Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-10-24
GEMS IN THE ROUGH
PRECIOUS STONES IN COLORADO
Many Gem Stones Found In the Rocky
MountaIns-Their General Appear
anee and How to Look for 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
used for gem purposes. including dia-
nonds. 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
as rough pebbles In stream beds or
gravel banks. and occasionally In the
original form OF crystals In mines. Tho
Rocky Mountain range produces many
stones Of gem value. and many more
would be found II people knew how to
search for them. The easiest way to
flpd them Is to hunt some place In q
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 be
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 20 the closer inspec-
tion 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 true topaz. Clear. colorlcss
pebbles. having no particular lustrc.
are probably quartz, or agate. and OF
no value. Diamond pebbles have
darker appearance than bits of quartz.
and usually glitter quite brightly. They
also possess what is termed n metallic
lustre. and In some lights look not un-
like nugget OF silver.
Mr.. a. r. wehrle OF Denver. presi-
dent OF the wchrlc 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 skepticai. He admitted that II
might be 30. but stated that he con-
sidcrcd the outlook for finding other
varieties much brighter. In Colorado
hc believes cmcraids Will sooner er
later be found. The emerald is more
valuable than the diamond. A pccui-
inrity OF the emerald Ia that II always
occurs In company with brilliant.
eolorclcza crystal called phcnnci'c.
These two are almost never found
apart. In several places In Colorado
kh' hah be'Ri eAt w
ten Il IL In company with the bcryi.
the bcryi being the emerald without
Its deep green color.
TurqoGisc 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. TurgouiH Ia Of pale
robins c.s blue color. and In general
appearance much resembles copper
carbonate. for which II is easily mis-
taken.
A stone which In being extensively
sought for In California at the present
time Is chrysoprnsc. This Ia an asitc
stained bright. apple green color by
nickel oxide. II ia usually found In the
vicinity of nickel deposits.
Mr.. wchric says that scarcely a MIL
iionth part OF the United States has
been searched for It's wealth of pre-
cious stones. and II the farmers. ranch
men. stockm-n. and. In general. NIL
who come close to nature. would do n
little Ecarchin. for gem pebbles on
their own hook. they would quickly
bring to light new and unexpected
sources Of wealth.