Leisure hours among the gemsHamlin, Augustus C. (Augustus Choate)
Science
Leisure hours among the gems
Hamlin, Augustus C. (Augustus Choate)
Gems; Precious stones
At the quarries on Rollestone Mountain in Fitchburg, beryls of a
rich golden color have been blasted out. Some of these approach the
chrysoberyl and topaz in hardness and hue. Others so closely resemble
the yellow diamond that they may readily be taken for that superior
gem. The refractive power of these yellow stones is remarkable; and the
goniometer will probably reveal a higher index than is accorded to all
the varieties of beryl by the learned Abbé Haüy.
Beautiful transparent beryls have been found among the granite hills of
Oxford County in Maine; and the late Governor Lincoln, nearly half a
century ago, possessed a splendid crystal, quite three inches in length
and of great purity and brilliancy. Some very beautiful transparent
blue crystals of beryl have recently been found in the western part of
Oxford County, Maine, which have yielded gems of considerable value.
Probably active search for this mineral in this region will bring to
light some charming specimens.
New Hampshire is famous for its gigantic beryls; and the localities
of Acworth and Grafton have yielded some enormous crystals. One was
removed by Mr. Alger, of more than a ton in weight; and a still larger
one was observed by Mr. Hubbard, who estimated its weight at two
and one half tons. These gross specimens are generally opaque, with
patches of translucent or even transparent mineral on their sides.
The regularity of their crystalline forms is also much impaired or
distorted.
At Haddam, in Connecticut, beautiful crystals of beryl have been
discovered; and one of these of fine green color, an inch in diameter
and several inches in length, was preserved in the cabinet of Colonel
Gibbs. Professor Silliman possessed another fine one, seven inches in
length.
The mountains in Colorado have yielded some fine specimens. But the
finest of the beryl species come from Russia. In the Ural Mountains
the crystals are small, but of fine color; in the Altai Mountains they
are very large and of a greenish-blue; but in the granitic ledges of
Odon Tchelon in Daouria, on the frontier of China, they are found in
the greatest perfection. They occur on the summit of the mountain
in irregular veins of micaceous and white indurated clay, and are
greenish-yellow, pure pale-green, greenish-blue, and sky-blue. The
chief matrix of the beryl all over the world is graphic granite, but it
may occur in other rocks. The light green stones of Limoges, in France,
appear in a vein of quartz traversing granite. At Royalston we observed
them to spring seemingly from the felspar and project into smoky
quartz, becoming more transparent as they advanced into the harder
stone.
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