pbatt.] CORUNDUM IN NORTH CAROLINA. 00 
Bauer 1 has described etching figures that he observed on the base 
0001 and the pyramid 2243 of the Burma rubies. Those on the base 
are similar to the figures in fig. 5 of PI. V, except that the outside 
contour of the rhombohedron is pounded. 
These sapphire deposits are now controlled by the New Mine Sap- 
phire Syndicate of Utica, Fergus County, Mont., and London, Eng- 
land, of which Mr. George A. Wells, of Greal Falls. Mont., is presi- 
dent. Mr. S. S. Hobson, of Lewiston, .Mont., one of the directors of 
the company, states in a recent Letter that 130,000 carats of cuttable 
material were taken ou1 last season. Besides this there is a Large 
amount of very small crystals and badly Hawed Larger crystals thai 
are nol capable of being cut into gems and thai are sold by the 
ounce. The Largesl rough stones thai have been found weighed 11 
to L2 carats, and from these were cut gems weighing 5 to 6 carats. 
One of the Keller stones taken ou1 t he season of L899 weighed 1 carats 
when cut and is valued at over - s 7~> a carat. All of the material is 
Shipped to London. 
That the American gemsare being appreciated is shown by the large 
orders that are received tor them from Paris, London, and New Fork. 
CORUNDUM. 
Under this head are included all the translucenl to opaque varie- 
ties of all colors, subdivided into block, crystal, and sand corundum. 
While a sharp line can be drawn between corundum and emery, no 
such distinction can be made between corundum and sapphire, for 
many pieces of the former are found that have transparent portions. 
Many sapphire gems have been found in masses of corundum that 
were being mined for abrasive purposes. 
In the following descriptions corundum deposits have been taken up 
by Sta \ s in the order of supposed importance. Many of the beds 
are briefly noticed, but the Larger and more important deposits are 
described in detail. 
NORTH CAROLINA. 
Most of the corundum localities in North Carolina are, in a general 
way, indicated on the map (PI. VI), except the very few that are east 
of the Flue Ridge. In the following descriptions only those deposits 
have been considered which have been mined for corundum or which 
hold out a promising prospect for the mineral. These will be taken 
up by counties, the more important ones first. 
MACON COUNTY. 
Corundum was first discovered in this county in 1870 at what is 
now known as the Corundum Hill mine, and mining was begun here 
about a year later. This mine has become one of the most important 
i Loc. cit., p. 2ia 
