Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-28
PRECIOUS STONES.
Government Reports on Gems and
Jewels Of the World.

! summary of the most recent discov-
cries Of gems throughout the world.
and descriptions of their latest uses in
| jewelry. Within the year important
| and extensive developments in dia-
mond mining have been made in the
TransvaaI district, and il is clear that
diamond deposits Of a character SINH
lar to those of Kimberley and of very
promising richness exist throughout
wide area lying east of Pretoria.
Many mines have been located. and
about hundred prospecting shafts
have been sunk TO different depths to
test the nature ard the extent Of the
deposits. Among the mines actually
| in operation by far the most important
is the Premier. which should not be
COMPOUNDED with the De Beers Premier.
Its output is superior in yield load
TO that of the De Beers property. but
the diamonds bring only about 1915 a
carat, while the De Beers and Kimber-
ley stones are worth $1l.62 a carat.
Mr.. kunZ quotes authority for in
teresting data about the diamonds of
India. the country which once pro-
duced all the diamonds Of the world.
The theories of the electric peculiari-
ticuiars are also given of the use made
of diamonds in the process of wire
drawing.
Considerable interest has lately been
manifested in the mining of beryls and
tourmnlincs in the Province Of Minas
Gera,s. Brazil. where Il number Of re
'nal kable blue anG green bcryls have
been obtained. one of the green
bcryls was Il crystal that weighed
Eighteen and two-third pounds, more
than twice the weight of the great
DCryl in the Imperial Berg Academy
Mining School at st. Petersburg, Rus
;ia which is valued at $4,000. During
1868 a remarkable discovery of blue
Deryls was made near Rio Janeiro.
These We're deep blue crystals. from
which single gems We're cut that
weighed 100 carats each. At Villa
E.ica TWO dozen magnificent crystals
Of eucase We're found which measured
from two-fiftns to one and a third
inches.
Among the various green minerals
used by the anciants for decorative
purposes compact fuChsite must now
be included. Mr.. kunz quotes Pro-
lessor Miers Of London, who has
studied the fragment of a Roman
-tatuette composed of this material,
and believes that it was probably one
of the many kinds of so-called
smaragdus. Pliny's description of
one variety of this mineral is sugges-
tive of this compact emerald fuchsite.
The peridotitic bikes Of Elliott
county. Ky. which at one time We're
of a
monds, because of special resemblance |
in their occurrence to the rock al Kim |
berlcy, South Africa, have recently !
yielded some fine pyrope garnet and |
Divine of gem quality. Some pyropes /
have also been obtained from a similar
peridotite dixie at Syracuse. \. =.
Considerable space is given 10 dis
cussion of the recent discoveries OF
Jade. and a noteworthy account Of the /
history. technology and archaeology of |
Jade and allied minerals. The three
distinct regions that have furnished |
most of the material discussed are |
New Guinea. Silcsia ard Austria.
Mr.. Zunz notes thai the location Of |
VEN of Jade c'grecnstonc'D at Milford !
sound. New Zealand. has resulted in
the organization of Il mining COM
nany for working il.
An enthusiastic d. scription is given ny
MI ,[.rZ of the Hebcr r. Bishop Colie"-
ton of Jade and hard stone objects; in the
Nrtropolitan Museum OF Art. i'll New
York City He prCnounCeS il without Il
peer in scientific a. Well rs artistic value
among Oriental collections Of hard stone
objects.
The chapte,. on spodumene hiddenite
t;,,.- !
IN the report The finding of the new va
riety Of the transparent lilac spodumene
in California (which was named kunz-
ite after the author of this repcrD is one
Of the most rotable discoveries Of A gem
mineral that has been made in long
time. II not only adds novel and elc
CANT stone of purely American produc-
ton to those used in jewelry, but 4 stone
that has great scientific interest from the
remarkable properties it possesses in con
ncctiun with the action of Roentgen COR !
~ rays and those of radium and like sub
stances. These large and beautiful crEs-
,aIs were first obtained early in 1903 close
to deposit of colOred tourmaline itSel-
cf notable interest mile and a half
northeast of Pala, in San Diego County,
Cal In habit the California Crystals re-
StnlbIe tnt SHOuulntflt from NbGtfl tdib-
lima. but for beauty, transparency and
great size of perfect material they are
not equalled by those obtained from any
known locality.
a discovery has lately been made in the
Sunrise mine. near Hartville. Laramie
County, WYo.. of a beautiful mineral as
ISOLATION. consisting of a brilliant coating
Of quartz crystals over blue or grrenish
blue copper Silicate. This quartz is gen
orally thick enough to take a polish, and
makes a pleasing ornamental stone.
A magnificent series OF agate and chal-
Cedony specimens, ranging from two to
six inches in length and four inches
across. beautifully polished, was shown in
the exhibit of the State of Texas al the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition. THESE
agatcs We're found in great many places
III the counties of Pecos, Brewster
Preside, Jeff Davis and FL Paso. Large
masses of moss agate have been discov-
cred IN the Hartville mining district,
about laD miles north Of Cheyenne. Wyo
More than seven tons of it were mined in
the year 1863 and sent to Germany for
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