The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-17
THE NEW MINERAL CoRUSDUM.

Hts History mud Remarkable Properties.
recent debate In Congress. upon proposition to
admit free OF duty, machinery for the manufacture
In Indiana OF plate glass brought into notice min
erai almost unknown TO The general public, yet
which from a very early period mas occupied Q
This substance-corundum has been in use
In Egypt, India and China from
remote age. under varIous names as an aggres-
slve agent OF great hardness and cutting power.
There Is little dou0t 1t was the material by Which
was engraved many OF the obelisks OF Egypt and
the GRANTEES OF Asia Minor and Hindostan, as well
as all the precious stones by the lapidaries OF
the Orient, with the exception OF the diamond, 1t
being the next hardest substance In nature TO that
prince OF gems. Our readers VIII not conGound the
mineral under notice with the Naxos,
Ephesian and other varieties Of emery, some
umes called corundum, in commercial parlance
The difference between the two Is very marked,
cOrundum being pure alumni, with cutting power
OF ninety, wniie the best emery oi commensurate
with an Abrasive power OF fity-seven THIS d. iler-
ence been shown by DR. J. Lawrence 5mith, OF
ssSJect IN ~ series oi interesting papers ss
published in Saliman's Journal IN ls5o-5l and
7 wSsa x x.s ss 'hs w sSsso
OF corundum, by sir Charles Greve. IN a very
elaborate aud exhaustive paper published IN tho
proceedings OF the Royal Historical Society OF Lon
don for the year 1898. ms learned gentleman,
being at that time resident OF India. visited the
tie can now be added 70 the description he gave Of
s supply na FOR a tne Oee article 'h Is
product being. known in the trade as
been n sse o Ia ns
Oio ana New Worlds. Inc coruadum Of commerce
came 70 the market at late date, almost entireiy
IN the form Of crystals picked uD IN the mountain
ravlnes OF India anu emma, ana brought dOwn ~
the natives In small quantities on their
uncertain, the ' market al tunes being bare
anu commanding large prices IRON parties who
Mass nys IT. ssen s wnn sn ew
months II Is supposed the mineral had never been
mined In the usual way, unless u has been In the
sale form, nave been sent 70 the Royal Museum OF
ST. Petersburg. New wants having arisen for q
cutting AGENT and diamond powder being too ex-
made In various sections OF our c0un.
Try Tor pure coruadam which was at last found
ern section OF North Carolina. SPECIMENS of the
mineral from thus mine are before US. fhey are
transparent IN color, OF a hardness and cutting
quality that will polsn any substance put the da-
IN TACT taey only lack 10 NC pure gems
OF sapphire and ruby. We are informed 1T
was from this nine the Specimen was Obtained
created considerable interest in tue neighoorhood
or the locality where II Is being mined. as well as
more remote districts. Tue fact That the gems
known as sapphire. ruby. &C., are SIMPLY pure
cOrundum, has raised The belief IN the minds OF
many that these may be found in the locality erred
TO; In fact. we learn there IS now an effort being
MADE on Wall street inauce capitalists to buy up
tracts OF land the section referred TO, on which,
It Is stated, corundum Is found, Win Inc purpose
o. instamng res.arca t9r gems %c we Wen nave ave-
qualnteo IN that section. ana IRON Information
gathered from nim. would say to our readers they
can spend both their time and money to better adj
vantage than ID pursuit OF wealth In this direction
We are glad 70 be able to saw however. that corun-
dun In considerable quantities Is coming into the
market from the mime mentioned, which may be
welcomed as another evidence oil the resources and
valuable PRODUCTIONS OF our growing republic.