At New Milford, Connecticut, a property was extensively worked from October, 1885, to May, 1886, for mica and beryl.  The beryls were yellow, green, blue, and white in color, the former being sold under the name of “golden beryl.”  No work has been done at the mine since then.  In 1886 and 1887 there were about four thousand stones cut and sold for some $15,000, the cutting of which cost about $3,000.

Turquoise.—­This mineral, which was worked by the Aztecs before the advent of the Spaniards, and since then by the Pueblo Indians, and largely used by them for ornament and as an article of exchange, is now systematically mined near Los Cerrillos, New Mexico.  Its color is blue, and its hardness is fully equal to that of the Persian, or slightly greater, owing to impurities, but it lacks the softness of color belonging to the Persian turquoise.

From time immemorial this material has been rudely mined by the Indians.  Their method is to pour cold water on the rocks after previously heating them by fires built against them.  This process generally deteriorates the color of the stone to some extent, tending to change it to a green.  The Indians barter turquoise with the Navajo, Apache, Zuni, San Felipe, and other New Mexican tribes for their baskets, blankets, silver ornaments, and ponies.

Garnet and Olivine (Peridot).—­The finest garnets and nearly all the peridots found in the United States are obtained in the Navajo Nation, in the northwestern part of New Mexico and the northeastern part of Arizona, where they are collected from ant hills and scorpion nests by Indians and by the soldiers stationed at adjacent forts.  Generally these gems are traded for stores to the Indians at Gallup, Fort Defiance, Fort Wingate, etc., who in turn send them to large cities in the East in parcels weighing from half an ounce to thirty or forty pounds each.  These garnets, which are locally known as Arizona and New Mexico rubies, are the finest in the world, rivaling those from the Cape of Good Hope.  Fine gems weighing from two to three carats each and upward when cut are not uncommon.  The peridots found associated with garnets are generally four or five times as large, and from their pitted and irregular appearance have been called “Job’s tears.”  They can be cut into gems weighing three to four carats each, but do not approach those from the Levant either in size or color.

Gold Quartz.—­Since the discovery of gold in California, compact gold quartz has been extensively used in the manufacture of jewelry, at one time to the amount of $100,000 per annum.  At present, however, the demand has so much decreased that only from five to ten thousand dollars’ worth is annually used for this purpose.

In addition to the minerals used for cabinet specimens, etc., there is a great demand for making clocks, inkstands, and other objects.

Quartz.—­During the year 1887 about half a ton of rock crystal, in pieces weighing from a few pounds up to one hundred pounds each, was found in decomposing granite in Chestnut Hill township, Ashe County, North Carolina.  One mass of twenty and one-half pounds was absolutely pellucid, and more or less of the material was used for art purposes.  This lot of crystal was valued at $1,000.