Cabochons made with Basenite backing
Basenite is a pure basalt with no pitting/crystal pockets, crystal inclusions, or voids. It is extremely stable with no spidery fractures or cracks. It can be cut with a true, accurate slab saw to 1.5mm thin and still be strong. It's used mainly as a black backing for clear agate slabs/cabs that have inclusions such as plumes and Sagenite needles. Putting a black Basenite backing to make the inclusions more intense as seen above, makes a tremendous difference in the over all look of the cabochon. Other uses for Basenite can be for supporting thin opal doublets/triplets, thin slabs, flat cabs, napping, or as a support base for unstable or brittle rocks. Basenite has a gloss finish that easily matches a glossy-finished cabochon. I get my Basenite from a special area of the Owyhee desert.