Abalone
A
mollusk with a shell that is iridescent on the inside; abalone is one source of
mother of pearl. 
 Alabaster
A dense, fine-grained variety of gypsum (calcium sulfate) that is sometimes transluscent,
streaked or mottled and often resembles white marble and onyx. It is also called
Mexican onyx, Algerian onyx, Gibraltar stone and oriental alabaster, depending
on where it was mined. It has historically been quarried in England, Italy, Algeria,
Egypt, Iran, and Mexico. In the United States there are important sources in Colorado,
Utah and Arizona.
Amethyst
Amethyst
is the most highly prized purple variety of quartz and is the official birthstone
for February. The name comes from the Greek word amethystos, meaning "not drunken,"
because in ancient Greece amethyst was believed to protect the wearer from drunkenness.
With this in mind, wine goblets were often carved from it! Amethysts can fade
in sunlight, so minimize direct exposure to help maintain the rich purple color.
 Amber
Fossilized
tree sap. Although amber is not a mineral, it is classified as a gemstone. Most
of the world's amber is 30-90 million years old. It can contain insects, small
vertebrates and other particulate matter. Amber is commonly a clear tan color,
but it may have greenish to goldish inclusions.
 Ammonite
Ammonites
are an extinct group of cephalopods, or squid-like creatures that thrived in tropical
seas until becoming extinct along with the dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic
era. Their fossilized shells resemble tightly-coiled rams' horns and they were
named after the Egyptian god Ammon who was often depicted wearing ram's horns.
Argite
Argite
appears in Zuni carvings but little can be found about its origin. It has been
called Spotted Serpentine and is similar to Zebra Stone which is
a black and white stone from the vicinity of Prescott, Arizona. It is said to
bring out your intuition, tenderness, gentleness and love. It helps you exercise
self-control and understand your chosen destiny. It stimulates creativity and
success.
Azurite
Azurite
is a brilliant deep blue stone (hydrated copper carbonate) that gets its vibrant
color from its close association with copper-bearing ores. It is related to malachite,
a vibrant green gemstone that is often found nearby or within the azurite. When
they are found together, often near copper deposits in Arizona, they are called
Azurmalachite.
 Blackstone
Blackstone
is general term for any one of a number of semi-precious gemstones, such as jasper,
which are dyed and polished to a shiny black color.
 Carnelian
A
translucent, semiprecious variety of the silica mineral chalcedony with physical
properties like quartz. Shades of red, orange, and reddish brown come small amounts
of ron oxide, or rust. Carnelian was used widely during Roman times to make signet
or seal rings for imprinting a seal with wax because hot wax does not stick to
Carnelian. Some of these rings have retained their high polish better than those
made from harder stones. Carnelian is mined principally in India, Brazil, and
Australia.
Charoite
 Purple
with opal-like or pearlized variations in color raning from bright lavender to
violet to dark purple May have white, gray or black matrix (inclusions).
It
is a relatively "new" stone as it was first discovered in Russia in
1978 and acknowledged as a specific mineral at that time. Thus far, the Siberian
region is the only place it is found.
Charoite is said to accelerate spiritual
growth and increase the ability to love.
Citrine
 Citrine
is a semiprecious translucent yellow gemstone that is a variety of quartz. The
name comes from "citron", French for lemon. The yellow color is from the presence
of iron and the darker the color the higher the grade of citrine. It is valued
by some for its resemblance to topaz, yellow sapphire and yellow diamond.
Brazil
is the main source of citrine but it is found in many parts of the United States
as well as in Madagascar, Spain, Uruguay and Scotland.
Coral, Red Coral (also called Red Branch Coral)
Red Coral is the
common name given to Corallium Rubrum and several related species of marine
coral. The distinguishing characteristic of precious corals is their durable and
intensely colored red skeleton, which is used for making jewelry. Other names
for Red Coral are Precious Coral, Ox Blood Coral, and Fire Coral. Red
coral is a collection of hundreds of tiny animals living together in a colonies
that resemble small leafless bushes growing on dark, rocky seabottom. The arms
of red coral, like other branching corals, wave in the tides and curents to collect
microscopic plankton upon which they feed.The original species is found mainly
in the Mediterranean Sea, while other species are native to the western Pacific,
around Japan and Taiwan. Most of the deep red coral is Italian Coral.
