Gemstones Discovered

Rough ruby, sapphire, iolite and kyanite gems in schist from Wyoming 

As you scroll down through rock and mineral images in various magazines, books and papers, keep in mind very few gemstones (other than jade, a couple of agates, and a few, tiny micro-diamonds) had been recognized in Wyoming, until a 3-decade period from 1977 to 2007 when a number of research projects by the Minerals Section of the Wyoming Geological Survey at the University of Wyoming, led to many discoveries of gold, gemstones, unique rocks, numerous mineral anomalies, and crypto-volcanic structures, as well as the mapping of many mining districts and abandoned mines. It is hard to imagine, but during this period, hundreds of mineral discoveries were made along with numerous deposits and anomalies identified along US highways and even within sight of Interstate 80! Some of the hundreds of anomalies suggest the presence of many more diamond pipes remain hidden throughout much of Wyoming, numerous gold occurrences and deposits, agates, jasper, quartz, sapphire, ruby, iolite, kyanite, garnet, chromian-diopside, beryl, labradorite and other treasures yet to be noticed also will be found in the Cowboy state. But it will take time and Wyoming may have to wait another century before another, workaholic geologist comes along to search for these hidden treasures.

Nearly all of the rock behind field
assistant Wayne in this photo, is one,
giant iolite gemstone. Chip away at the
limonite-stained rock, and it is a beautiful,
violet colored translucent gem!!!

Gemstones in the Bible

After the Minerals Section began searching for gemstones in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming, more than a hundred previously unreported gem and semi-precious-gemstone deposits were discovered using geological methods. For example, after a discovery of ruby and sapphire was made in a host rock known as vermiculite schist (a.k.a. glimmerite), copies of publications about vermiculite deposits were examined and deposits were visited and another five, previously-unreported, ruby and sapphire deposits were discovered - sounds simple doesn't it? Then traveling around to various rockhound, mineral collectors, treasure hunters, and other social groups, the GemHunter presented lectures on these and other discoveries. Using this information, some local rock hounds and prospectors also discovered their own corundum, ruby and sapphire deposits in the Granite and Wind River Mountains of central Wyoming, and near the Big Sandy opening.

Based on geochemistry, ruby and sapphire are aluminum oxides (Al2O3) formed under relatively high pressure and temperature, and vermiculite is an altered, mica-rich rock, enriched in aluminum oxide and subjected to relatively high pressure and temperature in the geological past. Thus, the chemistry and P,T regime were just right to form ruby- and sapphire-bearing vermiculite schists: now its up to you to search Colorado, Montana and Wyoming for similar deposits. Start out by reading copies of Hagner (1942, 1944), Harris (2002), VanGossen (2002).

A book that has led to recent gem
discoveries in the US.

Later, the GemHunter found some beautiful specimens of iolite schist and gneiss at Palmer Canyon. Along with the largest iolite gemstone reported in the world at that time, he recovered many fabulous iolite gems at the first discovery site, including a 1,714-carat gem and a group of other gems that weighed more than 100-carats each. This led to another discovery (predicted by the GemHunter) at Grizzly Creek, where  enormous specimens of gem-quality iolite were found along with the largest iolite gemstones in the world! Some were estimated to be as large as a Smart Car, and because of their enormous size, were left in outcrop. 

During a search of another old publication on Cordierite in Wyoming, by Newhouse and Hagner, 1949 the GemHunter was led to more iolite discoveries - and potentially one with more than 2.5 trillion-carats of the gem. Why cordierite? Cordierite is the mineralogists' term for iolite. So by using the publication, a reconnaissance field investigation led to identification of several, detrital, gem-quality, iolite gems northeast of Laramie, near the old Strong mine, along the 9th street road.

The 1949 cordierite report describes a deposit at Ragged Top Mountain in the Laramie Mountains likely described the largest gemstone deposit on earth without realizing it. The early geologists searched the cordierite deposit for a source of magnesium, one of the important ions in the cordierite crystal structure, but never mentioned the presence of iolite or any gem material. But based on sampling described in the report - they likely identified a world-class gemstone deposit consisting of iolite (cordierite) in several trenches (it is important to note they did not dig any deep trenches and did not drill, thus it is likely there is an even much larger deposit !!!). 

Under the limonite at Grizzly Creek is some
extraordinary iolite gemstones unmatched
by any other deposit on earth.

Based on the 1949 trenching and sampling, more than 500 tons of cordierite was identified in this resource (converts to about 2.5 trillion carats!!!) at the surface. Who knows how much of this was gem quality and how many trillions of carats of the gemstone lie at depth? So what did the Wyoming Government do about this major discovery? Nothing! But, it remains in situ and remains to be investigated on a private ranch.

A book about gold in Wyoming

The GemHunter investigated the fringe of the deposit along the 9th street (Rogers Canyon) road north of Laramie near the old Strong mine and found excellent-gem-quality iolite gems a carat and more in weight as detrital material in road gravel providing evidence that the iolite deposit at Ragged Top is likely rich in the gem, but much of the deposit lies on private property. 

As soon as the GemHunter made the discovery, his field field vehicle was confiscated and he was no longer allowed to conduct field research. The State Geologist and Director even reassigned the field vehicle to his own personal secretary. Was there something amiss in the state geologist's office?

So, has everything been found and discovered? Not yet. There are still likely hundreds of deposits in Wyoming alone that remain to be discovered and when the GemHunter left Wyoming, he was on the trail of more gold deposits, more ruby deposits, more iolite deposits, more diamond deposits, more spectrolite deposits and also had evidence for more opal deposits including one that could be a major opal and agate deposit near Douglas Wyoming. It is interesting to note that when the GemHunter worked for the Wyoming Geological Survey, at least one to more than a dozen new gemstone and gold deposits were found each year in the Cowboy state. Can any other state make that claim? - The GemHunter.

A few of the first, faceted stones from Palmer Canyon.

Who is the GemHunter? 

The GemHunter, aka W. Dan Hausel, was a research geologist for the Wyoming Geological Survey who just loved to research pragmatic geological puzzles and constantly word to find answers. 

2 Samuel 12:30

A 12-carat rough pink sapphire recovered from Palmer Canyon, Wyoming by Vic Norris.