Desert Messenger

August 12, 2015 www.DesertMessenger.com 15 MOUNTAIN QUAIL C AFE Open 7am - 7pm 7 DAYS/ WEEK 928-927-8890 & Gift Shop 490 N. Moon Mt. Ave., Quartzsite (corner of Moon Mt. & Quail Trail) B-10, Main St. Moon Mountain X Quail Trail N Hwy. 95, N. Central • DAILY SPECIALS • Friday FISH Special • Sat. PRIME RIB • Sunday POT ROAST Enjoy our Famous Bread Pudding ! Home Style Cooking! HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY! 10 -noon & 3:30-5:30pm 175 E. Main St. 928-927-5585 www.sillyalspizza.com SILLY AL'S PIZZA Famous Gourmet Pizza KARAOKE DJ • Tues- Thur 7pm Kevin James Serving Quartsite at Same Location for over 20 years! LIVE MUSIC • Fri-Sat. 7pm - Ern Cunningham EAT IN OR TAKE OUT! Reservations Accepted! Large Groups OK! ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS ™ The earth is full of rocks, miner- als, and gemstones. We as collec- tors sometimes don't distinguish between the types of beautiful, unique, and special things we pick up off the ground. We are rock collectors. As long as we come home from an excursion with at least a handful of pretty, sparkly, or otherwise exciting chunks of the planet we are usually happy. But, what really is the difference between rocks, minerals, and gemstones, anyway? The easiest to start with is the defi nition of a mineral. The sci- ence of mineralogy has defi ned a mineral as a naturally occurring, inorganic compound with unique chemical structures and physical properties. Minerals are typi- cally formed with a highly ordered atomic structure that is very often crystalline. The composition of minerals range from pure ele- ments and simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of known forms. Some examples of minerals from this area of Arizona/California are Wulfenite, By Jenn Jedidiah Free for RocksInMyHead™ Rock, Mineral or Gemstone? Malachite, Azurite, Chrysacolla, Garnet, Tur- quoise, Tourmaline, and Selenite. On the other hand, a rock is typically composed of a combination of minerals or other organic compounds. For example, quartz, mica, and feldspar are minerals, but when formed together, they make a rock called granite. Another exam- ple would be our town's namesake, Quartzsite, which is a metamorphic rock consisting of quartz, sandstone, and chert. There are three main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Igneous rocks are formed deep inside the earth when molten magma cools and solidifi es. Sedimentary rock, as its name im- plies, is rock that is formed by the deposition and compression of layers of sediments. Metamor- phic rock is created when igneous or sedimen- tary rock is physically or chemically altered into a denser material by intense heat and pressure deep underground. Marble is metamorphic rock cre- ated from limestone. The defi nition of a gemstone, however, is not quite as straight- forward. The designation of a particular rock or mineral as a "gemstone" is, as a concept, mostly a human invention. A gemstone is typically classifi ed as such based merely on human value judgments, preference, and current supply and demand. That said, a gemstone is usually defi ned as a highly attrac- tive and desirable rock or mineral that can be cut or polished for decorative or jewelry use because of its special physical and optical properties. Often, hardness and rarity are a factor in determin- ing the value of a gemstone, but not always. Factors like rarity can change over time, as well. Mines can become depleted, new deposits can be found, changes in technol- ogy can make extraction easier. Even political situations in the gemstone's country of origin can affect its supply and value. Also, some gemstones like turquoise are not very hard, and others, like coral or amber are organic compounds and not minerals at all. Other gemstones are actually combina- tions of minerals. An example of this type of gemstone would be lapis lazuli, which is comprised of sodalite, calcite, and pyrite. There is a science of gemology, however, which is a branch of mineralogy. The science of gemol- ogy studies, classifi es, and creates rules or standards for the unique group of rocks and minerals that have been designated as gem- stones. Gemstones are classi- fi ed and graded in many different ways. Some of the characteristics taken into consideration are color, clarity, enhancements, crystal size, precious vs. semiprecious, faceting vs. cabbing grade, type of cut, and various other factors. The dif- fi culty arises because not all gem- stones can be classifi ed and graded with the same set of factors. Ad- ditionally, within the same group of gemstones, the characteristics may vary greatly. For example, Tourmalines come in many differ- ent colors, all with different value, and can be faceting grade or cab- bing grade. Gemstones are usually graded within their specifi c spe- cies, like all beryls, sunstones, or turquoise, as opposed to across the board. Market prices are typically determined by collectors and based on specifi c sets of factors surround- ing each particular gemstone. If you work with gemstones it is worth it to learn the parameters of the market for the stone you work with. But if all you want is beautiful rocks to add to your col- lection, then a little bit of infor- mation gleaned from the internet and knowledgeable, trustworthy dealers should be suffi cient to help you fi nd the right stone. Ei- ther way, gemstones are beautiful, exciting, and worthy additions to your collection. We have gorgeous Tourmalines from the Himalaya Mine, amazing Oregon Sunstones from Plush, Tur- quoise from the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe, Sapphires from Montana, Opals, and many other beautiful gemstones at RocksIn- MyHead. We also have a fabulous selection of rocks, minerals and fossils, as well as a complete line of books and supplies, lapidary and jewelry making equipment, and more. . We will be open at A37 in Rice Ranch in mid-October, but meanwhile you can visit us online at RocksInMyHead.com. Our phone # is 605-376-8754. Hope you're having a great summer! See ya soon!

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