FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[cascaillou]

I can't remember my name.

I asked a chemist and he said that I'm a mineral that isn't quite himself. That's weird!

I asked a biologist, and he noted that if it get's too hot, I just sweat and breath out...the same air than a man.

I asked a medic, and he observed that I have strong bones but tender skin. Thank you doc!

I asked a geologist and he told me that Etienne Lantier used to be a good friend of mine, do you know him?

Finally, I asked a priest and he yelled: get out of this body! How rude that is!


Can you guess?

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi Cascaillou!
You asked everybody but the right person: a gemmologist! At first you should tell him/her the refraction index (or indexes) and, if possible, the specific weight! The microscopical features are welcome too!
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[cascaillou]

Riccardo, there's a misunderstanding here. I know exactly what this stone is.
This thread is just a brain-teaser riddle game. Five metaphoric enigmas, which need to be interpreted so to get clues as to what the nature of the stone is :-)

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi Cascaillou!
I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding! Ok, then I will try to solve the aenigmas, so that I will discover what this stone is! I apologize again and hope you didn't regret! Just one question: who is Etienne Lantier? I apologize once again, this time for my ignorance.
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[cascaillou]

no problem, don't be sorry. I've been quite metaphoric, this is all about the stone speaking of itself, trying to find out what its identity is. Etienne Lantier plays his role in the enigma, of course.

[Carl]

Diamond / carbon (or coal for Etienne Lantier)

[cascaillou]

Etienne Lantier was indeed a refrence to coal mines. Still the identity of the stone remains a mystery.

[Roger Warin]

I also think that is diamond. It’s different from graphite, and gives CO2 by burning, very strong but can be polished.
Buried as was Etienne Lantier in a mine after an uprising against the bosses and get out miraculously. And a diamond comes out in a kimberlite pipe ...

[cascaillou]

Indeed "the same air as a man" was a reference to CO2 release when burned. "Etienne Lantier" is nothing more than a reference to coal mines.

However, the stone is not a diamond.

[Roger Warin]

Chemist's answer is strange.
Ejected from a volcano?
This is not the moissanite too rare.
Carbonate, cerussite or calcite?
I suggest moissanite SiC.

[cascaillou]

It isn't moissanite.

note that "strong bones" is not a reference to hardness.

also I never said it is ejected from volcano.

what we know:
-the mineral can be transparent and colorless
-it can burn, releasing CO2 (note that it also 'sweats' which means...)
-it is linked to coal mines

[Susan Robinson]

Sal ammoniac?

[cascaillou]

it's not ammoniac. But you're getting closer.

Solving the remaining enigmas will help.

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
I think I have got the solution: CARBONAT-APATITE!!! It fits for "bones" mentioned by "the doctor", and also for "ejecting the same air as mankind" when burnt.
Of course I hope I'm right.
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Edelmin]

Hi all,

It is perhaps whewellite?

Regards,

Felix Garcia

[cascaillou]

Congratulations Felix!

"I'm a mineral that isn't quite himself"= read 'a mineral that isn't quite mineral', chemically speaking, what is not mineral has to be organic. This pointed to the class of organic minerals.

"sweating" = hydrated mineral

"same air as a man"= burns releasing CO2 (which is typical of organic compounds, although that's also true for some other carbonaceous inorganic compounds).

the medic talks of "strong bones"= presence of calcium (the comment about 'tender skin' was only added so the bone thing would not be interpreted as a reference to some high hardness mineral)

"etienne lantier is a good friend of mine"= that was about paragenesis and classic locality: mineral found in french coal mines.

"get out of this body!" = the mineral can also occur in the human body (i.e. calculus) which is harmful


So the 5 enigmas pointed to a hydrated calcium based organic mineral, found in french coal mines, that might also accidentally occur in the body, which is to say WHEWELLITE

The organic mineral whewellite is monoclinic hydrated calcium oxalate, formula Ca(C2O4).H2O
It is a rather rare mineral, and good crystals are even rarer. Some of the best quality crystals have been found in Germany (Burgk anthracite deposits), and in France (Saint-Sylvestre deposits). It is colorless or sometimes yellowish, usually transparent or translucent.


I hope you people enjoyed the game!

ps: picture was from minclassics website

[Roger Warin]

this game was well thought
thank you