Lizard, England. The name serpentine 

 alludes to the green, serpent-like cloud- 

 ings best seen in serpentine marble. 



Precious serpentine is obtained in 

 many parts of the world, among which 

 may be mentioned Afghanistan (which 

 furnishes an almost transparent variety 

 in large masses), the Island of Corsica, 

 Fahlun and Gulso in Sweden, the Isle of 

 Man, and the Lizard, Cornwall, England. 

 In the United States a rich green vari- 

 ety of serpentine, known as williamsite, 

 is found in Texas, Lancaster County, 

 Pennsylvania, and is cut into various 

 charms and ornaments. It varies in 

 color from dark green to light apple- 

 green. A golden to greenish yellow ser- 

 pentine occurs at Montville, New Jersey, 

 which would admit of use for the manu- 

 facture of small objects, such as dishes 

 and charms. 



A variety of serpentine known as 

 bowenite is found near Smithfield, Rhode 

 Island, varying in color from pure white 

 to deep green. 



A dark green serpentine occurs at 

 Santa Catalina Island, California, which 

 is of sufficient homogeneity to be turned 

 into dishes of various shapes, some being 

 seven or eight inches in diameter. 

 • Serpentine marble, which usually con- 

 sists of a mixture of serpentine and cal- 

 cite, forms quite extensive deposits at 

 several localities in the country, among 

 which may be mentioned Moriah, New 

 York; Dublin, Harford County, Mary- 

 land; National City, California; and 

 Valley, Washington. This is used like 

 marble as slabs for table tops and wall 

 decorations. 



Coarse, common serpentine forms ex- 

 tensive rock masses, and mountains of it 

 exist; but the use of the mineral for 

 ornamental purposes is confined to pieces 

 of pleasing color, homogeneity, and 

 translucency. 



ALABASTER. 



[Calcite, Gypsum.) 



The term alabaster is derived from a 

 kind of ointment vases called alabastra, 

 which the Egyptians and peoples of a 

 later period were accustomed to carve 

 out of stone. This stone was largely a 



stalagmitic calcite obtained at Thebes, 

 but it is probable that gypsum was also 

 used to some extent. At the present time 

 the term is used loosely for either of 

 these minerals when employed for the 

 manufacture of ornamental objects, al- 

 though stalagmitic calcite is now more 

 generally designated as onyx. 



Both calcite and gypsum are soft min- 

 erals, the hardness of the former being 3, 

 and that of the latter 2. They are not 

 therefore fitted to endure wear, and can 

 only be employed for objects such as 

 vases, boxes, statuary, etc., not likelv to 

 be subjected to much attrition. Both 

 stalagmitic calcite, however, and gypsum 

 take an excellent polish, and preserve it 

 if properly cared for. 



The term alabaster when referred to 

 gypsum is limited to the fine-grained 

 granular variety usually white or deli- 

 cately shaded. It is obtained largely at 

 Castelino, near Leghorn, in Italy, and is 

 used for carvings of various sorts. Ob- 

 jects are often sold under the name of 

 alabaster that have been made out of 

 plaster of paris by molding. Their value 

 is much below that of true gypsum ala- 

 baster, from which they can be distin- 

 guished by their lack of translucency. 



Another form of gypsum used for or- 

 namental purposes is that known as satin 

 spar. This is white, with a delicately 

 fibrous structure, and exhibits when pol- 

 ished a beautiful silky luster and pearly 

 opalescence. Large quantities of this are 

 cut in the form of necklaces, charms, and 

 similar objects and sold at Niagara Falls 

 and vicinity to tourists as made from 

 material found at the Falls. Although 

 gypsum occurs there it is not in this 

 form, and the material used in this way 

 is really obtained in Wales. 



Objects made from calcite can usually 

 be detected by their softness, scratching 

 easily and deeply with a knife, and by 

 their effervescing when touched with a 

 drop of any common acid. In the form 

 of Mexican onyx calcite is extensively 

 used for ornamental purposes, and many 

 locally fashioned stones, such as the Pe- 

 toskey, Michigan, fossil corals (often 

 called agates), and the Gibraltar stone of 

 Gibraltar belong to this mineral species. 





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