of
nodular turquoise is found. The color of the turquoise ranges from pale
blue to strong turquoise or sky blue. Some has a greenish color, and
semiturquoise occurs in veinlets or nodules in places. The matrix of
much of the turquoise is more or less strongly stained with brown
limonite, which furnishes attractive contrasts with the blue of the
turquoise. The better quality of the veinlet turquoise is very hard and
has a smooth, conchoidal fracture.
The
turquoise deposit has been tested and developed by numerous pits,
shafts, and tunnels. The prospectus issued by the company reports over
1,100 feet of such work done. The depth attained in the most promising
working is about 65 feet. There are several crosscuts and test workings
from the main working. The company expects to drive an incline, already
started, from the southwest under the more promising portion of the
turquoise deposit. It is thought this incline will open up better
turquoise at a greater depth. This is doubtful, however, as it has not
been definitely shown that good turquoise ever occurs plentifully at
depths greater than about 200 feet. Moreover, the quality of the
turquoise found at a depth of 65 feet was but little if any better than
that nearer the surface.
VARISCITE.
UTAH.
The
mineral variscito has been called by various trade names when cut as a
gem. Three deposits producing gem variscite have been operated in Utah.
The first one was discovered in October, 1894, and belongs to Don
Maguire, of Ogden. It is situated about 2 miles from Mercur, in Utah
County. G. F. Kunz° mentioned this occurrence and suggested the name
"utahlite" for the gem. It was subsequently called "chlor-utahlite,"
and is now known by both names. Another deposit of variscite was
discovered in 1905, 9 miles west of Stockton. This is described by
Doctor Kunz6 as "utahlite (variscite)." The gem material
from this locality has since been called "amatrico" by the Occidental
Gem Corporation, of Salt Lake City, as described in this report for
1907, and by E. R. Zalinski.0 John A. Maynes, of Salt Lake
City, reports the discovery of a new deposit of variscite in the
extreme southwestern part of Utah. A company has been formed to develop
this property and cut their own gem material, which is to be sold under
the mineral name "variscite." The colors of the variscite seen in
specimens kindly furnished by Mr. Maynes were dark to light green, with
which was associated some white phosphatic mineral, chert, and
chalcedony. Some of the variscite has crystals of gypsum associated
with it, though the gem material can be readily separated from such
specimens.
Amatrice.—The
following description of the amatrice mine has been prepared from the
article by E. R. Zalinski, mentioned above, and from notes taken by the
writer during a brief visit to the mine in August, 1908:
The
amatrice mine is 14 miles S. 65° W. of Tooele, in a small rounded knob
among the foothills, on the eastern slope of the Stans-bury Mountains.
This knob has been called Amatrice Hill and has
a Sixteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 4, 1894, p. 602.
t Mineral Resources U. S. for 1905, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1906, p. 1351.
c Amatrice, a new Utah gem stone: Eng. and Min. Jour., May 22,1909.
