FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Peter Megaw]

Just the big one...the light green, wierd looking "malachite" is the cement used to patch several pieces together. Out of thousands of specimens from Milpillas I have seen just this one and two more. Anyone else out there seen any of them?

[Cascavel1]

The second piece I posted also has that same malachite cement used to fill the crack in the matrix rock. I believe it was used for aesthetic purposes rather than anything else. It came from a different source and was purchased a while before the big piece. The creator may be the same person though.
The good news on the big piece is that I can return it for a full refund although I do actually admire the work that went into it but don't support the practice of deception.

[Pierre Joubert]

[Cascavel1]

I would have posed it differently had I been aware of the forum policy. Guess I should read the terms of service.
I guess in some sense I admire the work that went into making it look so eye appealing.

[Peter Megaw]

If you don't have a copy...get a hold of Sinkankis's "Gem and Mineral Databook" (long out of print so I am not promoting commerce here). It has an excellent chapter on fakes and what to look for. Things have gotten a LOT more sophisticated with new cements, fillers etc...but the kind of constructed fake you've got is well covered. He has some good tips for things that should twig you to the fact that something is wrong.

There is also a good article on more sophisticated fakes in Mineralogical Record perhaps 20 years ago...and an excellent edition of "The Vug" devoted to the subject too.

[Cascavel1]

Thanks for the tips Peter.

[lluis]

Good morning all

And if any of you could read also German, I would recommend to take a look at magazine Lapis.
Use to be each month one or several fakes in minerals.
Some are really well done, and very hard to find if you do not know what to look at..

By the way, I do not work for Lapis... :-)

With best wishes

Lluís

P.D.: did you heard about the *plastic* tourmalines in Sainte Marie aux Mines from this year?
Amazing how hard the face of some people is!

[Jordi Fabre]

[Cascavel1]

Sure it's ok to move it to the proper section.

[Jordi Fabre]

[Cascavel1]

Just a follow up after a couple years has passed. Anyone seen more of the fake specimens that a few miners were trying to pass off as real? Personally I have only seen one huge conglomerate of pieces held together with that same green junk.

Second question is to Jordi....when sending a PM what is the difference between the sent box and outbox folders? I had tried to send a message to Peter today and it is currently in the outbox. Does it move to the sent box once it is read or did I not send it correctly?

Thanks!

[Jordi Fabre]

[Cascavel1]