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Did you know that? Part II

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nannilam_balasubramanian said:
Ring has to be made from out of Diamonds. It is understood
Click to expand...

But I do not understand why diamonds are NOT called as just diamonds

but instead as diamond rings even before they are made into rings!!!

May be these diamonds will go into a pendant or a bangle or a necklace

or a cufflink or in all probability our Perumaal's kireetam.

What then Big Bro B???
Should try to upper-stand instead of trying to under-stand??? :decision:
 
#87. Pyrite



The mineral iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide.

This mineral’s metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue have earned its nickname as ‘fool’s gold’ – since it has superficial resemblance to gold. The color has also led to the other nicknames such as brass, brazzle and Brazil.

Pyrite is the most common of the sulfide minerals.The name pyrite is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘fire’. In ancient Rome, several types of stones which could strike sparks of fire when struck against steel, were called pyrites.

Pyrite is usually found associated with other sulfides or oxides. Despite its nickname as fool’s gold, pyrite is sometimes found in association with small quantities of gold.

During the early years of the 20th century, pyrite was used in radio receivers as a mineral detector. It is still used in the crystal radio by those who have that hobby. Pyrite detectors can be as sensitive as the modern diode detectors.

Pyrite has been proposed as an inexpensive material for low cost photovoltaic solar panels. Synthetic iron sulfide is used with copper sulfide to create the experimental photovoltaic material.

Pyrite is used to make Marcasite jewelry. Made from small faceted pieces of pyrite set in silver, this jewelry was very popular in the Victorian era.
 
#88. Pyrope Garnet






The mineral pyrope is a member of the garnet group. Pyrope is the only garnet which always displays red color.

It is a Nesosilicate and is in the cubic crystal system. Fractures are conchoidal. Its hardness is 7 to 7.5 in Moh’s scale of hardness. Its luster can vary from greasy to vitreous.

Its name is derived from the Greek words for fire and eye. It is a widely used gemstone though it is less common than most other garnets. Colorado ruby, Arizona ruby, California ruby, Rocky Mountain ruby, Elie Ruby, Bohemian carbuncle and Cape ruby are some of the misnomers employed to denote pyrope.

The composition of pyrope is Mg3Al2(SiO4)3. Iron and manganese may be substituted in stead of magnesium in the pyrope structure. The resulting garnets are defined according to their pyrope-almandine ratio. Rhodite is a garnet consisting of ~70% pyrope.

The origin of most pyrope is in ultramafic rocks, typically perodotite from the earth’s mantle. Pyrope also occurs in ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks.

Pyrope found in association with diamond commonly contains Chromium which imparts a distinctive violet to deep purple color with a greenish tinge. This is often used as a kimberlite indicator mineral in certain difficult areas.
 
So the pyrope garnet crown did the trick!!!

It took 301 posts and a garnet crown to make
some unknown benefactor decide that
after all this thread deserved a diamond diadem of it own!!!

Those who know HOW to do it
do not have the heart to do it.

Those who have the heart to do it,
do not KNOW how to do it.

Only when the know-how joins hand with the heart
such things can happen!!!

Well as they say," Better late than never!!!" :)
 
#89. Quartz

quartz2.jpg


A miracle mineral had been in the prehistoric axe as much as it is in today’s precision watch. Its name is Quartz!

Quartz is the most abundant mineral found in nature—forming one eighth of the earth’s crust. It is undoubtedly the most versatile mineral known too.

Quartz is a compound of Silicon and Oxygen. It can vary from the size of a pin head to a five ton block!

Pure quartz is colorless and is called the “Rock crystal”. The presence of impurities renders the quartz colorful and we get the gemstones widely used in jewels.

Some of the much sought after colored gems stones are Yellow citrine, Pink Rose quartz, Apple Green Chrysoprase, Red cornelian, Violet tinted Amethyst as well as the multi colored Agate, Jasper and the Onyx.


