MINERALOGY. 



149 



Barite and Aragonite. The Cullinan. 



These are two minerals which are TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN by ai<- 

 almost always attractive and when BERT H. PETEREiT, NEW YORK city. 



they occur in combination, as shown This largest one of all diamonds 



in the accompanying- illustration, they found up to date weighs 3,025% car- 

 ets — 32.674 ounces. Its length 

 is 4.409 inches ; its height, 2.52 

 inches ; its width, 2.01 inches. It 

 shows eight surfaces, four of 

 which have been produced by 

 cleaving while the other ones 

 show the original crystallization. 

 Considering that the "Excel- 

 sior," found in 1893, which was 

 the largest diamond before the 

 Cullinan was found had a weight 

 of only 971% carats one might 

 imagine the exorbitant dimen- 

 sions of this wonder of nature. 



The Cullinan received its name 

 from Mr. T. M. Cullinan, the 

 president of the Premier Dia- 

 mond Mining Company, Ltd., in 

 whose mines, about twenty 

 miles northwest from Pretoria, 

 the stone was found on Janu- 

 ary 26th, 1905. 



Captain Wells discovered 

 something sparkling at one of 

 the stone walls. He went close 

 to the spot and recognized 

 an unusually large diamond. He 

 was not able to loosen the stone at 

 once, same being still held by its ma- 

 trix. After some hours of hard work 

 he at last succeeded in securing his 

 treasure. 



At the Premier Mine from Septem- 

 ber, 1903, to June 1905, twenty-two 

 diamonds of more than one hundred 

 carats were found ; viz., four of more 

 than three hundred carats, two of two 

 hundred to three hundred carats and 

 sixteen of one hundred to two hundred 

 carats. 



In 1907 the South African Govern- 

 ment purchased this diamond for 

 Li 50,000 and presented it to King Ed- 

 ward of England. 



Upon the advice of the London Dia- 

 mond Concern, Levy Nephew, the king 

 decided to entrust the well known jew- 

 eller, J. T. Asscher of Amsterdam, with 

 the cutting of this stone in his model 

 factory. 



BARITE AND ARAGONITE, 

 LAND, ENGLAND 



CUMBER 



are very beautiful. The barite in this 

 specimen shows a triangular form of 

 nearly opaque, milky color, with the 

 aragonite deposited on it in bright, 

 transparent, glassy, needlelike crystals 

 standing out in all directions. 



Barite is a sulphate of Baryta and 

 occurs generally in tabular form and 

 is sometimes tinged yellow r , red, green, 

 blue and brown. Aragonite is a car- 

 bonate of lime and derives its name 

 from Aragon in Spain where it is 

 found in contact twins. Its occurrence 

 is very wide, covering almost the en- 

 tire globe, and it also crystallizes in 

 various and sometimes grotesque 

 forms. 



Accept my sincere congratulations 

 on the establishment of Arcadia; it 

 sounds good and some day I will call 

 and see how good it is. — Richard C. 

 McGregor, Assistant, Bureau of Sci- 

 ences, Manila, P. I. 