Their skeleton is composed hard calcium carbonate, colored in shades of red from
pale pink to deep red. It can be semi-translucent to opaque. It is naturally matte,
but can be polished to a glassy shine. Red coral is frequently dyed to enhance
color and it can also be impregnated with resins or epoxies to fill surface fissures
and flaws. Reconstituted coral is made from natural solid material, or coral fragments
that have been pulverized into a powder, soaked in binding agents, then pressed
into a solid mass to be re-cut. Coral jewelry has been found
in ancient Egyptian and prehistoric European burials. The Romans believed coral
could protect children from harm, as well as cure bites from snakes and scorpions
and diagnose diseases by changing colour. 
Dolomite
A a sedimentary rock comprised primarily of calcium and magnesium. It is a
pinkish-yellowish brown in color and has a pearly luster. It has bands and striations
which give it depth and interest. 
Fish
Rock
Fish Rock is a form of serpentine. It is a very traditional
stone that has been carved since ancient times. It shines up very nicely. It is
usually a buff color with specks but can vary quite a bit.
 Flourite
Fluorite is the natural crystalline form of calcium fluoride (CaF2). The name
comes from the Latin "fluere" which means to flow. It's considered a
soft material to carve and it has a glassy appearance. The most common color is
deep purple but it comes in a variety of colors such as blue, green, yellow, pink,
rose and black. Some types of fluorite will glow under ultra violet light, hence
the name fluorescence.
Southern Illinois is the largest producer
of fluorite in the United States. The early Mississippian people acquired fluorite
from natural outcrops in southern Illinois and in Kentucky and used it for the
production of ornaments and statues. 
Gaspeite
Pea
green stone with some color variations. Darker shades can resemble some green
turquoise.
Green
snail
A shell of green variegated colors.
Howlite
Snow
white to milky stone sometimes with wide brown or black veins. Can be passed off
as White Buffalo Turquoise and dyed to imitate blue turquoise, but real turquoise
seldom has the wide veins that howlite does.
 Jasper
Jasper
comes from the Greek word, iaspis, which means "spotted stone." A form of microcrystalline
quartz, jasper derives its colorful patterns from other minerals present, and
is often named according to its pattern. Wild Horse Jasper, for example,
is a striking combination of white with brown and small tan spots. It is generally
opaque and has a dull luster but takes a fine polish. It is mined in North Africa,
Sicily, France, India, Venezuela, Germany, the U.S.A. and elsewhere.
It
it thought by some that jasper has the power to drive away evil spirits and protect
against bites of snakes spiders. It supposedly gives a person courage. Picture
Jasper
Brown based stone with many swirls of darker brown to black.
In bigger pieces these swirls seem to make pictures. 
Jet
(Acoma Jet)
A solid black type of lignite coal that is mined around
the Acoma Pueblo region, thus the name Acoma Jet, or Jet for short. It is very
popular for carving fetishes. It is also used for inlaying but usually not used
in stone sets.
 Labradorite
Labradorite
is a variety of feldspar that is found in igneous rocks. In bright light it appears
sea blue, gold and green and in dim light it shows grey or dark green colors.
Polished labradorite is called labradorescence. The darker variety is known as
"black moonstone" which has a bluish inclusions. Originally discovered along the
coast of Labrador in 1805, it is now found in Newfoundland, other parts of Canada,
the Ukraine, the Ural mountains, and the USA. It is believed that Labradorite
gem stone brings joy and kindness and provide variety and good fortune. It energizes
and provide a balanced mental plane and also heals infections. It is said to raise
level of consciousness and act as a barrier against all negative energies.
