By Jim Brace-Thompson
One enjoyable form of lapidary arts is carving. I’m not talking about a sculpture of the sort that Michelangelo crafted from 10-...
By Steve Voynick
Talc is well-known to mineral collectors for its hardness or, more precisely, its lack of hardness. Ranking 1.0 on the Mohs hardness...
By Steve Voynick
Gem-and-mineral shows are fascinating for their huge displays of mineral specimens, gemstones, gems, carvings, jewelry items, and trinkets. But visitors sometimes overlook...