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Need advice in trimming very delicate specimen

Posted by Jyrki Autio  
Need advice in trimming very delicate specimen
July 17, 2012 03:30PM
fi    
Hi,

In pictures are two 15 mm columbites in the corner of large matrix. Other is about 15 mm tall and 1 mm thick free standing blade. Other is also quite loose. I'd like to saw the whole corner of and glue it permanently in a box. I need to stabilize crystals somehow for sawing because columbite is fragile mineral and vibrations of angle grinder would probably destroy it.

Maybe there is a glue totally solvable in solvent after sawing. No kind of brushing or scraping is possible and it should just be gone like that. I have thought using cyanoacrylate and acetone but it might be difficult to apply enough of that kind of glue and
does it solve completely?

Maybe someone has experimented with similar specimens.

Cheers
Jyrki
Attachments:
open | download - trim1.jpg (118.3 KB)
open | download - trim2.jpg (139.1 KB)
Re: Need advice in trimming very delicate specimen
July 17, 2012 08:00PM
1) Reinforce it permanently with application of super-thin crack penetrating cyanoacrylate, using tiny amounts, with a needle, under a microscope. No ethical concerns abou reinforcing vulnerable specimens IF you put on the label what you've done, and do it properly, so it's invisible to the naked eye.

2) Saw it very gently on a proper water-cooled diamond continuous-rim blade lapidary saw. Use a very thin blade, ideally very new, and do it slowly and gently.
avatar Re: Need advice in trimming very delicate specimen
July 18, 2012 03:26AM
3) Consider that the presence of the columbite outweighs the presence of excess matrix, and don't trim.
Re: Need advice in trimming very delicate specimen
July 19, 2012 07:17AM
fi    
Good advice Tim and Steve.

I try stabilizing it with Tims method and leave it now as it is. Later someone familiar with lapidary saw could trim it smaller.
1g columbite in 2kg rock is not a practical item for long run.

Thanks
Jyrki
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