482 MINERALS. 



One crystal was found in Waterbury which is 2 feet long and 18 inches through, which weighs 175 pounds. 

 Another from Roxbury, now in Middlebury College Cabinet, is 20 inches long and 11 inches in diameter. A 

 few of the more prominent localities of quartz in Vermont are Waterbury, Roxbury, Lyndon, Alburgh, 

 Saxton's River, Grafton, Chester, Hartford, Sharon, Corinth, Middlebury. The specimens in the State 

 collection are from No. 134 to 157 inclusive. Several gems are merely varieties of quartz. Thus the 

 amethyst which when surrounded with pearls and set in gold is highly prized is simply quartz which is 

 probably colored with oxyd of manganese. The Scotch cairngorm is smoky quartz, and carnelian agate, 

 jasper, heliotrope, sardonyx, onyx, and cats-eye, belong to this species. 



Washingtonite. (See Ilmenite.) 



Chalcopyrite, or Copper Pyrites. This is principally an ore of sulphur and copper, though iron is often 

 found with it. Whether, however, the iron is properly a constituent of the chalcopyrite, or is only a con- 

 stituent of the iron pyrites that is almost universally found with it, seems to be a matter of some doubt 

 with mineralogists. It crystallizes in right square prisms for the primary form. The color is brass-yellow. 

 It is the ore from which a large part of the copper of commerce is manufactured, being the one found in 

 the Cornish mines in England. It is found in this country in workable quantities in Tennessee, Georgia, 

 and Bristol, Conn. Large deposits of it exist in Strafford, Shrewsbury and Vershire, Vt. It also is found 

 in smaller quantities in Middlebury, Thetford, Vershire, Corinth, Ludlow, Sterling, Waterbury. It can be 

 found in the Cabinet under Nos. 22 to 33 inclusive. 



Kyanite. This mineral of a beautiful transparent blue color, crystallizes in long flat crystals which are 

 regarded by Dana as belonging to the oblique rhomboidal prism. Its chemical composition is silicate 

 of alumina, with traces of iron in some specimens. Of the cause of the blue color no chemical analysis as 

 yet has given us any clue. When the crystals are large and transparent, they are used for gems. It occurs 

 in Vermont at Bellows Falls, Chester, Hartford, Norwich, Sharon and Thetford. It may be seen in the 

 State collection under the Nos. 284-5-6. 



Calcite, or Calcareous Spar. This is known to the chemist as carbonate of lime. Its primary form is a rhom- 

 bohedron,while its secondary forms number more than a hundred. Its luster is vitreous, and when broken even 

 by the blow of a hammer, it at once shows many of the primary planes. The prevailing color is white, although 

 black calcite not unfrequently occurs. In this case the black is owing to some impurity. Intermediate colors 

 of gray, green and yellow are sometimes found. As calcite is the basis of all marbles, this mineral will be 

 further treated of under Economic Geology, by Mr. Hager, and excellent specimens of marbles will be 

 found in the Geological Collection. Crystals of calcite are found in Vergennes, Burlington, Colchester, 

 Whitingham, Hartford, Danby, Dorset, Alburgh and Craftsbury. Specimens are found in the State Col- 

 lection numbered from 327 to 352 inclusive. These, however, include some limestone and stalactite. 



Calcareous Tufa is a deposit of calcite from water upon loose rocks, organic matter, &c., and sometimes 

 has a distinct cleavage. Where it is deposited upon vegetable stems, it often makes a complete mould of 

 them. When it is deposited from the roofs of caverns and cavities in rocks, and forms icicle-shaped and 

 elongated masses, they receive the name of stalactites. When deposited so that it remains friable in 

 powder it is then called agaric mineral, or rock milk. Marl (calcareous), is simply a more impure 

 form of rock milk. The impurity generally is clay. It is of so frequent occurrence everywhere that it is 

 needless to mention localities of it in this Report. Specimens illustrating concretionary and stalagmitic cal- 

 cite are found under Nos. 349-50-1-2 in the Collection. A specimen of the rock milk, or agaric mineral may 

 be seen under No. 353. Marl is found at Highgate, Barnet, Danville, Hardwick, Peacham, Woodbury, 

 Barre, Calais, Brookfield, Corinth, Tunbridge, Westminster, Royalton, Barnard, Woodstock, Albany, 

 Coventry, Greensboro, Holland, Ryegate and Walden. 



Epidote, including Zoisite. Epidote crystallizes in oblique rhombic prisms for its primary form. Its 

 chemical composition is principally silicate of alumina, iron and lime. Occasionally it contains manganese. 

 It has a vitreous luster, is generally subtransparent or subtranslucent, and is of a green, brown or gray 

 color. Epidote is a common mineral, but it is not often in well defined crystals. Zoisite, gray epidote, 

 or lime epidote, as it is often called, differs but slightly from epidote, as already described, except in its 

 color, and its occurrence in the variety which is in long fibrous crystals, of a gray or bluish-gray color, and 



