gems,
known as Peridots, are conspicuous for their greenish-yellow color. It
is found around Vesuvius, along the Rhine, in Styria, Sweden, Norway,
in the Azores, Sandwich Islands; in the United States in the White
Mts., New Hampshire, North Carolina, New Mexico and Arizona.
Chrysoprase: An apple-green Chalcedony, the color due to the presence of nickel oxide. It has a limited use as a gem stone.
Chrysotile: A
silky, nearly transparent, variety of Serpentine. It is delicately
fibrous, the fibers being easily separated, and its color
greenish-white, olive-green or yellow. Chrysotile is mined and sold
under the name of Asbestos, which because of its fibrous structure, its
flexibility, its incombustibility, and because it is a non-conductor of
heat and electricity, is an exceedingly important economic product. It
is used for fireproofing, as insulating material, in the manufacture
of automobile tires, etc. (see Asbestos). It is mined in Vermont,
Wyoming and various localities in Canada.
Cinnabar: Mercury
Sulphide. The principal ore of Mercury, (containing 86%) nearly all the
mercury, or quicksilver, of the world being obtained from it. This
mineral occurs both crystallized and massive. The ore is a
cochineal-red crystalline mass, easily distinguished from the other
red minerals by its peculiar shade and its great weight. Mercury finds
many uses in the arts. It is largely used in the manufacture of
mirrors, barometers, thermometers, etc., and is found in Spain,
Austria, Russia, California, Texas and Nevada. The Spanish mines have
been worked for many hundreds of years.
Citrine: A
transparent Quartz sometimes called "False Topaz" on account of its
yellow color, which is no doubt due to a trace of iron. It was formerly
quite popular as a gem
stone, its deep yellow color giving it the effect of real Topaz, though it
was lacking in brilliancy.
Clinochlore: A
silicate belonging to the Chlorite group. Color deep grass-green to
olive green, pale green to white, and also rose-red. It occurs in
connection with chlor-itic rocks and Serpentine, and is found in
Saxony, Switzerland, Austria and Sweden. In the United States, in
Pennsylvania and New York.
