Info on turning Malachite.

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Talfalfa33

Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
141
Location
Dallas, Tx
Hello everyone,
I just picked up a malachite blank and have it drilled and tubed, but I'm not sure if a respirator might be needed or just a good dust mask will do. I do know when cutting a lot of malachite, it's cut under water. Any info or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I thought it would go good with a tycoon kit.

Thank You all for your help.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

PTsideshow

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
1,033
Location
Macomb County Michigan
It is a type of copper ore, granted it is mixed with resin in the pen blanks version. Always use a good grade of respirator Minimum of n95 n99 is better. Cutting of the stone into slabs or cabs is done with water mainly to extend the life of the diamond blades, and then to keep the dust down. It wasn't to long ago that an oil cutting fluid was used in lapidary.
Just like the tile saws in use today the blades have gotten cheaper but always last longer when used wet. Heat is the enemy of any blade. Can't help on the turning of the blanks. Only have worked some cab's of the real stone.

You have to remember that copper dust, and the oxides of copper the green copper it becomes as it ages is a toxin, It is listed as a slight skin contact, so wear nitrile gloves. The inhalation factor is moderate, the ingestion is high, so don't eat, smoke or drink while working it! clean up well and us a good filter on the vac so you don't put it in the air.
The threshold limit vales are0.05mg/m³ respirable dust,per 8 hours. there were impending changes to the amounts(possible lowering)
:clown:
 

76winger

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
2,784
Location
Lebanon Indiana
I didn't realize there were hazards involved in turning the stuff, good info above. As for turning, it's actually one of the easier TruStone variations to turn. My first experience with it, I turned it using a carbon steel skew and had no problems.
 

PTsideshow

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
1,033
Location
Macomb County Michigan
I will just add, even with the resin mixed in with the stone material. Yes it is plastic. But since minerals are used as fillers or extenders in plastic resin manufacture, they treat all the material as an inhalation hazard. All minerals can contain silica's to some extent which are cumulative leading to silicious or one of the other assorted stone type lung diseases.

So even the use of sandpaper with the silica based grits can lead to problems from long term exposure. Combining that with the dust from a plastic/stone/mineral material. So the use of a respirator should be the first line of safety.
:clown:
 

penmaker56

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2008
Messages
449
Location
Potomac, MD, USA.
As a gemcutter, even though the stones were always cut under a stream of water, we always used dust masks when cutting malachite. Besides the brown sludge that is made when cutting, and the dust, the chrome oxide used to polish it wasn't too healthy either.
 
Top Bottom