Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-12-01
For Tie Keowce Courier.

Having, in my late visit to Western North
Carolina, visited almost every mica mino at
present in operation there. little description
of their condition may not be unintcresting.
Mica is the only mineral, (with the cxccp.
tion of little corundum,) that is now being
proitably mined in this district. There are
some forty or fifty mines, all very small affairs,
from hole only three or four feet deep to-,
Gin Gilbcrt's mine, some two hundrcd feet
Of tunncling. It is generally found in a
salcablo condition within four or five feet of
the surface, and Of firstclas quality ut a
depth of three yards. 1t, consequently, re-
quires little capital or skill to miuo it success
fully. Mica is generally found in 'pockets"
in veins. only know Of one vein, however,
worth calling such, and that is Stilwcll's. near
Webster The latter is about four feet wide
and gets larger as it dcscends. Mined in Il
very poor and understandable manner, 1t has
paid steadily and richly from the very com
mcnccmcnt. The vein has been traced for
two miles, and is remarkable for the clcalncss
aud purity Of the "glass," the latter being
destitute Of the unsightly blotoles of oxide
of iron, found on almost all othor mica -
Nearly in line with this, extending for forty
miles through the country, arc the following
mines One near Wayncsyilc, on which the
lcssccs, NJ. Fail & Co., spent several thou,
sand dollars with but little return, and have
now abandoned; the Davies mine, now work
cd by the same firm, and bidding fair to give
similar result; Higdon 4 Co.'S, on Cowcc
mountain, a promising Cooking mine, in hard
plopathc rock; several smaller places, owned
by lIolcomb, Sanders, Gilmore & Co., Boydc,
Richman, &c. The Bcaslcy mine, owned by
Franks, Smith and Dobson, apparently, a
first class lode, but mined hitherto in such a
siovcnly manner that it is impossible to tell
much about it. There arc also few other
GnsignilicanD mines on the same belt, further
east A series Of "pockcis' have been found
in the Blue Ridge, near the head waters Of
the Chauga river. They have, however, ra;c-
ly produced one hundred pounds Of trimmed
mica before giving out.
Mica is generally found within a quarter of
mile of the various soapstonc veins traver-
sing the country, and seems to be connected
with that rock in some manner, though they
are never found irtcrminglcd together Tie
best and only surface indication is fat pieces
Of mica, at least four inches square, lying
about or sticking upright in tho soil or rocks
An immense quantity Of smal! flakes of mica
is far poorer, and more imrovcri>hing in,l-
cation, than a single large, though perfectly
rotten lump.
The price ranges from twenty. .Gvc cents to-,
Gn very exceptionally fine and large pieces. J
two dollars FER pound, according to sizn ana
quality y miner con generally calc,Jntssen
his stuff Qaken all Trough bringing from
sixty cents to seventy cruts per pound, ii of
average Size and docen;iy rnncd. have
never received a batch Of mica yet (eNcupt
from regular huycys,) that did not rcuurc
considerable sorting and re cutting, before it
cpuld pass muster in Northern or English
markets, WM p. TIIOMpS IN,
Mineral dealer, WalAa!la