The state herald., 1902-10-24
GEMS IN THE ROUGH
IPREcIous sToNEs IN COLORADO
Many Gem stones Found In the Rocky
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. General Appear
ance and How to Look for Them.

ance ana HOW TO Look Tor Them.
One branch of mining which has
never received the attention 1t de-
serves In this country is mining for
precious stones. All varieties of stones
fused for gem purposes, including dia-
monds. rubies, sapphires, emeralds,
etc. are found In the United States. In
their rough natural form these are
called precious stones, to distinguish
them from gems. or cut stones. Pre-
cious stones are nearly always found
las rough pebbles in stream beds or
gravel banks, and occasionally In the
original form of crystals In mines. The
Rocky Mountain range produces many
stones Of gem value, and many more
search for them. The easiest way to
find them is to hunt some place In .
creek bed, river bed, or even dry
gulch where the pebbles from the size
of small pea and larger have been
washed clean of sand. These can bel
easily sorted over by hand. The gem;
pebbles are transparent. but their
coating is often so ground and stained,
that they look like common pebbles
until subjected to the closer inspec-ll
zion one naturally gives In handling
Them. Clear pebbles of red, blue. green
or yellow colors are almost certain to
be valuable. Brownish pebbles are
usually smoky quartz. though they
may be tSue topaz. Clear. colorless
pebbles, having no particular lustre.
are probably quartz. or agate. and OF
no value. Diamond pebbles have q
darker appearance than bits of quartz,
and usually glitter quite brightly. They
also possess what is termed metallic
lustre, and In some lights look not un-
like nugget Of silver
Mr.. A. f. Wehrle OF Denver, presi-
dent of the Wehrle Precious Stones
Mining Company, and considered to be
the best authority in the West on pre-
cious stones, when questioned recent
ly as to the probability of diamonds
being found in paying quantities in
the United States, was rather inclined
to be skeptical. He admitted that 1t
might be so, but stated that he con-
sidered the outlook for finding other
varieties much brighter. In Colorado
he believes emeralds will sooner er
later be found. The emerald is more
valuable than the diamond. A pecul-
iarity of the emerald is that 1t always
occurs In company with brilliant.
coloreless crystal called phenacite
These two are almost never found
apart. In several places in Colorado
the phenacite has been found and Of
ten it is in company with the beryl.
the beryl being the emerald without
its deep green color.
Turquoise mining has become one of
the established Industries of New Mex
leo. and the United States now exports
large quantities Of this gem material
to the old world. Turqouis is Of pale
robins egg blue color, and in general
appearance much resembles copper
carbonate. for which It is easily mis-
taken.
A stone which is being extensively
sought for in California at the present
time is chrysoprase. This is an agate
stained bright. apple green color by
nickel oxide. It is usually found In the
vicinity of nickel deposits.
Mr.. Wehrle says that scarcely a mil
lionth part OF the United States has
been searched for its wealth of pre-
cious stones. and II the farmers. ranch
men. stockmen, and. in general, all
who come close to nature. would do a
little searching for gem pebbles on
their own hook, they would quickly
bring to light new and unexpected
| sources of wealth.