Green Quartz?

[RELICDUDE07]

Found a few green rocks.I no nothing about rocks and could use the help of some pros.What kind of rock is this ? I'm finding a lot of it?Thanks for the info

 

[Tuberale]

Are those rocks wet or is that the natural sheen?

If natural, those rocks could be the matrix that emeralds crystals are sometimes found in.

If you like I'll post an emerald in matrix for comparison. But it has no quartz at all that I'm aware of.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

thank you Tuberale -yes please do.I just thought the white part was quartz crystal...

 

[Tuberale]

I have several rock samples purchased from OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) which were sold as "emerald in matrix". These are photos of 2 of those samples. The lighter green material are the crystals, the darker, glossy material is the matrix, which I personally find more interesting.

 

[Tuberale]

Emerald is very hard, rated 9 on the Mohr's Hardness Scale, second only to diamond at 10.

The middle rock you show could have small emerald crystals in it.

Had this actually been green quartz, it should have been transluscent. That material is called chrysoprase, and is considered a semi-precious stone. Also known as nickel bloom. I have found chrysoprase on Little Canyon Mountain, just east and above the cemetery at Canyon City. Chrysoprase, while not common, is relatively easy to find there.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Yes thank you so much for the info!I guess i should just keep collecting the rocks-how would 1 get the emeralds out with out breaking the rocks -or should i just leave them whole?

 

[Tuberale]

1 more question?1 has a little purple color on the back ,would this also be true with this type of stone?

I know of no purplish minerals associated with emerald. I can neither verify nor discount such material. Sorry.

 

[Tuberale]

?

Looks the same as my emerald samples. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't come from the same source.

 

[Tuberale]

Yes thank you so much for the info!I guess i should just keep collecting the rocks-how would 1 get the emeralds out with out breaking the rocks -or should i just leave them whole?

Small emeral crystals can be removed from the matrix with diamond saws and care. If you wanted to obtain a finished stone, probably the gemologist would do that for you. There are many labidaries which would be happy to cut and polish small emeralds if that is your wish. But I don't know the pricing on that.

I had a topaz cut and polished as a give for my mother about 15 years ago. Cost about $5.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

You have been very helpful.Are you sure they couldn't be anything else?I don't want to go emerald crazy ! I guess the best thing to do with this kind is just polish the whole rock?

 

[Bajahunter]

Relicdude
Please post a close up of just one rock, natural light, from a couple of angles.
Green quartz is called Prasiolite. Green Calcedony is called Chrysoprase. Both are SIO2. The difference is the quartz cooled slowly and the calcedony cooled off fast.
It doesn't look like SIO2 to me.
Do the hardness test. Try to scratch the green stuff with a known piece of quartz.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

I will try the scratch test!

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Baja ? I found a large pocket ----- not sure what the true term is called....But i can tell one of the rocks at 1 time had a very large emerald in it , from the shape of the rock where the emerald was formed....Thanks again Tuberale

 

[Eu_citzen]

Emerald has a hardness of 7½ to 8, as a member of the beryl group.
Emeralds are mainly formed in Pegmatites, this doesn't look like it.

Are the pictures taken wet with water?

More likely epidote, possibly Chlorite and other similar odds and ends.
I have some similar specimens, can get pics tomorrow if you'd like.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Olivine is known by many names. Besides its actual mineral names, forsterite and fayalite, it is known as "chrysolite", "evening emerald" and peridot?Would this be it?Thanks for the reply

 

[Eu_citzen]

Olivine and Prehnite is known as Chrysolite, just a synonym. Peridot is a name applied to gem quality Olivine.

Olivine is easy to recognize due to it feeling heavy for its size, and has cleavage. Meaning it will split in parallel planes along the rough,
Hardness is close to quartz I want to recall, maybe slightly higher.

Rocks are often very difficult to ID with only pictures, I'm afraid.
Got any rock hounds or geologists around to ask?

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Thanks for the help!Found the right rock group! http://www.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/olivine/olivine.htm