Thinking of going rock hunting in Scotland? Undiscovered Scotland tells it well. Unlike areas of Scotland where the coastline is in jeopardy, Dunure has waves washing the rocks inwards Well... maybe not in Scotland. We preferred swords. Quartz You find this all over the place.

If you have the time, patience, and know-how, then you can hand polish rocks, pebbles and mineral specimens at home. Here at The Stone Circle, we often use hand polishing as a method to bring out the shine on softer rocks and minerals. While quartzes and chalcedonies do well in the rock tumbler, certain minerals cannot go through the tumbling process. This is because they are too low in hardness. When you place a rock in the tumbler which is a little softer than the optimal hardness, you run the risk of eroding all the layers of sediment away to nothing. In the case of calcite, pectolite, and limestone fossils, it is better not to use the tumbler and to hand polish instead. Q) Is There a Way to Polish Rocks By Hand? Yes, it is possible to hand polish rocks without using any power tools. However, power tools will make the job far faster. To hand polish the pebbles and rocks you find lying around you will need to begin with as flat a surface as possible. Starting at a 60-grit sandpaper and making sure you keep the rock and paper wet at all times, use the paper until it is worn smooth. Repeat this in varying stages of sandpaper up to 6000-grit and you will have a mirror shine. Amazon Recommendation: This pack of multiple sandpaper grits combines wet/dry use and a good price. It is enough to get you started up to 3000 grit. This is usually enough for a decent shine. You can then move on to leathers, fabrics, and powders to complete the polish. Remember to keep the rock wet all the way up through the stages to protect your lungs from breathing in the dust. We also advise that you use a dust mask where possible. For full details, hints and tips about how to hand polish rocks at home, you can pick up a copy of The Stone Circle’s Guide To Hand Polishing to help you. Q) How To Make Rocks Shiny At Home? You can make rocks shiny at home if you have the time and patience to sand them down. Working your way up through progressive sandpaper grits will eventually produce a smooth stone. The hand polishing technique works best on rocks and mineral samples which are softer, remember. If you want to hand polish a piece of quarts it takes a lot longer, since the quartz is hard and notoriously difficult to tumble up! You can get further advice on how to make rocks shiny at home in our previous blog on polishing crystals and stones by hand which covers the details rather than the FAQs. Q) Can You Polish Rocks With a Dremel? A Dremel certainly speeds up the process. Yes, you can polish rocks with a Dremel. You will need course, medium, and fine grits of sandpaper. It is difficult to keep the rocks wet when you use a high-speed tool like this, so it is best to keep it in water while you work. It is also difficult to find Dremel heads in progressive sandpaper grits which someone has thought to take note of which grit is which. Dremel polishing is a whole new ballgame. We will follow up with another blog at a later date. Q) What is the Rock Polishing Method? We outline our official method for hand polishing some of the Scottish rocks and Scottish minerals that we find in our guide on how to hand polish. Pick up your copy in our online self-collected crystal shop or through our Etsy store. Q) Does Vinegar Polish Rocks? No! Stop! Don’t do it! If you have a calcite mineral or a marble, for example, the acid will wear away the crystals. This is the same principal as trying not to spill lemon juice on your marble worktops so it doesn’t damage the surface. Vinegar can remove dirt, grime, and other organic compounds from the surface of tougher, non-calcium-based minerals such as quartz. You can learn how to identify quartz and how to identify calcite on our UK rock blog.

These crystal, rock and mineral gift sets feature a selection of Scotland’s finest mineral specimens, We use an upturned rock classifier (which is like a colander but flat and with bigger holes) to support

We got red jasper which was more of a brick red than we find in Scotland , some lovely looking obsidian We sell: Rough Jasper from Scotland Scottish quartz to home tumble Agate mixtures A Lapidary Mix specifically

