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silicatefondue.fosstodon.org.ap.brid.gy
RE: https://fosstodon.org/@silicatefondue/113176594310077645

From MinCup24, along with Steve Mould's explanation of piezoelectricity:

https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=wcJXA8IqYl8

#mincup26 #radio #quartz #electronics
silicatefondue.fosstodon.org.ap.brid.gy Bill Minarik @silicatefondue.fosstodon.org.ap.brid.gy · Sep 21
#quartz is piezoelectric due to its symmetry (its lack of a center of inversion): if you squeeze quartz it creates an electrical potential across the sides (likkewise an applied voltage distorts the crystal). This can be used to create a resonator that […]

[Original post on fosstodon.org]
A photo of an ~ 3 MHz quartz crystal resonator with a large disk of quartz connected to two electrodes. It's compared to a quartz crystal in a modern microcontroller board, marked at the head of a blue arrow. Canadian quarter for scale.
September 6, 2026 at 6:33 PM
jraasch.bsky.social
Poster on a roll here. Why aren’t more of you #MinCup24 reposting this wonderful and important information?
minouette.bsky.social Ele Willoughby @minouette.bsky.social · Sep 5
Vote for #Orpiment for illuminated manuscripts!

I'd like to invite the medievalists to spare 30 seconds of their time to vote in our yearly battle of the minerals to ensure this important pigment through the centuries doesn't lose out in the first round!

#MinCup26 #artHist #medieval
#scicomm
September 5, 2026 at 8:59 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
So here is a brief history of me being #teamcopper #teampoison #teamgreen #teamdioptase
#MinCup25
#MinCup24
#MinCup23
bsky.app/profile/corg...
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social Ketamine and Old Lace @corgiseveryhour.bsky.social · Sep 10
#Dioptase is a blue-green to emerald-green copper-based mineral that forms in arid regions as a copper sulfide.
It's known for its vibrant color and gem-like qualities, making it popular with mineral collectors. It checks the #teampoison box, the #teamcopper box, and is the best one on the bracket.
Hexagonal crystals of dioptase in the beautiful blue green that defines the mineral. This cluster has crystal formation in all directions and is very roughly egg shaped. This is a much more concentrated formation with many more smaller crystals clustered together. In the center on a upshoot of growth, a large terminated crystal sits on the top. Gorgeous deep green. Another gorgeous cluster in a rough sphere of large dioptase crystals pointing at all angles. This piece highlights a color shift from a light blue/green to a very deep emerald green and is just stunning. Free dioptase crystals (7) of various shapes, including a double terminated in the center left. These are gem quality color and shape. Hexagonal crystals with rhomboid terminations.
September 22, 2025 at 1:51 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
#ROTD #MINCUP24 #WINNER
#RHODOCHROSITE

MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK! MEAT ROCK!

WE DID IT!
October 2, 2024 at 1:00 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
#ROTD #MinCup24 #FINALROUND

#Rhodochrosite VERSUS #Kyanite

Well, folks, Kyanite beat dioptase so I'm throwing it all in for meat Rock. Let's get that rhodochrosite the win!

#meatrock
#teampink

#kyanite not pictured cause f* kyanite

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r5m1
Beautiful circular meaty looking delicious rhodochrosite Rhodochrosite is what the song Big Rock Candy Mountain is all about.* Because it looks like pink candy. *i doubt it Even more gorgeous Crystaline Rhodochrosite shaming kyanite and it's blue exterior What other kind of rock can look like bacon definitely not any of the rocks in the finals except for rhodochrosite
October 1, 2024 at 3:53 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
#ROTD #MinCup24 R4 M2
#Dioptase v #Kyanite
This is an easy choice for me. #Dioptase is my favorite mineral.

#Kyanite is quite pretty, but it doesn't hold a candle to #dioptase.

