294 Hidden and Pratt — Rhodolite, a new variety of garnet. 



Art. XL. — On Rhodolite, a new variety of garnet ; by 

 W. E. Hidden and J. H. Pratt. 



During the past fifteen years there has been found from 

 time to time, over a very limited area of western JSTorth Caro- 

 lina, a variety of garnet which is strikingly beautiful and quite 

 novel in several respects. It has been called " rose-garnet," 

 almandine and has also received other strictly local names ; 

 among mineralogists it has excited unusual interest and admi- 

 ration. 



The peculiarities which distinguish this garnet from the 

 ordinary occurrences of the species are : its variety of shades 

 and tints, for the most part similar to those belonging to the 

 rhododendrons and roses ; its surprisingly small amount of 

 coloring matter ; its gem-like transparency ; its freedom from 

 internal imperfections, microscopic inclusions and striae, all so 

 universally characteristic of common garnets ; also its remark- 

 able brilliancy when cut as a gem. There is but one variety 

 of garnet now known, which approaches it in this last respect, 

 when in the gem form, and that is the green demantoid of 

 Siberia, which often vies with the diamond in its luster and 

 dispersive effect upon light. Most garnets are beautiful only 

 by transmitted light and then exhibit only dark shades of color, 

 while these new garnets give most beautiful effects of brilliant 

 and varied coloring by reflected light alone ; thus proving the 

 uncommon purity and great clearness of this new material. 



These garnets occur as one of the pebbly constituents of the 

 gravel-beds and they are found much after the manner of 

 mining for "placer" gold, where hydraulic processes are used. 

 The exact place or ledge from which they have been derived 

 has not, as yet, been discovered, but similar material of an 

 inferior grade has been found in situ at one place accom- 

 panied by muchpyrite and biotite. 



The locality is situated in Macon County, North Carolina, 

 upon a brook known as Mason's Branch. This brook flows 

 southwestward from Lyle Knob (a spur of the Cowee Moun- 

 tains). Franklin, the county seat, is about six miles distant. 

 The associated minerals, in the gravels, are : Quartz, rarely as 

 isometric pseudomorphous dodecahedrons ; small rough garnets 

 of a dark pyrope nature ; small corundum crystals, of pale 

 blue, amethystine and pink shades, sometimes with a distinct 

 ruby tendency ; spinel, the pleonaste and gahnite varieties ; 

 bronzite (transparent) ; iolite (colorless) ; cyanite ; fibrolite ; 

 hornblende ; staurolite (often clear and glassy) ; rutile ; menac- 

 canite ; chromite (rare) ; monazite (rarely green) ; zircon ; gold 



