gems general

Stoddard summarizes the production and trade of gems and precious stones in the United States during 1920. Domestic production was valued at $265,205, more than double that of 1919, with Montana overwhelmingly dominant at $223,196. Sapphire accounted for most of this increase: the American Gem Mining Syndicate in Granite County and the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate in Fergus County produced nearly all U.S. sapphire, with output greater than in any previous year except 1913 and strong demand for industrial-grade material. The Arkansas Diamond Co. continued testing the Pike County deposits and reportedly recovered several hundred carats, while preparations were made for larger-scale washing; the report also records the discovery in 1921 of a 20¼-carat white diamond during test-pit work. Other notes concern newly reported amethyst and topaz near Butte, Montana, and canary-colored moss opal and precious opal from the Death Valley region of California. Imports of precious stones, excluding pearls, were valued at $66,100,742, the second-highest total then recorded but 28% below the extraordinary 1919 figure.