Unlabelled Tumbled Stones - ID help?

Deanne

I went to a rock and gem show today (which was an absolute blast!). I bought a few things - including a bag of assorted tumbled stones. There was a large pool of stones (literally, an inflatable kiddie pool...) and some bags - you could fill a bag with whatever you wanted for only $15. I got 21 stones in there - good deal!

Problem is I had no idea what I was buying :D

I took pictures - if anyone wants to help that would be awesome. Even just one or two stone IDs would be a huge help. I've identified a couple of these, and have ideas for some more, but still have a long way to go.

Photo album is here http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/JacTee/library/Crystal ID

**A few of the stones (R, S, T, U) look quite different on opposite sides - I've taken 2 pictures of these to show the alternate views

Thanks in advance!
Deanne

**Edited to ask:

-The markings on O look like the ones found on snowflake obsidian. However, the stone itself is a reddish brown (not black). Any ideas on what that could be?
Also, the colours of P are identical to O, but the markings look different. Not sure if the same stone or different.
 

Deanne

Stone IDs

(will update this list as I get more info)

* certain
? maybe

A - Prehnite*
B - Aventurine*
C - Tree Agate*
D - Moss Agate*
E - Blue Quartz*
F - Blue Quartz*
G - Peach Aventurine*
H - Rose quartz*
I - Peanut Jasper*
J - White Quartz*
K - Lodolite*
L - Goldstone*
M - Red Jasper*
N - Banded Agate?
O - Brecciated Jasper*
P - Brecciated Jasper*
Q - Rhodonite*
R - Picasso Stone?
S - Sodalite*
T - Amethyst*
U - Red Jasper*
 

jolie_amethyst

B=green aventurine (Probably. Does it have a bit of glitter to it in the sun? I had near identical stones ID'd for me as aventurine at a shop, after buying a couple pound grab bag myself)
C=tree agate, I think
E&F=blue quartz (Brazil. It's not dyed, though I know it looks that way. Common in some of those grab bags, I have a bunch.)
S=sodalite (You mostly see the almost all blue stuff for sale, which is a higher grade. The mostly white with a little blue is lower grade, so it apparently gets tossed into these grab bag batches. I ended up ith some that way myself.)
U=red jasper

G *might* be peach aventurine. Search this forum for my thread a month or two back looking for ID on orange rocks, there's pics in two lights you can compare it to. While it's hard to tell from a pic, if it has the same kind of sandy/grainy look beneath the shine as the green aventurine above does, it's probably also aventurine. Should have a bit of glitter flash to it here and there--less than the green usually has.
 

Deanne

Thanks jolie - that's a huge help!

C=tree agate
S=sodalite
E&F=blue quartz

I can confirm these (except maybe E - it looks darker than F and doesn't have any banding that seems common in images. Does that still fit blue quartz?)

B=green aventurine (Probably. Does it have a bit of glitter to it in the sun? I had near identical stones ID'd for me as aventurine at a shop, after buying a couple pound grab bag myself)

G *might* be peach aventurine.

Yes both of these do! I didn't notice any shimmer to them earlier, but after looking very closely I can see tiny glittery flecks in both stones. Pretty sure you're right on these too :)
(and I found your other thread - interesting that sunstone came up as a possibility - I had wondered about that since the colour of my peach one is almost identical to a sunstone I have, but the texture/shimmer seemed all wrong)

U=red jasper
Really? Are there different types of red jasper then? The only red jasper I've seen has black bands through it and no white parts (and I'm thinking stone M might be that, as it looks similar to mine but with less distinct markings).
 

jolie_amethyst

I can confirm these (except maybe E - it looks darker than F and doesn't have any banding that seems common in images. Does that still fit blue quartz?)

As I understand it, yes. But I could certainly be wrong! :joke:

Really? Are there different types of red jasper then? The only red jasper I've seen has black bands through it and no white parts (and I'm thinking stone M might be that, as it looks similar to mine but with less distinct markings).

Plenty of red jasper has white. There's even a variant called "white lace". But here's a pic a bit more like yours:

JASPER+RED+AND+WHITE+TUMBLES+STONES+2.JPG

http://minerals-from-africa.com/shop/tumbled-red-and-white-jasper/
 

Padma

A = Prehnite
B = Adventurine
C = Moss agate, lace var.
D = tumbled moss agate, green agate, or dull/low quality Labradorite perhaps (no flashes)
E = blue quartz for sure, backing Jolie on that
F = same
G = Orange calcite or sunstone or peach adventurine
H = Rose quartz
I = Jasper
J = white quartz
K = Rose quartz again
L = Goldstone
M =Red jasper or else dark carnelian
N = Banded agate
O = form of jasper
P = form of Jasper
Q = rhodonite, or lepidolite
R = looks like it should be lingham stone, but wrong shape! May be low grade Mookite
S = Sodalite
T = Amethyst (matrix showing)
U = red Jasper or another var. of banded agate

mostly my best guesses...some I am super certain on! (A, for example!)
 

Padma

Deanne, there is a member here named Devilkitty who is a geologist. You should PM them and ask them to come have a look!
 

