The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-03-21
GEMS ON 4AtlIERICA.
IIi2irg fcr P-oc:cr5 Ceoaeo II
Us Cc:.--c..agryy.

Diamonds, Encr2lds. . Oo,ls mad Sapphire!
among the Eri,Jc--yTlcTs ana low
They Arc cual-.i Growing
Industry.
Although nearly all known vari.
et;cs of precious stones arc found in
the United States, there has until
recently bccn little effort made to
search for them on an extensive and
systematic scale, the indications u.s.
ualIy not promising sufficient re-
turn for any great outlay cf capital.
But there has lately been an advance
in this direction, for whereas, in
1899 mining for gems was carried on
only in two states, there were
mined during the last year the fol-
Loving precious stones: Tourma-
line in Mainc, cmcralds in North
Carolina, turquoise in New Mexico,
sapphircs in Montana, and opals in
Washington, Idaho and Oregon. Dia-
monds arr found scattered over the
country, but up to date never in
commercially paying quantities.
The two chief diamond belts are
along the southern base of the Allie
ghanics from Virginia to Georgia,
and along the western base of the
Cascade and Sierra MaIrc noun
tairs in northern California. There
have also been unconGrmcd reports
of scattered gems found in other To-
calities, and within q year or two
considerable excitement was aroused
by the reported occurrence iu cen
tral Kentucky closely resembling
the Giamond bearing earth Of the
African mines. But it was after
ward found there were important
differences between the deposit and
the Kimberley clay, the most vital
of which was that the Kentucky
strip bore no diamonds.
Gapphirc is found chiefly among
the crystalline rocks along the base
of the Appalachian mountains, from
Chester, Mass, to southern Georgia.
The largest corunIuln crystal ever
found, which was five times larger
than any other known crystal, is
now in the collection Of Amherst
college. 1t suffered somewhat in
the disastrous Gre of 1892 T.r-
quoisc is one of the most important
gem products cf the country. 1t is
found in several localities in New
Mexico, Nevada and Arizona. Some
is also obtained il Fresno county,
Cal. During the last two years tur-
quoisc has been actively mined for
in New Mexico, reopening some of
the mines originally worked by the
Indians, and they have found tur-
quoisc equal in color to the finest
Persian material. Stones have been
found in these localities weighing
up to sixty karats, one CT Which was
sold for about 1000, and is now pos
sibly for the first time il the last
half century 70 match G rcrfcct tur-
qucisc necklace.
Turquoise has always tccn known
as 81 unstable GcE. Even the
finest Persian stones ere liable to
change occasionally with scarcely |
any warning, the alteration prooa-
bly, being due 10 the turquoise COM
ing in contact with acid Civilizations
from the skin or with fatty acids or
alkalis in soap, although wcarcrs Of
are especially warned TO
the rings while washing
their hands. The sale OF American
turquoise during the year 1891 prob !
ably exceeded $1G9, coo, and for 1892
$175 eco, ard o greater amount for
1893.
Garncts arc also found throughout
nearly the same region as the tur-
luoisc. Oac Of their pcculiaritics is
that the most OF them arc ready
mined for he prospcctors, who find !
them dug out around the ant hills
and scorpion holes. They arc col
lcctcd by the Indians and soldiers
and sold to the Indian traders.
ScElc Of thccXccptionally fine ones !
have brought $50 or 500, though
the onc-karat stones seldom bring
over So. The garnet output frorl
this region amounts to about $5, coo
II cut stones annually. Opals and
are the two other pre-
cious stones Of the greatest impor
lance il this country. In the new
opal beds Of Oregon $50, coo worth
Of the germs we're obtained in 1892.
Post.