Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-05-03
Mica and itR Uses.

Roesslcr, Nj. r., appears in the Mining
Review of the 18th. AS will be observ.
ed hy perusal Of the article the Pro-
fessor with Il big = fails to mention the
Black Hills as one Of the places where
mica Is found and which for tie past
two years has been larger producer OF
the mineral than any one Of the others
which the big p has discovered as a
place where the article is to be found.
For many Of the uses mentioned in the
following article Custer county could
furnish the U. S. with its supply for a
hundred years to come and will AS soon
as railroad communication is had:
''Of this mineral, have observed dur
ing my last reconnoisances large beds in
new localities in LlanO county, Texas,
and in the Creek Nation, Indian Terri
tory, in perfectly transparent plates, on
an average one foot in diameter, imbed-
ded in feldspar. Experiments have
been made lately for the purpose of
Transforming mica into brocades or
bronze colors, whereby new field is
opened to the utilization ofthis mineral.
TO this end the mica is well crushed.
ground, boiled i'm muriatic acid, washed
and separated according to the size of
| the scales thus obtained. The obtained
Ianiina exhibits Il beautiful glass-like
luster Of slver-white appearance, and
\ Il, a
crystal colors, or mica bronze. The forr
kinds of silver white. or color brocades,
which are met with in commerce, are
assorted according to the size of the
lanina.
They possess the following advantages
over the ordinary fabricates: First.
they do not contain any ingredients in
furious to health second, they possess
the metallic luster Of the metal brocades.
and even surpass them in brilliancy of
color; third, brown. black, blue, green
and rose are represented in a rare luster
which is not the case with the metallic
brocades; fourth, they deport them.
selves perfectly Indifferent towards
sulphurous exhalations they retain
their luster in moist air. have small
specific weight, and possess more body
These fabricates might find application
upon metal, bristol board, wood and
glass, consequently they may be adopt.
Cd for the manufacture OF these Or other
fancy articles, for coloring artificial
flowers, wall paper, sealing wax; in
short, in all technics where colors are
employed In applying them, it is to
he recommended to cover the articles
with paint similar in color to those Of
the brocades. For silver, for instance,
white lead, for blue, uitramarine. In
using blue colors, the paint is ground
with Il mixture Of four parts Of glue and
one Of glycerine; upon this field. when
hard, the brocade is spread. The most
suitable binding material for the last
mentioned, is paste composed of four
parts Of starch, and one Of glycerine. In
using oil paints as ground color, a good
dammar or pale copal varnish is more
suitable than the paste described.
When finally coated with proper spirit,
or turpentine yarnish, these articles
take luster far surprising in splendor
and durability thsse ordinarily obtained.
Articles coated with asphalt varnish,
and afterwards spread over with silver
brocade, take granite like appearance.
II employed in the preparation of color
ed isinglass, magnificent crystallizations
are obtained, well suited for inlaying in
buttons and other articles. Further
more, they recommend themselves for
initiating gold. rain, snow in theaters,
on account Of their small specific weight
and cheap price. Finished porcelain
and glassware might be coated with the
above brocades, il brought again to the
heat of their melting point
Mica was first used us a substitute for
glass in windows, then, on account Of its
| durability when exposed to high tenn
| perat,Ires, it came to be extensively
| used for doors of stoves, and for this
purpose it was largely imported up to
the year 1856, when the beds of this
country were first taken advantage Of
Mica is also made into reflectors, sea-
compasses, inlaying for wood instead Of
enamel. and many other articles. But
one oI the most important uses is sub
stitute for glass in spectacles, which are
intended to protect the eye of fire and
metal-workers against sparks and frag
ments of metal and rock.
With regard to the occurrence Of mica
in this country, it is found. besides in
Texas and the Indian Territory, in Ac.
worth, Grafton and Alstead New Hamp.
shire, in perfectly transparent plates
sometimes exceeding yard in diameter
In st. Lawrence county, n. Y, eight
miles from Potsdam, i'm plates seven
inches across, and near Norwich, in q
field Of feldspar, in plates sometimes q
foot in diameter, and in a multitude ol
places in New Mexico and Arizona also
in Madison county, near Warm Springs
North Carolina.