Rock crystals have many uses. Fortune tellers use crystal balls. Prisms and lenses made from quartz are used in optical instruments and spectacles.


Quartz is heat-resistant and is widely used in electrical insulators and the molds for casting metals. “Silica glass” can withstand very high temperatures and is ideal for making the oven-proof dishes and tubes used in labs. Drawn into thin fibers, quartz plays a vital role in fiber optics.

The most amazing property of quartz is its “Piezoelectricity”. Like any other crystal quartz produces electricity when subjected to pressure. Conversely quartz can also change its shape when electricity is applied to it.

This helps in controlling the movements of the hands of a clock or the digital numbers in watches. Quartz is not affected by weather and keeps very accurate time.

When compressed by a force of 1000 pounds, a half-an-inch-cube of quartz can generate an amazing 25,000 volts! So it is widely used in gas stove lighters, to start gasoline engines and to set off explosive devices.

As the supply of natural quartz dwindles and diminishes, synthetic quartz is being used increasingly. But synthetic or natural, quartz will continue to be the most versatile of all minerals known to man!
 
#90. Quartz Cat’s Eye





Cat’s Eye quartz is formed due to the presence of fibrous mineral inclusions, in a parallel orientation within the quartz.

These parallel oriented features reflect light in the form of a well-defined bright band -which moves across the surface of the material- when it is turned.

When cut into a “cabochon” shape, with a rounded surface this “cat’s-eye” effect becomes much more pronounced. When the stone is cut into a circle or an oval shape, the parallel fibers produce striking chatoyancy or the cat’s eye effect.

Quartz Cat’s Eye is usually located and mined in the veins that form within the quartz rock. Cat’s Eye is usually near milky quartz that borders quartz veins. Quartz becomes increasingly transparent towards the center of the vein.

Cat’s Eye has a specific luster called chatoyancy. Its chatoyant luster, crystal structure and transparency make it stand out from normal quartz. The Cat’s Eye quartz is a striking gemstone that is mysterious and luxurious

Cat’s-eye quartz is generally recognized by its chatoyant luster and hardness. It can be identified as quartz by its crystal habit, transparency, hardness, conchoidal fracture, occurrence and general lack of cleavage.
 
# 91. Rainbow Moonstone





(i) Orthoclase (clear); (ii) Orthoclase Moonstone; (iii) Rainbow Moonstone respectively.

Moonstone is largely composed of orthoclase which is an important tectosilicate mineral found in igneous rocks and granites. The name is derived from the Greek word meaning “straight fracture,” because its two cleavage planes are at right angles to each other.

Two other names for orthoclase are alkali feldspar and potassium feldspar. The largest documented single crystal of orthoclase measured ~10×10×0.4 m3 and weighed ~100 tons. It was found in Ural Mountains Russia.

Orthoclase is a common raw material for the manufacture of glass, ceramic, porcelain etc.

Some inter growths of orthoclase have an attractive pale luster. They are called as moonstone when used in jewellery. Most moonstones are translucent and white, although grey and peach-colored varieties also occur. Their luster is called ‘adularescence’ and is creamy or silvery white. Orthoclase is the state gem of Florida.

The gemstone commonly called rainbow moonstone is a colorless form of labradorite. It can be distinguished from true moonstone by its greater transparency and play of color. Orthoclase is one of the ten defining minerals of the on Moh’s scale of mineral hardness.
 
#92. Rhodochrosite





Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral. In its rarer and purer form it has a rose-red color, but the presence of impurities may vary its color from shades of pink to pale brown.

It streaks white and its hardness on Moh’s scale varies between 3.5 and 4. It crystallizes in the trigonal system. It varies from transparent to translucent. It is often confused with the manganese silicate rhodonite but is softer.

Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc frequently replace manganese in the crystal structure, leading to lighter shades of red and pink, depending on the degree of substitution. It is for this reason that the most common color seen is pink. The name of the crystal is derived from a Greek word meaning rose-colored.