 Lapis
lazuli
Lapis is a deep blue stone often with gold flecking that
twinkles like stars. The name lapis lazuli is a combination of the Latin
word lapis ("stone") and the Arabian name azul, meaning "blue." Lapis is one of
the few rocks used as a gem and one of the first gemstones ever to be worn as
jewelry. A lapis gemstone won't fade in light but it is easily scratched and chipped.;
clean it only with a soft, dry cloth to maintain its shine. Major mines are located
in Afghanistan, Egypt, Canada and Chile.
Many ancient cultures
believed that lapis lazuli contained magical powers. In the Middle Ages, monks
powdered the stone and kneaded it into dough with beeswax, resin and linseed oil,
for use in illuminated manuscripts. Today, people around the world consider lapis
lazuli to be a stone of truth and friendship. It is reputed to bring about harmony
in relationships and to cleanse the mental body while releasing old karmic patterns. Denim
lapis
A light bluish-white form of lapis lazuli. This stone comes
close to the color of faded denim material, hence the name.
 Lepidolite
Lepidolite is a form of mica that is typically violet to pink color and sometimes
has flecks of sparkling mica. It is found in California, Brazil; the Ural Mountains,
Russia; and Africa.
 Marble
Most marble is compact limestone, 90% calcite or dolomite. The word "marble" derives
from the Greek marmaros, "shining stone". The color varies from white to black,
being sometimes yellow, red, and green, and frequently beautifully veined or clouded.
Marble can be polished to a high lustre and has been used for architectural and
ornamental purposes for centuries.
Marble is often named after
the location of the quarry, such as Egyptian Marble, Parian Marble from Greece
Carrara Marble from Italy, Proconnesus Marble from Turkey, Macael Marble from
Spain, Makrana marble from India, Danby Marble from Vermont, and Yule Marble from
Colorado.  Picasso
Marble (or Picasso stone) is a carbonate rock of diverse natural colors
such as gray, brown and black and with seemingly randomly oriented transecting
black veinlets. Much of Picasso Marble comes from Utah.
Melon Shell
 Melon
Shell comes from several melon-shaped mollusks of the genus "melo". Also called
Bailer shell or Bailer melon shell. Melon shell comes in various pastel shades
of cream to light brown. Commonly found on beaches and also are often by-products
of the seafood industry because the snails are harvested for meat.
Olive
Shell
 Olive
shells are mollusks found mostly in warm tropical seas. These snails are carnivorous
sand-burrowers, feeding mostly on bivalves and carrion and are known as some of
the fastest burrowers among snails. An olive shell is smooth, and oval-shaped
with various muted but attractive colors, and often patterns.The shell surface
is extremely glossy because in life it almost always covered and protected by
a mantle.
Onyx
 Onyx
is mined as a striped variety of agate, with white, black, brown or red alternating
bands that are parallel and regular. Treatments using heat, sugar, and/or acid
can turn onyx a uniform color, most commonly black, green, purple or blue. White
onyx occurs naturally and can also be achieved by bleaching.
Onyx may chip or scratch rather easily and it is used mainly in settings, not
for carvings or inlay work. The main sources of onyx are
India and South America, but it is also found in China, Brazil, Madagascar, Mexico
and the U.S.A. Mexican Onyx: see Alabaster.
 Opal
Blue
stone with interior fracturing of light which results in a play of color. Opal
is October's birthstone and is believed to make the wearer less self-conscious,
thereby encouraging spontaneous action and awakening one's psyche.
Lab
grown opal
Whiter stone with much fracturing of light. Can be also
bluish or reddish color. Similar chemical composition as natural opal.
 Orthocera
These were the earliest recognizable animals and were able to swim
and crawl. Orthoceras ranged in size from a few inches to over six feet long.
When they died, their shells fell to the ocean floor and after being covered by
sediment, were transformed into stone.
 Malachite
Malachite, copper carbonate, is a secondary copper mineral found in oxidized copper
deposits. It is light to dark green, sometimes banded with darker and lighter
shades of green. The bands sometimes form concentric rings.