Deanne

As I understand it, yes. But I could certainly be wrong! :joke:

Plenty of red jasper has white. There's even a variant called "white lace".

Thanks again
Between doing some more research and seeing Padma's post I've come around to these too :D

A = Prehnite
B = Adventurine
C = Moss agate, lace var.
D = tumbled moss agate, green agate, or dull/low quality Labradorite perhaps (no flashes)
E = blue quartz for sure, backing Jolie on that
F = same
G = Orange calcite or sunstone or peach adventurine
H = Rose quartz
I = Jasper
J = white quartz
K = Rose quartz again
L = Goldstone
M =Red jasper or else dark carnelian
N = Banded agate
O = form of jasper
P = form of Jasper
Q = rhodonite, or lepidolite
R = looks like it should be lingham stone, but wrong shape! May be low grade Mookite
S = Sodalite
T = Amethyst (matrix showing)
U = red Jasper or another var. of banded agate

mostly my best guesses...some I am super certain on! (A, for example!)

Wow - thanks for looking at all of them!

I'd never heard of Prehnite, but A definitely looks like that.

D still has me stumped, but I had actually been wondering about Labradorite earlier. It looks quite a bit like some duller tumbles I've seen. The colour is hard to describe (let alone see clearly in a photo!) It's kind of a grey with a deep green tinge to it. If I look closely it seems to have little white specks in it too.

Re: stone I, do you know if that Jasper has a particular name? I was fairly sure it was a Jasper but was hoping for something more specific (if not, no worries!)

How certain are you on J, and do you have any tips on how to distinguish white Quartz from Moonstone? I was pretty torn between those 2.

I'm not sure K is rose Quartz - it's completely grey colour, no pink at all (maybe didn't come through well in photo). I'm leaning towards smoky Quartz but haven't actually seen that stone in person before.

I thought T was Amethyst, but the brown was really throwing me. Had never heard the term matrix re: crystals before, but after looking that up you're definitely right :)
 

Padma

Thanks again
Between doing some more research and seeing Padma's post I've come around to these too :D



Wow - thanks for looking at all of them!

I'd never heard of Prehnite, but A definitely looks like that.

D still has me stumped, but I had actually been wondering about Labradorite earlier. It looks quite a bit like some duller tumbles I've seen. The colour is hard to describe (let alone see clearly in a photo!) It's kind of a grey with a deep green tinge to it. If I look closely it seems to have little white specks in it too.

Actually I am pretty sure it is just a dull moss agate. I have a tumbled marble of it and it looks almost identical.

Re: stone I, do you know if that Jasper has a particular name? I was fairly sure it was a Jasper but was hoping for something more specific (if not, no worries!)

Looks like Peanut Jasper to me...

How certain are you on J, and do you have any tips on how to distinguish white Quartz from Moonstone? I was pretty torn between those 2.

Pretty certain. Moonstone has greyish/semi transparent bands running through, or a "cat's eye" effect in the middle. Rainbow moonstone gives off a multi coloured sheen like Labradorite does (natch! Cause it is actually a form of Labradorite!)

I'm not sure K is rose Quartz - it's completely grey colour, no pink at all (maybe didn't come through well in photo). I'm leaning towards smoky Quartz but haven't actually seen that stone in person before.

Well...it looks more pink/greyish white to me than brown. Smoky Topaz normally runs from a very pale whitish brown to a very dark brown, and anywhere in between. But, I guess it might be, if it looks brown to you in real life? Computer monitors can change the real colour of things.

I thought T was Amethyst, but the brown was really throwing me. Had never heard the term matrix re: crystals before, but after looking that up you're definitely right :)

Glad to help!

I would still PM Devilkitty and invite them here to help if you want more accuracy. :)
 

jolie_amethyst

D still has me stumped, but I had actually been wondering about Labradorite earlier. It looks quite a bit like some duller tumbles I've seen. The colour is hard to describe (let alone see clearly in a photo!) It's kind of a grey with a deep green tinge to it. If I look closely it seems to have little white specks in it too.

I was wondering if if was Labradorite too. As far as flash goes--in lesser quality stones, if flash is there, you may have to get it in just the right light and at just the right angle to get it to show. Try flipping it around and angling it a hundred different ways in different lights. I picked up one for a friend not long ago that's extremely picky that way...and when the flash isn't visible, it's a boring gray green. (But it's spectrolite, so when you convince it to show off, it's got a full rainbow of colors. So tempted to keep that one!)

How certain are you on J, and do you have any tips on how to distinguish white Quartz from Moonstone? I was pretty torn between those 2.

To me, Moonstone is pretty distinctive. It has a pearly sheen to it that isn't present on white quartz. And the white moonstone I've personally seen doesn't have the almost bleached white tone of the white quartz, it's closer to an off white. I tend to agree with Padma based on current evidence.

I'm not sure K is rose Quartz - it's completely grey colour, no pink at all (maybe didn't come through well in photo). I'm leaning towards smoky Quartz but haven't actually seen that stone in person before.

I'd need more pics to be sure, but right now, it doesn't look like any smoky I'm familiar with. Close ups, more angles, and holding it up to the light might help, it looks pinkish on my screen too.