Madagascar.—Mr.
Albert Dabren, mining engineer of Madagascar, reports the discovery of
gem kunzite and hiddenite on that island. In a personal letter to the
writer, dated Tananarivo, May 1, 1908, Mr. Dabren states that the
material is comparable with that of California and North Carolina in
beauty.
TOPAZ.
UNITED STATES.
Topaz
was produced in Utah, California, Texas, Maine, and New Hampshire
during 1907. Prof. F. W. Clarke mentions an occurrence of topaz on
Baldface Mountain, near North Chatham, N. H., where faintly bluish and
colorless crystals, suitable both for specimen and cutting, are found.
This locality is only a few miles from the Stone-ham, Me., topaz
locality.
Texas.—The
production of topaz in Texas came from a new locality, near Streeter,
Mason County, and was reported by Mr. R. L. Parker to amount to about
20 pounds. Part of this topaz was found as pebbles in the drift of a
small branch and part in place in pockets embedded in yellowish clay,
associated with crystals of smoky quartz, tabular feldspar, and mica.
Mr. Parker describes the topaz as varying from colorless to white,
bluish, greenish, and amber in color. Of three specimens sent to the
Survey, one is a cleavage fragment of a water-worn crystal, colorless,
and perfectly clear; another crystal is perfectly clear with a slight
bluish tint; and the third, a large ciystal weighing about 4-1/2
ounces, is clear in portions, with a delicate bluish-green tint. It is
probable that very beautiful material will be obtained from this
locality.
Though
well supplied with faces, the two crystals available for examination
apparently presented no new forms. The forms determined with
reasonable certainty by hand measurements were the prisms m(110),
1(120), and g(130), brachy-pinacoid b(010), macro-dome h(203),
brachydomes f(021) and y(041), and pyramids u(lll), v(121), o(221), and
i(223). The character of the crystal faces varies considerably on the
two crystals. Some are polished; others are clouded, etched, and
striated.
California.—The
production of topaz from California came from the gem mines 4 miles N.
75° E. of Ramona, San Diego County, and principally from the Little
Three mine at this locality. These mines produce, besides topaz,
hyacinth-colored garnet, tourmaline, quartz, and albite or
clevelandite. Some of these stones yield rich gems, while others form
beautiful cabinet specimens. The mines from which they are obtained are
described under "Gem minerals of southern California."
TOURMALINE.
UNITED STATES.
The
production of tourmaline amounted to about 2,140 pounds of rough gem
crystals. California contributed the bulk of the production, and
Colorado, Maine, and Connecticut made up the remainder. The greater
part came from the mines of the Himalaya Mining Company, the Mesa
Grande Gold and Gem Mining Company at Mesa Grande, San Diego County,
and the Pala Chief mine at Pala. The mines of the Royal Gorge region,
Colorado, operated by C. A. Beghtol & Co., were the next largest
producers. Mr. J. D. Endicott reports