Polished,
banded Malachite has been carved into ornaments and worn as jewelry for thousands
of years, and in some ancient civilizations it was thought to be a protection
from evil if worn as jewelry. Malachite is generally found with blue Azurite,
and sometimes the two may occur admixed or banded together, forming "Azure-malachite".
Mother of Pearl
 Clear
white translucent shell, sometimes has a little striation. MOP is the common name
for iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters, abalone,
and other mollusks and deposited inside their shells, coating and protecting their
bodies from parasites and foreign objects. Mother-of-Pearl is said to stimulate
intuition, sensitivity, imagination, and adaptability and help with clarity in
decision making. Mother of Pearl stirs and awakens the primordial memory of your
origin in the infinite ocean of divine love and stirs this memory in every cell
of your physical body thereby producing an overall calming effect as it gently
stirs the life energy of your cells. Like waves lapping the shore, this stirring
is steady, relaxing, and rhythmical.  Gold-lip
mother of pearl
Outside edge of certain mother of pearl (mop) shells.
Clear yellow to yellow -gold colors, used mostly for inlay work.
 Pink
mussel
Clear pink shell. Can vary from deep pink to pale pink, has
translucent quality.
Pipestone
 Pipestone,
also known as catlinite, is a form of clay with a high iron content that
makes it red. The Plains Indians consider it to be a "sacred" material
since it often is used for ceremonial items such as pipes.
 Rhodochrosite
A beautiful mineral with crystal like qualities that make it seem
like it is lit from within. Pink and white bands and neighboring other colors
of the manganese ore make for a variety of patterns and color combinations. The
name rhodochrosite means rose-colored.
 Ricolite
A type of fine grained serpentine that has colored banding.
Rose
Quartz
 One
of the most desirable types of quartz. The unique color is from iron and titanium
in the natural stone. Most rose quartz you see, however, has been dyed to give
it uniform color. Rose quartz, natural and dyed, is photosensitive and will fade
in sunlight. It is mined in Brazil, Madagascar, India, Germany and several parts
of the U.S.A. This stone is believed by some to bring gentleness,
forgiveness, compassion, kindness and tolerance, to raise self-esteem and to remove
fears, resentments and anger. Some also say rose quartz can heal and release childhood
traumas, neglect and lack of love. It helps with family reconciliations and eases
overwhelming or unreasonable guilt. Rose quartz is also used to benefit the heart,
circulatory system, fertility, headaches, kidney disease, migraines, sexual dysfunction,
sinus problems, throat problems, depression, addictions and ear aches.
Rainbow
Calsilica
 A
beautiful multicolored stone chosen for carvings by Zuni artists. Some experts
say it is a natural occurring stone from a mine in Chihuahua, Mexico. Others say
it has to be man made because of its vibrant colors. We have done research on
the subject and can not say which is true. What we do know, is that it is beautiful,
eye-catching, and most importantly, Zuni artists choose to use the material for
their carvings.
Rhodochrosite
Pink
stone with some color variations and striations and interior fracturing of colors.
Serpentine
 The
state rock of California, serpentine is a gemrock, with wide diversity in color
and character, from green to yellow, with browns, black and whites. It can be
bi-colored, streaked, mottled, banded or spotted and it has a slippery, snake-like
surface (hence the name). It is composed of several minerals including minor amounts
of chrysotile a somewhat benign form of asbestos. It is said to help one find
inner peace, calmness, and a long life; instills in the bearer a respect for the
elderly and wards off snake bites.
 Spiny
oyster
Spiny oyster, not surprisingly, is an oyster that is covered
with spines. It is found along the Atlantic coast of Baja California and Baja
Mexico. It varies from vibrant red shading into oranges and purples, with definite
striations and variation of the colors. Red spiny oyster has been used as a subsititute
for coral.
 Soapstone
Soapstone
is a very soft stone composed primarily of talc. It is gray to green in color,
has a soapy feel (hence the name) and is notable for its high degree of resistance
to acids and heat. Soapstone is easily cut with a knife or other sharp tool, making
it a popular material for centuries as a soft medium for carving and for making
smoking pipes.
