Acquisition of the month: Japanese twin quartz
I recently added a fine specimen of a Japanese-law quartz twin to my collection from the Ambolo Quartz Mine in Madagascar.
Tips for visiting a mineral show
Mineral shows are a melting pot of passion, knowledge and discovery. If you have ever visited a mineral show, you know
Introduction: Gem or Scam?
On this introductory page, I explain exactly what “Scammite” (Belazeriet in Dutch) means, discuss different forms of Scammite, and how the Gem or Scam library can help you make informed gem and mineral purchases and sales.
Names of minerals and gemstones
Why is correct naming of gemstones and minerals important? Commercial names and fancy names can cause confusion. It also highlights legal aspects and examples of misleading marketing. Read more about standards such as those set by the IMA and CIBJO to promote uniform nomenclature.
Research
The compilation of the online “Gem or Scam” library was preceded by extensive research, consulting various sources. The process included analyzing commercial and esoteric names, geological data and legal aspects, resulting in an up-to-date reference work.
Consequences of Scammite
Learn about the consequences of “Scammite”, including confusion, health risks and legal liability due to misleading naming. Be aware of blaming and shaming online and maintain mutual respect within the mineral and gem world. Includes practical tips for recognizing Scammite and working together to provide honest and reliable information.
Gilson opal
A name for a synthetic man-made opal designed to mimic the appearance of natural precious opal as good as possible. Gilson
African bloodstone
Commercial name for a green-gray chalcedony with delineated pieces of red jasper and light gray chalcedony, often combined with speckles of
Analysis: apatite in cleavelandite or not?
By now there are a lot of stones on the market with blue spots, under a lot of different names. One
Strawberry quartz
Commercial name for red- to pink-colored quartz with hematite inclusions or man-made glass. Originally, this name was used in the 19th
Afghanistan/Afghan jade
Misleading commercial name for the mineral bowenite, a variety of antigorite, a mineral from the serpentine group. So it is not
African jade
Misleading commercial name for a massive variety of grossular, a green mineral from the garnet group. Named for its occurrence in
African turquoise
Commercial name for a variety of jasper mined in Africa and often treated to make the blue-green color resemble that of
Agate
Name for a distinctly striped or banded chalcedony. Originally found in the river Dirillo (formerly Achates) in Sicily, Italy, from which
Agape Crystal®
Registered trademark used for material said to contain the following combination of minerals: quartz, smoky quartz, rutile quartz, amethyst, goethite, lepidocrocite
Agni Manitite
Commercial name for rounded pebbles of obsidian found in rivers around Malamingan, Sumatra, Indonesia. These water-rolled obsidian fragments are usually dark,
Agnitite™
Unregistered commercial name for clear to milky white quartz with red to reddish-brown inclusions of hematite, mainly from Madagascar. The word
Alligator quartz
Synonym for so-called jacaré quartz, a growth form of quartz (usually smoky quartz) with many parallel crystal faces (bulges). Jacaré quartz
Amegreen™
Unregistered commercial name for banded amethyst (also called chevron amethyst) combined with prasiolite, a green transparent variety of macrocrystalline quartz (also
Amazez™
Commercial name for banded amethyst, also called chevron amethyst. The name Amazez™ is an amalgamation of the names amethyst and Azeztulite™,
American jade
A misleading local name for massive vesuvianite or a rock containing mostly vesuvianite. Except that the material resembles jade, there is
Amazon jade/stone
Misleading commercial name for amazonite, a green variety of microcline, a mineral in the feldspar group. Amazonite has no relation to
Ametrine
An accepted name for a yellow-purple variety of quartz, the name being derived from the quartz varieties amethyst and citrine. According
Amechlorite
Unnecessary commercial name for amethyst with chlorite inclusions, by Judy Hall in her 3rd Crystal Guide1 introduced. Do you have a
Amphibole quartz
Trade name for certain quartz crystals with phantoms or inclusions of minerals from the amphibole group in various colors. Also called
Ammolite
Commercial name for the iridescent or “opalescent” outer surface of fossilized shell of ammonites, primarily from the Bearpaw Formation in southern
Amorite
Trade name for ‘druzy’ quartz with chalcedony from Mexico. ‘Druzy’ means a top layer of very small crystals on a fracture
Pineapple quartz
Fantasy name used as a synonym for cactus quartz, after its resemblance to a pineapple. Learn more about quartz growthforms? Take
Anandalite™
Unregistered commercial name for natural quartz in which rainbow colors occur due to refraction of light on internal fracture surfaces. Other
Ancestralite
Unregistered commercial fancy name for a red with metallic colored banded rock. This is banded iron ore, also known as Banded
Andamooka (matrix) opal
Andamooka (South Australia) is known for its light-colored opal, sometimes referred to as milk opal. Andamooka opal is also common as
Andara™ ‘crystals’/obsidian
This is perhaps one of the biggest and most persistent hoax stories today. Often referred to by sellers as natural volcanic
CAUTION: enforcement law regarding asbestos minerals!
