Tag Archives: Isle Royale Greenstone

Greenstone from the Junkpile

I promised you something special on May Day, and here it is.

I have a BVD (Better View Desired) pile in my shop. Rocks that I’m just not sure of, as well as gemstones that need further time-consuming work go into that pile. Stones that are without promise go in the trash bucket, but when they don’t look real promising, I’ll give them a toss in the BVD pile. When I’m feeling patient, I pick through that pile for something to work on.

I placed several possible Greenstones in that pile a few months ago, and today I re-discovered my BVD pile under some other material. I decided to have a little fun and see what I could make out of the BVD pile.

I immediately discovered a large Greenstone that had a small patch of pattern. The rim of the Greenstone showed mostly Calcite. Experience told me that Calcite could be a good sign, or then again maybe not. Calcite often means copper in it. Some of the finest copper crystals are found embedded in Calcite.

When you have Calcite you have to be extra careful. Calcite can sometimes be fragile, and at other times it is very solid.

As I carefully proceeded into the stone, I noticed that fine Greenstone appeared just on the outer layer of the Calcite gradually appearing under the stone’s dark green crust. A beautiful unusual stone began to emerge from an ugly duckling. Greenstone is very striking on pure white Calcite, and this one has fabulous contrast. As a bonus, I noticed that the Calcite was accented with fine copper particles. I love how my close-up photo shows the copper.

Close-up detail reveals fine copper within the calcite.

This is what makes rock collecting and lapidary so satisfying–every stone has it’s own look. This one is WOW!!!

Another amazing Greenstone-I'm So lucky!

The finished Greenstone ended up being a 5.4 gram beauty, one inch tall and about 3/4 inches wide; the largest Greenstone I’ve cut in a while. I was so thrilled about this Greenstone, I wire-wrapped it right away. Gold with a bit of twisted silver was the perfect choice. The regal looking wire top is an ideal enhancement to this beautiful and scarce gemstone. The first person that saw it now owns this dream, so if you want your own greenstone, browse our pendants or cabuchons.

Greenstone with Cuprite-AMAZING!

One thing that scares me is cutting a large Greenstone. You can never tell what you will get. I have what is shaping up to be a thousand dollar greenstone and after meticulously working it for an hour, cut through into a hollow pocket making that marvelous Greenstone garbage.

Most Greenstones never develop from inside a stone. I spend hours and hours cutting worthless Greenstones. People wonder why these gems are so very expensive. I’ll tell you exactly why; they are from one source in the world and you must cut so many to get a good one. Ten stones cut MAY produce one Greenstone, and to get a good stone its one in fifty. To get a large, gem grade stone, my experience has been one in two hundred to five hundred.

Today I wire-wrapped THE most spectacular greenstone I have cut this year. I have never seen a greenstone such as this one (I’ve got you interested now, don’t I?). Since I cannot begin to describe this gemstone I’ll have to show you.

Cuprite on Greenstone-How rare is this?

Cuprite on Greenstone, red on green; never seen it (before now) appeared as I cut this stone. I had to finesse this cut as the Cuprite was much softer than the Chlorastrolite and had a real undercut problem. This stone is very large at 4.6 grams, and I sure didn’t want to mess this up. Imagine the stress; could I cope? YEP. The stone came out amazing as you can see. I really should keep it for Bonnie, but she likes to wear the one she found. I’m going to post it up and it’ll be like selling a child, but I have big shoulders. I know I tell you often how unique, rare, or unusual my stones are, but this is in a class by itself. Very pretty and very distinctive. Buy it for your sweetie–there won’t be another anytime soon!

**I just noticed something, and since I’m sort of weird; IF you move your computer screen or laptop*** like a rocking chair ****while looking at this Greenstone picture you kind of get a Chatoyant effect. This will give you an idea what the REAL flash of this stone might look like….sort of like a cheap thrill for you.

***CAUTION-1. I will not be responsible for any damage that might be incurred while shaking a computer monitor. 2. Do not try this while under the influence of drugs of alcohol.

****Henceforth this will be dubbed “The Reed Maneuver“, and the phenomenon produced from The Reed Maneuver will be dubbed “The Reed Effect”. I will advise you when a piece of jewelry produces this amazing effect. Normal liability disclaimers will apply whenever attempting this.

Amazing Cats Eye Jade and Stunning Greenstone with Thomsonite

I had a dream last night. I often dream of rocks I covet, but on rare occasions I have dreams of jewelry I must make. I woke right up at 4 am and pulled the rocks out so I would not forget that which my brain had imagined.

