34 MINERALOGF. 



SOAPSTONE. 



Soapstone, potstone, or steatite, is constantly for sale in 

 the stalls, being used by the Burmese to write with on 

 their blackboards, as Europeans use chalk. It is not. 

 however a production of the Provinces but is imported 

 from Burmah, where it is abundant, 



CHLOPaTE. 



Grains, or lamina of chlorite are found in connection 

 with tin ; and portions of the beds of clayslate east of 

 Tavoy, contain chlorite slate. 

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SCHORL. 



Schorl, or black tourmaline, is found in quartz near the 

 mouth of Tavoy river on the east side, and also at the 

 foot of the eastern mountains, near the head waters of the 

 Dahgyaine, north east of Maulmain. These are the only 

 localities where I have met with this mineral. In both, 

 the crystals are numerous, and in Tavoy they are large, 

 but not so handsome as seen in foreign specimens. 



GREEN TOURMALINE. 



\ green jew< I that cannot be distinguished by the eye 

 from beryl, is brought with the Ceylon diamonds ; it is 

 however, green tourmaline ; as may be ascertained by a 

 very simple test, for beryl scratches quartz, but tourmaline 

 is scratched by quartz. 

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CEYLON DIAMONDS. 



White jewels of an inferior quality are often offered 

 for sale in Maulmain under the name of Ceylon diamonds, 

 but they are usually made from green tourmaline. White 

 tourmaline, is a rare mineral, but the green variety being- 

 common, the jewelers by exposing it to heat expel its 

 color and it becomes while. 



