BULLtTIN OF THE SCIENTIFIC LABORATORIES OF DeNISON UNIVERSITY. 

 Vol, XII. Article XI. August, tqo4. 



THE LEOPARDITE (QUARTZ PORPHYRY) OF NORTH 



CAROLINA.' 

 By Thomas L. Watson. 



INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 



While engaged, during the past summer, in a study of 

 the granites of North CaroHna for the State Survey, opportunity 

 offered for e.xamination in the field of the well-known and inter- 

 esting rock called "leopardite," which occurs near Charlotte in 

 Mecklenburg county. Knowledge of the occurrence of this 

 rock in the state dates back many years, and brief descriptions 

 of it have been published from time to time by different writers, 

 as noted below in the appended references. 



In 1853 Dr. Hunter- briefly described, megascopically, the 

 general appearance, including locality, of the leopardite found 

 near Charlotte, Mecklenburg county. North Carolina. He 

 says: "It is noticed by Professor Shepard, under the head of 

 feldspar, as the leopard stone of Charlotte, North Carolina." 

 Professor Shepard regarded it as composed of compact feldspar 

 and quartz spotted by the oxides of iron and manganese. Hun. 

 ter suggested the propriety of retaining the name "leopardite," 

 for the reason that it is quite characteristic of a rather unique 

 rock. In the same paper the author refers to a second locality 

 in Lincoln county. North Carolina, where leopardite had recent- 

 ly been found. Concerning the character of the rock in Lin- 

 coln county, he says : "The pervading stripes are, however, 

 generally finer ; and when broken diagonally, it presents a hand- 

 some aborescent appearance." 



In 1862 Dr. F. A. Genth' described the leopardite occur- 



Reprinted ham Journal of Geoloxv, Vol. XII, No. 3, April-May, 1904. 



' Published by permission of the state geologist of North Carolina. 



- C. L. Hunter, "Notices of the Rarer Minerals and New Localities in West- 

 ern North Carolina," Avierican Journal of Science, Vol. XV, (1853, 2d ser.), p. 

 377- 



•* F. A. Genth, "Contributions to Mineralogy," ibid.. Vol. XXXIII, (1862, 

 2d ser.), pp. 197, 19S. 



