ALL ABOUT AMBER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20019, 7 August 1920, Page 10

ALL ABOUT AMBER.

Mr Frederick Talbot, in "All about Treasures of the Earth,” writes that the principal source of tbe_ amber supply is the coast of the Baltic Son. more particularly in the vicinity of Konigsberg. Even in ancient times this district constituted the " Kimberley ” of the umber world. At this place amber, which is really a, mineralised resin of extinct pine-trees, is freshly washed up by the sea. especially after a violent storm. The fishermen use nets with which they trawl the shallow waters. Tbo catch naturally varies. The more violent and destructive iho storm to properly ashore, the more likely there is to be a heavy haul of amber, which the elements in their fury lear from the so-called ‘‘blue earth” in which it is imprisoned and which forms the sca-bed. The “nuggets” which are sometimes brought in create as big n commotion as'the unearthing of a. large ragged mass of pure gold in an alluvial bed, or the discovery of a. large, diamond. For ihe. most part, however, the amber Is recovered in small lumps, it being very exceptional to alight upon a piece sealing 101b in weight. Mining for amber is restricted to activity at the Anna Mine at I’almnicken, where both open and underground work is practised. The underground workings are somewhat extensive, and afford employment for several hundred miners. The bine earth is broken' down by pick and shovel, and the pieces of amber which arc found are transferred to hags, each man surrendering ’•;s haul upon leaving the workipr's. The bin? earth is washed after the manner of washing for gold.