New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-30
4 NEW CAROLINA INDUSTRY.
WASHING MONAZITE SAND IN THE PIED
MONT REGION.

Tho finding OF moraziic ia tho best thing that
has eyer happened for the poorer people OF the
Piedmont region OF North and South Carolina
This part OF the country has been known TO the
world chiefly on account Of It's moonshiners. In
the early part OF this century II was considered
disgrace FOR n Plcdmonier OF respectable aspira-'
lions not 20 know how to make good whisky and
brandy ont Of his corn and every one was OK
pectcd keep supply of IT on hand for the bene-
m OF friends and neighhors In latter years cotton
mills have been started which have attracted
small proportion Of the natives as employees. II is
only within the last eighteen months. however that
an Industry has been discovered which absorbs
the attention OF all classes: that is. searching FOR
monazlte
These sturdy moun,a'ncers have not been wont
to engage In anything that implied exerion. unless
that eNortlon bore resemblance TO play. They
willing 10 cYpend unlimited time and energy in
hunting and fishing. but for work In the literal
sense ~ the term they have lkInr When II
was lis .ov"rol iwovo- that tho heavy yeowsh
sarl - th>r mountain streams contained n min
eral az vai.ahle gold. with accord they be
came enthusiastic monaz''c degrrs Men women
and children are now engaged in the work. and
now element has entered into their lives Year
sf'er year tho gold miners hunting FOR the precious
metal along tho streams 81 this Piedmont belt
threw away ~ worthless tho sand which they found
I'm ITO bottom =, their pans Now they viii fro
qrcntiy fing aside ioerahly fair specimens % gold
IN their eager search for tho newer treasure. This
rare valuation se' uYon thing that Law uun0t'ccI
their very doors reminds one of the lcagih o,
time that ELAPSED before tho phosphate Industry
was 'erovcr'l. For moro than Two hundred years
tho planters on Tho coast % South Carolina STUN
b''l over the phosphate rock constantly being up
turmoil on 'ne'r land. AMI regarded n as o, no i'm
p1riaur" Finally. after the civil War. when the
people ~cre most In neoi o, revenu. n certain
learned professor horan % investigate this peculiar
rock formation ari as % result valuable source
lr'1 ',.sicnrc which yields Millions Of dollars an
rualiy
To procure monaz''e from ,Ae hunlrcls n, N,,ie
r'r'lins HAT are funl In this bel, Of country tho
rr"-r~~'rr -~'- ""' armed with shovel and pan In
'h' h"i = no stream. or very near II. he scoops
.H' '''r hole. digging through the strata - aiu-
f.d iei0s''e Until he comes to a ruSel white sanI
'nI grave Taking email quantity %; thl. In HE
pm le 50 1h'- u carefully ana examines tho quality
arl fa" quantity. often d" makes these Invest ga
in. n number ~ rii'es before hc IS able - L.
o. 2" Watcher hat particular stream ls worth work
lnr IT. ne South. D, ne way. the common appc.la
TON 'or stream 3 branch" AM when THIS term
TINS particular branch PROMISES veil tia 4.
m1'c. All ~ ne top sol j. c.carci away from !,
small ARA un'N 'hc monaztc stratum Is reached
I'oi f'nI r. sco'pel u2 and carefully WASHED and
u n" result Is sl'sf1 tory work Is begun VI st
ine paid ~ from or~-n''h - on--s~v~nth some
u.s,lly promising cain Land ownors occasiona' "
fn'msc'y.- The hands employed - ID the work
age un-kiei l,horcr-. who have never worked
much ai any thing There ar" comparatively Few
f.rros4 ln fnr rie luun' region tho Nhi'e ir-
hsh.'an's before tho war having Owned Few slaves
The hand Hhp clear away the top soil are "a 10 |
'-'rpu o." They cut - al 'he timber growing
son down 70 tho gravel anl sanl NeNt coines what
s called the grave" gang II 'k"s ont al the mona
? n" .aal ani gyr" i over 20 the wash"rs VII g.
ont AL the gravel silver and cav. leaving mixture
- heavy material behind After this res luc IL
wagh-d and siftcl seconi time the material lcf,
| g. marketable mpnazifc.
4 wooden trough from - 70 n fec; In length -
inches dccp aul - pil-. is used for tho Wishing
A. tho uppcr End - the box there is castiron per
| fora'cl plat" through which III" monazite falls.
| willie -" clay and lighter material drifts away.
Through the boy good stream ~ water noys
one dollar day Is the pay for expert washers hut
| for sixiv-fvc cents day. dollar and "A half "A
| dav Is paid the tlm-k,cp"rs and ov-rseers
SIX c.n's a pound Is the averagc price PAID FOR
ana It is estimated that a group OF well-mannrcd
hands VIII make twice their daily wages.
Monaz.te has been found In small quantities. IN
Russln norway bohemia and occasionally in gold
washing In Brazil AMI In the mica veins ~ Quebec.
In Of those places. however has II been founl
| I'm rs large quantities as I'm this Piedmont belt
letters from all countries seeking Information In
| gard to this "nnl." and there is every reason
| Of tho Carolnss ths year for monazite will fall
| little short of 10000
| The value Of the sand depends upon IN" rare
! metal thorum. found In l.. This thorum is scparat-
ed from II hv very complicated processes which ara
not disclosed any except those concerned I'm the
| operations. Thorum IL used in the manufacture ~
| lncnndesccnt eas-burners Of different forms
| Tho finding Of this valuable sand Is in the
| history Of tfc Piedmont people Hundreds OF them
hanlllng cash In compensation for work. the credit
| system having always obtained when business
| transactions were carried as II does In OF
| the cotton States.