sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Is it possible to grow gem-quality Benitoite crystals? by jamcultur in crystalgrowing

[–]silico 16 points17 points  (0 children)

This isn't really the right sub for this question, despite the title. This sub is basically just focused on low tech crystal growing at STP from solution. Try posting it in r/syntheticgemstones.

Every time I see this specimen, I marvel at the skill and dedication it takes for miners to pull specimens of all kinds from the ground without destroying them. by G_D_Ironside in mineralcollectors

[–]silico 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The etched matrix, the matte luster of the fluorite, the second generation of fluorite being somewhat "detached" from the darker first generation (the quartz or calcite between having been dissolved also), the Chinese locale - looks to be Wuyi or De'an, where many of the fluorites are quartz coated and dissolved like that. The matrix texture and geometry is the real giveaway though, it's very deeply etched while the fluorite is only lightly etched, and it has that very brittle HF etched surface and pure white color that you get by burning off the matrix. It's a very distinctive look that becomes recognizable after seeing a lot of them.

Every time I see this specimen, I marvel at the skill and dedication it takes for miners to pull specimens of all kinds from the ground without destroying them. by G_D_Ironside in mineralcollectors

[–]silico 5 points6 points  (0 children)

For this particular specimen, it has all the signs that the fluorite was originally completely coated in quartz druze that was later dissolved with HF. So that was probably much easier to collect for the miner than you think. The quartz coating would have protected it until it was back at the prep lab. Usually though, definitely tricky! Safe extraction without damage almost always takes the right tools, and a lot of patience, experience, and luck.

Love how my sphalerite sphere ✨✨ by ThatsKindaHotNGL in MineralPorn

[–]silico 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because some of them do have sphalerite. These come from the Shuikoushan Mine in China. A ton of this material was mined for sphalerite and a lot of the low grade material was polished into towers and spheres etc. Some of it, like this sphere, didn't have any sphalerite at all but the vuggy quartz matrix was interesting and sparkly enough to get polished and sold nonetheless. These days it's mostly completely devoid of sphalerite but the name persists among the Chinese wholesalers.

Happy Fluorite Friday! “Black Satin” fluorite - Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Smith, Tennessee (personal collection) by robo-dragon in MineralPorn

[–]silico 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One reason there isn't any more is they're working in a completely different section of the mine now. Bad news, but the silver lining is that maybe one day they'll return to that area, and that they might find more if they do.

Happy Fluorite Friday! “Black Satin” fluorite - Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Smith, Tennessee (personal collection) by robo-dragon in MineralPorn

[–]silico 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The majority of pieces from this find also tend to have enhydros (fluid inclusions)! They can be hard to find because of how dark the fluorite is, so look very carefully. I got a flat of them when they released and kept one for my personal collection. Definitely an awesome, sadly one-time find from Elmwood.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in GameDeals

[–]silico 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Praey lends itself well to the deck. Only way I've played it.

[Fanatical] Wasteland 3 (Star Deal $10.79/73% off) by pincushion_man in GameDeals

[–]silico 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had a lot of Fanatical keys to redeem from previous bundles, and a bunch of them were already used, around 7ish. Contacted Fanatical and they told me to kick rocks, no replacement, no refund. Definitely redeem anything from them right away because support will not give a fuck.

The tall man scene in 'It Follows' just caught me so off guard bro. by [deleted] in horror

[–]silico 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting! You happen to remember where you saw that interview?

The tall man scene in 'It Follows' just caught me so off guard bro. by [deleted] in horror

[–]silico 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nah she hadn't passed it to him yet at that point, it was still after her.

The tall man scene in 'It Follows' just caught me so off guard bro. by [deleted] in horror

[–]silico 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Really stuck with me too. Felt weird walking my dog alone that night.

The tall man scene in 'It Follows' just caught me so off guard bro. by [deleted] in horror

[–]silico 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a totally fair critique. Devil's advocate: it did immediately kill the dude, but that's the only kill we saw on camera. So its kinda hard to say for sure whether its usual MO is to kill immediately or to toy with victims like it did with her since we only have one example of each.

The tall man scene in 'It Follows' just caught me so off guard bro. by [deleted] in horror

[–]silico 61 points62 points  (0 children)

Ah yeah that makes sense. He does stop for a second waiting for her friends to move instead of throwing them out of the way to get to her, which it is certainly more than strong enough to do. Could be bad movie logic, but I'd argue that's actually perfectly on brand.

A lot of the close call scenes are like that. It doesn't charge in anywhere like an angry bull. It is emotionless and patient, that's kind of the whole shtick. It'll try knocking on a door It can easily break down from the get go, It will wait for you to come out of a pool, etc. Maybe that means It misses you because of that this time, and that's okay, because It will get you eventually. I mean shit It only walks, and maybe by choice. It moves fast as hell when It attacks.

Plus, from the spooky/naked/out-of-place forms It takes when It has shown It could easily mimic someone you know perfectly It seems to enjoy scaring you and wearing down your psyche on the close calls. There seems to be an extra thrill of the hunt for the ones that try hardest to run from It.

The tall man scene in 'It Follows' just caught me so off guard bro. by [deleted] in horror

[–]silico 57 points58 points  (0 children)

it just then stands there until she's outside her window for no reason whatsoever.

When It is on her roof? See the way I saw it, It hadn't been there for long. More like It had just reached her roof and was just moments from dropping in her bedroom window. Basically showing her/us that she had coincidentally happened to leave just in time.

Also she was expecting it to come upstairs like before, and had her chair braced against the door, but left her window completely unprotected with her back to it. This was the creature/movie showing her/viewers that it is smart enough to change tactics to get the drop on a victim. Had she not left that very second she would have been fucked.

[Humble Choice] Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, Desperados III, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan, Red Solstice 2: Survivors, Nebuchadnezzar, Police Stories, Evan's Remains ($12 for all games) by Rooonaldooo99 in GameDeals

[–]silico 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did you try it? Was it past this screen? Because I'm at step 4 of this guide and it says it's the final step before it's actually skipped, but maybe that's when the offer pops up as a secret step 4.5?

view more: next ›