Let's make this final round #dioptase versus whovever is going to lose to #dioptase

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r4m2
Gorgeous piece of beautiful dioptase Personal piece of dioptase on shattukite Absolutely stunning piece of dioptase Kyanite 2 forms one in matrix and one full crystal
September 30, 2024 at 3:18 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
#ROTD #MinCup24 R4M1

#Perovskite v #Rhodochrosite

It's the semifinal folks.
We have another science v beauty match.

Pretty in pink #Rhodochrosite

Or solar powerhouse #Perovskite

Will it be titanium or the Rosa del Inca?
Pink power or solar power?

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r4m1
Circular formation of rhodochrosite, showing the full range of pinks and reds it can reach. Some call this Rosa del Inca, believing this to be the blood of Incan rulers. Beautiful tabular crystals of red and pink on pyrite make up this gorgeous specimin Perskovite solar cell Natural Perovskite
September 29, 2024 at 1:42 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
#ROTD #MinCup24 R3 M4
#Kyanite v #Topaz

Beauty v. Science!
#Kyanite indicates temp and pressure of the formations they are found in, and does it w/ long blue crystals
#Topaz is the beauty queen. It is a silicate mineral made of aluminum and fluorine. #teamtopaz

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r3m4
A wide variety of topaz colors and shapes cut into gemstones from the left it's purple pink orange blue yellow and dark pink or red This is orange topaz which is November's birthstone. My birthday is in November so if you feel like getting me a piece of orange topaz this is what it looks like I think I picked the same picture of kyanite every time so far Brilliant Blue Spears of kyanite grow across angles to The Matrix that it is in Extreme close-up of cyanide to show the differences in the blues that can show up as well as the white streak that is present in almost all specimens
September 28, 2024 at 7:48 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
#ROTD #MinCup24 R3 M3
#Rhodochrosite v #Calcite

Pretty in pink versus the cave dwelling colorful counterpart today.
#Rhodochrosite is beautiful, magnesium based & often used to make alloys.
#calcite is a relatively quickly forming mineral with many colors & shapes

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r3m3
Rhodochrosite formed into stalactite/ stalagmite formations radiating from white to Pink and even with some deep Reds the variety of colors that have been available for rhodochrosite is quite stunning This is a better cross-section of some of those tubular structures you can see the banding as well as radiating lines from the center and that shift from pink to Red to White is stunning These blue calcite crystals are absolutely gorgeous radiating from the center and tabular formations the aqua color is just out of this world and reminds of all the colors the calcite can be This is a skeleton from the Cave of the crystal Maiden showing just how fast calcite can form this is maybe been in a cave for 800 to 1,000 years and is absolutely covered with calcite giving it a glittering gem quality which is the most unusual skeleton I've ever seen
September 27, 2024 at 6:13 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
#ROTD #MinCup24 R3 M2
#Dioptase v #Wavellite
This is the big one folks. Battle of the greens.
#Dioptase is known as the desert emerald and is maybe my favorite mineral. Possibly the best copper secondary, and deserves a WIN

#Wavelite is cute.

#vote #dioptase

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r3m2
Dioptase on shattukite, oblong piece, blue on the underside, green on the top. Incredible coloration. The copper blue of the shattukite shines underneath the brilliant green of the dioptase. Pictures do not do this stone justice Circular wavelite with its half a lime core. Lines move to the edge radiating from the center Adding another gorgeous piece of dioptase because my baby deserves a win
September 26, 2024 at 2:34 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R3 M1
#QUARTERFINALS
Perovskite V Stibnite

I think for this quarterfinal round, I will just indicate my vote.

I think I'm going for Perovskite for the solar power advantage.

Ancient semi poisonous makeup is pretty neat, vote wisely.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r3m1
Perovskite cube in maitrix. Perovskite solar cell. Stibinite cluster with spires. Stibinite spears on matrix.
September 25, 2024 at 3:19 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 ⚒️ 🧪 R2M8 #Charoite v #Topaz.

#charoite is my choice, with its liquid purple surface that is so unusual that it looks fake.

