Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1917-03-03
GEMS AND PRECIOUS
STONES OF ARIZONA

The above is the title of bulletin
which has been issued by the Univer-
sity of Arizona, from which bulletin
the following extracts are taken:
The best known gems found in Ari-
IONA are the turquoise, garnet, peri
dot, chrysocolla, azyr-malachite, mala-
chite, agate, chalcedony, amethystine,
quartz, diamond (meteoric) diptose
and topaz.
Most of the gems are precious
stones found in Arizona are merely
by-products Of the mining of other
substances, and are sorted out from
poorer specimens. The turquois, gar
net and peridot are mined separately.
There are several companies that have
produced turquois in Arizona. The
garnets are gathered from the sand
and gravel beds in which they are
most commonly found.
In preparing precious stones for
market, the best specimens are first
selected, cleaned, cut in various
shapes and polished. Poorer speci-
mems are also cut and polished, or
they may be reserved for use in pri-
vate and public collections.
Wholesale prices of gems-Tur-
quoise is worth up to 500 a pound at
the mine, in the rough, but usually is
less valuable. Matrix material brings
from S. to $25 per pound. Cut matrix
turquoise costs from ten cents to ten
dollars q carat. Cut clear blue tur-
quoise costs from 81 to $40 a carat,
the price increasing with size. When
cut in large quantities, stones may be
cut for three to five cents carat.
Garnet is sold in the rough as single
stones, and brings a price rather less
than one-ffth the price of cut stones.
Cut pyropene garnets are worth from
so cents to 81 a carat, depending on
the quality. Almandine garnets, if re-
sembling the emerald, cost $12 to SIS
a carat. The cost of cutting is 81 to
S1.50 per carat.
Peridot is also sold as separate
stones. Cut material runs from 81 to
SIS carat; SIS usually buys a good
stone. Cutting costs from 81 to $3.50
a carat.
Copper bearing stones, excluding
high grade malachite, sell for about
$40 pound. When cut, they are sold
by the stone rather than by carat, and
are sold so as to make a profit. No
definite price can be set. They cost
from five cents to ten cents a carat
for cutting.
Chalcedony, unless of the turtle
back variety, is hardly worth 81 per
pound. Cut material is hardly worth
the cost of cutting, which is 5 to 10
cents a carat. Turtle back variety
bring SIS or more for a stone.
Amethystine quartz is almost value
less except as mineral specimens I'M
less it hold color. The cut American
is hardly worth more than
The cost of cutting. But foreign ma
5erial may be worth 81 carat when
ut. The cost of cutting is from so
;ents to 81 a carat.
Topaz is bought by the single stone. !
Fine gem crystals, when colored, may
De worth $50 to 500. Cut material, |
n dark blue shades, brings $40 to SIS
/ carat; the fine golden yellow bring
"A a carat; diamond cut white stones
,ring 81 to 81 a carat. The cost of
.utting is about 81 carat.
In Arizona the turquoise and garnet
re sure of wide market, at almost
IL times. Gems of the copper group,
Izurite, malachite, dioptase, ETC., will /
ind a market, not always steady, but
airly so, especially with the curio
eekers.
Although there is, as has been seen,
ute wide variety of gems and prec-
BUS stones in Arizona, one could hard
= say that prospects of any great or
ontinued production are good. What
reduction there is will probably al
rays be on a small scale.
IOS ANGELES STOCK EXCHANGE