What will Don do with these?

I was looking at a piece of Cats Eye Nephrite Jade that I had bought in Tucson. I had never seen this material from Siberia, but I had heard of it. The lovely green looks like that optical glass that marbles are made of and has a “cats eye” effect similar to Tiger Eye. I bought this one piece because it was so intriguing, and there were no others like it.

My dream brought this Jade together with a wonderful piece of Moonstone that had another phenomenon called Labradorescence. I also invisioned Pink Topaz in the picture. I laid out the stones on my workbench and when I awoke went right to work.

These multi-stone pendants are a real challenge and take a great deal of time and deep concentration level. Success! A wonderful pendant was produced, just as in my “Nice Dream”.

Cats Eye Jade, Moonstone, and Pink Topaz in Argentium Sterling.

Also today, off the workbench, came one of the most amazing and stunning Greenstones I’ve ever made. I cut it a few weeks ago and could not believe what I was seeing. As I ground the stone the most beautiful Thomsonite unexpectedly broke out of the center of the Greenstone! I never have seen more gemmy Thomsonite in any Greenstone, nor have I seen such a large quantity of georgeous pink Thomsonite in one Greenstone–“Unexpected Romance”.

Greenstone with a Thomsonite Inclusion. WOW!

This especially large (4.5 gram) stone is so amazing I have to show you the picture. Yes, it is for sale until gone–one only! Some stones are so stunning they cannot be described.

Copper Shoots–an Amazing Greenstone

Check out the copper in this one!

A most fascinating Greenstone crossed my workbench this week. When you cut a piece of chlorastrolite, you expect to see green, or dark green. To see the shine of copper throughout, and feel the resistance of tough metal when cutting, you know you have a most unusual Greenstone. Normally when copper appears in a Greenstone, it is a spot, or a small part of the stone. This has copper from bottom to top! The Chlorastrolite on this one does not exibit the classic alligator skin pattern generally expected on a grade “A” Greenstone, but this has a shiny character highly regarded by folks who appreciate a most distinctive gemstone. The Copper Country does not often offer up a stone this large, with so much Copper! We have many Michigan Greenstone cabuchons for sale as well as Michigan Greenstone pendants, but as you look them over, you can see this is one-of-a-kind.

Due to the approximately 50% copper content and it’s large size ( 7 gram weight), this Greenstone pendant is showy and unusual.

Click here to see our available Greenstone pendants.

Michigan Greenstones-on the Workbench

I had a knee replaced a couple weeks ago. This has given me substantial blocks of time that I am using to make jewelry. This jewelry is comprised of pieces that have been on my to-do list, but up till this time I have not had the time to get it done. The pain medication I’ve been taking has caused drowsiness at some unexpected times, and at other times keeps me wide awake in the middle of the night. I have found that I can be quite productive when it is very quiet in the house and I am in complete focus. I have made a few really complicated pendants that I just have not had the time to do previously. Also I thought I would catch up on some really fine small greenstone pendants. These are from very nice Michigan Greenstones (chlorastrolite) and do not exceed one inch in height. Anyone that has wire wrapped can testify that smaller pendants and earrings are not easy to make. They take more care and finesse than regular sized pendants. The 24 gauge wire I use to make these pendants is delicate, easily scratched and gouged, and requires a skilled and steady hand. However, the resulting greenstone pendants are very popular.

Small and awesome greenstones have been on the workbench for the past few days.

My petite greenstone cabochons do not require complicated wire wrapping. It does not take much to overwhelm a small greenstone, so I keep it simple. I like to creatively name my creations–what do you think of them?

This is from an old collection and was found on Isle Royale years ago.

"Small Wonder" is from an old collection and was found on Isle Royale years ago.

"Concealed Silk"-a perfect petite Greenstone.

"Beautiful Mystery is REALLY nice," says Bonnie.

TThis is a very rare Isle Royale Greenstone with pink Thomsonite inclusions

"Cool Factor" is a very rare Isle Royale Greenstone with pink Thomsonite inclusions. Suberb!

Green Mist--What great chatoyancy!

A Most Wonderful Greenstone Hunt

The location of this hunt will remain a secret other then to tell you it took place somewhere in the Keweenaw Peninsula. This took place in September 2009.

Sometimes I think we rockhounds are a little crazy to go out and bang on rocks in the hot sun and call it “fun”. I think this is what convicts in chain gangs used to do. I bet it wasn’t fun for them! Other times we are out in a downpour because this is the best time to spot the type of rock we look for.

