Ch. 3: Precious Gem stones in 1882

Page of 38

Text size:



	496 MINERAL EESOUECES. ard variety, and not the Ceylonese, is found at Media, Pennsylvania and at Orange Court-house, Virginia. The quantity sold amounts pos-sibly to over $250 annually. Elwolite.—Elseolite has been found in some abundance, and of a very compact, rich, flesh, cinnamon, and yellow-brown color that would war-rani its use for certain purposes in jewelry, at Magnet Cove, Arkansas Obsidian.—American obsidian is scarcely used at all in jewelry, al-though found in masses in California and others of the Pacific States The Pitt River country is a well-known locality, and furnishes hand-some specimens of " mahogany obsidian." The streaked marekanite so called, has been used, but to a very limited extent, probably amount-ing to not more than $100 auuually. Chlorastrolite.—Chlorastrolite is found only at Isle Poyal, Lake Supe-rior, where it occurs in the form of rolled pebbles which have fallen or worn out of the trap rock. They are entirely opaque, of a green color mottled with stellations, and admit of a high polish. It is one of the few strictly American gems. Large numbers are sold annually to tour-ists who visit the Lake region. Chlorastrolites measuring one inch in length and of good color have sold for $50. The annual sales amount to fully $2,500.

	Thomsonite.—Thomsonite is found at Grand Marais, Lake Superior in color flesh-red, with zones of green, red, and white, resembling the eye-agate, the peculiarly soft tones of color making it si very pretty stone. It is cut to some extent, and possibly from $500 to $730 worth is sold every year, principally to tourists. Diopside.—This mineral has been found at De Kalb, (a) New York short, stout, oily green crystals, in color resembling the crystals from Ala, in Piedmont. Specimens have been found sufficiently large and clear to cut into gems weighing from G to 8 carats each, and recently crystals have been obtained which in size and perfection rival the foreign, and some will furnish gems of 12 to 15 karats each. This is the only known locality for this gem in the United States. Opal.—Opal has not yet been found in the United States of sufficient merit to entitle it to the name of a gem. Willemite.—This stone (b) has been found sufficiently transparent at Franklin, New Jersey, to make a very fair gem. The color is of a rich yellow, in shade between the topaz and chrysoberyl from Brazil, with the vitreous luster of the Tavetsch titanite. One crystal furnished seven gems, one of them weighing over 8 carats. As this gem occurs in colors of rich brown and one of the richest greens, we may in time expect to see gems in both these varieties. Rhodonite.—Rhodonite is found in a number of localities in the United States. At Oummington, Massachusetts, it occurs in fine large pieces of a rich red color, occasionally beautifully streaked with the black ox-

Page of 38