Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-09-09
North carolina Mineral.

North Carolina is richer in mineral re-
sources than anybody ever dreamed Of
We read IN the Asheyille Nesos, thatscme
very rich and beautiful specimens Of conner
have just been discovered about 10 mia.
from that place, on Hommonv Greek IN
haywood county. These discoveries have.
oeen thoroughly tested, and yield from
twelve and half to sixty-fye per cent. Of
pure Copper. The vein is said to be the.
largest ever discovered in this country. be-
ing 4 feet wide and Of unknown deuth' The
fortunate discoverers are Messrs. 81. Bon
ham and NJ. Chapman, the formerof Smvth-s
and the latter of Giles county. Va. Tbey.
have been working in the neighborhood
swo years, and success at length crowns
their efforts.
The same paper has received n Latter
from scientific gentleman who has been
engaged in making thorough examination.
OF the minerals Of Valley river, in Cherokee
county That region is rich in minerals,
and must very soon attract the notice Of
scientific men and capitalists to q greater
extent than it has hitherto. done n this,
Valley river marble, (useful for buildiuo
purposes ron ore, apparently ofinezhaus.
tlbie extent, and which has been worked.
and makes an excellent article Of malIsa.
BE !ds iron, } lead, silver and gold have been
In relation to the goIus the -wrrrvr ssys- ~, .
a very large amount of golI from sur
face and deposit washings, in wears cone
by, has been collected on Vallex rixer--
The amount obtained reached in yalus ha.
yond half a million of dollars. The ooId
was Of very fine quality, ranging from 8 IS
to loo cts IN value to the penyWeight. at
the mint, But though the washines have
beencontinued at intervals, ever since 1880. 3
no one had succeeded in finding the vein !.
from which the gold bad been derived. uu-
!. til about the first of June Of the present
year. Felix Axley. Esq, of Murphy.
commenced a system Of cross-cuttiurs n
search Of the vein, during the mouth Of
May. He had, within the last year. Given
much attention TO Geology, in Connection
with his operations as Agent for the Gin.
einnati Mining Company, who, are engaged
largely In preparing for the development.
OF the copper mines Of North Carolina.
With his increased knowledge of the
laws governing mineral veins. he became.
convinced that he could find the vein from
which 50 much wealth had been derived
The labor was commenced by cutting 4.
ditch across the valley where bis Judge
ment dictated the vein was probably loca.
ted The ditch was. cut to the depth oe
the underlying rock and entirely throusb
the whole surface deposits. At the ais
tance of 36 rods, the vein was struck under
such circumstances as to give him the Geo
Logical key to find it elsewhere in the valley.
The vein is quartz and the gold is difused
.hrough its masses in such proportions, as
far as progress has been made, as to induce
the belief that it will be quite productive.
Included in the quartz is very largo
proportion of lead ore, including silver
which on analysis, promises to be produc-
tive. 1t would seem that the quartz vein
is the true source of the gold, lead and
silver, and that the lead ore found in tbe
marble has been produced by ofF-shoots
from the quartz vein at the time of its nro.
trusion BY volcanic action from below.