PETRIFIED WOOD.
ARIZONA.
The
possibilities of the agatked and j asperized wood of the petrified
forests of Arizona as gem material have been shown by many specimens
cut and placed on exhibition by the United States National Museum in
Washington. These consist of 35 gems cut into various rounded and
elongated cabochon shapes and varying in size from that suitable for a
stick pin to gems 2 by 2-1/2 inches across. The range of colors
shown by these gems is large and includes red, pink, yellow, and gray
of various shades, with black and white and some purplish and greenish
tints. Both bright and dull shades of color occur and sometimes are
present in the same specimen. There are a variety of patterns,
according to whether the gems are cut with the grain or at various
angles across it. Irregularities in petrification also furnish other
patterns. Selected specimens of the Arizona petrified wood can be cut
into objects suitable for ornamental purposes or for low-priced
jewelry, and in these ways should supply demand in the tourist trade of
the Southwestern States.
PREHNITE.
Frederick
A. Canfield, of Dover, N. J., reports the discovery of transparent
prehnite at Great Notch, N. J., in 1912. This material is suitable for
cutting, but occurs rather sparingly. A small quantity of prehnite is
obtained from the quarries and road cuts in the trap rocks of New
Jersey each year. Some of it is used as gems, but this material is
translucent only, and not transparent like the prehnite of the recent
discovery.
QUARTZ.
NORTH CAROLINA.
Quartz
crystals of varied types are widespread over Alexander County, N. C.
Some are simple crystals of clear colorless or smoky quality; others
are of value as specimens because of the development of alarge number
of unusual crystal faces. Other crystals contain inclusions of rutile
needles and other minerals or of water with movable bubbles. The quartz
crystals range from small size to those of 50 pounds weight. An
abundance of crystals were obtained during the operation of the
emerald-hiddenite mine, and some of those obtained from one pocket have
been described by W. E. Hidden.1 They were remarkable for
the inclusions of large cavities partly filled with water and bubbles.
Some of the Alexander County smoky and colorless quartz crystals have
been cut for gem purposes, and those inclosing rutile needles have
yielded especially good sagenite or rutilated quartz gems.
Two
prospects for quartz crystals were visited during the course of an
examination of beryl prospects in Alexander County in November, 1912.
One of these was on the land of Thomas Barnes, 2 miles N. 32° W. of All
Healing Springs and about 250 yards west of the prospect on the same
property described under beryl. The quartz pros-
' On a phenomenal pocket of quartz crystals: Trans. New York Acad. Sci., March, 1882.
