<TABLE BORDER=0 TITLE="Unconventional Lapidarist" SUMMARY="Unconventional Lapidarist"> <TR> <TD><A HREF="http://www.unconventionallapidarist.com" TITLE="Unconventional Lapidarist"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/lapidarist-logo-small.jpg" ALT="Unconventional Lapidarist" NAME="Unconventional Lapidarist" BORDER=0></A></TD> <TD>&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD> <TD><H1><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Category685>Lapidary Rough</A> / Chrysoprase</H1></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P><p><b>Chrysoprase</b> or <b>chrysophrase</b> is a gemstone variety of chalcedony (a cryptocrystalline form of <span class="mw-redirect">silica</span>) that contains small quantities of nickel. Its color is normally apple-green, but varies to deep green. The darker varieties of chrysoprase are also referred to as <b>prase</b>. (However, the term prase is also used to describe chlorite-included quartz, and to a certain extent is a color-descriptor, rather than a rigorously defined mineral variety.)</p> <p>Chrysoprase is cryptocrystalline, which means that it is composed of crystals so fine that they cannot be seen as distinct particles under normal magnification. This sets it apart from rock crystal, amethyst, <span class="mw-redirect">citrine</span>, and the other varieties of crystalline quartz which are basically transparent and formed from easily recognized six-sided crystals. Other members of the cryptocrystalline silica family include agate, carnelian, and onyx. Unlike many non-transparent silica minerals, it is the color of chrysoprase, rather than any pattern of markings, that makes it desirable. The word chrysoprase comes from the Greek <i>chrysos</i> meaning 'gold' and <i>prason</i>, meaning 'leek'.</p> <p>Unlike emerald which owes its green color to the presence of chromium, the color of chrysoprase is due to trace amounts of nickel compounds in form of very small inclusions. The nickel reportedly occurs as different silicates, like kerolite or pimelite (not NiO mineral, bunsenite, as was reported before). Chrysoprase results from the deep weathering or lateritization of nickeliferous serpentinites or other <span class="mw-redirect">ultramafic</span> ophiolite rocks. In the Australian deposits, chrysoprase occurs as veins and nodules with brown goethite and other iron oxides in the magnesite-rich saprolite below an iron and silica cap.</p> <p>As with all forms of chalcedony, chrysoprase has a hardness of 6 - 7 on the <span class="mw-redirect">Mohs hardness scale</span> and a conchoidal fracture like flint.</p> <p>The best known sources of chrysoprase are Queensland, Western Australia, Germany, Poland, Russia, Arizona, California, and Brazil.</p> <p>The chrysoprase and Ni silicate ore deposit in Szklary, Lower Silesia, Poland, was probably the biggest European chrysoprase occurrence and possibly also the biggest in the world.</p> <font class="font2">This article is licensed under the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html" class="external text" href="http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html">GNU Free Documentation License</a>. It uses material from the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysoprase" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysoprase">Wikipedia article "Chrysoprase"</a><br /><br /></font> </P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15724 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/chryrgh1003-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15724 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough">Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <B>$21.00</B> -- Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough ( 2.6" x 1.4" x .55" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15726 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/chryrgh1013-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15726 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough">Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <B>$16.00</B> -- Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough ( 2.9" x 2.2" x .40" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15727 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/chryrgh1014-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15727 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough">Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <B>$17.00</B> -- Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough ( 1.4" x 1.2" x .91" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15728 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/chryrgh1015-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15728 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough">Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <B>$38.00</B> -- Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough ( 2.3" x 1.7" x .87" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15729 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/chryrgh1016-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15729 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough">Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <B>$16.00</B> -- Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough ( 2.5" x 1.1" x .86" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15730 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/chryrgh1018-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15730 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough">Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <B>$11.00</B> -- Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough ( 1.9" x .92" x .79" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15732 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/chryrgh1021-03.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product15732 TITLE="Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough">Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <B>$46.00</B> -- Cabbing Chrysoprase Rough ( 2.3" x 1.9" x 1.3" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product23393 TITLE="Chrysoprase Rough"><IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/lapidarist/images/t_chryrgh1025.jpg" ALIGN=left ALT="Chrysoprase Rough" NAME="Chrysoprase Rough" BORDER=0></A> <A HREF=http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com/Product23393 TITLE="Chrysoprase Rough">Chrysoprase Rough</A> -- <STRIKE>$5.00</STRIKE> <font color=black><B>$4.25</B></font> -- Chrysoprase Rough ( 2.3" x 2.1" x 1.5" )</P> <BR clear=left><BR><P><A HREF="http://store.unconventionallapidarist.com" TITLE="Unconventional Lapidarist Products">Unconventional Lapidarist Products</A></P> <BR clear=left><BR><BR><BR><BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.unconventionallapidarist.com">cabochons</A> <A HREF="http://www.unconventionallapidarist.com">designer cabochons</A> <A HREF="http://www.unconventionallapidarist.com">lapidary supplies</A> <A HREF="http://www.unconventionallapidarist.com">gemstones</A> <A HREF="http://www.unconventionallapidarist.com">collector spheres</A> <A HREF="http://www.unconventionallapidarist.com">collector carvings</A> <BR>Unconventional Lapidarist Online Store powered by Nexternal <A HREF="http://www.nexternal.com" TITLE="shopping cart software">shopping cart software</A>
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