The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-07
Mining Pyrite in the
 Foothillc of Clay

The company has put the mill and the mine works in charge of I. n. Williams, an experienced miner. who came originally from Ohio. Mir. Will Hams has run mines in the Birming- ham district and is looked upon as one 1 of the most eficient superintendent of mines in the State. I The company owns some forty acres of sulphur ore lands. It is all the ore lands that 1t will need for many years. Nearly all the ore that 1t takes from the ground Is worthy of shipment and use in making sulphuric acid Its treatment at the mills directly after being taken from the ground is very simple. The rough ore is run through some heavy crushing machinery, given washing out process and loaded on the waiting cars.
 The pyrites ore In this section is very rich. It runs a full AZ per cent of sulphur. Iron pyrites this rich crushes a very high grade of ore. And apparently there is no way to run 1t to exhaustion. There is more pyrites ore in these hills than will be exhaust ed, no matter what demands are made upon it, and no matter how many fer tilizer factories are built in the South.
 The wealth of the pyrites deposit in these foothills of the Talladegas. may be approximated by the giving of some few figures on the ore property of the first concern, the ore at Pyriton, own ed by the Alabama Pyrites Company. The vein runs like the vein of iron ore in Red Mountain about Birming- ham. Where the men are at work get ting out the ore the vein Is a mile and a half through the mountains and the ore runs for depth of eight feet.
 The pyrites industry recalls the many attempts that have been made to mine gold in Clay County. In half dozen sections of the County of Clay as well as in some of the adjoining counties, the gold diggers have been at work. No little money has been put in gold mines and in gold working ma chinery. Considerable ore has been extracted, but the gold that has been gotten out is evidently not sufficient to recompense the investors for their trouble and money. for the gold com panies have gone out of business.
 But while the companies about Pyri- ton are getting out sulphur ore they are also getting out some gold ore, so say the men who work about the mines. There Is. these men say, residue of gold found which Is of no inconsider- able value. Gold is by no means a stranger to the ore which produces pyrites. and pyrites again and again has been mistaken for gold ore. The CTUCeTB Ot tAc tOnupdfy dO hoN GNeh0 sponsor for the statement that gold ore is found in the sulphur ore in ap- preciable quantities. but the workmen say that, while no big amount Is work ed out, sufficient gold ore Is developed to pay the running expenses of the plant. It will Do noted that the state- ment of gold ore in almost paying quantities does not bear official sanc- tion.
 , The pyrites industry of Clay County Is at present of no great industrial im- portance It falls short of rivalling in importance the phosphate rock indus try of Tennessee and Florida. In way the two industries should be akin, for both go into the making Of acid phosphate. a fertilizer that Is so popu- lar among the producers of cotton.
 When the sulphur ore from Clay County is crushed and carried through 6 concentration process 1t Is sent to the phosphate mills After the process of reduction has been gone through with 1t is mixed with the phosphate rocks and turned out as finished acid phosphate.
 It may be that in time and since the new railroad was built along it's wind ing way through the mountains that the future will see financial develop ment of the pyrites industry of which it's promoters never dreamed, and the time may come in the course of Ala bamas steady progress when the py- rites industry in Clay County may reach the importance of the phosphate rocks works of Florida
 But in the meanwhile the railroad which was built to reach out to this pyrites mines does not touch its richest store at the mines. The most valuable treasure of trade and commerce which tho road touches Is that rich and fer tile country of farms that lies beyond the hills. about the towns of Ashland and Lineville, one of the wealthiest quarters of all Alabama in valuable farms and contented and industrious farmers