46 JOURNAL OF THE 



zite (now promising to become an ore of commerce for the 

 thoria and cerium eaitlis it contains) discovered to be stored away 

 in the ravines and "placers^' of this region. 



My shipment to Mr. Edison, in 1879, of fifty pounds of a 

 sixty per cent, monazite-sand was the starting of an industry 

 whicli, in 1888, witnessed some twelve thousand pounds of a 

 similar monazite-sand being sent out of the same region, and 

 this business is as yet only in its beginning. 



From my several notices of North Cai'olina minerals, pub- 

 lished in scientific magazines and elsewhere, I condense into the 

 following pages such matter as seems to be of interest for this 

 report, additional to "The Minerals and Mineral Localities of 

 North Carolina" (Chapter 1, volume 2, of the Geology of 

 North Carolina, 1881, by Genth and Kerr). 



Diamond. — A crystal,* weighing 4 J carats, that would afix)rd 

 a gem worth intrinsi(;ally not over SI 50, was found on the 

 Bright farm, near Dysartsville, McDowell county, in the summer 

 of 1886. It measured 10 X 7 millimeters and was a distorted 

 octahedron. It wms nearly perfect and of a grayish-green tint. 

 It bears the distinction of being tiie largest and most valuable 

 diamond yet found in the State. 



Another diamond (not before publicly announced) was found 

 in 1877, by a small boy, in the same region as the one above 

 mentioned. It weighed 2f c"arats, was shaped very much like 

 a smooth flat field-bean and was very well polished naturally. 

 It w^as white, but somewhat flawed. The crystal planes were 

 very obscure. The finder disposed of it in Marion for a mere 

 nominal sum. Mr. B. B. Price, of Marion, put it into the 

 hands of Mr. James M. Gere, of Spi'uce Pine, U) dispose of to 

 best advantage. Mr. Gere, who is an extensive buyer and miner 

 of North Carolina mica, took it with i)im to Syracuse, N. Y,, 

 and sold it there to Messrs. C. M, Ball & Co., the leading 

 jewelers, for the sum of $18. It was finally sent to New York, 

 where it was cut into a small gem and its identity lost. 



*Am. Jour. Sci., Dec, 1887, p. 400, Kiinz. 



