Spodumene is the mineral composing two comparatively new and charming gems, Hiddenite and Kunzite. Ordinarily
spodumene is of a white or gray color, and possesses no great value as
a gem, but in its rarer form as hiddenite it possesses a beautiful
emerald-green color. The only deposit of hiddenite known was found
accidentally by Mr. W. E. Hidden, through the overturning of a tree on
a farm near Stony Point, Alexander County, North Carolina. The mineral
is somewhat hard to polish, owing to the danger of splitting, due to
its marked prismatic cleavage. Although the stone possesses beautiful
qualities as a gem and commands a high price it is unfortunately
little known, as the mine at Stony Point, North Carolina, was reported
to have been exhausted some ten years ago and no fresh supply of
hiddenite has ever been discovered.
Kunzite is one of the newest gem minerals known. It was discovered during the course of some mining for tourmaline, near Pala, San