#topaz is the timekeeper and my birthstone, but it's a former winner, so we should let the purple newcomer take this.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2m8
Chaorite quartz and amethyst necklace with a large brooch of charoite in the center and quartz & amethyst teardrops surrounding larger pieces of charoite. Hand sized charoite stone, exhibiting the distinctive swirls of light purple, dark purple, white, and black. This combination gives the impression that the surface of the stone is roiling and undulating, like a purple thunderstorm. This is 6 stones from red to yellow to blue and orange to peach to purple, presenting all of the colors Topaz can be Natural orange Topaz, which looks like captured fire in semi tubular crystals.
September 24, 2024 at 1:30 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 ⚒️ 🧪 R2M7 #Titanite v #Calcite

Titanite is a calcium titanium nesosilicate that can be mildly radioactive! (Rare earth metal incl)

Calcite has so many forms, from caves to optical illusions, this sometimes uv reactive mineral is gorgeous.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2m7
Green gem of titanite, which is a form of titanium. This is a rounded triangle set upon a betroydal matrix with inclusion lines running to the peak This is a nearly pryamidal point of titanite, and it highlights the absolute beauty that this mineral can be. This is calcite in many of the colors it comes in (2 rows, top to bottom right to left then left to right) Clear calcite, red calcite, brown and white banded calcite, honey calcite, green calcite, yellow calcite, and blue calcite Various cave forms of calcite, my personal fave.
September 23, 2024 at 1:47 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R2M6: #Omphacite versus #Kyanite

#Omphacite has been called and unripe grapes, which downplays the violent nature of its creation.

#Kyanite is also formed with immense pressure and heat and tells us about the past better than most.

Green v. Blue

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2m6
Gorgeous blue kyanite stuck in its Matrix but still just amazing tabular little crystals of Deep Blue Beauty An extreme close-up of kyanite showing the different compositions and the internal striations of this high pressure high heat material that is so just beautifully blue Radiating from a center dark point the green of omphacite is startling, shifting subtly from dark to light throughout the piece it almost appears as an obsidian or maybe a jade but the creation of this is the high pressure subduction of Continental movement. It's a crystalline form of omphacite, which I found today in a formation of incredibly beautiful tabular green Crystals that remind me a lot of dioptase in color but not in shape
September 22, 2024 at 4:12 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R2M4: #Rhodochrosite versus #Quartz

It's time to get serious.

Quartz is a silica, it's the most abundant mineral on Earth.

Rhodo is beautiful manganese carbonate that looks like ham or candy.

Truly a case for the ages.
I'm backing bacon.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2m5
The tabular piece of rhodochrosite that appears to be rock candy it is joined with Pyrite in this particular sample and shows off the real Beauty that rhodochrosite can have This particular piece of rhodochrosite looks like bacon or perhaps pork belly. This is a quartz spear with some inclusions in it it appear to be either biologic or maybe even aqueous in nature Superior Middle hunk of blue quartz that is absolutely gorgeous and shoved between two relatively ugly rocks
September 21, 2024 at 2:17 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
This one's a nail biter
#MinCup24 #Dioptase #Vivianite
Dioptase with 414 votes and vivianite with 415
September 21, 2024 at 1:15 AM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R2M4: #Dioptase versus #Vivianite.

Here is my toughest call of the series.

Dioptase, the desert emerald, a copper secondary that has my heart.

Versus

Vivianite, the corpse crystal. The gorgeous blue green queen of my collection.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2m4
Oblong chunk of dioptase on Shattukite from my personal collection. This was and is pretty much my favorite stone. The dark green crystals along the top earn it the nickname desert emerald, and the light blue Shattukite gives some contrast along the bottom. Just a slightly shallower angle, showing the glitter of the dark green dioptase on top of the light blue shattukite. Deep green vivianite spears, protuding at various angles just gorgeous My personal hunks of vivianite protruding at odd angles with a more blue color from light exposure
September 20, 2024 at 3:04 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R2M3 🧪⚒️
Howlite v Stibnite

Howlite is sometimes called white turquoise, and because it's easily dyed, it's sometimes SOLD as turquoise.

