The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-11-23

carats were extracted, while from an
other Of equal dimensions only - car
ats were taken, and the cost Of working
the block from which the s10, 600 carats
were secured was only about one-tenth
that of working the other four blocks
from which 5000 carats were realized.
< The sapphires are found in q per.
pendicular lead of dry clay, with wall
rock on either side, and, as this clayey
formation is mined, it is thoroughly
washed and the gems extracted and
picked over. They are Of all sizes and
various degrees of excellence, but the
amethystine gems continue very rare.
So far the company has worked down
only so or 60 feet, but prospecting has
been done to a depth three times az
great, and there are sapphires all the
way down. The deeper they 60 the
harder the formation becomes, ;requir.
ing greater exposureto cause disinte.
grafton. All dirt that is worked over
this year will be exposed through the
late fall and winter to the action of the
elements, causing disintegration, and
next year it will be washed over again
in the sluice boxes, and there may be
extracted al many gems as were found
this year.
Through the summer many gems are
thrown aside as culls, but men are left
at the mines all through the winter,
and they devote their spare time to
sorting over the culls. There would,
however, be no danger in leaving the
mines unguarded through the winter,
for nature protects them. After the
water freezes no one can extract the
sapphire from the hard, clayey bed.
The company secures its water from
q point IL miles distant from the
mines, conveying it by bitches and
fumes. The supply of water this sea.
son had been smaller than usual, ow.
ing to light snowfall last winter, but
it was not necessary at any time tc
suspend operations. About 40 men are
constantly employed at the Yogo
mines.
The output for this season will be
very large, and some particularly fine
stones have been secured. The largest
stone yet found at the mines was dis.
covered early in June of this year, and
it weighed 10 carats. The demand for
sapphires is constantly increasing, and
the supply is insufficient, despite the
fact that many individuals are also en-
gagged in mining them atvarious spots
along the Missouri river, in addition to
the Yogo mines. -
All the stones are shipped direct tc
London, where many of them are cut,
while others are sent to Antwerp for
that purpose. But about half of the
product finds its way back to the Unit
ed States, several large American COM
panies having contracts with the Eng
lish firm to which the mining company
sells its product. The duty on the cut
gems is only ten per cent. The actual
mining season is from April is to Oc-
tober 81, or until the water freezes.
There is no indication that the mines
are playing out; on the contrary, they
seem to, be getting richer. AS a by.
product, considerable corundum is be-
ing mined, but this will be valueless
until railroad shall have been built
to the mines, Fergus county being the
only one in the state unacquainted
with the iron horse. Corundum is worth
10 per ton in London, and is used in
the making of emery wheels, etc.
Thousands Of tons Of this mineral are
now lying On the "dumps' awaiting
cheap transportation, and, even should
the sapphires become exhausted, the
railroad would make the mining Of the
latter q most profitable und ertakinR.
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