A Field Guide to Gemstones of the Pacific Northwest

This pocket guide in a laminated fold-out format unearths the gorgeous gemstones hidden beneath our feet. Pink rhodonite can be discovered on Vancouver Island mountains, Saltspring Island, Keremeos and Bella Coola. Opals abound near Vernon. The rare blue dumortierite is found near Port Hardy and quartz clusters reside in the Chilliwack mountains. Rocky Mountain jaspers come in shocking combinations of green, orange, yellow and blue. Photographs of gemstones in their rough and polished states are surrounded by information about each stone. We learn about its location, extraction, properties and uses, as well as other quirky facts. We discover that garnet comes from the Latin word for seed —granum— because garnet stones resemble pomegranate seeds. And that Queen Alexandra had 100 tons of sodalite shipped to England in 1901.