Intro: On Tuesday I started the rock project. My goal in this project is to make a successful pendant for a necklace. Also to learn about the rock that I am shaping, like how it is formed and it's molecular structure. I will also learn how to use equipment like the Rock Sawl and the Sanding Wheel.
What Happened: The rock I chose was jade and a light blue crystal which I'm not quite sure of the name it could be apatite or Lazzuite quartz. I went out to the Rock Project station outside. Garrett, Andrew and Japsi showed our group how to correctly use the rock sawl and the sanding wheel. There is many types of sanding wheels the one we used was a diamond layered for shaping the rock. Once we got the idea of how to use the Rock Sawl we stared smoothing out one side of our rock so that we could start shaping the design we want. For the apatite blue crystal I wanted to do a pendulum type shape with flat side and a point at the bottom. The first day I spent the rest of the day trying to shape the rock, I did not get very far. The next day Garrett said he would help me with it because it was very brittle and soft in many places. The next day I signed up to be on the rock sawl again. While Garrett was shaping the blue crystal and I was working on another rock. The rock I chose, was Jade I was attempting to make it into a tear drop shape, this design would be a little easier then the pendulum. I started by sanding of by sanding one side smooth. On that smooth side I drew the shape I wanted. Then I started rounding the bottom of the rock. Next I started to point the top by holding one side down at a equal angel. Once I got the shape I wanted I put it on a skewer connected with dob wax. Having your rock on the skewer makes it much easier to actually round the edges perfectly. Next I used the polishing wheel which was made out of a soft material about 1300 diamond mesh. Next proceeded to the other wheels the brown, blue and white wheel. After the blue wheel I was satisfied with my rock and it was ready for super gluing on clasp and making into a necklace! On the 4th during lunch Maia, Betty and Japsi set up the lapidary and started I a new rock I wanted to make it into a pendulum shape by faceting the rock I chose was rose quartz. I wanted to shape an yellow agate that I found but the lapidary machine is going to be closed for the rest of this week. But I will still show my research I did for it. By the time lunch was over there was still more wheels and details that I needed to fix but there wasn't enough time. This weekend I will be making them in to necklaces for my mom.
Takeaways and What I Learned (on a molecular level):
Reflection: Overall I really enjoyed my time doing the rock project. It was very challnging to use all of my time productively because there was limited space on the lapidary machine so I found my self waiting for others to finish much of the time,which I wish I had not done. I really liked the experience polishing gems was a totally new experience. But I was very interested in because I have always loved finding rocks and trying to figure out what they were. If I was to do this project again I would have done the agate stone and some other special rocks that I have at home to make this project extra meaningful. I also would have done my facets much more precise then I did on my rose quarts because I was in a big hurry. It was cool to kind of individually on this project while still interacting with friends and being able to ask for help from Japsi or other classmates. This project was a really amazing opportunity. This was a really cool project I hope do be able to have a opportunity similar to this in the future.
Research:
http://www.crystalage.com/online_store/stone_type/
www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/jade.html
http://www.jadecarver.com/jade_info.htm
http://www3.northern.edu/natsource/EARTH/Rosequ1.htm
What Happened: The rock I chose was jade and a light blue crystal which I'm not quite sure of the name it could be apatite or Lazzuite quartz. I went out to the Rock Project station outside. Garrett, Andrew and Japsi showed our group how to correctly use the rock sawl and the sanding wheel. There is many types of sanding wheels the one we used was a diamond layered for shaping the rock. Once we got the idea of how to use the Rock Sawl we stared smoothing out one side of our rock so that we could start shaping the design we want. For the apatite blue crystal I wanted to do a pendulum type shape with flat side and a point at the bottom. The first day I spent the rest of the day trying to shape the rock, I did not get very far. The next day Garrett said he would help me with it because it was very brittle and soft in many places. The next day I signed up to be on the rock sawl again. While Garrett was shaping the blue crystal and I was working on another rock. The rock I chose, was Jade I was attempting to make it into a tear drop shape, this design would be a little easier then the pendulum. I started by sanding of by sanding one side smooth. On that smooth side I drew the shape I wanted. Then I started rounding the bottom of the rock. Next I started to point the top by holding one side down at a equal angel. Once I got the shape I wanted I put it on a skewer connected with dob wax. Having your rock on the skewer makes it much easier to actually round the edges perfectly. Next I used the polishing wheel which was made out of a soft material about 1300 diamond mesh. Next proceeded to the other wheels the brown, blue and white wheel. After the blue wheel I was satisfied with my rock and it was ready for super gluing on clasp and making into a necklace! On the 4th during lunch Maia, Betty and Japsi set up the lapidary and started I a new rock I wanted to make it into a pendulum shape by faceting the rock I chose was rose quartz. I wanted to shape an yellow agate that I found but the lapidary machine is going to be closed for the rest of this week. But I will still show my research I did for it. By the time lunch was over there was still more wheels and details that I needed to fix but there wasn't enough time. This weekend I will be making them in to necklaces for my mom.
