104 CORUNDUM, ITS OCCURRENCE AND DTSTRTBUTTON. 
At the Mincey mine, Ellijay Creek, ruby corundum has been found 
from which several small stones could be cut. This ruby corundum 
occurs at the same locality as the bronze corundum described below, 
Another locality that is worthy of mention, and one that gives some 
promise of making a satisfactory showing in course of develoi)ment, ir 
the so-called gem mine on the property of Dr. C. Grimshawe, of Mont- 
vale, Jackson County, N. C. Eubies of good color, from which a 
number of very small but fine stones have been cut, haA^(3 been found 
in the gravels of the stream. Blue and yellow corundum of gem 
quality is associated with the rubies. By following up the gravels 
the corundum was located in a small vein in the decomposed perido- 
tite. 
At the Cullakeenee mine. Buck Creek, and near Elf, on Shooting 
Creek, Clay County, N. C, masses of emerald to grass-green amphib- 
olite are found, through which are disseminated particles of pin^v 
and ruby corundum, ranging in size from that of a pea to that of a 
hickory nut. The corundum is not of gem quality, but the combina- 
tion of the green amphibolite and the pink corundum makes ver}^ 
beautiful specimens, and as the rock is hard enough to admit of a good 
polish this occurrence might furnish a decorative or ornamental 
stone of some value. 
At the Mincey mine, on Ellijay Creek, Macon County, and about 2^ 
miles northeast of Corundum Hill, there occurs a peculiar brcnvn or 
bronze corundum, known locally as '' pearl corundum," which shows 
distinct asterism, both by natural and artificial light, when the stone 
is cut en cabochon. In natural light these corundums all show a 
bronze luster and are somewhat similar to the cat's-eye, but in arti- 
ficial light the star is more distinct. Most of the bronze corundum is 
in rough crystals, but some have been found that have the prismatic 
faces smooth and well developed, and these are often dark, almost 
black, in color. 
Asterism has been noticed in many of the rubies and sapphires from 
Cowee Valley and in a few of the sapphires from the Montana 
deposits. This asterism, according to Von Lasaulx, is sometimes pro- 
duced by rifts due to the basal parting. These rifts, when examinetl 
with the microscope, are seen to be very thin, sharp, and rectilinear, 
and are parallel to the intersection of the prism and the base. 
In other cases asterism is undoubtedly due to the rutile or other 
mineral that is inclosed in the sapphires, which intersect each other at 
angles of 60°, and form a " sagenite web " or similar structure. 
On many of the corundum crystals, especially of the sapphire 
variety, concentric hexagons were observed on the basal plane as 
represented in fig. 14. The edges of the hexagon are parallel to the 
intersections of the prism faces and the base, and the plane of the 
