Awww it’s fluffy AND ferocious
@alexwitze.bsky.social
@alexwitze.bsky.socialAwww it’s fluffy AND ferocious
@bkania.bsky.socialHere's voting for "blue asbestos " #Riebeckite
#MinCup26
#Curling
48 years ago, a #Jeweler of mine taught me to use "asbestos" as a heat sink when soldering intricate pieces or around delicate non heat tolerable gems or stones. The key was always keeping it wet & contained in a small tin. 💙 Roberto
@silicatefondue.fosstodon.org.ap.brid.gyFrom our teaching collection:
Riebeckite in a two feldspar granite (plus quartz and biolite) from Pinarello, Corsica.
@volcannick.bsky.socialI will always be ride or die for my favorite inosilicate family, the ever perplexing amphibole group! The utility of #riebeckite in curling only adds to the alure.
Vote riebeckite!! #MinCup26 ⚒️🌋
@eos.orgWe know #Riebeckite gets bad press, for good reason. But today we also learned it's used in Scottish curling stones 🥌 , and for that it gets our vote. #MinCup26
@tarnado.bsky.socialHow many @mineralcup.bsky.social minerals in the 2026 bracket have rock songs about them? #Riebeckite sure does - Blue Sky Mine by Midnight Oil!
@ougeolsoc.bsky.socialI thought the #Gadolinite was in fancy dress as obsidian! But now I will think of #Riebeckite every time I watch the roaring game aka curling! Ailsa Craig granite #ailsite... so that's where my #MinCup26 vote is going today
@critsect.bsky.socialVote #Riebeckite for Ailsa Craig content.
@sorosilicate.bsky.social#Riebeckite occurs in some alkali granites and banded iron formations and it can occur in blueschist. It is more iron-rich (including Fe3+) than the more famous #glaucophane. This photo shows a sodic amphibole zoned from Mg-rich core to iron-rich rim in chert that was subducted. FOV 2 mm. #mincup26
@mikamckinnon.bsky.socialBoth are so awesome, but I want to do a deep dive on curling stones next round. #Riebeckite
@crystallised-cricket.comBoth of todays #MinCup26 minerals' structures do plot out very nicely - #Gadolinite-(Y) has lots of interesting elements sneaking into the structure, but I have to say that the good old amphibole (double chain silicate) structure (with nice variation) of #Riebeckite turned my head today.
@mineralcup.bsky.social#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 14
Average hardness and dark colours are camouflage for crystalline oddness lurking within blue asbestos #Riebeckite vs rare earth element #Gadolinite-(Y).
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