Thinking of picking up a selenite lamp? We received a selenite lamp from Love Selenite about a year ago now, and it is high time we wrote a review. Let’s start with a brief overview of what selenite crystals actually are and how they form. If you are not interested in the geology, then feel free to skip ahead to the selenite lamp parts. What is Selenite? Selenite is a variety of gypsum, a soft mineral which forms in places where there used to be salt water, but there isn’t anymore. It is a sulfate mineral that is derived from the salts that used to be in the water, but that now have nowhere to go. Salty water left behind by dried up sea lochs and the likes can eventually crystallise into selenite… though it takes a theorised million years+. Selenite crystals are therefore found in places like desert basins, dried up valleys, and in places you might not expect to find them! Selenite is a sedimentary rock. There are three broad rock types, igneous (volcanic), metamorphic (‘morphs’ over time), and sedimentary (made up of smaller sediment particles). Since the small salt particles which make up selenite are sediment left behind from the ocean that then come together to form selenite, this sees it fall into the sedimentary category. There is a prevailing myth that selenite can’t get wet. It can get wet, but it is delicate. If you left it under the tap for a week it would eventually wear away. Dipping it in warm water to clean it once in a while won’t do any damage, just keep the chemicals away from it. What is a Selenite Lamp? The good folks over at Love Selenite got in touch with us last year and asked if we would host a guest post  for them. In exchange, they sent over one of their selenite lamps for the Stone Circle team to play with. Our Selenite lamp for review What does the selenite lamp look like? This selenite lamp comes in two parts. It features a USB connection on a white wire. On the other side of the wire is a small but bright LED bulb. It is almost identical in brightness to my daylight lamp when set to the one that reminds me of the sky just before it snows. The second part of the selenite lamp is a selenite tower with the middle piece removed and a groove carved into the base to accommodate the wire and allow the whole lamp to sit flat. How to use your Selenite Lamp There is no on or off switch, you just plug it in or unplug it via USB. I have a bunch of old chargers for phones around the house so I stole a plug from one of them to plug it into the wall, but you can just use your laptop or console. The wire has a USB connection at one end and a bulb on the other. What We Liked: There are multiple things we like about this lamp. It is very portable. I can pack it in my handbag if I want to. It’s a sturdy piece of selenite, a pretty piece which I think has been carved into this shape, but I could be wrong. The bulb is not permanently attached to the selenite. This is a great feature because even if you break the bulb or wire part, you can keep the selenite. Likewise, you can also use the bulb part for other purposes if you somehow shatter your selenite. We would use this type of bulb in a mineral cabinet. LED makes our quartz druzy sparkle. Here you can see where the bottom is carved to allow room for the wire. What We Didn’t Like: We would have to really nit pick to find something. Probably the ability to opt to put batteries in the wiring as well as plug it in? But that’s borderline ridiculous. I just can’t figure out how I can get it to display beside my other minerals in the enclosed cabinet. I will find a way, don’t worry. A Selenite Circle, photo by the Stone Circle. What is a Selenite Lamp Good For? If you are a geologist? It is pretty. It literally lights up the room. You can skip the next part. Crystal healers use selenite crystal charging plates  to nullify any past energies attached to their crystals. When they use other crystals in a crystal healing treatment session, they put those crystals onto the selenite plate to cleanse the energy attached to them so that they are ready for the next person. It stands to reason that the selenite lamp therefore promotes the same cleansing, purifying, and nullifying soft energy which selenite plates bring to the crystals, but into the very air of the room itself. Promote peace, calm, and serenity in your healing sessions or use these lamps to create an atmosphere of relaxation. This photo shows where the bulb goes. Where to Place Your Selenite Lamp? If you place it next to your bed it will give a nice, soft light which isn’t too intrusive for last thing at night. It gives enough light to read by, but not to light up the whole room. It is an atmospheric light. You might keep it in the living room where it will look great on a shelf. Just keep it out of the wet rooms of your house. Again, the damp will eventually wear it away, but the chemicals used in cleaning these rooms can do faster damage. Baking soda and citrus fruits can break down sulfate minerals eventually so be careful. Isn't it pretty? I have had this for roughly a year now and have never experienced any broken parts. (Touched wood, don't worry!) Where to Buy Selenite? We would obviously prefer if you bought selenite from us, but this is a review of the Love Selenite, selenite lamp, so we really ought to tell you to buy it there. Visit Love Selenite  and check out the lamps or buy selenite in our selenite section . There’s not much in it at the moment but bear with us. We are waiting on some to show up in an old crystal collection so we can buy it! Rating the Selenite Lamp Out of 5 Meteorites? If we had to rate this out of five meteorites, we would give it a 4.8. If it changed colour, had extra features, or literally grew legs and started dancing, we could give it the full five. This is a product which is full of potential – a potential Love Selenite are fully exploring in their product collection. We can confirm that they really do love  their selenite.   Want to Guest Post with us? If you are interested in guest posting, then contact us to discuss it . We will get back to you as soon as we can. Want The Stone Circle to Review Your Product? Use our contacts page to get in touch and tell us more!

Tips for Ethical and Safe Rockhounding If you live near a geological site, plan a family outing to hunt The Stone Circle’s own article “ Ethical Crystal Hunting in Scotland: What Can't You Take Home " provides

Rockhound Resource have a good list of identification methods, but you can also send minerals you fail Usually these are packed with geologists and rockhounds who can give you answers. You can support me as a writer and rockhound by donating to www.buymeacoffee.com/katrionawrites. Every penny helps me produce more articles like this one, to help other UK rockhounds find their feet