Let me tell you about one of those trips to an old rock pile in the U.P. when it was pouring rain. Bonnie and I donned our heaviest rain gear and waterproof boots and headed to one of the old mine dumps where we had previously enjoyed some success finding Isle Royale Greenstone. Immediately we found greenstones literally “washing out” of the banks in one small area on the pile. This is when you suffer bouts of greed, amazement, and wonder.

We harvested these stones as well as finding numerous other rocks full of Greenstone that we will remove later at home by cutting or breaking the matrix. Greenstones, when found, are generally small, ugly, dark green nodules. Often I see a glint of chatoyancy in the nodule, or the nodule may be broken and you can see the pattern where the break is.

Many of the greenstones we were finding that day were over one inch and we could see good chatoyancy in the nodule. This is remarkable size considering the average greenstone is maybe half the size of a pea. Over the course of four or five hours we picked up a gallon size ice cream bucket of loose nodules and larger nodules in matrix, and another five gallon bucket of greenstone bearing basalt. Greenstones are very rare and are found nowhere else on earth except Isle Royale and in the Keweenaw. Picking up this many in one day is remarkable. In one day Bonnie and I found more greenstone than the total amount we have picked up all the previous years we have been hunting.

I expect we will never have another greenstone hunt like this. It amounted to being at the right place, in the right location, at the right time. Few hunts work out this good. Dealing with the elements and not caring; finding valuable gemstones like they were common quartz; collecting not only treasures but memories. How great this was. I wish you could have been there.

Some of these new stones will be for sale on this website in the near future.

Jeane’s Dragonfly

As a fun project I made a dragonfly pendant based on a design I found in one of Jessie Donnan‘s advanced wirewrapping books. The first dragonfly features glass beads for the body. I had the glass dragonfly out at a show in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and one of our customers, Jeane, liked it. She had the creative idea that I should make another copy using Michigan’s distinctive state gemstone, the Isle Royale Greenstone. Jeane is an avid lover of Upper Peninsula rocks and minerals as I am.

I am always up to a challenge, and I immediately thought that this was a wonderful idea. I used silver beads for the eyes of the dragonfly, but made it from 14/20 gold filled wire. The trick was in finding enough greenstones in the right size and having them drilled. I may someday make another dragonfly similar to Jeane’s, but for now she has the only one. Thanks for the great idea Jeane!

Isle Royale Greenstone/Chlorastrolite (AKA Michigan Greenstone, Greenstone, Pumpellylite)

Michigan’s State Gem, the Isle Royale Greenstone, Greenstone Pendant with Datolite is unquestionably one of the rare minerals of earth. It can only be found on Isle Royale National Park and in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Greenstone is a close relative of Epidote. Chlorastrolite (translated from Greek as green, star-like stone) is actually a form of Pumpellyite. “Chlorastrolite” was adopted as Michigan’s gem March 30, 1973.

Greenstone formed in amygdaloidal pockets of Keweenaw basalts. At one time Isle Royale and the Keweenaw formed one land mass. Isle Royale was spit off from the Keweenaw when the rift that formed Lake Superior split a giant gash in the earth.

Thanks to Benjamin Franklin, the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale are part of the United States. Franklin was a member of the commission that drew up the boundaries for the Treaty of Paris in 1773, ending the Revolutionary War. Ben Franklin had heard of the rich mineral deposits in the Keweenaw and Isle Royale so he drew the boundary line to the north of Isle Royale, giving this area to the United States instead of Canada.

The mineralization on Isle Royale is exactly the same as the Keweenaw. Native copper, Datolite, Prehnite, Thomsonite, Lake Superior Agates, Epidote, Greenstones, and the same basalts are seen in both locations.

Basalt 101-

As the basalts cooled, gasses tried to escape to the surface, the bubbles becoming smaller and smaller as they rose and tried to escape from the basalt’s clutches. The basalt hardened and trapped these bubbles known as “vesicles”. Also the cooling created shrinking and cracking of the basalt. These cracks in the basalts allowed different minerals in solution to flow into the vesicles, where they eventually solidified.

Copper, silver, arsenates, and other metals also filled the cracks and vesicles, but were disseminated by rising, super heated water instead of flowing down from the surface. The vesicles that the copper and other metals filled were sometimes huge and other times just cracks or small bubbles.

