Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-01-13
PRODUCTS OF THE MINE.
South Carolina Makes But Indifferent
Showing.

| Sno"InS.
For The Yorkville Enquirer.
South Carolina is necessarily an agri-
cultural state, due to the we'll known
fact that it contains no mineral re-
sources of sufficient extent to place il
ION the list Of mining states. However,
our state has some deposits which have
been or are being mined. 1t is worth
our while as coed citizens of our his
torfc state, to make a brief review OF
its mineral resources.
Whenever mining is mentioned one
naturally thinks of gold. There are no
| gold deposits in South Carolina, judg-
ing from a money standpoint. What
gold there is is found in pockets and
not in veins" These pockets are usu-
ally small and widely scattered. One
pocket in Lancaster county was mined
for while, but was later abandoned
as not being profitable, for in its best
days II produced only enough to cover
the operating costs There were no
mines In the state reporting production
for 1918. However, several mines were
opened during that year near McCor-
mick by the Mccormick Mining COM
pany. a 'r
The total production of gold in South
Carolina from 1899 TO the end OF 1918
was valued at s5,1S9,429, averaging
s43, 500 per year for the one hundred
and nineteen years. It Is a generally
conceded fact that clay bank for
brick or pottery is far more valuable
In South Caroline than gold mine in
the same state.
Next we think Of silver. The pro-
ductiun of silver in South Carolina is
negligible, the total production report
ed for North and South Carolina for
1913 being valued at seventeen dollars,
South Carolina reported its smelter
production of copper as 100000 pounds
fine In 1918. 80 ~
The Atlantic Mining company of Nc
Corrlick, made several shipments of
manganese ore,'< but abandoned their
mine early in the spring of 1913. For
that year the total shipments from the
state amounted to $50 gross tons.
. One OF the few tin mines Of the
United States, is located one mile north
Of Gaffney, Sc" In 1918 this mine
produced 900 pounds of ore co1sen-
trate. The ore Is found in a tirl-bear-
ing pegmatite dixie and is reported to-
carry one pound OF tin to- the cubic
yard. '''7e ts' '''f''
y Monazite sand has been mined near
Gaffhey This sand contains thoriurn,
which is used in manufacturing gas
mantles. Thorium compounds are ra-
dio-active. The famous Welsbach gas
mantle is composed Of q mixture of
ninety mine per cent thorium dioxide
and one per cent cerium dioxide. -
Now let us turn our attention to the
non metallic minerals In 1916 South
Carolina mined 53,947 long tons Of
phosphate rock, valued at $211,125.
~ Our state produces some OF the fin-
est granite, Winnsbopo granite being
world famous. During 1918 small
quantity Of marble was quarried in
OUonee county for local use.
r. In 1918 South Carolina had four
firms reporting sales Of pottery. the to-
tai sales amounting to s3,763.
The state furnished $4,000 worth Of
building sand in 1918.
Mica mines have been successfully
operated in the, northwestern portion
of the state. Eii
Regardless of the stories told by OIL
we'll promoters, tho prospect of oil be-
ing found In South Carolina is ex-
tremely remote.
The total value of all South Carolina
mineral products in 1913 was $1,55S,543.
Bolivar Byers.
Rock Hill, January 9, 1922.