Descripción
Sz 10.5 Sterling and Webbed Variscite ring, unmarked, tested sterling Natural<br>variscite stone. High quality ring. 18.4 grams 1.3" x 1" face.<br><br>Variscite is one of the most sought after minerals in the entire mineral<br>collecting world. Variscite is a hydrated aluminum phosphate mineral. It is a<br>relatively rare phosphate mineral that is formed by phosphate rich water<br>deposits that react with aluminum rich rocks in a near-surface environment. It<br>occurs as fine-grained masses in nodules, cavity fillings, and crusts. Variscite<br>often may contain white veins of the mineral Crandallite (a calcium aluminum<br>phosphate mineral).<br><br>Variscite was originally discovered in Germany in 1837. Its name is derived from<br>Variscia, the historical name of Vogtland in Germany, where it was first found.<br>In earlier years, it was also called Utahlite (after significant deposits were<br>found in Utah). It has been sold in America as Variscite, Utah Turquoise,<br>Utahlite, and even soldas Turquoise without the copper. At times, when exact<br>identities were unknown, minerals which may be turquoise or may be Variscite<br>have even been sold as "Variquoise".<br><br>Variscite is often confused with Turquoise. Variscite is normally a more green<br>color, rather than blue. Turquoise coloring comes from traces of copper;<br>Variscite is colored by traces of chromium. Variscite from Nevada can easily be<br>confused with green turquoise since it has black spider-webbing patterns in the<br>matrix, similar to most green turquoise. Most of the Nevada Variscite recovered<br>in recent decades has come from mines located in Lander County in central<br>Nevada. The most notable Variscite deposits in America are found in Utah and<br>Nevada. It has also been found in Australia, Germany, Poland, Spain and Brazil.<br><br>Utah has three well known Variscite deposits<br>Little Green Monster Mine The most sought after Variscite in the world are the<br>nodules from the Little Green Monster Mine, Clay Canyon, Fairfield, Utah Co.<br>Utah. Large nodules were once mined, crushed, and processed for the phosphate<br>ore. Today Clay Canyon Variscite is the most rare and valuable Variscite in the<br>world. It also has other rare associated phosphate minerals such as Millisite,<br>Wardite, and Crandallite in veins which add to the visual aesthetics.<br><br>Lucin Lucin Variscite (normally called Utah Variscite) is probably the most<br>recognized Variscite in the world. It comes from a hill near Lucin (also known<br>as Umbria Junction) which is an abandoned railroad community in Box Elder<br>County, Utah, United States, along the western side of the Great Salt Lake, 162<br>miles (261 km) northwest of Salt Lake City. This deposit is owned by Union<br>Pacific Railroad and is currently not being mined. Rockhounds have collected<br>high grade specimens from this mine for decades. Collecting is no longer allowed<br>in this area, making old time collections very valuable.<br><br>Snowville This prized deposit of Variscite, known as Variquoise (because it so<br>closely resembles turquoise), comes from Box Elder County, near the Utah-Idaho<br>border close to Snowville. It is prized for its dark spider-web matrix and<br>darker green to blue coloring.<br><br>Unfortunately, all these locations are now closed and the prospect for new<br>material coming from them any time soon is very unlikely.<br><br>All precious metals are tested and guaranteed, any Native American jewelry<br>referred to as Silver or Sterling is guaranteed to be a minimum of 90% (coin)<br>silver and possibly higher content.