Recently I received a warning letter from the Dutch Inspectorate for the Environment and Transport (ILT) of the Ministry of Infrastructure
Fascinating Larvikite: Norway’s national stone
Larvikite is known for its unique appearance with changing colors and light effects. Read more about the composition, origin and applications of this special rock from Norway in this article.
Typical geodes
In this article, we explore the fascinating world of geodes, hollow spaces in rocks filled with beautiful minerals such as chalcedony, agate, and quartz. Well-known examples include the amethyst geodes from Brazil and the Las Choyas “coconut” geodes from Mexico. We also discuss lesser-known but unusual varieties such as the Puma agates and Red Fox agates from Argentina, and the Dugway geodes from Utah, USA. Discover how the locality and composition of geodes give them a unique identity, and learn about the local names and typical features that set them apart.
Analysis: Nuummite
Find out all about genuine Greenland nuummite and similar rocks! Learn how to recognize real nuummite and how to distinguish lookalikes from China and India. Also a nuummite-related rock from Finland is discussed. Read the article for tips on how to identify genuine nuummite and avoid misleading imitations. With images to show the differences.
Fact or fable? – Septarian concretions originate from deceased animals
Septarian are a special stone that attracts attention with its unique appearance. Moreover, an interesting story circulates about the origin of
Story behind the stone: sulfur from the Ijen volcano
Recently a friend gave me a beautiful piece of sulfur, he asked me if I knew where it came from, “Indonesia”
Sphalerite or not? Part II
In my earlier article sphalerite or not? , which I told about some polished towers of “sphalerite” that I analyzed for
Saint Barbara, multipurpose patron saint
Recently I received a beautiful statue of Saint Barbara for my birthday. I already posted the attached photo on social media
Sphalerite or not? Part I
Quite some time ago I received from one of my students who also sells stones a number of polished towers of
Green ‘smithsonite’ from Indonesia appears to be garnierite (falcondoite) in quartz
Recently, ‘new’ material appeared on the market from Indonesia: green crustal deposits and crystals in fissures in yellow-brown rock. Commonly sold
Lewisian Gneiss: The fascinating history of one of the oldest rocks on Earth
The Isle of Lewis and Harris, located in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, is home to Lewisian Gneiss, one of the
Siccar Point in Scotland: Geological Wonder and Historical Importance
Siccar Point, located on the east coast of Scotland, is an important geological site that has played a crucial role in
Uvite: A rare and fascinating mineral from the tourmaline group
Uvite is a rare and remarkable mineral that is part of the tourmaline group. Unlike the usual elongated crystals characteristic of
Flos Ferri: the delicate and rare form of aragonite
Flos Ferri, or “flowers of iron,” is a unique and rare variety of aragonite. This beautiful form of aragonite occurs in
Olivine: the versatile green mineral with numerous applications
Olivine is a fascinating and versatile mineral that ranges from forsterite, rich in magnesium, to fayalite, rich in iron. These silicate
Well-known combination of Azurite and Malachite from rare location: Sepon mine in Laos
When collecting minerals, for many not only the species is important, but certainly the location. Sometimes the location is even more
Progress is impossible without change
New developments are piling up at Stack of Stones. Today, I am pleased to delight you with the first monthly ‘Written
Analysis: Rainbow moonstone
Genuine moonstone or white labradorite? At the bottom of the page you find a summary of the main points of this
Analysis: Azumar or Amazonite?
At the bottom of this page you will find a brief summary. Azumar™ is a commercial trademark name coined in 2014