TURQUOISE MINES OF NEW MEXICO.
Those valuable gem» are worked at Mount Ohalohuitl (the Indian name for turquoise), about twenty-two miles south-west of Santa Ee. The rocks in which they are found are distinguished by their white color and decomposed appearance, somewhat resembling china clay, giving evidence, according to Pro* fessor Silliraan, of great alteration, due to the escape through them of heated vapor of water, and perhaps of other vapors and gases, by the action of which the original crystalised structure of the mass has been completely decomposed or metamorphosed. The turquoise is found in little veins and nuggets, covered on the exterior with a white tufaceous crust; but stones of great commercial value are comparatively rare, and many tons of the rack may be crushed without coming to a single specimen. The blue color of the turquoise, which, chemically, is a hydrous aluminum phosphate, is due to copper oxide derived from the associated rocks, of which the Mexico specimens contain 3 - 8 I per cent.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GLOBE18810207.2.12
Bibliographic details
Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2169, 7 February 1881, Page 2
Word Count
167TURQUOISE MINES OF NEW MEXICO. Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2169, 7 February 1881, Page 2
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in