A zircon is a mineral which is found in some kinds of rock and limestone. Zircons are sometimes found in sandy stream beds and on beaches, but more often in the same waters where prospectors pan for gold.
Most zircons are found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in Ceylon, in Australia, and in the United States in Florida, California, and Oregon. Some zircons are used in jewelry. These shiny, glittery stones are brittle and chip easily. Colorless zircons that resemble diamonds are called jargoons. Transparent stones with a reddish color are called hyacinth zircons. Industry uses zircons in making heat-resistant porcelains, chemicals, abrasives, foundry sand, alloys, and in refining zirconium.
