Author Topic: Topaz (Read 36418 times)

Wwoofa · « **on:** November 07, 2011, 01:10:41 PM »

Hi,
I thought I'd kick this new category off with my favorite gem .... Topaz.

I'm not sure what everyone might find useful. I'll start with some links to the basic information & main fossicking locations. I'll also include some specimen pictures. Hopefully others will add more information & pics. If anyone has any questions specifically about Topaz then this might be a good place to post them? People with facetting designs or hints etc may also like to add that info here?

Let us know what else you'd like to see in "Gem of the Month".

General Information:

Here's a few useful links that should cover all of the main information.

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topaz
Mindat - http://www.mindat.org/min-3996.html
Webmineral - http://webmineral.com/data/Topaz.shtml
Minerals.Net - http://www.minerals.net/mineral/topaz.aspx

Fossicking Locations:

QLD - Mt. Surprise (O'Briens Creek)
This is the most popular destination for Topaz fossickers. Clear & blue Topaz can be found as crystals or (more commonly) rounded pebbles. Specimens range in size from small to very large (> 500 carats).
Further information is in the attached PDF file.

QLD - Innot Hot Springs (Mt. Gibson)
Another excellent location for clear Topaz. Specimens are generally in crystal form.
Further information is in the attached PDF file.

QLD - Stanthorpe
Rounded pebbles of clear & blue Topaz can be found in Broadwater Creek, Spring Creek & Quart Pot Creek.
There is also a fossicking area nearby at Swipers Gully ... see attached PDF file.

QLD - Emuford
Good location for blue Topaz crystals.

NSW - Torrington
Clear & blue Topaz can be found at many areas in the State Recreation Area. Some of the more well known areas are Blatherarm Creek, Dingo Gully & Scrubby Gully.
Here are links to previous threads ....
Blatherarm Creek ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=123.0
Scrubby Gully ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=578.0
Dingo Gully ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=571.0

NSW - Oban/Sara/Henry Rivers
Excellent specimens have come from these rivers but most access is now on private property. There is a public fossicking areas on the Sara River at Kookabookra which is an old tin mining area. The source of the Topaz is probably tin-bearing pegmatites but the stones have never been found in situ.
Here's a link to a previous thread ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=313.0

TAS - Flinders Island
Topaz crystals can be found in the sands of Killiecrankie Bay on Flinders Island. They are known as "Killiecrankie Diamonds".
Here's a link to a previous thread ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=514.0

VIC - Strathbogie
Clear & blue Topaz can be found in the area.

VIC - Powelltown
Clear & blue Topaz can be found in the area. See Jamo's very excellent pics later in this thread !

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Aussie Sapphire · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2011, 01:47:34 PM »

Good one to start with Paul.

Yellow (or Imperial) Topaz is also the birthstone for November (along with the cheaper stone of similar colour Citrine) so topaz is a good choice to kick off this new category.

Some good info on Topaz at the Mindat website here:

http://www.mindat.org/min-3996.html

The google map at that link has some good leads on where to find Topaz across Australia although the marker right on Glen Innes is bit misleading.

Some more info on Topaz from Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry:

http://www.bernardine.com/gemstones/topaz.htm

Topaz now comes in an amazing variety of colours and effects - although most know about the irradiation treatment to produce blue topaz, you need to be aware of the newer coating treatments for topaz which can be less than permanent if treated roughly. Basically, if the stone is a really intense and/or unbelievable colour, then it is likely to be coated as natural topaz tends to be far more subtle in colouring.

More info here: http://www.azotic.us/gems.php

cheers
Leah

rustyryan · « **Reply #2 on:** November 08, 2011, 12:40:07 PM »

Awsome information all in the one place guys. For me as a Victorian it is great to be able to look at the one page and have all this info together. Great idea.

Cheers,

southerly · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2011, 03:26:40 PM »

Great idea to aggregate this stuff thank you. Not much I can add to topaz, look forward to future gems of the month.
David

Findem · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2011, 03:45:09 PM »

For those unfamiliar with the search process on this forum, try clicking on the heading FORUM on the bar at the head of this page and then type in topaz in the search box. This will lead you to pages of collective wisdom (and ignorance - take your pick). No doubt clicking on MEDIA and searching there will lead you to lots of pretty pictures. No it doesn't, it only searches FORUM again. I wonder why that is?
Have fun.

Wwoofa · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2011, 04:22:57 PM »

Here's a link to a NSW DPI publication with some good info & a map of NSW occurrences.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/238213/Topaz.pdf

Barrett · « **Reply #6 on:** November 10, 2011, 02:58:44 PM »

Some topaz I have owned

Wwoofa · « **Reply #7 on:** November 10, 2011, 04:57:18 PM »

Some very beautiful examples there

dom105 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 10, 2011, 06:00:19 PM »

Very nice Barrett, did you find them?
Claude

Barrett · « **Reply #9 on:** November 11, 2011, 03:25:42 AM »

Hey Claude, nope I did not find them. The two bi-colors come from the Vermillion mine in Ouro Preto Brazil. The purple Ouro preto as well. The sherry from someplace in Brazil(maybe irradiated) and the colorless.light peach from pakistan

Wwoofa · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2011, 03:26:46 PM »

Here are links to some previously posted pics ....

Jerry's O'Briens Creek album ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=20

Chris's album with lots of excellent pics from Stanthorpe ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=69

Berylman's Emuford album ... http://aussiesapphire.com.au/forum/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=84

Some of my pics ...

[smg id=2874 type=preview width=200 caption="Oban River"]

[smg id=773 type=preview width=200 caption="Scrubby Gully"]

[smg id=593 type=preview width=200 caption="Flinders Island"]

[smg id=274 type=preview width=200 caption="Torrington"]

[smg id=149 type=preview width=200 caption="Blatherarm Creek"]

[smg id=2945 type=preview width=200 caption="Blue Hills (Mt Surprise)"]

Other ALFer's pics ...

[smg id=2336 type=preview width=200 caption="Jamo's from Strathbogie"]

[smg id=2878 type=preview width=200 caption="Findem's from Rainy Swamp"]

Fullerton · « **Reply #11 on:** November 11, 2011, 04:53:31 PM »

Here's some of mine from Torrington ... the stone on the far right had a bit of purple/mauve about it and you can see a tinge of blue in some of the stones at the back. The largest stone is the 10mm round on the left.

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rustyryan · « **Reply #12 on:** November 11, 2011, 05:25:47 PM »

awsome stones all

Wwoofa · « **Reply #13 on:** November 11, 2011, 06:06:54 PM »

Very excellent Fullerton ... They look amazing when they are cut so nicely

Fullerton · « **Reply #14 on:** November 11, 2011, 06:12:53 PM »

Yes the Torrington stones are great but I'd swap them all for some of the colour shown in Barretts items.

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Author Topic: Topaz (Read 36418 times)

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