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PRECIOUS STONES.
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By Douglas B. Sterrett.
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INTRODUCTION.
Considering
the general depression in business during 1908 the production of
precious stones did not suffer so great a falling off as might have
been expected. While the output of certain gems was considerably
smaller in 1908 than in 1907, the production of others was greatly
increased. Notable among the decreases was the output of sapphire, the
principal part of the production of which came from a single mine in
Montana—as against four mines in operation in 1907. Greatly increased
activity in turquoise mining in the Southwestern States was combined
with an unusually large output. This activity has extended well into
1909, and an even greater number of mines are being developed than in
1908. The demand for turquoise matrix has been large and is much
greater than for the higher-priced pure blue gems. The output of
variscite gems was greatly increased, and the value for 1908 was nearly
double that for 1907. This has resulted largely through the successful
efforts of the Occidental Gem Corporation of Salt Lake City to place
its product on the market under the name "amatrice." The production of
tourmaline was again large. An interesting feature in the tourmaline
industry consisted of considerable purchases by Chinese dealers for
use in the Orient.
The
tendency to use all varieties of matrix stones is increasing. This is
especially true of those minerals having the bright blue and green
colors that are found with copper ores. In fact nearly any minerals or
rocks stained with these colors and showing odd patterns are pressed
into service as souvenir gems for tourists, etc. Several minerals that
show pleasing colors or unique patterns when cut and that were formerly
not thought of as gems have been placed on the list of semiprecious
stones during the last few years. Among these are the
chrysoprase-colored smithsonite from New Mexico called "bonamite;" the
serpentine cat's-eye, "satelite;" copper-stained chalcedony or blue
chrysoprase from the copper mines near Globe, Ariz., and pebbles of
compact epidote found along Arkansas River in Colorado. Interest in the
native gems of Colorado as amazon stone, amethyst, beryl, agates, etc.,
is being revived, partly through the prospecting work of J. D.
Endicott, of Canon City, Colo. A new supply of rhodonite of attractive
color has been obtained in California and is being cut as a matrix gem.
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