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SPODUMENE.
Spodumene or triphane, belonging to the pyroxene group, at
first was supposed to occupy only one locality in the world Stony
Point, Alexander County, North Carolina. The specimens looked
like olivine, but were harder, 6.5 to 7, specific gravity about 3.18, and
lustre pearly to vitreous. Later, they were found to be identical with
a fine transparent stone, taking a high polish, discovered in Brazil,
and ignorantly sold in Europe as chrysoberyl. The two are much
alike in appearance a pale yellow or yellowish green. Many socalled
chrysoberyls in Brazil, often termed Brazilian chrysolites, may
turn out to be spodumene. Spodumene is fibrous and tough, in this
respect something like jade. Yet, it is difficult to cut on account
of its very easy cleavage, being harder in one direction than another.
Because of this, though much harder, it is almost as perplexing a
lapidistic problem as sphene.
variety called Kunzite.
Particularly is this the case with the
HIDDENITE.
A variety of spodumene, discovered in North Carolina in 1879,
at Stony Point, now called Hiddenite, as well as the gem, is named
after W. E. Hidden, who discovered it. The first specimens were
thought to be diopside, being transparent and greenish yellow in
color. Some of almost an emerald green, growing deeper in tint
the deeper they dug, were by Mr. Hidden at first called lithia emerald,
an essential constituent of spodumene being lithia, until the
scientific world determined to honor the discoveror himself. Yet,
though likened to emerald, even the greenest of them have a tinge
of yellow, and the hardness, 6.5 to 7, as well as the color, is inferior
to emerald. Hiddenite is exclusively an American product. A fine
green transparent stone is very rare, but can be seen in both the
American and British museums. It is worth from $50 to $100 per
karat and was in great demand when first found, but the supply was
soon exhausted. Yet the earth in that locality has only been scratched,
and some day a fortune will fall to one possessed of both means
and patience. For green stones are in increasing demand, and Hiddenite
is only a shade less beautiful, if a whole degree less hard,
than the most costly gem in the market.
The spodumene first seen by Mr. Hidden (even then, in 1879,
an eminent mineralogist) were in the cabinet of Mr. Stevenson of
Statesville, N. C, to whom they had been given by children, finding
them while at play in a field. Having been long on the surface they
were pale and faded, and Mr. Hidden thought them diopside, but
sent them to J. Lawrence Smith, who judged them to be kyanite.
Mr. Hidden asked Mr. Smith to examine them more carefully, when
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