Check out the Bumble Bee jasper rough that I scored at the Portland Regional Gem & Mineral show recently! Sulfur and orpiment are responsible for the brilliant yellows and oranges. It forms in a fumarole at the base of a volcano in Java. Not a true jasper, actually a travertine, but it's strong, stable, natural, and takes a great polish! Reliable sources say the mining of lapidary rough is closed now (the site filled with hot water from the fumarole!) and nearby material that is mined is ground up and shipped to China for high tech industrial uses. Here's some of the rough...
and here are some beads I cut from the rough...
and here are some cabs...
It's been selling well and I have more in process and 2 more pounds of rough on the way! I'm busy getting inventory ready for the Portland Bead Society Bead Bazaar the weekend after this!
For folks interested in seeing what the mine site in West Java for this material looks like, here's two images...
Thanks and have a great weekend!
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1 comment:
Very interesting information and is very helpful, your writing style is great! Excellent work!
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