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HISTORY OF THE GEMS FOUND IN NORTH CAROLINA.
By George Frederick Kunz, Ph. D.
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CHAPTER I.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OP GEM MINING.
Gem
mining in North Carolina had its origin; first, in the finding of
rolled crystals in the gold washings in several counties, some of them
of gem value, notably a few diamonds and occasionally a zircon or
epidote; then in the development of the mica mines, some of which
furnished some very beautiful beryls and others, garnets. Some of the
garnet crystals of wonderful color and brilliancy were frequently found
flattened between the plates of mica.
The
first systematic mining for gems was undertaken by Mr. C. W. Jenks, in
1871, when he opened the corundum mine, on Corundum Hill, near
Franklin, Macon County. This proved interesting scientifically, and
many choice gems were obtained; and the name of the Jenks, or Culsagee,
mine became noted. The amount of gems found, however, did not warrant
permanent operations for gem corundum only, and after a few years the
mine was operated for corundum for abrasive purposes. Another
promising mine, opened soon afterwards, was the Buck Creek, or
Cullakeenee mine, in Clay County; but this has had much the same
history. Next came the mining for emeralds in Alexander County, at
Stony Point, where crystals had been found loose in the soil formed by
the disintegration of the country rock. As this region has never been
subjected to glacial action, as the northern part of the country has,
anything found in the soil, apart from stream-beds, has its origin
presumably near the spot where it is met with. The entire soil and
upper portions of the rocks here consist of what Professor Kerr called
the " frost drift," i. e., the same as the underlying rock,
but decayed and decomposed by frost and weathering in general. Credit
should be given here to the late Mr. J. Adlai D. Stephenson, of
Statesville, who recognized these conditions and stimulated the country
people to search the surface of their fields for such crystals, of
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