Posted on 08/29/2010 5:15:17 AM PDT by JoeProBono
HIDDENITE, N.C., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Experts said a 64-carat emerald discovered by a gem miner in North Carolina is the largest cut emerald ever found in the United States.
Terry Ledford, 53, who dug up the gem in August 2009 in Hiddenite, said the rock -- 310 carats uncut -- "looked like an empty 7 Up bottle" when he discovered it, The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reported Friday.
Ledford, who named the stone The Carolina Emperor, said he expects selling the emerald to be "completely life-changing."
C.R. "Cap" Beesley, a New York gemologist, said Ledford is likely correct, as the emerald is "by far the largest cut gem ever recovered from North America and North Carolina." He said an emerald of similar size sold for $1.6 million earlier this year.
FILE PHOTO
"Gem miner Terry Ledford said the deep-green crystal he dug up in Hiddenite last August was so big it "looked like an empty 7-Up bottle." About 2 inches square, it weighed 310 carats before being cut. Its hue made it even more desirable.
"I was saying a prayer, literally, just thanking him," Ledford said. "I held it up to the sun, and it was so dark you almost couldn't see any light through it."
My heart’s fluttering.
“The Carolina Emperor, said he expects selling the emerald to be “completely life-changing.”
Once the government tax-thugs get a hold of him it will really be life-changing.
Ya mean we can probably welcome him here to FR any day now?
Hiddenite is named so because it is the only known location of hiddenite. I have been there to the mines and bought some hiddenite for my collection.
Maybe Bammy can “redistribute” a chunk of it to his missus for reparations. Fair is fair, after all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiddenite
“Hiddenite is a pale-to-emerald green variety of spodumene that is sometimes used as a gemstone.”
“The first specimens of the hiddenite variety of spodumene were recovered about 1879 near the tiny settlement of White Plains, west of Stony Point, Alexander County, North Carolina”
....
“In addition to the North Carolina locality, Hiddenite has also been found in Brazil, China, and Madagascar.”
“Once the government tax-thugs get a hold of him it will really be life-changing.”
The first thing I would do is pack up my gem and head for another country.
Oh, I have already done that...but without an Emerald :(
Which only leads to the question how did someone know this was a completely new mineral and name the mineral hiddenite?
It was the same guy that invented unobtainium.
My dad used to take us to the Cowee Valley to “mine” for rubies, sapphires and garnets back in the 60’s. It was near Franklin. $1 for a bucket of mud and a place at the sluice. Still have my treasures in a box around here somewhere.
Hiddenite was named after the geologist William Earl Hidden, and the North Carolina town was eventually renamed with the mineral’s name. There are a variety of criteria used to describe minerals, and when differences from currently-known minerals are observed, they say they’ve found a new mineral. X-ray crystallography is very useful, although they didn’t have that at the time hiddenite was identified!
I took a class from a geologist who had found a new mineral in Antarctica, which was the only place that particular compound was found in nature in a solid state.
Hiddenite is a fairly conservative place...he might already be a member....
I’ve read recently that a gemstone called, “tanzanite” (violet to purple in color) is more rare than diamonds and can only be found in one place on Earth. Geologists say that the mining of it will run out in 1-2 years. Is this true?
Cue: "Now listen to a story 'bout a man named Led..."
: )
Love these stories!
That's funny . ;)
Hiddenite is the ore from which unobtanium is extracted.
I’m wondering:
Did he find it on his own property or that of someone else?
Did he own the mineral rights? If not, can he legally claim ownership ?
>> “Now listen to a story ‘bout a man named Led...” <<
Yeah, but $1.6 million certainly won’t buy you a mansion in Beverly Hills. Maybe not even a shack!
/mark
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