search  current discussion  categories  materials - misc 

himalayan kyanite o.t. (sort of)

updated thu 7 oct 10

 

Steve Slatin on mon 4 oct 10


Logan -- In a word, yes. In two words, not exactly.
Most kyanite isn't jem quality (transparent,=3D20
uniformly colored, and oriented in a fashion that
permits faceting).

A small amount is jem quality. A little bit of
it is found in the Himalayas, and if it's found
in an area where there is also sapphire, some is
sold to the unwary as a sapphire. Whoever cut
it knows the difference, because sapphire is much
harder and less brittle. The buyer often doesn't
know.

These days most of the kyanite I see looks
suspiciously like a synthetic* -- which, considering
it's a basic alumina-silicate, isn't surprising.

But no one's going to take jem quality kyanite and
grind it down to make industrial kyanite out of it.


Best wishes -- Steve S

N48.0886450
W123.1420482

*Not that there's anything wrong with that!
--- On Mon, 10/4/10, Logan Johnson wrote:

> From: Logan Johnson
> Subject: Himalayan Kyanite O.T. (sort of)
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Monday, October 4, 2010, 12:05 PM
> Hey Gang,
>=3D20
> While looking at my channel guide on t.v. I saw one of the
> shopping channels had a description of what gemstones they
> were selling & it said "Himalayan Kaynite".
> Does anyone out there in Clayart land know if this is the
> same kyanite I have in my glaze room ?=3DA0 Is this just the
> same stuff we're using but not ground up ?
> I'm trying not to laugh too hard at the very small gold
> & kyanite earrings at "ONLY" $99.00
> just in case it's not the same but it's not easy.=3DA0 BTW, no
> I'm not interested in buying them I'm just kind of curious
> & don't want to feel too silly for laughing (even to
> myself) at somebody selling ceramic material as a gemstone.
> Thanks in advance !
> Logan
> Logan Johnson=3D20
> Yakima Valley Pottery & Supply=3D20
> 719 w. Nob Hill blvd.
> =3D20
> Yakima Wa. 98902=3D20
> (509) 469-6966=3D20
> www.yakimavalleypottery.net
>=3D20
>=3D20
>=3D20
> =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A

Logan Johnson on mon 4 oct 10


Hey Gang,

While looking at my channel guide on t.v. I saw one of the shopping channel=
=3D
s had a description of what gemstones they were selling & it said "Himalaya=
=3D
n Kaynite".
Does anyone out there in Clayart land know if this is the same kyanite I ha=
=3D
ve in my glaze room ?=3DA0 Is this just the same stuff we're using but not =
gr=3D
ound up ?
I'm trying not to laugh too hard at the very small gold & kyanite earrings =
=3D
at "ONLY" $99.00
just in case it's not the same but it's not easy.=3DA0 BTW, no I'm not inte=
re=3D
sted in buying them I'm just kind of curious & don't want to feel too silly=
=3D
for laughing (even to myself) at somebody selling ceramic material as a ge=
=3D
mstone.
Thanks in advance !
Logan
Logan Johnson=3D20
Yakima Valley Pottery & Supply=3D20
719 w. Nob Hill blvd.=3D0A=3D20
Yakima Wa. 98902=3D20
(509) 469-6966=3D20
www.yakimavalleypottery.net=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A

Snail Scott on tue 5 oct 10


On Oct 4, 2010, at 2:05 PM, Logan Johnson wrote:
> ...I'm just kind of curious & don't want to feel too silly for
> laughing (even to myself) at somebody selling ceramic material as a
> gemstone...


Lots of minerals have a gemstone configuration, like
(off the top of my head) lepidolite, kyanite, and others.
Lepidolite is a pretty lavender semi-precious stone.
The gemstone form of humble spodumene is kunzite.
Rutile inclusions are considered a desirable exotic
variation in quartz crystals: so-called 'rutilated quartz'.
They look like dark strands running straight through,
and gemstone grade quartz is cut to enhance the effect,
which is popular in contemporary-style artisan jewelry.
(Pure quartz crystals are just silicon dioxide, aka silica:
we buy it in its powdered form, in 50# bulk sacks.)

Lots of humble materials like corundum (for emery
boards and sandpaper) have gemstone variants
(including sapphire and ruby), and even diamond has
its low-grade industrial versions.

-Snail

William & Susan Schran User on tue 5 oct 10


On 10/4/10 3:05 PM, "Logan Johnson" wrote:

> While looking at my channel guide on t.v. I saw one of the shopping chann=
=3D
els
> had a description of what gemstones they were selling & it said "Himalaya=
=3D
n
> Kaynite".
> Does anyone out there in Clayart land know if this is the same kyanite I =
=3D
have
> in my glaze room ?=3DA0 Is this just the same stuff we're using but not g=
roun=3D
d up
> ?
> I'm trying not to laugh too hard at the very small gold & kyanite earring=
=3D
s at
> "ONLY" $99.00
> just in case it's not the same but it's not easy.=3DA0 BTW, no I'm not in=
tere=3D
sted
> in buying them I'm just kind of curious & don't want to feel too silly fo=
=3D
r
> laughing (even to myself) at somebody selling ceramic material as a gemst=
=3D
one.
> Thanks in advance !

Go here: http://www.kyanite.com/
This is the site for kyanite mines here in Virginia.
Front page shows a big piece of what kyanite looks like dug out of the
earth.
Nice folks - wrote to them asking for sample of different mesh sizes of
mullite for some tests adding to raku clay - they sent me a whole 50lb bag!

Bill

--=3D20
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com