FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[NZMatt]

Hi Matt from New Zealand here.

I'm looking for any ideas on what this mask is made from.

It has
- metallic deposits on the surface (colour of these varies between silver - gold)
- is quite mottled in colour - green through to opaque
- quite fractured
- soft feeling (no idea as to Mohs)
- chalks over reasonably quickly after coming into contact with water

For scale - the mask itself is approx 25cm tall

I've taken some close up of the deposits (these are quite sparkly which doesn't really show in the pics

As mentioned - any ideas appreciated :-)

[SteveB]

Start with https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=19487#19487
, second this is a shaped item not a mineral specimen and as such not suitable for this forum, its likely a common tourist trinket material easy for anyone to figure out if they had read and followed forum rules and guides first instead of just expecting answers without effort.

[Sante Celiberti]

Hi, Matt. Welcome to the Forum.

If you can dent it with your fingernail, it is Gypsum.
If it produces effervescence with a drop of vinegar, it is Calcite.
(Do the two tests on the back of the mask).
The golden inclusions are most likely Pyrite.
And next time, please, follow Steve's directions. :-)

Best wishes.
Sante

[Firmo Espinar]

Hi Matt,

when something looks like gold or silver it’s usually pyrite.

Regards.

[alfredo]

Looks to me more like talc or serpentine, rather than gypsum.

[Volkmar Stingl]

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
If you can cut it perfectly with a common knife and it feels soapy on your finger, it's talc; if it has different characters, it might be gypsum. Gypsum is also cut by a knife, but it's much harder to do it.
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo,