a geological puzzle

[dchenes]

Over the course of last weekend, I came across a 4" diameter sphere of a mineral that's yellow-green, transparent and tremendously heavy for its size. The sphere weighed about 8 lb. It looked exactly like a small crystal ball, only yellow-green. Nobody (including its owner) has a clue what mineral it is. Any suggestions?

Comments

[biophile6.livejournal.com]

Its the 4.

[melopoeia.livejournal.com]

From LJuser WillTruncheon:

I'd say either Citrine or Kryptonite. Sandy the mineralogist says she doesn't think it's citrine, though, which is usually yellow-orange. I swear I've seen examples that were pale yellow-green, though. However, as the object in question is a small sphere that you describe as looking like a crystal ball, what you have may be a piece of golden beryl. Dr. Dee's famous scrying stone, currently in the British Museum, was made of beryl. 5th Century Irish even had a name for beryl-scryers: Specularii. Sometimes instead of spheres, it was cut into thin, flat slices which were also used for scrying.

I'd be careful touching it, though... the Palantiri is a dangerous tool, and they are not all accounted for...

[marmota.livejournal.com]

I remember seeing a beautiful display of glass items at the Corning Glass Museum/Factory in New York that contained uranium to provide bright yellow and green colors. Perhaps you should consider taking a geiger counter to it.

A quick google turns up http://www.glassassociation.org.uk/Journal/uranium.htm