|
GEMS AND PRECIOUS STONES. 333
|
||
|
|
||
|
This
vein carried bluish-white transparent quartz, crude feldspar crystals,
and green tourmaline crystals, some inclosing red to violet-colored
cores. None of the crystals was transparent, but some were translucent.
At
the locality 2 miles north of West Chesterfield, a little blasting and
excavation work has been done in an outcrop of pegmatite on the nearly
flat summit of the hill. The outcrop is about 100 feet long in a west
of north direction and nearly 40 feet wide. Part of it stands a few
feet above the ground. The country rock is fine dark-colored garnet
schist belonging to the Conway schist. It strikes north with a dip of
70° E. The texture of the pegmatite varies from fine to medium coarse.
Microcline feldspar occurs in crystals ranging up to 10 inches across.
A little spodumene was found in the massive pegmatite. Small veins
carrying yellowish-green mica, in crystals 1 to 2 inches in diameter,
with quartz, feldspar, beryl, and black tourmaline cut across the
pegmatite with a northwest strike. The beryls are rather plentiful and
occur in crystals ranging from small size up to 2 inches thick. They
are bluish-green in color but opaque or only translucent. A few of the
mica crystals inclose opaque greenish-blue crystals of tourmaline of
pencil size. Some of the quartz has a translucent milky color.
The
pegmatite carries cavities or pockets, and one that has been opened on
the east side of the outcrop is 2 feet across and 1 to 8 inches high.
It has been stripped of any good specimens it may have contained, but
fragments of the lining left in the pocket consisted of crude crystals
of clevelandite, opaque bluish-green and indigo-blue tourmaline,
bunches of greenish mica, and spodumene. The presence of pockets in
this ledge makes it a favorable looking place for further prospecting,
since gem tourmalines are usually found in pockets and not frozen in
the rock.
TURQUOISE.
NEVADA.
Two
new turquoise deposits were developed in Nevada in 1914. One of these,
owned by J. F. Campbell, of Colusa, Cal., is located in the Hot Springs
mining district on the east side of Reese River valley, about 35 miles
south of Battle Mountain, Lander County; and the other, owned by the
Cortez Turquoise Co., of Pasadena, Cal, is near the old mining camp of
Cortez, along the Lander-Eureka County line, about 35 miles south of
Beowawe. Information regarding these deposits and the quality of the
turquoise was kindly given by Mr. L. A. Dees, of Los Angeles, and the
owners of the properties. Mr. Dees has cut and sold some of the
turquoise from both mines. The Campbell mine was discovered in October,
1914, and worked only a short time during the winter. About 300 pounds
of matrix, including some pure turquoise of good quality, was taken
out during this time. The pure turquoise has been selling at $1 a carat
in Los Angeles. It is described as having a good blue color, with but
little green, and as being hard with smooth texture. Some of the matrix
has also yielded attractive gems.
The
mine of the Cortez Turquoise Co. was discovered by Johnny Francis, a
Shoshone Indian, several years ago. The assessment work was done by the
Indian for several years and in 1914 the claim was leased to a miner
who is reported to have taken out 500 pounds
|
||
|
|
||