Galfornia’s Gem Mines.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3872, 11 May 1906, Page 4 (Supplement)

Galfornia’s Gem Mines.

It was only recently that San Dif-go County, California, awoke to the realisation of the fact that it is one of tho great gem spota of the world. For years the Indians, who led a lazy, listless life among the peaceful hills and valleys of this semi-tropical section, have adorned themselves with jewels ol rare beauty. Many of these Indians still remain, and some of thorn are to-day the best gem miners in tho region. Indeed, a substantial slice of San Diego County is set apart as tho reservation for the Mesa Grande tribe, which has always had its abiding place among the gem hills. Tho discovery of the groat worth of the deposits of Mesa Grande was a more accident. In 1898, about the time of the opening of tho Spanish-Amerioan war, Frank Wright was prospecting in the i San Diego County for lithia, to be mined and sold for medical purposes. Mr. Wright found tourmaline crystals, a gem which is one of tire most beautiful and remarkable in existence, almost as hard as the diamond, with tho greatest variety of colour of any precious stone—a gem 'which lias for years been sold as ruby and emerald and which is now receiving a rapidly increasing popularity in its own right. There was no excitement over tho discoveries of Mr. Wright. 'Gold miners, cattle men, fruit raisers were contented to follow their own habitual occupations, because they had no technical knowledge of the gems among which they lived. Four years ago the. tourmaline mining industry of San Diego was a cipher. Since that time hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of precious stones from its pregnant mountains have been sold, and the production has actually bandy begun. Tho Tannonbaum mine alone, it is reported, has yielded a vast fortune worth of tourmalines. Tho work has been carried on very quietly. There has never yet been any stampeding or “ wild-catting” in the southern California gem industry. Tho precious tourmalines from tho Tanncrbauin mane ■were shipped to the establishment in New York to lie cut and sold. The demand from other sources has been persistent and has always exceeded the quantity. The demand is growing. Jew- * tilers have never “ pushed” tourmalines, because they were never sure of the supply. The American neoplo have only begun to realise what exquisite gems they are. Titled and wealthy Europeans have, however, prized tourmalines for their unique and fascinating beauty. Tho wealth cf these mines can hardly bo estimated. The (Mesa Grande mine alone has seven distinct veins. Tho Tannenbaum property, which is said to have produced a fortune, has been worked in only a small part of one vein. Tho production of only throe Mb. of grins a week makes an output equal to about £I2OO weekly, cr about £OO,OOO a year. This can be done by employing ia handful of men. Tho output could easily be trebled. Half the profit in the gem industry, however, comes from the cutting of the stone. The lapidary is a prominent feature of the business. From the lapidary tho gems are sold to the manufacturer, who makes them into jewels for the ■wholesaler, who iu turn supplies the retailer. Tho development of the tourmaline mines in tho San Diego County has given a new impetus to the business cf gem cutting in southern California. New lapidaries in San Diego and Los Anglesos have been opened, and crowds stand in front of the windows where gems in tho rough and cut are displayed. Along with tourmaline are bits cf Kunzite, and beryl and other gems. It is quite probable, too, that emeralds will bo found with the tourmaline in San Diego County. "A select emerald commands a highc’- price even than a d ainmul. Colombia, South America, is now the only source of supply of the alluring given gem. Silica mica, which is the formation in which emerald occurs, has already been encountered iu the Mesa Grande mine. It is expected, also, that rubies 'rill be uncovered here, for corundum, the ruby formation, is present in the mine.