This is Chysocola on Hornblend. Hope you're a blue and green fan.
Okay, so I've been slacking a little. Even though January is the slowest month of the year, I have found plenty to keep myself occupied. Between disaster cleaning, and marketing strategies for the coming year, we are also rearranging the store.
As I mentioned previously, I have a wide assortment of specimens in my collection. Too many to show them all.
My next category falls under unique minerals. This includes slabs that are cut to emphasize colors and designs.
I'd like to show this unique cluster of selenite columns I found right here in Roswell NM.
Selenite is crystallized gypsum. One day while rock hounding, I spotted these little guys hanging out at the crest of a cliff , outside of town. They were sitting in a small wash where water occasionally streamed down the cliff (which may account for there shapes)
Believe me, it was no small feat retrieving them.
Again, for the blue fans, a small chunk of Blue Hemimorphite.
This is a cluster of nodular micro-crystaline structures. Very pretty and I had to have it.
Next is a chunk of banded jasper with a cut face.
It is commonly known as Bacon Rock. Can you guess why?
This takes us to our next category: Slabs
Normally, I prefer my specimens to be totally natural, but sometimes it it necessary to cut them to show their inner beauty.
While blue and purple are my favorite colors and yellow and green are not; I still have to appreciate their beauty. Like this Bumble Bee Jasper.
It has Arsenic in it, which accounts for the yellow. But don't worry, occasional handling won't hurt you. And it doesn't sting :-D
Chiastolite can only be appreciated cut.
They are otherwise known as Jesus stones because of their cross formations found when cut.
Spiderweb Jasper is another mineral that can only be appreciated cut
Finally, another of my top twenty favorites; Bloodstone Jasper. It's called Bloodstone because it has small blood red specks in it .
It can also be classified as a banded Jasper. It's among my favorites because it looks like a galaxy.
