corundum, Finland.12, gems

Laitakari reports the occurrence of corundum and garnet among the heavy minerals recovered during gold washing in Finnish Lapland. These resistant, high-density minerals remain with the heavy concentrate during panning and sluicing and were increasingly being collected by gold miners as potentially useful ornamental stones. The corundum occurs in several colors, including red and bluish material referred to as ruby and sapphire, although the Lapland material was generally of lower quality than commercial gem corundum. Garnets constitute another conspicuous component of the concentrates and include material suitable for cutting and polishing. The brief note is an early record of corundum from the Lapland placer-gold districts and reflects Laitakari’s broader effort to encourage recognition and use of Finland’s native gem and ornamental-stone resources. Later Finnish mineralogical compilations specifically cite Laitakari’s 1954 paper for corundum in the Lemmenjoki gold placers.