Stibnite is antimony, and used to be makeup before landing in safety matches and fireworks today.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2m3
Howlite chunk with pointed top and rough bottom, showing both the rough and polished forms of the mineral in one swoop. The dark veining and porus nature make it a natural fake for turquoise, but it is stunning in its own right. Several polished howlite pieces form a bed that some larger stones sit on, framed by towers of howlite. This shows the white to off-white color shift that natural howlite has. Game of thrones comparisons abound with spiky Stibnite. Ground into powder for makeup from Egypt to Rome, this is now used mostly for fireworks and matches. Not especially great for use on your face. This is a rare form of stibnite that radiates the bladed crystals versus the tightly packed clusters normally seen.
September 19, 2024 at 3:50 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R2M2 🧪⚒️
CORUNDUM V WAVELITE
Rubies & Sapphires, super hard gemstones, a 9 on the Mohs scale.
Beauty & Brawn.
Wavelite is a spiraling green gorgeous softer gem, still very beautiful, while soft.
Vote for who you like, but for my money, it's corundrum

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2m2
The corundrum family Ruby, padparasha, yellow Sapphire, green Sapphire, blue Sapphire, purple Sapphire, pink Sapphire Yellow purple pink bi-color (green/blue) blue star, and yellow Sapphire, with a ruby in the top right corner The lime like inside of wavelite, radiating bands of green alternating light and dark Single circle of wavelite with botryoidal wavelite base
September 18, 2024 at 2:40 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R2M1 🧪⚒️
Abelsonite v Perovskite
Abelsonite is the only known crystalline geoporphyrin. A chlorophyll based crystal found in oil shale.

Perovskite is a titanium based superconductor material used in solar cells and has applications for fuel cells.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r2...
A stick of abelsonite, wrapped in shale, showing off its bright red color at the left end. This is such an interesting mineral, with its origins from aqueous chlorophyll! This is a specimin that has most of the shale removed, showing the bright red of the stone. Chlorophyll A is the primary source and absorbes the red spectrum of light. Red algae uses this today! This is a perovskite solar cell, held in the center of two hands. This is processed perovskite and it has enormous potential for solar power. This is raw perovskite, and many have nicknamed the natural form the Borg cube. It is primarily titanium and we love a good titanium cube folks.
September 17, 2024 at 3:02 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R1M16 #Topaz V #Spodumene 🧪⚒️

Topaz is a multicolored gemstone made of Aluminum and Flourine! It comes in a rainbow of colors.

Spodumene is a commercially important source of lithium, and while not super pretty, it can form Hiddenite and kunzite.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r1...
Rainbow of colors that exemplify Topaz. From left to right there is purple, peach, orange and blue in the center, yellow and pink. This is a massive orange Topaz raw formation, showing that it can be beautiful cut or uncut. This is Kunzite in the top 2 photos, which is purple Spodumene, there is a yellow in the bottom left and a hiddenite light green in the bottom right. This is raw green spodumene, with crystals pointing from right to left.
September 16, 2024 at 5:46 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R1M15 #Calcite V #Celestine 🧪⚒️

Calcite has so many forms, from caves to optical illusions, this sometimes uv reactive mineral is gorgeous.

Celestine is too soft to be a gem, but it's so pretty naturally, it's a shame to cut it!

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r1...
From left to right, top to bottom we have trigonal crystals of white/yellow calcite moving to the rhomboids of icelandspar style calcite, though you can't see through that one. Bottom left is betroydal cave calcite and we finish off with some stalagtites of Calcite on the bottom right. This is a newer great calcite out of China that I am excited to try and find. Hexagonal crystals with a translucent grey appearance. Two gorgeous gems of celestine sit on (suspected) aragonite. The startling blue is just perfect and these crystals are just too much! These tabular Celestine blocks appear dusted with limestone. They are arranged in seemingly no pattern. But this cluster is incredible.
September 15, 2024 at 3:12 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R1M14 #Cacoxenite V #Charoite 🧪⚒️

Cacoxenite is iron-phosphorus, and while very pretty orange and yellow, ruins the quality of iron.

