Little late getting on here today… but honestly, I chose the sun for a bit. Some days you’ve just gotta step outside, breathe it in, and remember why we do all this in the first place. Still been putting in the work behind the scenes—working on a YouTube video I think you’re really going to connect with. It’s one of those ones where you don’t know what’s inside until you take that chance and open it up… kinda like life and this whole journey we’re on. I want to hear from you—did you get outside today? Find anything, even if it was just a quiet moment? Drop it below 👇 let’s hear it.

Back in the workshop outside cutting and polishing another piece of serpentine today. This one changed color again after the cut, which always keeps things interesting. It’s more of my mid-grade material, not my top deep green stuff, but it still has some really cool character — black banding, greens, grays, and even a little pyrite showing through. That’s one thing I enjoy about working stone… you never fully know what’s inside until you open it up. I burnt out two more tools this time,😵so I’ve been learning as I go and slowly building out the workshop. Got me thinking… maybe one day we should do a lapidary workshop hangout where we talk tools, cutting, polishing, rock types, and just share what everyone is working on. Kind of a laid-back rock talk session. Would any of you be into a workshop day like that? And who else here works with serpentine or lapidary?

I recently took a closer look at this stone I found high up in the Purcell mountain range near kimberley bc and it turned out to be far more than “just a green rock.” What it appears to be is serpentinite — a metamorphic rock formed deep in the Earth when ancient ultramafic rocks were altered by heat, pressure, and water over immense time. What’s in this stone: 🟢 Green areas: (probably antigorite-rich) (main rock)_(serpentine) ⚫ Black magnetic spots: likely magnetic with pyrite ⚪ White hard zones: likely Quartz These are the tougher veins running through the stone. How it formed (beginner-friendly version): Think of this rock as a piece of Earth’s history that was “cooked and changed.” 1. Deep underground, dark magnesium-rich rocks existed. 2. Water moved through cracks and altered those rocks into serpentine. 3. Iron in the system helped form magnetite. 4. Silica-rich fluids later moved through fractures and deposited quartz. 5. Mountain-building lifted these rocks up into the Purcells where they can now be found. That means this one stone records alteration, mineral growth, veining, and mountain uplift. Pretty amazing for something sitting in your hand. What type of rock is it? It appears to be a serpentinite with quartz veining and magnetite, likely tied to altered ultramafic material. That’s a lot of geology packed into one stone. I love sharing this kind of discovery because you don’t need a geology degree to start reading rocks — you just need curiosity. 💬 What do you see in this piece? Have you found serpentinite or unusual mountain stones in your area? Lapidary work done by sheldon evans.

First up — Nephrite (Jade) This stuff does not cut easy. Nephrite is incredibly tough—not just hard, but resistant to breaking—which makes it a challenge on the saw. But once you get into it… that deep green is unreal. The polish potential on this piece is going to be something special. Second — what I believe is a Dendritic Agate (possibly from the Yukon) Silica-rich and full of those wild, natural “branching” patterns. Those dark lines you see are dendrites—usually manganese or iron minerals forming inside the stone. No two pieces are ever the same, and this one’s got some serious character. Two cuts, two completely different experiences: One fights you the whole way (nephrite)💚 One reveals a hidden landscape (dendritic agate) That’s what makes this addictive.🪨 Where do you think this Nephrite sits on the Mohs hardness scale? ⛏️💎