An interesting read - FAKE MINERALS etc

Found this while using StumbleUpon and thought it may be of interest to people who buy this kind of thing.

I am a collector of crystals, minerals and fossils I have indeed been fooled by one or two of these in my time so it's always handy to be forewarned so-to-speak.

The Vug; Fakes, Forgeries, and Misrepresentations in the mineral world

Would be exceptionally interested to see more pages of this kind on this thread so we can be guided away from the shamsters and fraudsters who want to make a quick buck out of unsuspecting people and quite frankly should be stopped!

There's also a blog: FakeMinerals.com

Hmm, can't say I'm surprised! I'm always very careful with sourcing my semipreciouses (has to be said as if you are gollum) and turquoise is notorious!

Wow! fascinating. I love the idea of dying howlite to make turquoise using toilet bowl cleaner!! or "natural silver" (I like the shapes though, interesting to cast it over quartz).
Scary stuff huh, ebay has alot to answer for!
Em

I'm not surprised, I've known about it for a very long time (my Dad had wanted to be a geologist so knew lots and taught me lots too) but it seems to come as a huge surprise to other people sometimes so I thought it worth of a post here just incase :)

I think you did the right thing - if you don't buy a lot of semipreciouses its all too easy to get caught.