Its main use is as an ore of manganese-which is a key component of low-cost stainless steel and certain alloys of aluminium.

Quality specimens are used in decorative carving and in jewelry. Since it is soft and has a perfect cleavage, it is difficult to facet the crystal.

Rhodochrosite is state mineral of Colorado since 2002. Large red crystals are found only in a few places on the earth and fine specimens have been found in Alma, Colorado.

The Alma King is the largest known rhodochrosite crystal. It was found in the Sweet Home Mine near Alma, Colorado. It is on display in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
 
Raji Ram said:
Dear Sis,

Do you still think any of your forum friends would be that 'unknown benefactor'? :becky:
Click to expand...
My forum friends come, read and :bolt:!
They do not stay long enough to interact
or like a post or rate a thread or respond.
If the unknown benefactor was one of my forum friends,
I would have got it long long ago.
Certainly it is from either an enemy (!!!)
or a not-so-new-to-the-forum-new-bie.
 
Raji Ram said:
But even if their activity is zero, they are still in the list of friends and give you one more award! :D
Click to expand...

Like paper money, they are friends on paper.
I do not even know what most of them look like!
They want to be my friends and
I have really no objections to that
nor expectations of favors from them.
We are loosely connected in a chain! :cool:
 
You can't be the benefactor because
1. you are in the list of my friends.
2. you do not click even the like button
3. you will never rate a thread.
4. you will never disclose it if you did it!
If it is you in spite of all the odds against it then
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!" :yo:...:hug:...:pray2:
 
Visalakshi Ramani said:
You can't be the benefactor because
1. you are in the list of my friends.
2. you do not click even the like button
3. you will never rate a thread.
4. you will never disclose it if you did it!
If it is you in spite of all the odds against it then
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!"
Click to expand...
Here are my answers:
1. Oops! I forgot all about it! :couch2:

2. Yes, very true till date! :cool:

3. I DO when need arises. How did you think the thread on MahAperiyavA, which was given

one star (terrible) rating by someone just to belittle the Guru, got more stars! :thumb:
4. Actually I did not want but a sort of forced to do it! :decision:
 
#93. Rhodolite





Rhodolite is another name for the rose-pink to red colored mineral pyrope – a member of the garnet group. It is found in Macon county of North Carolina in USA. Rhodolite is an iron-magnesium-aluminium silicate.

The name rhodolite is derived from the Greek meaning “rose-like”. This is in common with many other pink colored minerals like rhodochrosite and rhodonite. The attractive color and transparency of the rhodolite garnet has made it a semi-precious gemstone.

Rhodolite tends to be lighter in color than most other kinds of red garnet. It is confused with ruby due to their similarity in color. The mixture of red and violet in rhodolite is very attractive making the Purple-red rhodolite the most sought after.

The color and brilliance of rhodolite is best in daylight. Rhodolite is transparent and often inclusion free. Due to its hardness, rhodolite garnet can be cut in various shapes.

Rhodolite Garnet deposits are found in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and North Carolina of USA.
 
Raji Ram said:
Here are my answers:
1. Oops! I forgot all about it! :couch2:

2. Yes, very true till date! :cool:

3. I DO when need arises. How did you think the thread on MahAperiyavA, which was given

one star (terrible) rating by someone just to belittle the Guru, got more stars! :thumb:
4. Actually I did not want but a sort of forced to do it! :decision:
Click to expand...


dear Raji,
Sounds strange that you do not remember that your name is in the list of my friends!
You never clicked the like button for any post even though I am sure many posts deserved it.
The thread on Mahaa periyava was started by you for Sri Bala.
So you rose to the occasion to bestow more stars when you thought it was belittled on purpose.
I fail to see how any pressure direct or indirect was brought on you to reveal a state secret! :)
Thanks for proving that the head (know how) and the heart (the generosity)
can coexist in some people at least in the forum.
 
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