Charoite is such a vivid purple, it looks unreal. Lightly UV reactive and just incredible to look at.

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r1...
Semicircular yellow and orange fans radiate out from a central point to form this pillowy orange yellow material that is phosphorus and iron A combination of puffballs and fans make up this specimen and again this is inside iron showing what phosphorus can do when mixed with iron and again this is not good for iron ore in general or at least the strength of iron it sure looks pretty A swirling solar system of purple and gray swim around the surface of this rod and almost looks like as it's moving even though it is not this semicircular oval type piece is a prime example of charoite that you would see in a store This is an oblong piece that really shows the Vivid purple and translucent Gray almost mother of pearl type coloration of this particular specimen the blacks are very deep again giving it a moving almost roiling storm appearance
September 14, 2024 at 3:05 PM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MinCup24 R1M13 #Proustite V #Titanite 🧪⚒️
Prousite is a sulfosalt mineral, silver arsenic sulfide that is an important source of silver. #teampoison take note!
Titanite is a calcium titanium nesosilicate that can be mildly radioactive! (Rare earth metal incl)

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r1...
Tiny prousite crystals are forming here in matrix, this is a great image in the top left there's light blue dusting that indicates heavy metals or copper and as you swing through the photograph from left to right variety of sizes of bright deep red prousite crystals are formed in multitude of directions facing left and right with up to 45° angles from the matrix. Absolutely stunning piece In the center of the image there is a cluster of tabular crystals that look faceted. These crystals are a deep red deeper than Ruby traditionally is and absolutely gorgeous. A total of four points appear in the image on a bed of matrix that is mottled gray Here we have Titanite crystallized which is sometimes called s p h e n e. (Not by scientists) the Deep green color is absolutely gorgeous it's reminiscent of emerald but it's all together different in shape and in softness. There's also a little bit of yellow crust forming at the bottom which is more in line with other crystal forms of titanium that are out there like rutile. This is an absolutely stunning piece of translucent Titanite with its green color sitting on a matrix bed a semi-rounded triangle or at least rounded at the top with streaks of inclusions throughout this is a stunning example of Titanite in a natural environment and how that Crystal can form this is quite small but very very engaging
September 13, 2024 at 10:47 AM
corgiseveryhour.bsky.social
ROTD #MINCUP24 matchup is #Kyanite vs #Ringwoodite.

Kyanite is formed by the metamorphism of alumium-rich rocks, and is a great addition to any collection.

Ringwoodite is a high pressure mineral in the mantle btw 525 & 660 km deep. See alt text for more info!

www.mineralcup.org/2024/vote/r1...
Brilliant blue spears of kyanite erupt from the surface of the matrix in many directions. Vaguely rhomboid, these bladed columnar crystals vary in hardness on the axis, and is generally brittle. The more common form of kyanite on the left is in matrix, nearly haphazardly arranged. The columns are often well defined and bladed on one side. The form on the left is a more perfect, less fibrous crystal that still maintains the columnar shape. The blue is vivid and beautiful. The deepest blue to violet shifts are available in this subterranean mineral that is 300 miles down. It is theorized that locked in this mineral, which can contain hydrocarbons, may be 3x the total water in all of the oceans on earth! This is a microscopic view of the crystaline ringwoodite. Shaped a bit like Maine, the brilliant blue and violet possible is visible shifting in brightness from top to bottom (darkest). More info on the water in this mineral here: https://www.youtube.com/live/AnDUPEPM0EY?feature=shared
September 12, 2024 at 1:41 PM