From mid-2021, newsletter articles are no longer posted separately here. Interested readers should scan through the newsletter headings under the ‘Newsletters’ tab.

FACETIPS – A GEM CUTTER’S NOTEBOOK

by
Duncan Miller


The faceting articles published over the past few years in the Mineral Chatter have been compiled into a single 128 page document, available for download for those interested in saving all the articles together. To download the pdf file click here.

A 29,18 ct cuprite from Onganja, Namibia, cut by Duncan Miller and now in a private collection in Germany.


Browsing Archive: October, 2020

SOME UNUSUAL POLISHED SLABS

Posted by Site Moderator Webmaster on Monday, October 26, 2020,

Peter Rosewarne

Polished slabs and spheres don’t usually figure highly in my wish-list of mineral specimens but, over the years, some colourful and interesting ones have caught my eye and have been added to the Rosey Collection. This short article highlights some of what I hope you will agree are both unusual, interesting and colourful polished slabs from various localities around the world. The slabs very briefly described and illustrated herein are Sonora Sunrise and Laguna Agate from Me...


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PICKY PIGEONS PREFER POLISHED PEBBLES

Posted by Site Moderator Webmaster on Monday, October 26, 2020,

Lesley Andrews

I am the proud owner of two stone plants which I keep on the stoep table - these are decorated by a surface layer of small tumbled semi-precious stones. Recently I was astonished to see a threesome of Cape Turtle Doves on the table carefully picking out some of the stones, passing them to each other, rolling them around in their beaks and putting them down carefully all over the table. I knew that many birds eat grit, but why this preference for my ornamentals?


The Cape Turtle Do...

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