SUMMARY OF THE PRECIOUS-STONES INDUSTRY,
1882-1914.
Mining
of precious stones in the United States has been a variable industry
since its beginning. Most of the gem minerals have been sporadically
mined or found during the course of mining for other minerals and only
a few varieties have been systematically mined for periods of years at
a time. Among those minerals which have been most persistently
produced, and in some quantity at different times, are sapphire,
turquoise, tourmaline, spodumene, and chrysoprase. A few other gems
such as beryl, garnet, quartz, agate, amazon stone, rose quartz, and
variscite, have been produced somewhat regularly, but generally in
small quantity.
George F. Kunz,1 summarizing the production and the localities of the different gem minerals in 1882, mentions the following:
Occasional
diamonds had been found in several States. Sapphire was known to occur
along Missouri River near Helena, Mont., and both ruby and sapphire at
the Jenks corundum mine in Macon County, N. C. Topaz had been found in
Maine and Colorado. Emerald and hiddenite had been discovered 16 years
before in Alexander County, N. C. Aquamarine and other beryl were
obtained from several of the Eastern States. Garnets, called "Arizona
ruby," were being collected each year by the Navajo Indians in some
quantity. Tourmaline had been mined for many years at Mount Mica, near
Paris, Me., and was known to occur at other localities and also in
Connecticut. Quartz and rock crystal were obtained from numerous
scattered localities, especially fine small crystals coming from
Herkimer County, N. Y., and Hot Springs, Ark. Rose quartz was found at
several places in New England. Gold quartz from several Western States
was made into jewelry. Amethyst had been found in Maine, Pennsylvania,
Virginia, and Colorado. Agate was known to occur in many States, and
the Wyoming and Montana moss agates were used in large quantities.
Jasper and petrified wood were found in many States and used in small
quantities. Peridot was gathered by the Navajo Indians of Arizona.
Turquoise was known in New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. The feldspar
gems, labradorite, amazon stone, sun-stone, and moonstone were used in
small quantities. The amazon stone came from the Pikes Peak region,
Colorado. The Lake Superior gem stones, thomsonite and chlorastrolite,
were collected for the tourist trade. Numerous lesser gems were known
to occur in the United States, but were only sparingly used, such as
phenacite, hyacinth garnet, iolite, rutilated quartz, novaculite,
rutile, prehnite, obsidian, diopside, chrysoprase, rhodonite,
malachite, chiastolite, catlinite, and others.
Precious stones: XJ. S. Geol. Survey Mineral Resources 0. S., 1882,1883.
