Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-11-14
For the Oxford Democrat
Minerals OF Oxford County.
MI. Mica.


NJ. Mica.
The we'll known locality. usually called
ST. Mica. and justly celebrated Tor the Va.
ris,y and beauty Of the rare minerals II has
offered, 10 situated on Q low hill which
forms one OF tha, group Of which s,reased
Mountain 10 the crowning summit. Or 1t
may cveu DO considered asa part OF the
northern lank OF that mountain.
Tho excavation from which the minerals
have been taken, 10 on the estate OF Mr..
Bowker, about two miles from Paris Hill.
on the BuckGsld road. II has been known
for about forty years. and formerly Afforded
some minerals not now found. ~ well m
finer specimens oi tho red and green tour.
maiine., than have been found for several
years past. This is. {" believe. no, bs-
caus, the locality has been exhausted. bu,
the excavation has not been made in the
proper direction 70 follow the centre OF tho
VEN.
Yet within . few years past. there have
been found hero several interesting miner.
ais. not known before. THIS mineral bear.
ing vein consists chiefly OF fe'd'par and Al.
i bite, with Mica and the various other min.
erals scattered through IL in masses and
crystals. passing through a coar'e granite.
II Is of considerable Width aud Of unknown
extent, Tor IL 10 concealed beneath tho soil
in either direction. It's worthy OF remark
tina, In Hebron. ai q distance OF about seven
miles, there 10 another vein OF similar char.
ac,er. and containing precisely the same
minerals n. this one. 10 that the same dss
/ cription will answer for both. The princi-
pal mineral, that have been foGnd here are
the following:
TlS Og,. This ore. also called Cdsnier.
i,, wa. first noticed rs Paris mineral at q
meeting Of tho Boston Society OF Natural
History. Dec. 5. 1850. when I exhibited a
fine specimen OF tho mineral, and gave .
brief account VI its mode 81 occurrence.
This specimen found in 1874. and IL Org
inally weighed a. least Eve pounds. !twm
nearly pure, partly crystalline and partly
massive. and occurred imbcdded in A!b'te.
This specimen attracted considerable a..en'
ton u, tho time. from the biologists and
minerAlOs.,. present. on account OF its 'ire
and purity. Since tr., finding this miner.
al ! have found other smaller specimens.
nearly every time that have visited the 10.
cality. A very beautiful specimen, imbcd-
ded in quartz, has also been found by Sir.
5. Il. Carter. OF Paris Hill. The .psci
mems, as yet. have been found scattered
through tho vein. but IL 10 possible tina,
farther exploration might reveal larger
quantities Of IL near the centre OF tho vein
which Is now buried under the rubbish.
This mineral ha' also been found in small
/. quantities At tho Hebron locality. THIS ore
contain. ~ per cent. Of metallic tin. AMI II
I. found In considerable quantity. would bs
very valuable. ls color Is dark brown or
/, black. often with rusty look, but when
cry.,ali,cd tho sides Of the crystals have q
bright. but no, metallic. lus,rs. IL 10 mos.
+, readily distinguished BY ITS weight, its grav.
i,y being nearly as great a. tina, Of metallic
iron. There 10 another locality Of Tin ore
IN Greenwood. to DO mentioned hereafter.
AsnLrGosrE. This very rare and inter-
: esiing mineral. not found before in Ameri.
ca. has been discovered during tho past
, summer, Embedded in the Lepiiolite. from
] both Pari, and Hebron. Mr.. q. II. Brush,
Of Yale College, has given an aecoun. Of It's
, discovery and examination. in the Sep,em.
Der number Of the American Journal OF Sci.
encs aad Arts. This mineral ., remarkable
J for containing. like Lspidolite. q cons,dera-
! bic amount oi the rare metal li,hium, and
probably. also. tho newly discovered metals.
I cassium and rubldium. 10 isa translucent.
. feld'pa,hic looking mineral. Of u white or
. rrayi'h color. eleavins perfectly 10 two d.
. rec,ion,. giving surface. which have q
brishI vitreous lustrc. !, fuses readily IN
the flame Of candle, colOrns the lish.
with beautiful crimson. owing to the li,h.
ia that IL contains. II occurs In irregular
|. ma'sss, in the Lepidolite.
YrrRocrSIrr. This very singular and
{ rare mineral has never yet been noticed
from st. Mica, but hav, found few good
specimens. I, is remarkable Tor containing
, tho rare metals. ytirium and cerlum. and
/, has before been found, in very email guam
titles only. in one or two localities IN Amer
lea. ]. occur, in email irregular masses.
imbedded In Albite. lu color Is dull VIC.
let, with n somewhat vitrcous lu',rc. Its
/ hardnes. !. less than that OF feld'par. IL be.
ing readily scratched by knife. V.
(ro ~ CONTINUED