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Ch. 11: Amber, Malachite, Serpentine, Bowenite, Williamsite, ... Catlinite, etc.

Ch. 10: Chiastolite, Cyanite, Datolite, Staurolite, ... Fluorite Page of 364 Ch. 11: Amber, Malachite, Serpentine, Bowenite, Williamsite, ... Catlinite, etc. Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
CHAPTER XI.
Serpentine, Bowenite, Williamsite, Microlite, Meerschaum, Apatite, Beryllonite, Lazulite,
Cassiterite, Hematite, Lodestone, Rutile, Octahedrite, Brookite, Arkansite,
Titanic Iron, Titanite, Malachite, Chrysocolla, Azurite,
Aragonite, Fossil Coral, Pyrite.
S ERPENTINE is found in many localities in the United States, and of a quality to fit it for use for ornaments, although it is little used for that purpose, and finds its greatest demand for decorative and building purposes. The dark-green noble serpentine found at Newburyport, Mass., has been cut into oak and other leaf forms for ornaments. The golden and greenish-yellow serpentine of Montville, N. J., is of the precious variety, and takes an excellent polish. In this local­ity serpentine occurs associated with crystalline dolomite, and many fine specimens in different collections were obtained, during the process of quarrying this rock, for burning into quicklime or for flux in iron furnaces. It occurs in small seams or veins, or in isolated nodules from a few inches to several feet in diameter. George P. Merrill, of the United States National Museum, has written an exhaustive paper on this subject.1 He has found that the white and gray nuclei which often exist in the centre of these nodules of serpentine are pyroxene, and by analysis and micros­copic examination has proved that this serpentine is the result of an alteration from pyroxene. The beautiful series of polished specimens in the United States National Museum and in Yale University show all the changes from pyroxene to serpentine.
1 See Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1888, p. 105.
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Ch. 10: Chiastolite, Cyanite, Datolite, Staurolite, ... Fluorite Page of 364 Ch. 11: Amber, Malachite, Serpentine, Bowenite, Williamsite, ... Catlinite, etc.
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