THE GARNET GROUP (PYROPE): OCCURRENCE IN UNITED STATES 359 



(i?25). Boetiiis de Boot states that large stones were worth as much as a ruby of equal 

 size ; this is not now the case, in spite of the estimation in which pyrope is held, and of the 

 fact that its colour is equal in beauty to that of some rubies. 



The very smallest grains of pyrope are not cut as gems, but are utilised in a variety of 

 ways, for example, as counterpoises for delicate balances, for the preparation of grinding 

 powder, and even as ornamental gravels for garden walks, which gives a good idea of the 

 abundance in which they are found. There is nothing attractive about the appearance of 

 the stones in the rough ; the process of cutting, however, brings out the brilliancy of their 

 colour, which is displayed by smaller stones just as advantageously as by larger. In spite 

 of this, only stones exceeding a certain minimum size are cut as gems. Almost all the 

 usual forms of cutting are utilised for pyrope. As in the case of almandine, it is frequently 

 cut with a curved surface, en cabochon, when it is usually hollowed out a.t the back, but may 

 or may not be provided with small marginal facets. The light reflected from the curved 

 surface blazes with a wonderful fiery red colour. Still more frequently pyrope is cut in a 

 faceted form, either as a table-stone or a low step-cut, often with a curved table. Brilliants 

 and rosettes are also to be seen as well as fanciful forms in which the facets have no recognised 

 arrangement. Pyrope is more frequently used for the manufacture of beads than are other 

 garnets ; only the smaller stones are used for this purpose, each has a hole drilled through 

 it and is faceted regularly all over. The cut stones are either mounted upon a burnished 

 copper or silver foil in a closed setting blackened inside, or en pave. In the latter case the 

 stones are fixed by means of small claws or pins over close-set perforations in a metal plate, 

 the whole forming a kind of garnet mosaic. 



There are only a few other localities where pyrope of gem-quality is found. Other 

 than Bohemia the only European locality is Elie in Fifeshire ; the so-called " Elie rubies " 

 are of purely local interest, however. 



The occurrence of pyrope in the western part of the United States is more 

 important. The mineral is specially abundant in Arizona, New Mexico, and southern 

 Colorado, and, as frequently happens, was at first mistaken for ruby, a mistake out of which 

 arose the local trade names " Arizona ruby " and " Colorado ruby." In New Mexico pyrope 

 occurs as angular or rounded grains in sands at Santa Fe, but most abundantly in the 

 Reservation of the Navajo Indians, together with olivine and chrome-diopside. Pyrope is 

 here collected by the Indians from the sands of ant-hills and scorpion-hills, as well as from 

 the mother-rock. In Arizona pyrope occurs loose in sands, and, in the north-east of the 

 State, embedded in the mother-rock. Here also it is collected by the Indians and occasionally 

 by soldiers stationed there. The angular or rounded fragments measure J to ^ inch across ; 

 larger grains, ranging up to ^ inch in diameter, are rare. The quality of these stones is 

 good, about half being fit for cutting ; of these about one quarter are of ordinary quality, 

 exceptionally fine stones, especially those exceeding 3 carats in weight, being rare. Many 

 enclose a network of fine needles, probably of rutile. 



American pyropes on an average are smaller than the so-called " Cape rubies," to be 

 described presently. They have an equally fine appearance by daylight, but in artificial 

 light the American stones are superior to the African, the latter appearing somewhat dull. 

 The so-called " Arizona rubies " and " Colorado rubies " are rather extensively used, more so 

 than is the case with the pyrope found, for example, in the gold washings of the Counties 

 of Burke, MacDowell, and Alexander in North Carolina, and from other districts in the 

 United States. 



The occurrence of pyrope in Mexico is of no more importance ; it is known to occur in 

 the State of Sonora and in that of Chihuahua, especially on the Jaco Lake, where its 