If you keep shredding up the rubber belts on your rock tumbling machine, then this article is for you. Listed below are common reasons why you might keep wrecking the belt. Rock Tumbling Instructions Rock polishing is a properly rewarding hobby provided that you have working equipment and a bit of knowledge behind you. For knowledge you can visit our rock tumbler instructions blog. For troubleshooting why your belt keeps breaking, you are in the right place. Why are my Rock Tumbling Belts Breaking? There are a few reasons. Let’s troubleshoot. 1 – Age Rubber has a shelf life regardless of how much you have used the belt. You could have a spare on a shelf for years, finally have the opportunity to use it, and find that it barely lasts a day. It’s just degradation of the rubber and there’s nothing you can do for this one. I don’t want to link to a bunch of rubber companies so let me sumarise quickly instead. Heat, oxygen, and light all degrade rubber faster. The rubber belt on your rock tumbling machine will degrade faster if it is in use than if it is on the shelf. Keep your spare belts in a dry, dark place. I also keep mine in a sealed baggy so that the air doesn’t get in. 2 – Oil on the Rubber One of the first rock tumblers we got had an instruction manual in it which said to touch oil to the heads once a week or so, but to make sure the oil does not get on the belt as this can degrade the rubber. I am still not sure which part the heads is/are? Easy solution for this one. Clean your rock tumbler machine with a mostly dry cloth while it is turned off at the mains. Soapy water gets rid of oil but you don’t want to get your motor wet, and you want the parts that move to be a little oiled. 3 – Overweight Barrels This is probably the most common reason why the belt in your rock tumbler has broken. Your rock tumbler instructions will have the maximum weight which your tumbler can hold at one time in them. Usually this goes up 0.5lbs at a time. Most tumblers hold between 1.5lbs and 3lbs. Our machines both take 2.5lbs. Some models, like the STEM rock tumbler, will not turn at all if the barrel is overweight. Overfilling your rock tumbler presents multiple problems. Your belt might shred under the weight. You might not get the polish you want because the rocks have no room to move and therefore no friction. You might also overheat and break your motor, which is what powers the belt. The best way to solve this problem is by weighing your barrel before you put it on your machine. Remember that water weight is very real and that you should weigh the barrel when it also contains water and grit. 4 – Lack of Space I once shredded a belt to actual inch long pieces because I didn’t give it enough room. It was touching one of my other polishing machines. Every rotation it was touching the metal of the other machine. The rock tumbler belt could not cope with it. I don’t know how long it was running that way but the belt was the worst I have seen. 5 – Environmental Extremes Speaking of giving your rock tumbler space on the shelf, you should also be aware of the extremes in temperature that might affect them. We have two tumblers running at the moment, both on the same shelf, both inside a closed cabinet which we need to do to prevent the noise from reaching downstairs. Now. The cabinet gets hot on normal days, so on extremely hot days, we often switch them off. You run the risk both of burning out the motor in your rock tumbler and/or wrecking your belt. This goes the same for freezing temperatures. Anyone who has ever watched Gold Rush knows that you have to turn the equipment off to protect it from breaking when it gets too cold. If you keep your tumblers in the house, then they are likely fine. If you keep them in the garage or shed, then consider switching them off when it’s too hot or too cold. Where to Buy a Replacement Rubber Rock Tumbler Belt? I don’t know for sure which size of belt your rock tumbler takes so these are just suggestions. You can always return them if they don’t work, which is the beauty of Amazon. UK Replacement Rock Tumbler Belts If it is a Nat Geo hobby tumbler or the equivalent then these Dan & Darci rubber belt replacements should fit it. Most hobby sized rock tumblers will take these belts. US/CA Replacement Rock Tumbler Belts You can view a full list of available replacement rock tumbler belts on Amazon.com here. This set of 4 rock tumbler rubber belts are cheap and cheerful. They go with National Geographic tumblers and Dr. Cool Rocks. If you have a Leegol rock tumbler then they take specific belts. You can find replacements for the Leegol Electric belt here. The Leegol Electric 6lb rock polishing machine is another league but it is not compatible with our outlets here in the UK. I still want one. Further Troubleshooting a Broken Belt in Your Rock Tumbler If you get through this article and none of the fixes work, then you should contact your rock tumbler’s manufacturer for additional information. They may even give you a replacement belt or two.

We didn’t just start out as rockhounds knowing about how to test minerals for hardness or specific gravity You can support me as a writer and rockhound by donating to www.buymeacoffee.com/katrionawrites. Every penny helps me produce more articles like this one, to help other UK rockhounds find their feet

Geologists, archaeologists, rockhounds, gem collectors, and miners the world over are all familiar with gone to the effort of hunting for rocks then they are displaying the keenness needed to become a true rockhound

Other rockhounds providing us with amethyst are from Dumfries & Galloway, Fife, Ayrshire, and the north of Scotland. Mineral and crystal hunting in Scotland has a long history going back to crofter times. Although we have limited quantities of amethyst here in Scotland, you can get it from Brazil, China,

We all have to start somewhere with rock identification as baby rockhounds, but identifying minerals Can you Rock Hunt for Aventurine in Scotland? would like to say no to this, but we have actually found two separate pieces of green aventurine in Scotland