The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-27
For the Farmer and Mechanic
PhosphateS and Tin Ore.

At the last meeting of the Mitchell
Society, Chapel Hill, Feb. 9th, DR.. Dab
new delivered an address in which he
presented the principal facts connected
with the recently discovered phosphate
deposits Of the Eastern section and TIN
ore of the Kings Mountain region. In
speaking of phosphates, DR.. Dabney
gave the results of his explorations IN
the different regions visited, and al
though his address contained the more
important points that have been already
published in his reports on the subject,
even these points will doubtless be new
and of interest 10 some OF your readers.
In New Hanover and Pender counties
the phosphate rock is found as rounded,
water-wora nodules. with large quantl-
ties ofsand embedded in and forming he
lower layer ola hard eocene mari. formed
Of ground and broken shells. These
phosphate nodules vary much in size
and shape. mostly kidney and egg
shap 4; and they vary in composition
containing from about Is to 80 per cent.
of phosphate of lime,-color, gray or
greenish black. They occur in beds a
few feet below the surface soil, often
from four to five feet thick.
In Jones, Duplin and Sampson coun-
ties the phosphate rock is found in a
more continuous bed or layer, but not
so thick as in the lower counties above
mentioned. The layer is found in the
more level regions of these upper coun-
ties at from 3 to : feet below the sur
face. Its found in some PAGES OF large
slabs OF irregular surface, six to eighteen
..ol-. .l;,l o,1 ,r-airIinF ca-oro1 toms
or at other places of a number OF traS-
ments and rounded pebbles OF sphos-
| phate rock much like those found In the
lower counties. These slabs and no.
dulles form a distinct layer OF phosphate
rock averaging from 6 TO II inches thick.
This layer lies generally under the mari,
and is embedded in 4 coarse sand.
In comparing the North Carolina
phosphate rock with that of South Caro-
ina. DR.. Dabney claims that the North
Carolina rock is at a disadvantage so far
as quality is concerned, the better class
of South Carolina rock containing from
So to 90 per cent Of phosphate OF lime,
whereas the better class North Carolina
rock contains not more than 40 per cent
of phosphate. and contains a much larg-
er percentage of sand but that the
North Carolina rock had several points
in its favor; Cd the layers of the rock
was thicker than that of the South Caro-
lima deposits, hence the yield per acre
would be greater i'll North Carolina (2l
the North Carolina rock being nearer
the surface can be eXcayated more
cheaply; (3) the North Carolina rock
will not need the amount Of washing
and drying preliminary to beng ground
up that is necessary in case OF the South
Carolina rock and (4) in the manufac-
ture of superphosphate the North Caro-
lima rock Will require from GOO to 500
pounds of sulphuric acid, whereas IN the
manufacture of the South Carolina rock
from 800 to 1000 pounds of this acid are
required.
The value of the South Carolina phos-
phate rock is already well established.
Let us hope that the advantages men
toned as in favor of the deposits in our
own State may so counteract the dIsad-
vantage of the poorer quality that they
NAV do for North Carolina in some de-
gree at least, what the Charleston de-
posts are doing for our sister State.
DIR. Dabney. in his address, gave
some account of the recent discovery of
the tin ore in the Kings Mountain sec
ton, Lut stated that nothing could be
said at present as to the extent or value
of the deposit, as no real vein or bed of
the ore has been discovered. The dis
covery promises well, but there is need
of further investigation. of probably an
expensive character, before much can
be said as 20 its working value. The
ore is known as cassiterite or tin stone
an oxide of tin, and is the ore from
which nearly all the tin Of commerce is
derived. II.