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Recommended Polishes
For Lapidary Materials
from Benjamin E. Schmidt

[Ed. note: I found this list of recommended polishes in some old files recently.  It was compiled by Ben Schmidt at least 10 years ago and given to me for my own use.  Ben was an excellent cutter and so I thought I would share the list with you.]

Key:   CO - Cerium Oxide, CH - Chrome Oxide, DI - Diamond, LA - Linde A, TO - Tin Oxide


Actinolite: TO
Agate:  CO, TO
Alabaster:  TO
Amozonite: TO
Amber: TO
Amblygonite: TO
Andalucite: TO
Apatite: LA, CH
Aventurine: TO
Azurite: TO, CH
Apophyllite: CH
Aragonite: CH
Axinite: CO
Barite: CH
Benitoite: CO
Beryl: CO, TO, DI
Bloodstone: LA
Brazilianite: TO
Calcite: TO, CH
Cassiterite: TO
Celestite: CH
Cerossite: CH
Chrysoberyl: DI
Coral: TO
Corundum: DI
Cubic Zirconia: DI
Danburite: TO
Datolite: TO
Diopside: CH
Dioptase: CO
Diorite: CO, TO, LA, CH
Enstatite: TO
Epidote: TO
Euclase: TO
Feldspar: CO, TO
Fluorite: TO, CH
Garnet: CO, TO, LA, DI, CH
Goldstone: CO, TO
Hematite: CO
Hickoryite: LA
Howlite: CO, TO, LA, CH
Hypersthene: TO
Jadeite: CO, TO, LA, CH
Jasper: CO, TO, LA, CH
Kyanite: TO
Labradorite: TO, CH
Lapis Lazuli: TO, LA, CH
Lepidolite: CH
Limestone: CO, TO, LA, CH
Malachite: TO, LA, CH
Moonstone: TO
Nephrite: TO, LA, CH
Obsidian: TO, CH
Onyx: CO, TO, CH
Opal: CO, TO
Peridot: TO, LA, DI
Petrified Wood: CO, TO, LA, CH
Phenacite: TO
Pollucite: TO
Quartz: CO, TO
Rhodochrosite: TO, LA, CH
Rhodonite: CO, LA, CH
Ruby: DI
Rutile: LA
Sapphire: DI
Scapolite: CO
Scheelite: CH
Serpentine: TO, LA, CH
Smithsonite: TO
Sodalite: CO
Sosolite: CO
Spinel: TO, LA, DI
Spahlerite: CH
Spodumene: TO
Sunstone: TO
Thompsonite: CO
Tiger-eye: CO, TO, LA
Titanite (sphene): TO
Topaz: TO, LA, DI
Tourmaline: TO, LA, DI
Turquoise: CO, TO, LA
Unakite: CO
Varicite: CO, TO, LA
Vesuvianite: CO
Williamsite: LA
Wonderstone: TO, LA,
Wulfenite: CH
Zircon: TO
Zoisite: CO
GEM CUTTERS NEWS 3/98
via Glacial Drifter 12/99