JOURNAL 



OF THE 



Elislia iMitcliell Scientific Society, 



TO THE 



Minerals and Mineral Localities of North Carolina, 



BY WILLIAM EARL HIDDEN 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 



At the suggestion of the aeting State Geologist, herewith are 

 appended some of the results coming out of my search for Plati- 

 num in this State in 1879. The trip was made in the inter- 

 est of Thomas A. Edison, the famous electrician and inventor. 

 My trip extended over five montiis, and the principal gold 

 placers of North Carolina were visited. At the many places 

 where I operated I did not find any traces of its existence. The 

 five reported localities in North Carolina \vere carefully pros- 

 pected without success. While examining these gold gravels fi)r 

 Platinum crystals of minerals having rare scientific interest would 

 occasionally be noticed in my [)aiinings. 



The Briudletown district of Burke county proved to. offer 

 the greatest attraction in this connection. From a doubtful 

 dozen, known to exist there before my visit, the list of occurring 

 mineral species soon reached the goodly number of fi)rty-five. 

 Some of this list were new to the State, viz. : Octahedrite, Fer- 

 gusonite, Malacon, Xenotime and Native-telluriun Of greater 

 interest was the observation of immense quantities of mona- 



