144 THE OREGON NATURALIST.- 



SOME NORTH CAROLINA MINERALS, last year. Though it was very fine few if any 



(Continued from Page 126.) of iheciystals would cut gems of more than two 



RUTILATED QUARTZ. caratS. 



If you will imagine a perfectly limpid piece The crystals were all small, grouped, plant- 

 of ice with fine hairlike, blood red strands of ed on slabs of dark-quartz and coated just 

 silk running through it in all directions you will under the surface with bright red scales of 

 get a very fair idea of this mineral in its finest hematite. This seems to be a true vein 

 state. There are several kinds that depend for accom]ianied with mica and Inilliant perfect 

 greater excellence altogether on individual taste, crystals of hematite. It is yet sparingly found 

 The main diiference is in the quality of the and may he expected at this |ioint and under 

 rutile penetrating and degree of limpidity of favorable circumstances at any time iu the 

 thequartz. Besides the stones with a net work future. Tlie pit is situated about two miles 

 of red rutile there are others containing a rutile west of Henry P. O. in Lincoln county, 

 dark steel-gray to nearly black, and again it zircon. 

 may be golden yellow or silvery, still holding If otie jier cent of the zircon tliat could be 

 its power of throwing tints of reflected light, mined in North Ca'olina were of gem quality 

 In one kind the quartz is very slightly wine the world could be abundantly supplied, but 

 tinted and when filled with the red rutile the fevy- if any stones sufficiently clear for the pur- 

 whole specimen receives a decidedly red cast, pose have yet been noticed in the state. In 

 evenly distributed and is much strengthened by the gold bearing gravels of the gold belt — Mech- 

 cutting. Crystals are occasionally found linburg, Rowan, Cabanus, McDowell and other 

 thus penetrated but when fine in form and counties, zircon is veiy plenty. Though finely 

 quality are indeed "cabinet rarities". crystallized and colored in suhdued tints of 

 The most unique of these I have yet seen is pink, yellow blue, clear and etc. They are 

 a medium sized single crystal of regular shipe small, too small for gems, not larger than a good 

 in which the rutile starts from a nucleus near ^^^^'^^ grain of wheat. 



thebaseoftheprisms and radiates in a fan-like In the monazite washings in Cleveland 

 arrangement through all the upper part of the county a few of this kind were found tha. 

 crystal. The ciystal is very valuable. The "I'S^t be cut into small gems but during oper- 

 mineral generally occurs massive in boulders ations very little attention was paid them. The 

 from a few ounces up to as many pounds, largest deposit of zii con in the state, possibly 

 scattered over the surface of the ground. '" the world lies along the Gi een river in Hen- 

 No regular deposit has yet been found. The Person county. In the hill bordering on the 

 finest quality yet found was formerly met with nver and in the neighborhood of the Saluda 

 in some quantity a few miles from Casar P. 6. Mountains they are found quite abundantly in 

 in Cleveland county. Near Henry in Lincoln a decomposed mr.gnesian formation. And 

 county the silvery and dark threaded kinas associated with several magnesian minerals, 

 are sometimes found in crystals. At this point The crystals seldom vaiy from the type but 

 some of the crystals of quartz are shot through interesting twin forms are sometimes found, 

 and through with a square hole showing where They are regular tetrahedrons without modi- 

 the rutile has rotted away. fications, in size from a mustard grain up to one 



A good quality was formerly found at Stony inch along the longest axis. 



Point in Alexander county. It is rare at all The color is a light snuff to nearly white, 



the localities. This deposit was worked for commerical 



There is still another variety to be mentioned, purposes some years ago for a German comjiany 



This is an amethyst penetrated by rutile. A ''^nd several tons taken out, but nothing has 



few pounds of this was found in Lincoln county been done there in recent years. 



