West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-02-12
AMERICAN GEMS
quality ana Value of Precious stones
Found in the United states

Quality and Value of Precious stones
Found in the United states.
Mr. George L. Kunz of thss city. IL
the author of an admirable monogram
on Precious Stones" issued bv the
Department of the Interior. being am ab-
stract from the Report of the United
States Geological Survey i'm regard to
the Mineral Resources of the United
States I'm these sixty pages the
student OF this mos, fascinating depart
ment of mincu,logy will find in
formation which hc could not
possibly gather from other sources
OF 10y amy amount Of personal
effort MIR Kuuz is sn indofatioablc
student aud collector and writes no
line which does not contain some fact
of interest.
Considering the vas; extent OF our
territory, this country lis not romarll-
able for its precious stones. In 1881
more than $4,000. 600 worth OF
diamonds and other precious stones
were imported and entered for con-
sumption in the United States In
that same year IL Is roughly estimated
that the value of stones found in the
United States and sold MS specimens.
curiositeS and TO cut into gems. was
considerably less than SlOU.O 600 But "a
very small part of this includes stones
ranked aS precious most of il being
expended for fine specimens OF varieties
of quartz, garnctS. etc But our
variety of truly beautiful mineral de
posts and crystals rich enough to
awaken the enthusiastic interest OF
It,a,.r.t. a.. 81.
during glory which H. so frau and
cvaucsccut iu foliage and flowers
Diamonds have been found i'm Vir-
ginia, North Carolina. California and
other places, but noWhcrciu such num-
bcrs and Of such qualityu- TO command
much attention; $500 i- said to bc the
highest price paid for California din
mond in the rough, though large num-
bcrS have been sold for from SO To
500 each. Valuable cmcrald-orccu
sapphircs (oricntol cmcrald) have been
found at Franklin, ~ c.. and san
phirc gems of other types have been
found in other parts oi the State. also
IN Pennsylvania. Montana aud else
where. But all together they could
not bc ot much value, for the estimated
value of sapphire gems found and sold
IN 1888 was S2,2OO, and I'm 1881 only
Sl,75O.
Still we have some remarkable tales
OF gem discoveries relating TO our own
neighborhood Twenty years AGO inn
mcnsc spiucl crystals were found near
Monroe, Orange County, n Y. The
exact locality was known only TO two
mincralOgi-ts, ''who worked if Tor sew
cral years by moonlight for secrecy.
and from IT took crystals that realized
over $4,000. Since the death of the
former miners the position of this most
wonderful locality has hoen unknown. 80
One OF the finest gems ever found i'm
America Is topaz of 20 carats. from
Platte Mountain, near Pixies Peak.
MIR Kunz says that topaz crystal. from
this locality are equal i'm quality to
many of the finest OF the same size
from Siberia and are sold at valua-
ton of from fifty cents TO 800 each.
Emcralds are found i'm New England
and North Carolina, but scarcely anv
OF gem value. Their near relatives.
the beryls and aqua-marincs, are found
IN a greater variety of places, and
many Of them are very transparent and
beautiful
Tournalines abound at Mount Apa-
tito, i'm Maine. They are found i'm other
localities IN that State, and also i'm other
States
As To- gamets, Mr. Kunz SAYS that
there is undoubtedly no finer garnet
found that looks better i'm the evening
than those from the garnet regions Of
the United States. The dark color i'm
Cape garnets remains by artificial light.
whereas with the American Qarnets
nothing but the clear blood color Is
visible. They are Of fine quality, and
plentiful on the great Colorado pla-
teau." They are found also in other
States west Of the Rocky Mountains.
and in Maine, Pennsylvania, virginia.
North Carolina and elsewhere.
We have not space enough TO men
ton even a few OF the great number of
beautiful quartz minerals and fcldspars
which arc described by Mr.. Kunz. such
as the remarkable amethyst recently
deposited in the National Museum. 2l
inches long, 2 inches wide, l. inches
thick transparent lawlc-s and uncut
N Y Observer