and Topaz often look very similar and a scratch test helps to determine whats what. Called the Mohs scale for mineral hardness : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohs_scale_of_mineral_hardness : various known natural minerals can be used to figure out the characteristics of unidentified minerals. The wiki link is accurate and includes a list of alternate materials that can be used to help determine hardness.

When it comes to similar gem stones unless there is clear crystal structure or colorations it can be kind of a toss up as to what your holding. Quartz can often mimic other types of crystals due to formation and impurities but it will always be softer in terms of hardness than Topaz. What your test tells me is that you have Quartz crystals~ and good size ones at that A bit of polishing and they would make fine specimens.

 

[StoneWhisper]

Unless iron out is used on these and the color is spot on crystal clear.. they aren't worth anything.

 

[BurntBear]

I wouldn't say "anything", they're all worth something. Specimens like these sell for $5-$20 in rock stores all day long.

 

[G Freeman]

Well DDancer I went to a GIA Graduate Gemologist and had some of these stones in this post checked and they said they are Topaz. At least I got that part behind me. Thanks a lot for trying to help me. One of them weighs between 4 and 5 lbs.

 

[G Freeman]

You were right DDancer it is Topaz. When I tried to scratch it with a drill bit the scratch I thought it left on the stone was not a scratch. It was the black color of the drill bit, had to wash that off.