The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-06-21
coLUMBIA's EMERALD MINES,
Were Idle a Century, But Are to Be
Worked Once More.

Worked Once More.
Areport on the condition and trade
of the republic Of Colombia, with the
exception Of the District Of Panama,
for the year 1901, just issued by the
foreign Office, according to the Lon
don Globe, states that the emerald
mines Of Muzo and Coscuez, the prop
erty of the Colombian government,
have produced the finest emeralds in
the world. They are at present rent
ed to a British company. Up to the
year 1875 all the emerald mines in
the country were the property of the
nation. After that date the govern
ment granted the right of xploration
and working on private enterprise, re-
serving only the righttothe Muza and
Coscuez mines. Since then several
companies have been formed and con-
siderable capital expended, with very
poor results. The most promising Of
these seem to be the Somondoco
mines, worked by a British company.
The department of Bayaca, from a
mining point of view, is Of a totally
different geological formation to the
other mining departments of the re-
public, no gold or silver being found
save in the few rivers emptying into
the Magdalena. The one great mine
Of production is that Of Muzo, famous
since the year 1856 for the production
of the finest emeralds Of the world, a
stone in the rough weighing 1880
carats having been taken from one
Of the many veins Of this mine. These
mines are the property Of the CO.
lombian government, which leases
them for periods Of five years to the
highest bidder at public auction,
which takes place in the capital
of the republic one year previous to
the expiration of the term in force.
The value of the production Of these
mines has always been kept a secret
by the lessors.
The mode Of working is similar to
that adopted in Europe in large quar-
ny mines. The top soil is removed by
hydraulic monitor washing until the
slate rock is left bare, this being cut
away by means Of long, strong bars
handled by native labor, which is
) cheap, abundant, and very good, and
with the aid of blasting with black
powder manufactured at the mines
and employed where ne damage can
be done to existing veins. The pre-
!, cious stones are then extracted from
: the veins, which run in no given direc-
ton or angle in this slate rock forma-
!. ton. The stones are found chiefly
, in pockets, but occasionally some arr
found isolated from the veins, neces
stating constant care and vigilance
The immense amount of debris re
sulting from the cutting which neces
sarily falls from the quarry is carried
n away by means of discharges Of wa
!, ter from reservoirs at an elevation
above the workings by means o
siphons which empty the lock, whel
full, automatically great care bein!
$ taken conveniently to direct thi
y great discharge of water so that n
damage may be done to existing pro
! ductiye veins. The short term 0
,e the lease does not admit of any yer.
" extensive system being adopted, as
ne for example, in Kimberly, to pre-
vent stealing Of the stones, but spe
sial care is taken in the selection Q
the workpeople, who, in turn, waite
- most carefully all operations on tn
banks, The stones, after extraction
ne are classified into their respectiy
r classes, ranging from first to sixt
q quality, by the superintendent
e charge, who forwards them insured
Europe. The greater quantity al
forwarded to British India to be Gu
and afterward the better qualities +,
turn to the markets of Europe fl
sale.
The theory is that the silicate
glucina and alumina ran in the Fl
sures of the veins, and there coolir
off, formed this particular hexagon
0p; crystal, and, according to its abun,
Of ance, produced greater or less qual
TIC tity, as also the quality, according
me the favorable or ~unfayorable cond
nee tions existing. The Coscuez group
iec, said by tradition to be very rich al
IL ~,ol,4,. &c ~ ctopoe cotd -