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Improving Mindat.orgMissidentified Ulexite

3rd Jan 2015 01:53 UTCJohn Sobolewski Expert

I believe that http://www.mindat.org/photo-586491.html is not Ulexite from California but the "satin spar" variety of Selenite common in Morocco that is polished and sold as "massage stones" in Morocco and by the Moroccan dealers at the Tucson Mineral Show. John S.

3rd Jan 2015 02:29 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

As that specimen belongs to Rock Currier, who probably knows more about California borates than any other living person, I'd tend to trust the ulexite ID. (Although I personally can't tell the difference between "TV rock" ulexite and "satin spar" gypsum without being able to look down the long axis.)

3rd Jan 2015 03:28 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

I agree with Alfredo on this one. Rock's borate knowledge is legend.

3rd Jan 2015 16:46 UTCRock Currier Expert

Its guaranteed genuine. I personally cut that stone out of ulexite rough I collected from the dumps at Boron. Yes it indeed does look like the satin spar from Morocco. When freshly polished, these cabochons have a very intense catseye.

3rd Jan 2015 19:15 UTCJohn Sobolewski Expert

Rock, you fooled me. I just got back from Morocco and these satin spar stones, spirals and wands were as plentiful there as they are on ebay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-3-58mm-SELENITE-Worry-Palm-Stone-Satin-Spar-Reiki-Crystal-Healing-/111226540325?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e59e5125 and http://www.ebay.com/itm/Selenite-Satin-Spar-large-2-75-white-polished-palm-stone-feng-shui-reiki-wicca-/281269464579?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item417cf76e03) and from the Moroccam dealers in Tucson. They look identical. John S.

3rd Jan 2015 21:37 UTCRock Currier Expert

Yes, they do. We buy thousands of them each year and sell them.

6th Jan 2015 19:58 UTCJohn Sobolewski Expert

Not only do they look identical, but the shape and size are almost identical. Over the years, I have seen thousands of these satin spar Selenite stones, but never an Ulexite which is unique. That is why it fooled me. It may be worth while to add some text to the caption before ohers are fooled. John S.

PS. Are you sure of the 65 X 28 X 28 mms dimensions? It looks to me that the middle 28 mms dimension is wrong and should be closer to 50 mms according to you scale below the picture.

7th Jan 2015 15:23 UTCErik Vercammen Expert

TVstone from Turkey: http://www.mindat.org/photo-563445.html

8th Jan 2015 08:22 UTCRock Currier Expert

I have never seen a piece of "optical" ulexite from Turkey. This specimen of ulexite may or may not show the optical effect. I would be very interested to know if any Turkish ulexite has ever been cut to show the fiber optic effect.

8th Jan 2015 10:01 UTCErik Vercammen Expert

I never tried to polish this piece, but I think it has optical properties.

8th Jan 2015 20:42 UTCRock Currier Expert

Yes, it certainly appears like it might have the optical properties of the "TV" rock from Boron, but until it is cut normal the the fiber length and polished we don't know for sure that Turkish ulexite has them.

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