with
color varying from brownish, gray, green, bluish or pink to plum. It is
classified as a semi-precious stone and some of the rich plum colored varieties make beautiful settings.
Axinite occurs in the Harz Mts.; Silesia, Hungary, England, Switzerland and Norway; and also in Maine and Pennsylvania.
Azurite: Blue
Carbonate of Copper. Carbon Dioxide 25.5%, Cupric Oxide 69.2%. It
occurs as incrustations, as massive radiated, foliated and earthy
forms, as well as in crystals. It changes rapidly to Malachite and is
sometimes reduced to copper. Commercially it is a very important ore of
copper; and is also important as an ornamental stone, the well-banded
colored specimens being used in the manufacture of trinkets, ornaments
and in the less expensive jewelry. It is used to some extent in making
paints. It occurs in beautiful crystals at Cressy, France; in Cornwall,
England; and at Phoenixville, Pa., Bisbee, Arizona, and many other
places.
Babingtonite: A vitreous greenish-black mineral of the Amphi-bole group, named after Wm. Babington, of England.
Barite: Barium
Sulphate. Sulphur Trioxide 34.3%, Baryta 65.7%. This mineral is
sometimes called "heavy-spar" and is easily distinguished from other
white minerals on account of its extreme weight. It occurs usually in
colorless tabular crystals, but also in granular and massive forms.
Various shades, blue, yellow, red or brown, are due to impurities. Some
crystals of gigantic dimensions have been found, one in Westmoreland,
England, weighing 100 lbs. The colored massive varieties are cut into
slabs, polished, and used as ornamental stones.
The
white varieties are ground and the powder used in making paints, and as
an adulterant of white lead; also to give weight to paper and certain
kinds of cloth. This mineral is also used in the manufacture of
enamelware, oil-cloth; also Barium Salts, the most important of which
is hydroxide which is used in refining sugar. The banded varieties are
cut and polished and made into vases, mantels, etc.
Barite is found abundantly in England and Scotland; in the United States, in the Lake Superior region, in Connecticut, New York, Missouri, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and New Mexico.
Bauxite: Hydrated
Sesquioxide of Aluminium. Alumina 73.9%. It occurs in grains, clay-like
forms, and massive, is white when pure, but is usually found yellow,
gray, red
or brown in color. Aluminum is used in castings where light weight
