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The Emerald.
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discovery led directly to the regulated working of the bed» which yielded in the first years some fine specimens—one of the extraordinary weight of 101-3/4 carats ; but, unfortunately, the yield gradually decreased.
The Emerald mines are situated on the right bank of the River Tokowoia, about 85 versts to the east of Ekaterinburg, on the Asiatic slope of the Ural mountains. The Emeralds occur in a matrix of mica-schist, and are associated with Alexandrite, Chrysoberyl, Phenacite, etc. Some of these Emeralds are of very fine colour, but most of them—especially the large crystals—are of inferior quality, being much flawed and in some cases containing enclosures of mica. At present but very few Emeralds are yielded by Russia.
Crystals of Emerald are found embedded in a dark mica-schist in the Habachthal (or Heubachthal), which is situated in a wild part of the Salzburg Alps, and at a great elevation above sea level. Some of the crystals display excellent colour, but most of them are unfortunately small, and of no importance commercially. The occurrence, however, is of scientific interest, inasmuch as the Emerald is here found in mica-schist, exactly as it occurs in^the Urals and in Egypt. The Salzburg Emeralds are said to have been known to the ancient Romans, and at the present time the locality is being explored in the hope of discovering a supply of stones fit for jewellery.
Emeralds are also found near Snarum, in Norway, but only as mineral specimens.
AUSTRALIAN EMERALDS. In the year 1890, attention was called to the discovery of Emeralds in New South Wales The stones were first
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