Pretty rock of the day: Crocoite and Wulfenite

[stephbg]

Like yesterday's Stichtite, Crocoite is also from Tasmania (and is indeed the State Mineral Emblem), and I have three quite different forms of the same mineral. I'm pretty sure they're all crocoite, but I'm happy (as always) to be corrected. At least one of these was acquired directly from a strange geologist in his home :-)

ED: The ones in doubt are indeed not crocoite, but wulfenite.



It's pretty fragile, so apologies for the dust and hair visible on the closeups.












Wulfenite:

Comments

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

What is W.A.'s mineral emblem? I'm guessing Iron or something.

Do you have any crocodilite/asbestos in your collection? I remember taking home a couple of small stones with a visible band of blue asbestos in them from Hamersley Gorge.

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

We don't have one. We have a fossil emblem, the gogo fish, but not actually a mineral or gemstone emblem. http://www.dpc.wa.gov.au/GuidelinesAndPolicies/SymbolsOfWA/Pages/Default.aspx

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Ariaflame got in before me. Before I looked it up I thought it would be gold. No asbestos here.

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

Is compressed/canned air contraindicated for gem cleaning?

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Compressed air is fine for the tough specimens, and otherwise I use soft paint brushes. These ones are a bit crumbly so it takes a steady hand and a lot of patience to clean them.