Sugilite
Deep
purple(intense) with some color variation, and possible black veins running through
stone. No opalization in this stone.
Sodalite
 Sodalite
is a rich royal blue mineral that together with hauyne, nosean and lazurite is
a common constituent of lapis lazuli. A light, relatively hard yet fragile mineral,
sodalite is named after its sodium content. Well known for its blue color, sodalite
may also be grey, yellow, green, or pink and is often mottled with white veins
or patches. The more uniformly blue material is used in jewelry, where it is fashioned
into cabochons and beads. That with more veining, patches and mottling is used
in carving for interest. Although very similar to lazurite and lapis lazuli, sodalite
is royal blue rather than ultramarine. Sodalite also rarely contains pyrite, a
common inclusion in lapis. Sodalite's six directions of poor cleavage may be seen
as incipient cracks running through the stone.
Tagua
Nut
 A
tagua nut (also called vegetable ivory) is from the Tagua palm tree (also called
ivory nut palm) from South America. The scientific name means "Plant Elephant"
which refers to the hard white seeds which resemble elephant ivory. Each
fruit pod is covered in a horned husk that is about the size of a grapefruit.
Inside there are 4 to 9 seeds the size of a hen's egg. Tagua
is naturally an ivory color and can be toasted to a rich golden brown or deep
mocha. It is extremely hard, takes on a high polish and absorbs dyes readily. In
the 1920s over 20% of the buttons produced in the US were made of tagua, imported
into the US from South America. Care of tagua includes not
getting it wet such as in a shower or swimming pool. Every year or so, buffing
with beeswax will enhance is natural shine. The indigenous
people of South America use Tagua to represent the feminine because of its great
magnet-like romantic energy. Each member of the tribe was given a tagua pendant
to wear around his or her neck. The natives believed that persons wearing tagua
would live in harmony and always be loved by their family and friends. Using
Tagua Nuts for carving is ecologically sound. It is a excellent substitute for
illegal elephant ivory so prevents elephants from being killed for the ivory in
their tusks. And its economic viability provides an alternative to cutting down
rainforests for farming. Tagua Palm stands are a valuable sustainable, renewable
resource not only for the tagua ivory but as a source of food and construction
wood. The nuts are harvested from the ground without any harm to the tree. 
Tiger
eye
A rich brown stone with veining and opal-like iridescence. Can
have a definite 'eye'.
Travertine
A porous rock that formed of calcium carbonate. It occurs near hot mineral springs
when water that is rich in calcium comes to the surface and cools, releasing the
calcium to form, often in the shape of ornate columns. Pure travertine is white,
but often is brown to yellow due to impurities (other than carbonate minerals).
Turquoise
- (see
page 1)
Varacite
Turquoise look-a-like, very similar chemically,
generally light blue/green with a lot of matrix.
 Verdite
Verdite
is a semi-precious stone found only in South Africa. It occurs in a range of changing
patterns and shades from golden brown to rich emerald greens and blues. It is
very smooth and solid and is relatively easy to carve. Ancient tribesmen crafted
Verdite into jewelry and witchdoctors made a preparation from the powdered stone,
which they believed increased fertility.
 Wild
Horse Magnesite ( Appaloosa Stone) is a natural Gemstone from an Indian
Reservation near Bisbee, AZ. It is a milk chocolate- to-dark chocolate colored
stone, with bold patches of white, shadow hues, and lots of lined matrix.Since
it appears to be much harder than other magnesite (ivoryite or howlite), most
experts consider it to be a jasper deposit mixed with the turquoise.
Zebra
stone
A black and white stone from the vicinity of Prescott, Arizona. It is said
to bring out your intuition, tenderness, gentleness and love. It helps you exercise
self-control and understand your chosen destiny. It stimulates creativity and
success. | 
Stones
Used in Native American Indian Jewelry