what kins of stone is this? Opal?

[phishisgroovin]

found this in my classifier panning gold today.

In the sun it has a sweet milky blue hue (like smoke) in the rock



















I hope its opal, my wife will be getting a new ring soon if so lol!

 

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[Tigger]

google Chalcedony & see how it compares.

 

[smokeythecat]

Looks like a smoky or blue quartz mineral. If it scratches a piece of glass, it's not opal. Opal is softer than glass, quartz and the chalcedony family are a lot harder.

 

[mamabear]

I agree chalcedony or possibly agate

 

[Bum Luck]

Opal is glass, so it's as hard (5.5) as itself. It has color due to its internal structure which makes it diffract light. I've seen foundry slag do that though, since it's technically the same. Colorless opal is called potch, not worth mounting.

I can't see any color in this stone (difficult to photograph) so I'm guessing it's chalcedony (hardness of 6-7).

 

[Eu_citzen]

Looks like rounded quartz to me. If chalcedony it should have a waxy lustre on a freshly exposed surface.
Opals are glassy looking and quartz has a greasy lustre. Hope that helps.

 

[phishisgroovin]

UPDATE:

I took it in to Jerrys rocks & Jems here in Kent Washington to have it looked at.
Glenn the owner said it is Agate, the area i dig for my gold in isnt known for agate (i may be onto something by digging alot there) and what agate is found in the cascades is mostly eastern, there is opal near me though.

I am having it cut and set for my wife since its a nice looking agate and since its the only stone i have found that is hard enough.














I am excited to see the finished piece. Two weeks is going to be a long wait.

 

[Eu_citzen]

I wonder if it has concentric banding like the typical agate?
Either way, I'm amazed that it's going to take two weeks for a finished piece! Would love to see the finished piece though!

 

[phishisgroovin]

I wonder if it has concentric banding like the typical agate?
Either way, I'm amazed that it's going to take two weeks for a finished piece! Would love to see the finished piece though!

I will post images of the finished ring. its going to look great.

 

[phishisgroovin]

Just an update!
Its beautiful! I hope my wife likes it when i pick it up this weekend.

I love the clouds in the stone, very cool!

 

[phishisgroovin]

 

[phishisgroovin]

and the most important photo, its on her finger lol!

 

[Turkısh Man]

İt's a smoky moonstone -feldspat family,hardnes-6

 

[phishisgroovin]

My wife really really likes this ring lol!

 

[StoneWhisper]

I was going to say Chalcedony myself.. but after seeing Turks response.. I've have to say Moonstone also.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Nice ring! I see a concentric kind of band, so agate.

 

[rock]

I was thinking moon stone myself but I am no expert. Looks nice