Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-11-19
Ore KnoD Copper NsIne.
Ply proc. ". G. KERR.

BY PROF. W. c. KERR.
| The most remarkable veiu in North
! Ca. olina, is at Ore Knob in the south
east corner Of Ashe county, near the
top of the Blue Ridge. and about two
miles from New River. Tins mine
/. was opened before the war, but not
| explored to any depth or with any sys-
| tenn. and its real character was not de
veIoped until about two years ago,
when it was purchased by the present
owners. the Messrs. Clayton & Co.,
of B .ltimore. These gentlemen have
! opened the vein by series of shafts
and tunnels, aud have been repaid by
the discovery of body of ore which
is not equalled at any mine 1 know OF
outsid. of Ducktowp. The rock of
the region is gray (and usually thla-
bedded gneiss with mica schlsts and
states. These have a prevalent strike
a little east OF northeast, and dip east
at tolerably high angle; though both
dip and strike are subject to consid-
cradle variation. The walls of the
copper vein are micaceous gnelss and
mica states, with a strike N. 81 de
gree E. and dipping southeast at an
angle of 40 to 459 degrees. The cop
per vein is coincident i'll strike with
/
across the strata in dip, SO that it is a
true tissue vein, and not bedded
like those of Ducktown. IL is tracea
BILE by outcrop Of gosSdn for more
| than a mile, and has been proved by
trial-sbafts and trenches for nearly
9. 600 fact. The breadth of the lode
varies from about to Is feet, Us sta
ted to measure 20 in some cases.
averaging about 10 probably. Seven
shafts have been sunk vertically IN
the vein, ana driven. at the depths OF
90 and $50 feet, these shafts and
drifts often not touching either wall !;
| so that the vein is opened at linear
distance Of $50 feet. here IS pro
perry speaking, no gauge stone, the
whole breadth OF the tissue being filed
with ore. The gossan, which is de-
composed of oxydized ore, extends to
an average dep,h of oyer so feet IN the
different shafts, the lower half cOu-
tanning a valuable percentage Of ox?d-
and maIachite. Below this level CT
oxidation. the ore is srlphuret of cop
rer The quantity OF ore removed IL
thu mere process Of opening the mine
is very great, Estimated at over 300
| tOne). as there was no loss of work,
every foot Of excavation being repre-
sented by its quiva!eut Of ore on the
suffice ScmA p1rts Of the VEN con
tain small portions Of magnetic,
quartz AMI garnet. DR.. I. >. Hon,
lad examin, d the mine d few We K
before my visit. and [ give his analy
SIS Of the ore 1T says: ''I'No sam
pies Of the gossau taken at d'~tlnces ~
two CT three ieet ab3v" to. suipburet>,
! yielded respectfully l 1 and - per Cen
Of copper. 1t is evident th,t a iaf8
portion of this gossan can he treate d
ad yantaCeousIy for copper" OF the
una!tAred portion Of The vein, he Gays:
Some parts of the vein are filed viii
copper Eyrites, mixed with more o.
less magnetite, and yielding IN d # r
emit specimens II 10 % per cent OF cop
per, While larger portion CONSIST.
chic fly of an impure variegated ore
giving in different assays, 35 80 ard 4:
per can't of copper" An average sam.
ole of fresh and undried orr. from {
large pile gave 25 per cant and anoth
er from pie chiefly of iron-b ack orr
gave 36 per cent of copper. The ave
rage of the ores which were undergo
ing reduction in August. 1874, wa,
estimatrd by Mr.. Clayton to range be
tween II and % per cent.
The mine being situated at the dis
lance of 40 miles from the nearest rail
road depot. marion, Va.,) it was de-
sirable to reduce the ores on the spot
For this purpose the process of precip
itation, by the method of HINT
Douglas, has been adopted. and thu
werks We're tnrniDg out daily 2! ton;
Of cement copper" yielding IS to 81
ger cent Of the metal. Preparations
were making 10 erect furnaces fol
smelling the cement copp. r. aud thus
saving an additional it. m of coast o
transport, by hauling only The
pure pl" coPpe~ 70 the
railroad. The furnace I an informed
have bneY arected and ali The opera
tons Of reduction are completed ON
the or, und. Preparations were also
making to dnH!a the cap4otg Of tie
reduci. e works. wbinh wien compile
il Il will place OIA Knob among the
les.iing copper mines of thu world.
70 carry on :hese large Oper atoms
which is d,uc hv tic eG1p!nyln a
# labor winch the rrcin., i-,+ in
rishee, a c;n~.d rabIa town b., a
ready sprung up III the 0,!t,i. rte-.-.
and a MARKET has been or 4te9 for g!
that tue regIOn Car: prGtnc-
The intelligence, ski! ard energy
displayed in thr rs,rjd ANA sncc SIN
development If thi- magnificent prep.
er,s are hey"r Il al praise, and hav.
vel m+,lted the splendid resu r
which are already more than III light.
It Is V ~ uaForiJIunte fiat \ ~. pc
si:i"n from lie same eutcrkrisiuG gen
t emeD, tie AIe$srs. Clayton, faih5l
ard son, was not accepted by 'hc
owners of the Elk KNOB Nine. Tn
whole region, and yhn State even,
would feel the impulse Of this activit. :
and reap the most direct and Varied
beIt fits.
l. is not improbable that this very
decided success may iend to further
investment=in the great copper range
which extends, with Interruptions,
from Ore Knob to Dncktown, inclu-
dug Elk Knob and the promising
veins above mentioned IL jackson and
Haywood counties.