Precious Gem stones production in 1906 Page 63



	1238	MINERAL RESOURCES.

	The Noyes gem mine is near the summit of a hill about three-fourths of a mile east of Hicks Pond, in the southern part of the town of Greenwood, Oxford County. It has been worked by a small open cut, the southern wall of which consists of schist with a strike of N. 50° W. and a nearly vertical dip. The pegmatite, which can be traced a little way beyond the cut, contains numerous pockets, some measuring several feet in size. Good gem tourmaline, suitable for cutting, was obtained while the mine was worked. At the Black Mountain mica mine, in the town of Rumford, Oxford County, greenish-black and opaque pink tourmalines have been found. There are no pockets in the pegmatite, however, and no gem material has ever been obtained. The Dunton mine, in the northeast corner of the town of Newry, Oxford County, was worked a little for gem tourmaline and beryl in 1903 and 1904. The pegmatite, which is extremely coarse grained, has been exposed in the mine in a face about 20 feet high. In a space 5 or 6 feet across, near the center of the pegmatite as exposed in the quarry, much lepidolite, pink and white opaque spodumenc, and tourmaline are associated with the feldspar. Some of these minerals are very coarsely crystallized, for spodumeno crystals 2-1/2 inches long and 3 inches wide, and tourmaline 2 feet long and 4 or 5 inches in diameter, have been found. The tourmalines range in color from black to dark indigo blue to grass green, emerald green, red, and pink. They are generally found in solid pegmatite, which makes their extraction without breaking difficult. The blue-green varieties are usually opaque, while the green and pink crystals are transparent. The larger crystals are generally not sufficiently transparent for gems. Beryls are found occasionally, and one seen was of a beautiful grass-green color. GEM MINERALS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. In a "Catalogue of the Mineral Localities of South Carolina" (in press), prepared by Earle Sloan, State geologist, the occurrence of several gem minerals is noted. Among these are emerald, aquamarine, beryl, sapphire, amethyst, and rutilated quartz, with some garnet, zircon, green tourmaline, amber, and chalcedony. None of these gem minerals, however, have been worked, nor have commercial deposits been proved as yet. Beryl, in some cases of gem quality, has been found in a belt running through Anderson and Spartanburg counties and is generally associated with pegmatite. Some bend, however, also of gem quality, has been obtained during the washing of monazite-bearing gravels. The best specimens have come from Anderson County, among which were green crystals whose color rivaled that of the oriental emerald. Scattered crystals of corundum, with a few of gem quality, have been found in Cherokee County in monazite deposits. A valuable oriental emerald is said to have been found in the Bowen River section, and a blue sapphire from the same region sold for £75. Amethyst has been found at several localities in Cherokee, Anderson, and Abbeville counties. Some was of superior quality. Rutilated quartz has been found in connection with the monazite belt running through Anderson and Spartanburg counties.