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GEMS AND PRECIOUS STONES.
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1063
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some
is nearly clear. The several varieties would serve for gems as beads,
cabochon-cut stones, and faceted stones. Practically flawless specimens
an inch thick and larger pieces with small seams or feathers can be
obtained. The perfect specimens are obtained by breaking up coarsely
crushed masses of rose quartz, from which they fall out as the fracture
or rift planes are exposed. Beautiful rose quartz can be obtained from
this prospect, and some of it has brought good prices when retailed in
California.
J.
A. Edman, of Quincy, Cal., reports the occurrence of pale rose quartz
in quartzose schist near Johnsons Bar on the north fork of Feather
River, in Plumas County. This rose quartz could probably be obtained in
large quantity. Deposits of rose quartz have been found by George D.
Ward about 9 miles north of Lemon Cove, near Thomas Homer's ranch, and
by Edward Hill near Badger. Specimens with a very good color were seen
from the Ward prospect.
RHODONITE.
CALIFORNIA.
Massive,
finely granular rhodonite occurs at many localities in California, and
some of them have yielded gem and ornamental material. The different
deposits yield a similar product, the chief difference being in
richness of color. Black manganese oxides are associated with much of
the rhodonite, filling seams and cracks, and make pretty contrasts with
the pink. Probably the best gem material so far found has come from the
Wheeler prospect, about 9 miles north of Happy Camp, in Siskiyou
County, but good material has been found near Taylorsville, in Plumas
County, and other localities. These rhodonite deposits are associated
with sedimentary rocks and occur along belts of manganese-stained
slates and quartzites.
A
rhodonite deposit on one of these manganese leads has been found on the
land of L. F. and George D. Ward, about 3 miles north of Lemon-cove,
Tulare County. The outcrop examined is on the north side of a draw
about one-third of a mile northeast of Kawcah River, and about 1 mile
east of Ward's ranch house. The hills at this place are from 300 to 500
feet above the stream beds, and are partly covered with rock outcrops
and partly with soil and vegetation. The rocks lying west of the
rhodonite are consecutively heavy beds of quartzite, granite and mica
schist, slates, and black and white mottled marble. All of these
formations, including the manganese bed, are steeply tilted. The
rhodonite occurs in two ledges about 35 fact apart, with quartzite
between. The ledges form outcrops several feet high and strike about N.
35° W. and dip about 60° NE. The southwest ledge is about 10 feet
thick; the northeast ledge is nearly 30 feet thick, but less solid, and
contains much quartzite stained with black manganese oxides. The
latter is so plentiful in places that it might be of value as an ore of
manganese. The rocks, including the rhodonite deposits, have been
broken into coarse blocks and contain numerous seams filled with black
manganese oxides. Rhodonite could be obtained rather plentifully, but
would require considerable hand cobbing to secure the better grades for
ornamental purposes. Rhodonite of several shades of color occur, and
these are intermixed in some specimens. The rhodonite has a delicate
light to dark rose color, but the
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