Takeaways and What I Learned (on a molecular level):
- I learned about the different types of the lapidary machine wheels, there is the brown wheel which is for small facets and other details, then we would use the blue wheel which is a very soft sand paper that would polishing wheel would take out any scratches or any small pieces sticking out. There was also a white wheel which had soft fabric like material on it that makes the rock extra shinny and soft.
- I learned the basics of faceting. To.To flatten all six sides then flatten each corner. Then go around each side of the rock and shape it in the angel you want.
- I learned how to shape a rock into tear drop shape. By using dob was and a skewer and make a quick smooth continues rounding motion.
- I learned the molecular level of the rocks I shaped, Jade is a gem stone. It varies in colors such as pink, brown, and most commonly green. Nephrite and jadeite are under the category of jade I am pretty sure that the gem I had was Jadeite, jadeite has the same density as quartz. Jade is created in areas of the world that have subduction zones. Jade can be found here in California because it has many subduction zones. Subduction occurs when two of the earth's plates collide and one plate dives under the other. The lower plate takes the necessary minerals to the depths, pressures and temperatures needed to form jade. Here is the chemical compound of jade: Ca2(MgFe)5(OH)2(Si4O11)2
- Rose quartz is also a gem, Quartz is a very common mineral. Ideally, quartz is made of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) combined together as SiO2. Many varieties of the quartz family are found in nature. What gives rose quartz the light pink color is a very small amount of titanium. Quarts usually form in a crystal like formation. Rose quartz starts to form deep within the earth's crust. It forms from the solidification of granitic magma. Within the earth, massive amounts of magma slowly migrate upward toward the surface of the earth. The magma is driven upward because it is less dense than surrounding solid rock. This is analogous to a mixture of oil and water. When mixed, the oil always seeks the higher elevation. Over time, the magma cools off and completely solidifies. Some of the magma has crystallized into solid minerals. The fluid magma remaining near the fringe of the mass of magma tends to be rich in volatiles, water, silica, oxygen, and some other elements. Pigments continues to slowly cool, rose quartz crystals may begin to form. Quartz crystals will continue to form and grow larger until all the magma has crystallized.
Reflection: Overall I really enjoyed my time doing the rock project. It was very challnging to use all of my time productively because there was limited space on the lapidary machine so I found my self waiting for others to finish much of the time,which I wish I had not done. I really liked the experience polishing gems was a totally new experience. But I was very interested in because I have always loved finding rocks and trying to figure out what they were. If I was to do this project again I would have done the agate stone and some other special rocks that I have at home to make this project extra meaningful. I also would have done my facets much more precise then I did on my rose quarts because I was in a big hurry. It was cool to kind of individually on this project while still interacting with friends and being able to ask for help from Japsi or other classmates. This project was a really amazing opportunity. This was a really cool project I hope do be able to have a opportunity similar to this in the future.
Research:
http://www.crystalage.com/online_store/stone_type/
www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/jade.html
http://www.jadecarver.com/jade_info.htm
http://www3.northern.edu/natsource/EARTH/Rosequ1.htm