THE MINERAL COLLECTOR 



129 



Some exceptional cleavages show a 

 blue color, which has been attributed 

 to finely divided metallic sodium en- 

 closed in the salt. Other mineral salts 

 occur with the halite. Among these 

 is the chloride of potassium, which is 

 sometimes nicely crystalized. 



VI. Calcite. Egremont, (."umber- 

 land, Ener. 



Smaller crystals of similar shape are 

 grouped in parallel position along the 

 sides of the larger ones giving a pine- 

 tree effect, which, with the delicate 

 cream color of the mineral, makes the 

 whole very attractive. 



YIII. Calcite, Cumberland, Eng. 



The curious calcite crystals, grouped 

 on pyrite, which are here shown, form 



VIII— CALCITE, CUMBERLAND, ENGLAND. 



Because of their beauty and interest, 

 the English calcites usually come in 

 for a share of our attention. The typi- 

 cal crystals here shown are transpar- 

 ent, colorless, and perfect in form, and 

 scattered in all positions over the 

 matrix. They are composed of the 

 usual prism and steep hexagonal pyra- 

 mid, cut off at the termination by a 

 rhombohedron. These crystals often 

 show a pretty red color, which is due 

 to hematite. 



VII. Calcite, Cumberland, Eng. 



This shows a large number of crys- 

 tals of a steep rhombohdral types. 



a specimen that, for the very eccentri- 

 city of its formation, arrests the atten- 

 tion. Long, tapering spires, with 

 rough surfaces, horizontally ridged, as 

 if composed of large numbers of discs 

 placed with their fiat surfaces together, 

 with steadily decreasing diameters, 

 rise straight from the matrix. The 

 summit of each spire is a flat plane. 



It is claimed by dealers that the 

 showy minerals from the English 

 mines, formerly obtainable in large 

 numbers and variety, nowadays are 

 ruined by the enormous charges of ex- 

 plosives used in the modern mining 



