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The Sapphire. 191
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occurs
in the tin-drifts with other gems in the form of small rolled pebbles,
associated in many cases with alluvial gold. The tin deposits south of
Emmaville, and between that town and the Severn, have been specially
rich in Sapphires. They have also been found in the drift near
Crookwell; and at Tumberumba, Berrima, Mittagong and Kiandra. The
Berrima Sapphires present a considerable variety of colour, including
brown, bronze and honey-yellow ; some of the crystals are of large
size, and the bronze-coloured varieties are notable for their high
density, which may rise to 4-4, or even higher. In the opinion of the
Rev. J. Milne Curran, who has paid much attention to the subject, the
matrix of the New South Wales Sapphire is basalt ; and by the
disintegration of this rock the stones are set free, and so find their
way into the alluvia and drifts.
Queensland
likewise yields Sapphires, especially near Withersfield, more than 200
miles from Rockhampton. Here they occur, with zircons and other gem
stones, in a drift containing pebbles and boulders of quartz, resting
on a decomposed surface of gneiss. Some of the Sapphires are of Royal
blue colour, but most are dark blue ; a few are green, while others
exhibit alternations of blue and green laminae. Unfortunately most of
the Australian Sapphires cut too black, though now and then a small
piece of really fine colour may be taken off the edge of a large stone.
In
1890, it was reported that a fine Sapphire had been found by Mr. T.
Bakhop, of Lower Junction, Tasmania, on one of his properties in the
north-eastern part of the island.
CANADIAN CORUNDUM.
Important deposits of Corundum have lately been discovered in the province of Ontario. It is true that they
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