354 



University of California Publications. 



[Geology 



Lately some very good results have been obtained by the use 

 of the emerald cut which gives good eolor-value with but slight 

 loss of brilliancy- A number of the stones have also been cut 

 en cabochon. This allows the use of the less perfect material and 

 also of that which varies considerably in color in the same piece, 

 containing perhaps with the deep blue certain areas without color. 

 The results have been quite satisfactory. 



Name. The name of the mineral was taken from San Benito, 

 the name of the county in which the mine lies, of the river, at the 

 headwaters of which the deposit occurs, and of a nearby peak of 

 the range. 11 



NEPTUNITE. 



C ry stall ogra pity. 



Neptunite is an abundant and characteristic mineral of the 

 deposit. Prior to its discovery in California it had been reported 

 only from Greenland. 12 In the original benitoite material a small 

 section of a prism without terminal faces was suspected to be a 

 new mineral and the name carlosite suggested for it. Soon after 

 the mine was visited satisfactory material was obtained and its 

 identity with neptunite recognized. 



The forms observed at the San Benito locality are c(001), 

 &(010), a(100), m(110), s(lll), o(Tll), /(T12), #(211), r(221), 



p(Sii): 



Measured. Calculated. 

 <t> P . P 



c(001) 



90° 



00' 



25' 



' 38' 



90° 



00' 



25 



38' 



rt(100) 



90 



00* 



90 



00* 



90 



00 



90 



00 



Hi (110) 



40 



06 



90 



00* 



40 



07 



90 



00 



s(lll) 



55 



14 



54 



36 



55 



10 



54 



43 



0(111) 



T4 



06 



• 39 



53 



T3 



57 



39 



45 



KT12) 



T9 



08 



23 



04 



T9 



05 



23 



08 



r(521) 



28 



27 



61 



25 ■ 



28 



37 



61 



28 



p(311) 



62 



25 



60 



20 



62 



30 



60 



22 



* Crystals set with p 



risrn 



zone 



at p = 90° 00' 



and 



angles 



<P 



refer: 



as 90° 00' 



ii The correct and usual pronunciation of place names of Spanish origin 

 in California approximates the original Spanish pronunciation. In Benito 

 the accent is on the penultimate syllable and the i has the sound of i in 

 machine. In conformity with this, the name of the mineral is properly 

 to be pronounced be-ni'-to-ite. Benito is a Spanish form of benedictus, 

 blessed. 



isFlink, Zeit. fur Kryst., 23 (1894), pp. 344-367; Nordenskiold, Geol 

 Foren. Forh., 16 (1894), p. 336; Wallenstrom, ibid., 27 (1905), p. 149; 

 BSggild, Meddelelser om Gronland, 33 (1907), pp. 95-120. 