Greenstone with Datolite and Copper

Greenstone with Prehnite

Copper associated itself with other minerals including all the previously mentioned material. The variety of material, mixed in different ways, is what makes this rock hunting area so intriguing. It is wonderful to see copper running through Greenstone, Datolite, Prehnite, and Lake Superior agates. Pieces of Greenstone/copper are highly coveted by collectors and jewelry makers like myself. The few pieces I have are priceless. My wife has a ring made out of one of these copper/greenstone pieces, and I still have a couple specimen pieces. She sometimes wears the ring to art shows, so ask her if you see us. To see an example of copper with datolite, take a look at my Copper Lightning Datolite.

Greenstone with Thomsonite

Greenstone sometimes has Thomsonite inclusions, which make for a spectacular look. (Dark, chatoyant green and dark pink together) I’m waiting to find a Copper-Greenstone-Thomsonite some day. I have seen specimens of these at the Seaman Museum at Michigan Tech.

My next post will discuss finding and working with greenstones.

Fabulous Greenstone Pendant

For my first blog about past projects, I have to feature Beth’s Isle Royale Greenstone.

Beth’s husband John is a good buddy of mine and I have been mentoring him for a few years in wire artistry.John is now a superb wire-wrapper in his own right and could have easily wrapped this Greenstone if he had chosen to do so.

John had a HUGE Greenstone that he had found on Isle Royale in the early 1960’s. (Chlorastrolite or Greenstone did not become the Michigan state gem until March 30, 1973. Today collecting Greenstone on Isle Royale National Park is strictly prohibited.) The original Greenstone was approximately 3 ? inches by 2 inches. Considering the average Greenstone is half the size of a pea, this specimen was amazing. beth_greenstone_2 This Greenstone was larger than any I have seen anywhere, even at the Seaman Mineral Museum, which is considered to have the best collection of Michigan rocks and minerals in the world.

The rock was face polished in Houghton years ago, but by using Foredom and rushing the job the lapidarist ended up with divots in the stone and a poor polish.

John asked me to make a pendant for his wife, and my first response was, “Are you sure?” This, after all, was a great specimen. John had thought about it and was certain this was what he wanted to do. John did not have the lapidary equipment to cut and polish the stone properly, so that job was also mine.

I was concerned about cutting this stone, not unlike striking a diamond to split it. There is always a chance of ruination. Greenstones, especially large ones are not solid through and through. The Chlorastrolite often forms in a very thin layer and normally not in a clean pattern. Not many lapidarists can cut greenstone properly. There is a fine line between getting out the bad spots and going completely through the sometimes micro-thin pattern layer. I have cut several thousand greenstones myself, ruining a lot of them in the learning process, so I am well aware of the potential pitfalls. Cutting this beauty was a daunting and exciting task.

The process was pretty much routine until the final cutting and polishing, at which time the best prospect area was marked out for a pendant, and two other areas were marked for potential earrings.John had already suggested an area for the pendant that I agreed was correctly chosen.I roughed out the shape and started cutting on the Genie.I was amazed and pleased that the stone was so solid, having experienced soft Greenstones on numerous occasions.

Greenstones have to be worked on worn wheels to get the best results, so it takes a long time to work one up. This stone had the afore-mentioned divots that had to be meticulously worked out on the 600-grinding wheel with hopes that the Chlorastrolite layer would not be penetrated. Luck was again on my side as a small, classic, Greenstone pattern gradually presented itself. The finished stone turned out to be approximately 1? inches high and 1 inch wide.

John asked me to wrap this stone for Beth, and it was my honor to do so. I used 22Ga 14/20 GF. It is always my policy that the stone is the star in any wire wrap. I only wire to enhance the gem and not to do anything that distracts from the star. I think there are too many wire artists that get carried away in their own artistic abilities and over-wrap their gems. Why distract from a perfectly good gemstone? OK, I’ll get off my bandwagon for now, and get back to the story. I topped off the pendant by wiring Beth’s name on the reverse.

p7290238 p7290239

I thank John and Beth for allowing me the honor of making this glorious piece of jewelry.

Oh, by the way, I finished this whole project in one day. Sometimes I just can’t help myself!

Greenstones for your projects and wire-wrapped Greenstone pendants are available for your purchase.

Customer Review:

I thank you for an exceptional pendant. Don took a dark, unassuming specimen greenstone and turned it into a beautiful work of art. The stone has been sitting on a shelf for 40 or so years and now is a bright and beautiful necklace that I will enjoy wearing–I love it! With many thanks, Beth