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A little information about Nevada Tiffany stone

There are a lot of misconceptions about Tiffany stone. Such as, what it actually is. Some people refer to it as “ice cream opal,” even though Tiffany stone is not opal. Some people refer to it as “bertrandite” also, even though Tiffany stone is not the mineral bertrandite; which is found in many locations around the world.

Tiffany stone is not a particular mineral, but rather a mix of up to 16 different minerals; including fluorite, quartz, calcite, dolomite, opal, chalcedony, manganese, bertrandite, etc. Each of these minerals may or not be present in a particular piece. For example, bertrandite is such a rare mineral in the ore, I think it was something like .04%, that most Tiffany stone does not contain any bertrandite.

Another common misconception, is that Tiffany stone only comes from one location; which is the Brush–Wellman Mine in Utah. This is a very persistent myth, that I think is to keep the price artificially inflated. Especially since collecting at the mine is no longer allowed.

About 10 years ago I saw this material retailing for $500 a pound!!!

Since then, the price has dropped drastically for the Utah Tiffany stone. I think in large part because the material from Utah has a bad reputation of often being highly friable (easily disintegrates when working with it).

So basically, people were spending $500 a pound on a major gamble.

Tiffany stone has actually been found in three locations in Utah and there are two locations I am aware of in Nevada.

There is a similar claim about red beryl, which some claim also only occurs in one place in Utah. Fact is, that red beryl is found in two locations in Utah and has also been found in New Mexico.

So again, stories of being rarer are often done to artificially inflate prices.

Most of the Nevada Tiffany stone is pretty stable; and the only major difference I have found in composition between the Utah and Nevada material is the fact that the Nevada material often has honey calcite, occasionally green calcite is present, as well as white calcite. The Utah Tiffany stone only has white calcite.

☆An interesting fact:

Neither the fluorite in the Utah Tiffany stone, nor the Nevada Tiffany stone fluoresces under UV light.