Baseball size Pseudomorph

Here is a picture of a baseball size Pseudomorph.These will even form larger than this.Some are very small about the size of a pea.Most of these that I see are a little smaller than a golf ball.That seems to be the size most form in.

Twin Pseudomorphs

Here is another of the rare forms of this allready rare form of turquoise.These pseudomorphs when they form next to each other can form together and form a twin shape.In some cases these will form in zones and many of these will form together and form masses.But these twins are a unique ocurance and are very colectable and fun.Twins can be very small the size of a pea and can be as large as baseballs, and the sizes in between.
James Saunders @ 2010

Candelaria Mine Pseudomorphs

Here are some excelent examples of Candelaria mine Pseudomorphs.The only Psuedomorph formation found at the Candelaria so far has been the clams.The Candelaria mine has produced many of these but few are what would be called gem grade.Some mines produce a volume of forms and grades of turquoise. Some mines only produce just a few but are a high grade.Here are a couple of the high grade clams from this mine.
Copyright @ 2010 James Saunders

Turquoise Pseudomorphs

Psuedomorph Turquoise
Pseudomorphs form in turquoise very rarely . Pseudomorph just means false form. Turquoise Pseudomorphs will form in the cavity where something else was and it dissolved out leaving behind a cavity in its original form. Turquoise and its rare cousins form mostly in zones that have thin to thick veins and also nuggets. Nuggets will form along side of veins in some cases. But in very rare occurrences other forms take shape. Psuedomorphs are a extremely rare formation for turquoise to form as. The original thing that was in the ground has been dissolved and in this cavity turquoise forms. Thus the name Psuedomorph. Turquoise has been found in crystal shapes as well as fossil shapes from plants origin or marine life. Limb cast in turquoise was found in the Lone Mountain turquoise mine. There was very little found of these limb cast .The material that was found at Lone Mountain was made into very unique and very expensive jewelry.Probally should have been put in a museum.
More common but still extremely rare is another form of Pseudomorph that turquoise forms in, in this case small clams. The geologist say that when these clams died if they were open then only the outer shell will take on the new material. But if the clam stayed shut then the new material will fill the entire clam shape. While there is argument as to what the original plant or shell or other that these were formed from. many geologist say that these were from clams. What is certain is that they formed from something that dissolved and left these rounded cavities. While the exact original animal or plant source is determined. We in the turquoise world have labeled these as psuedomorph clams . These psuedomorphs in turquoise are still very rare.
Copyright @ James Saunders 2010