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GEMS AND PRECIOUS STONES.
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1075
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The
chalcedony pebbles may be nearly transparent and colorless, translucent
gray, pure white, yellowish, reddish, etc. Some of them are mottled
with these colors, generally gray and white. The translucent gray
varieties are commonly sold as moonstones along the California coast.
Jasper in various shades of red, brown, yellow, green, and black,
either pure or mottled, forms an important part of other gems.
Vari-colored Jasper and chalcedony occur together in some gems in odd
and pleasing patterns and some chalcedony pebbles have tangled wirelike
inclusions. Gems have been cut from varicolored jasper which exhibit
flowerlike patterns.
Beach
pebbles which yield very pretty gems are found on the southern end of
Santa Catalina Island, Cal., about 1-1/2 miles west of Avalon. The
Catalina Novelty Co., of Avalon, has been engaged in cutting these
stones for several years, and has applied the name "catalmite" for
trade use among tourists. The stone is obtained in all sizes from
cobbles over 6 inches thick to small pebbles, but good gem material is
not plentiful. They are found over nearly a mile of beach and are
probably derived from vein material or deposits from solution in the
rock formations now being eroded away along the shores. The composition
of these pebbles is variable, so that no definite scientific name can
be applied to them. The component minerals are not easily determined,
but in some of them there are quartz, calcite, some zeolite-like
minerals, hematite dust and particles, limonite stains, and a little
pyrite. The hematite dust in quartz forms red jasperlike patches; the
quartz and calcite are white and gray; and the zeolite-like minerals
are gray and green. Limonite adds yellow and brown stains. The
contrasts between the mottled green, gray, white, yellow, brown, and
red minerals in polished specimens are very pleasing, and gems for a
variety of uses can be cut from "catalinite."
OREGON.
Beach
pebbles are collected and cut for the tourist trade along the coast of
Oregon as in southern California. The tourists also collect these
pebbles to carry off as souvenirs, either polished or in the rough. The
curio stores in such coast towns as Newport and Nye Beach and in some
inland towns handle many beach pebble gems, and some of them have their
own cutting plants. Mr. Sigurd Landstrom, of Lebanon, one of the
interior towns, furnished two specimens of beach pebble gems from
Oregon for examination. One of these was a cherry-red carnelian and the
other a translucent gray agate in which there was a large dark-gray
cloudlike inclusion. Both specimens were very pretty. Other types of
stones are found and cut, including moss agate, jasper, petrified,
wood, and rock specimens displaying attractive colors and markings.
FOSSIL CORAL.
Fossil
coral is found in several of the Middle Western States, and has been
cut for ornamental purposes. During 1911 some of it was cut by the
Petosky Steam Agate Works, of Petosky, Mich. Mller Bros., of Iowa City,
Iowa, report that in past years they have cut a quantity of fossil
coral during the winters for the tourist trade in the summer. Pieces
cut into paper weights sell for 50 to 75 cents
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