44 JOURNAL OF THE 



the writer^s handrs to its ultimate market. Uiuler enconragemeiit 

 from General T. L. Clinj^inan, iliese same mines had })ro- 

 dueed, up to 1879, not far from a ton of pure zir(H)ns. 

 This industry is an entirely new one. North Carolina has 

 natural advantages in her zircon mines in the method of their 

 (Kjcurrenee, which permits her to successfully compete with the 

 wdiole world in their production. Zirconia is the most infusible 

 substance known (with the possible exception of thoria), and 

 these North Carolina crystals contain 65.3 j)er cent. (Chandler) 

 of zirconium-oxide. The use to which this unprecedented 

 quantity of zircons is being put, is as one of the constituents 

 in the make-up of the lately patented Welsbach Incandescent 

 Gas-light. The inventor is Dr. Carl Auer von Welsbach, of 

 Germ:my, who is now making practical use of the incandescence 

 of zirconia and other rare earths (cei'ia, lanthana, thoria, etc.) 

 while under high temperatures. The best results are obtained 

 when water or natural gas is used, since the heat obtained is much 

 greater than from ordinary gas. Already strong companies are 

 being formed the world ovi-r to introduce and maintain this new 

 gas-light, and it promises to become a very popular means of 

 illumination. 



Allanite. — Several liew localities of this rare mineral have 

 been discovered. The one near Democrat Post-office, in Madisoi* 

 county, is veiy j)romisiiig. The locality near Bethany Chui'ch, 

 Iredell county, has been examined lately, and it is safe to assert 

 that tons could be mined there. A varietv in crystals from the 

 Wiseman mica mine, Mitchell countv, has been analyzed by jNIal- 

 lett and found to contain 8.20 per cent, of yttria and only 1.53 

 per cent, of ccj'ia. This mineral has also been identifi^'d by the 

 writer among specimens from Brindletown, I^urke county; at 

 the Henderson county zircon mines and at the irem mine in 

 Alexander coumv. 



Pyrooiii.ore. — I have f mud small crystals of this rare min- 

 eral (they may prove to be microlite) at Ray's mica mine, Yan- 

 cey county, and better crystals, of the variety known as Hatch- 

 ettolite, at Wiseman's mica mine, Mitchell county. The latter 

 contains about 15 per cent, of uranium oxide. 



