PRECIOUS STONES.
By George F. Kunz.
Introduction.—This
paper slightly repeats some of the material of the former one in the
1882 report, but this is scarcely to be avoided. The time allowed for
the first paper was scarcely sufficient for consulting the literature
to any great extent, and it was prepared from material at hand or from
personal observation. The interval of o\ er a year has afforded the
time necessary to inquire into and verify the authenticity of this
matter. Where the material has been duplicated, it is only in part, and
fuller or more, authentic facts are added in" this report. A number of
localities are mentioned where, although no gems have as yet been
found, the material at times is very nearly good enough for gems; or
else from the small amount of development, the possibility of gems
being found in the future may fairly be inferred. A few localities are
mentioned where specimens uuexampled as such have been found, and have
a claim on the gem collector, since they are gem minerals ; and also
where they have been of financial value to the finders, although little
or no gem value may be attached to them, as in the case of the Pike's
peak amazonstone and smoky quartz, and the Monroe spinels. Many of
these are as beautiful, if not more so, in their native form, than they
are after having undergone the cutting process, as for example some of
the Utah topazes, beryls from North Carolina, and many others, a fact
of which almost any one would be convinced by a visit to some
of our finer cabinets. The cutting of such material, therefore, for the
higher money value, is really vandalism and should be discouraged by
all scientists.
A
most important find of gem materials and specimens during the past year
was at the Auburn, Maine, locality (a), which from July, 1883, to July,
1884, afforded possibly about $1,000 worth of tourmaline specimens,
and the other minerals netted about $500 more. These were taken out in
one month's work, and since then fully $500 more has been realized on
those taken out by the various persons working the locality.
The
tourmalines and beryls found in the last work done by the Mount Mica
Mining Company during the summer of 1882 were still in the possession
of the company, and were offered for sale in the summer of 1884 at Bar
Harbor, Mount Desert, Maine. Some were there readily sold as
