I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with dendritic Chrysoprase?
I have a piece I'm working on, but when I go to the web to do a
search, it doesn't turn up. Don't know if that's because it's so
rare or if no one pays any attention. Any help on this would be
welcome.
Chrysoprase is simply a chalcedony, same as many other varieties,
except that it's been colored green by traces of nickel, either as
oxide or silicate. Like other chalcedonies, it sometimes is found with
other inclusions, which can include dendrites. Dendrites are simply
inter grown inclusions of other minerals which happen to form a
distinctive pattern. It's common in chalcedonies, since these
microcrystaline forms of quartz are relatively porous, allowing the
penetration of aqueous solutions which can contain other minerals. If
these minerals desposit out within the structure of the chalcedony,
then dendrites are one possible resulting structure. In the case of
chrysoprase, it's usually prized the most when, like fine jade, it's
as brightly colored as possible, as translucent as possible, and as
free of other inclusions as possible. But this doesn't mean that
unusually attractive specimens with other types of visual appeal, such
as an interesting dendrite, are not also desirable. Such stones would
pretty much have to be evaluated on a piece by piece basis, much as
the increased value of quartz with tourmaline needles or rutile
needles in it, depends much on the appearance and appeal of those
inclusions. One of the neat things about quartz gems in general is
that there is a virtually endless amount of variety to be had.
Hope that helps.
Peter Rowe
