Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-10
NAMES MINES.
Observation-Disclosures
Of Mining in the State.
feldspar, Mica and Tourmaline
Among Our Industries.
Capital of Nearly 100000 Invested in
the Business.

mica and tourmalines in the State:
! While the mining of feldspar, mica
! and tcurmalines cannot be classed
among our leading industries, yet for
many years mines have been worked in
J a small way, and at the present time
| the capital invested in the three in
dustries is fully 100000, and the num-
Der of men employed is nearly 100.
There are possibilities and probabilities
Of expansion in all of them, especially
in the mining and grinding of feldspar.
The Trenton Flint and Spar Com
pany of Trenton, New Jersey, which
operate the feldspar quarry and mill in
f, Topsham, was organized in 1864 with a
capital Of $4,000 Work was begun in
Topsham in 1869 and has continued to
the present time with increased de-
rand for the product year by year.
| AT Hedgehog mountain, in the town
of Peru, where the Big Gem Mica
Company has been operating during
the past year. feldspar in large quanti-
ties and of excellent quality is found
and the company proposes to erect a
mill for grinding feldspar near the
mountain in the near future.
THE Portland Mineral Company was
organized in the spring of 1901. Their
mill is situated on Commercial street.
Portland. but the quarry is at East
Poland.
There are also quarries of feldspar
in South Paris which are being worked
at the present time. Feldspar from
these quarries is sent to Portland, and
shipped from that city to New Jersey
and other points. About fifteen hands
are employed in the quarries at South
Paris.
In addition to the above named field
spar quarries, there should be men,
toned one in the town of Hebron, the
product of which is said to be of su-
perior quality. This quarry has given
to about fifteen hands
during the present season. The field
spar is shipped to different points
where potteries are located, and the
enterprise thus far has been profitable
to the parties operating the quarry.
Mica seems generally to be as
ISOLATED with feldspar, as do also the
tourmaline and beryl gems.
There are at present two mills for
the grinding Of feldspar in the State,
one in Portland and one in Topsham.
The grinding is slow process, being
done by attrition, and flint pebbles are
used for the purpose. At the Portland
mill the feldspar is ground finer than
-four. Ground feldspar is used ex-
tensively in the manufacture Of stone
ware. and the feldspar of Maine is said
to be the finest in the country.
I'm Trenton, New Jersey, are i'm
mense potteries employing from 1900
to $1,000 hands. A great deal of the
ground feldspar from Maine goes to
Trenton. Some of it goes, however, to
siYc stOneware works.
quartz is also ground, some of
which goes to glass works and some to
sand paper works. The demand is
greater than the supply, so there is no
difficulty in finding a market.
There are several mica mines in
Maine. only two of which are being
operated for mica at the present time,
while a third one, that at Mount Mica.
is being worked for the beautiful
tourmalines for which it has become
SO famous. The mica mines of the
state are nearly all situated in Oxford
county.
"As far as we have any records,
Mount Mica IN Paris, furnished the
first mica for commercial purposes in
Maine in 1871. For several years mica
mining was carried on there, but the
mine was considered more valuable for
tcurmalines and other gems, and
therefore mica mining was discon-
tnued.
= ta1 r,f
Boston is one of the largest companies
in the country. 1t has several mines in
oxford county but is operating only
one in Maine at the present time. This
Is situated at Rumford Point and has
been operated more than a year. Large
quantities Of mica have been taken
out. which. in quality. will compare
favorably with that obtained else
where.
During the year 1901 new mica
mine was discovered and opened. This
mine is located on Hedgehog mountain
in Peru. The nearest railroad station
| is West Peru on the Portland and
RImford Falls railroad. In the early
part of the year the Big Gem Mica
Company was organized in Portland
for the purpose of operating this mine.
The officers are. J. NJ Gooding, Port
land, president George A. Storer,
| Brunswick. vice-president; Philip j..
Larrabee, Portland, secretary and
trea surer. Mr.. Charles E. Knox of
Peru. who owned the farm on which
Mount Hedgehog stands, was paid
$4,000 for his property, and active
operations We're at once begun. The
mine thus far promises well and will
Iprobabl develop into a great indus
try.
."rhe two mica mines described above
have given employment to quite a
force of men at remunerative wages,
and the indications are that the num-
Der will be increased in the future.
Mica is somewhat scarce in this
country and large part Of that used
| in America comes from India. 1t is
said by those competent to Judge that
the mica found at Hedgehog mountain
F, is superior to that found in India. Ger
! tainly it is remarkably clear and trans
parent.
mica that will square six inches by
| twelve inches is very valuable, being
worth several times as much per
|