| Show WHERE WE FIND EMERALDS Famous Muzo Mines In the Republic of Colombia Produce Finest Gems The emeralds are found In Inthe inthe 1 J the Republic of Colombia at the famous fa fa- famous Muzo mines in the department of Boyaca seventy miles north by west of Bogota which have been worked since 1558 The Spaniards mined there In the middle of the six six sixteenth century but withdrew after a time owing to continual fighting with the Indians with the result that for for awhile the locality of the mines was unknown They are now worked by an English company in partnership partnership partnership partner partner- ship with the government The emeralds emeralds emer emer- aids at Muzo occur in calcite veins running through black carboniferous I limestone in all ll dir directions and at all angles Often the limestone is covered cov coy I ered erect with earth in lu which bushes and trees are growing this has to be cleared before prospecting Is possible Wh When n calcite veins have hae been located the side of the hill is dug away in banks usually by Indians whose chief tool is a steel bar forged to a ap p point at one end The pieces of calcite calcite calcite cal cal- cite vein are examined superficially for roi emeralds and are then set aside side for conveyance to the sorting shed sorting where a detailed examination is made and the emeralds are divided into fifteen fit fir I teen grades according to color transparency transparency trans trans- size freedom from flaws and andEO I EO to on I |
