Juan and Boulder counties, Colorado; but the demand for them is causing those interested to look to other States as a source of supply. These minerals were formerly considered of somewhat rare occurrence and of no commercial value; but now they are beginning to be found in quantity and at many localities. They are usually found associated with crystalline rocks and imbedded in quartz. Wherever scheelite is found, there is generally some wolframite and the latter is very often a pseudomorph of it. The scheelite is a very heavy white to yellowish-white mineral, with an adamantine luster. Its specific gravity is 5.6 to 6.1; and its hardness 4.5 to 5, being readily scratched by a knife point. The wolframite on the other hand is a very heavy, nearly black, mineral, with a sub-metallic to resinous luster. Its specific gravity is 7.2 to 7.5, and its hardness is 5 to 5.5. In North Carolina scheelite has been found at the following mines in Cabarrus county: Flowe mine in yellowish crystals; at the Cosby mine in yellowish crystalline masses; and at the Cullen mine in rounded granular patches of a grayish-yellow color. Wolframite has also been found associated with the scheelite at these mines. At the time these minerals were found at the above mines there was no importance attached to them and it is not known in what quantity they occur. Owing, however, to the value of the scheelite, about $300 per ton, these occurrences are worthy of investigation. Wolframite has been reported as occurring in some quantity on the Cheek farm, near Henderson, Vance county. The tungsten minerals, on account of their high specific gravity, are readily separated from their associated minerals and matrix. The Hooper Pneumatic Machine, mentioned on page 9, is very well adapted to treat these tungsten ores satisfactorily. If the occurrences of these minerals in North Carolina show themselves to be of value as a source of tungsten they will add considerable to the value of the mining in the State. RARE MINERALS. There is occasionally a demand for small amounts of the minerals samarskite, gadolinite, etc., containing the oxides of the rare earth elements, and for zircon and uraninite to use in experimental chemical work. About fifty pounds of zircon have been obtained from the zircon locality near Zirconia; Henderson county, and about ten pounds of samarskite from the celebrated Wiseman mine, near Spruce Pine, Mitchell county. Recently a locality has been discovered near Spruce Pine that indicates the existence of large quantities of samarskite. BUILDING STONE. There has been a steady increase in the production of stone during the past year, and there is a growing demand for North Carolina granite outside the State as well as within it. The Mount Airy granite quarries continued to increase their production over that of previous years, and are still the largest producers in the State. The Faith granite quarries, near Faith, Rowan county, have begun to be worked, and although as yet on a small scale, they have much in their favor for becoming a business of importance if the stone is properly selected. The Rowan Granite Company have quarries located at Granite Station on the Yadkin Railroad four and a half miles east of Salisbury. They have completed a plant for the manufacture of railroad ballast, which has a capacity of twelve cars per day; also a large cutting shed, 60 by 120 feet, for dimension stone work, this being equipped with traveling crane, derricks, etc. The year 1900 is the first that the quarry has been operated, and the company expect to carry on the work on a more extensive scale in 1901. C. A. McGalliard & Son, of Winston-Salem, have developed their new quarry in Rowan county, on the Mocksville division of the Southern Railroad, and have taken out during 1900 about five hundred cubic feet of what is known as blue pearl granite. The stone is of a fine rich dark color that takes a splendid polish, and there is sharp contrast between the polished and unpolished surfaces. While this stone may be too dark for building purposes, it should make a very handsome monumental stone and could be used with good effect as a trimming stone in buildings. As this stone becomes known its production will undoubtedly be largely increased and continue to grow. The granite quarry at Balfour, Henderson county, has been operated by the Balfour Quarry Company with considerable success, as has also their quarry at Concord, Cabarrus county, which has been equipped with a new plant during 1900. A beautiful "orbicular granite" is found on the Coolomee plantation, property of Mr. Frank Hairston, about two miles from Fork Church, Davie county. The granite consists of a ground mass of quart and feldspar in which are imbedded rounded masses of a radiating green augite which are at times more than an inch in diameter. The stone takes a good polish and wears well. It will make a very handsome and unique decorative stone. The deposit is being developed to determine its extent. The brownstone and gray sandstone quarries, two miles south of Sanford, Moore county, were worked for eleven months last year by Carrington and Gonella, employing from 5 to 10 men. The plant has been increased by a new derrick and hoisting apparatus erected. at a new quarry opened last year. This company have taken out about 8,500 cubic feet of stone. An industry that will probably be increased during the next year or two is the marble quarrying in Cherokee county. Associated with all the talc deposits of this county are beds of marble, some of which are of the finest quality. While there is but one of them that is being quarried at the present time, the others are being prospected, and some splendid deposits are being located. The Notla Consolidated Marble and Talc Company have been working a large part of the year at their quarry at Kinsey. They have four channelers at work and are taking out some splendid blocks of blue, pink and white marble. The total amount of stone quarried for all purposes during last year was valued at $249,000 and this makes a very creditable showing for this industry and places it at the head of the various mining industries in the State. COAL. The coal mines of North Carolina are all in the Deep river district of Chatham county, between Gulf and Cumnock; and while it cannot be called an extensive coal-field it does offer possibilities of remunerative coal mining. There are beds of coal of good quality that range from about six inches to four feet in thickness, but with a probable workable average of 22 to 24 inches. The most serious. obstacles in mining this coal are: the narrowing and pinching of the coal to thin seams; and the variation in quality, the wider beds being very apt to be more slaty; the intersection of the coal beds by trap dikes; and the absence of coal from some portions of the area. For these reasons no large prices have been paid for coal lands in this district; and mining should not be undertaken until the tract had been thoroughly tested by boring. A local State market can be obtained for all the coal mined in this district, if only the good quality is sold and its reputation kept up. The Cumnock mines of the Chatham Coal and Coke Company at Cumnock are the only ones that have been operated during 1900; and during this year 18,000 tons of coal were mined. Mr. Joseph W. Thompson, of Philadelphia, has recently purchased the plant of the North Carolina Coal and Coke Company at Gulf, and is making preparations to work the coal beds on a large scale. No coal was mined by the company during 1900, and the work done was confined to prospecting and developing. SUMMARY While the total output of the different mines is perhaps not as large as expected, yet the past year has made considerable advance over that of the year before and the outlook for 1901 is better than it has been for many years. There are more mining properties in shape to do good systematic and profitable work than ever before, and there are prospects of greater activity in the gold, corundum, and tale mining, and in the stone quarrying. The copper mines are in better shape than they have ever been since they were opened to become large producers in 1901. Nearly all those now interested in the active mines and mineral properties of North Carolina report that the outlook for the coming year is very encouraging for an increase in all branches of mining. It is not then unreasonable to expect that the results at the close of 1901 will be far better than what they show at the close of 1900. |