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of
the same size. A price of forty dollars per carat is an average one for
a small stone; and as much larger stones are comparatively common, the
price does not increase so rapidly as does that of the ruby with an
increase in size.
The
world's supply of sapphires comes chiefly from Siam. The most important
mines of that country are those of Battambong, a city southeast of
Bangkok. The sapphires occur in a sandy clay, out of which they are
washed. The sapphire-bearing region is about a hundred miles in length.
Together with the sapphires occur some rubies, especially in the
southern part of the district. Sapphires also occur among the rubies of
Burmah, but in small numbers. The so-called gem gravels of Ceylon
furnish many sapphires, though their quality is not equal to those of
Siam, because of paleness of color.
Another locality
for sapphires, discovered about 1882, is Banskar, in Cashmere, India.
These stones were first disclosed by the fall of an avalanche, and
later were discovered to exist in the region in considerable numbers.
For a time they could be cheaply purchased, but are now jealously
guarded by the government.
The
Montana sapphires have been known since 1865, but were not
systematically worked until 1891. They occur in river sands east of
Helena, and were first obtained in washing for gold. Now the mother
rock has been discovered; and this is mined, the rock being taken out,
piled in heaps, and submitted to the action of frost through the
winter. The sapphires thus become loosened and can be readily
separated. These sapphires are well crystallized and are of good
average size, though few gems exceed six carats in weight. Their
luster and color are for the most part of first quality, and the stones
are in demand for the best of jewelry. The most recent find of
sapphires has been in Central Queensland, Australia, at a place
called'A.nakie, twenty-six miles west of Emerald. Here sapphires occur
over an extensive area. Green, yellow, pale blue, and dark blue stones
are those most commonly found, the cornflower-blue occurring but
rarely. Hence, the stones have not been widely used as yet. They reach
sizes of from thirty to fifty carats.
The
common corundum of North Carolina, mined extensively as an abrasive,
often also contains blue transparent portions from which gems can be
made. One of the best known mines yielding such stones is that at
Corundum Hill, in Macon County. This also produces a few rubies, and a
fine specimen of Oriental emerald, or green sapphire, was obtained
here. This was a crystal 4 by 2 by 1-1/4 inches, which would afford
several first-class gems.
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