Sliced my first rock open this week at silversmithing class. Last weekend, the Natural Science Center had a yard sale from years of Gem and Mineral Club stash, so we stopped by early (apparently not early enough for the REALLY good stuff) but early for us at 7:30 a.m. Picked up two cardboard boxes for $5 a piece of lapis and black opal rough rock.
After washing a few pieces of the lapis, I found beautiful cobalt blue stones that I must now figure out how to excavate from the surrounding grey/white rock. (You can tell I'm a real geologist here...have no idea what the other stuff is.)
Anyway, I tried my hand at cutting a piece of Botswana agate at class (Thank you, Mac) and it was a real beauty. The diamond blade of the saw was so light and flexible, it could hardly cut your fingers (unless one got caught) and soon I was cutting my way through the rock, sparks flying and actually seeing light through the cut as I got towards the end. What a rush to open the once-ugly stone to see such beauty inside. (My children, I'm sure, are rolling their eyes thinking, here she goes again.) But cutting stone reminds me of printing photographs...magic happens before your very eyes.
A good friend and I scored a gem and mineral map from the class and we're going rock hunting soon.
I was showing my rock to some kids at school and just happened to meet a student who's a total rockhound, telling me about the times he goes out with his Dad to dig. We had a nice conversation about his collection, cutting and polishing rocks, and collecting dinosaur coprolites.
Life just brings you these gifts of enthusiasm.
For now, I'm carrying my Botswana agate - known for it's metaphysical properties of promoting creative ability and releasing repressed emotional issues - because it's so lovely to hold. On to the next new thing...slabbing.