The Appeal., 1923-01-13
DISCOVER TWO ]
new MINERALS
Field Museum Expedition Brings
Back interesting Specimens
From Brazil.
.5.POUND TOPAZ ONE TROPHY
Scientists Tell Of Mountains Of Iron
Ore Of Finest Quality for Steel
Manufacture-Vast Gem
Fields Visited.

Chicago.-A topaz weighing i've
pounds, remarkable not only for its
size but for It's clearness, 10 among
the specimens brought back to Chi
cago by DR.. Oliver G. Harrington,
curator of the department Of geology
Of Field museum, who has just re-
turned from an expedition to Brazil.
The expedition travelled 1900 miles
through the diamond, gold and pre-
cious stone fields Of the South Amer
lean republic, covering more: than 800
miles through the mountains Of the
State Of Minas Geraes on muleback.
The specimens obtained include
gold, diamonds aquamarines. beryls,
emeralds and topazes, besides a num-
Der Of minerals of the rare earthA
Doctor harrington believes he has
found one or two minerals hitherto
unknown to science.
The five-pound topaz is one Of q
large number of enormous semi-pre-
cious stones obtained by the scientists,
but is small compared to 26pound
topaz which they saw at one Of the
mines. The giant stone was valued,
at about $75 pound. Out up and
polished a first-grade topaz is worth
from $5 to $40 a carat.
Visit Diamond Mines.
Diamond mines were visited In tho
region Of Diamantina, 500 miles north
Of Rio Janeiro, in the center Of vast
diamond bearing area. The stones can
be mined only in the neighborhood Of
water for washing the coarse earth
away. The diamonds are found In
beds totally different from those in
South Africa, the, matrix being q
quartzite composed Of sands washed
from older lands.
The semi-precious stones in the
State Of Minas Geraes are found In
coarse GRANTEES or pegmatites 50 de-
composed that the gems can be mined
with q shovel.
The expedition visited Morro velho
gold mine, the deepest mining shaft
on earth. Its lowest level is 1000
feet below the surface. At this great
depth the temperature Of the rock IL
1T degrees Fahrenheit, making it
necessary to maintain an elaborate
refrigeration plant on the surface to
force cold air down to the miners.
The deeper the shaft goes, however.
the richer the ore found, 80 the addi-
tional cost Of mining 10 more than or
set by the returns.
Iron Ore Common.
Iron ore Of the finest quality for
steel manufacture Is 50 common in
this district, Doctor harrington said.
that his party rode for day after day
over mountains. valleys and plains Of
solid iron deposits. Manganese, alum
mum and other valuable ores were
also found In abundance.
The Brazilians Of the interior were
almost uniformly friendly and willing
to give every assistance to the scien.
fists, Doctor harrington reported, ex-l
cept In one town, where he was nearly
mobbed when rumor spread that he,
intended to buy. a gold mine which,
was to be sold at auction. The na-.
tives objected to a foreigner obtaining
the mine and spent most Of the night,
In demonstration In front Of tho
house where he was staying, shooting.
exploding dynamite cartridges, sing,
ing and shouting derisively.
American automobiles, typewriters.
sewing machines and other mechanical!
appliances were very common In the
interior, and American movies enjoy
almost monopoly, he said. Even the
remote villages have their movie the,
aters, where the American screen
favorites are shown. Wild West films
were the most popular. -: