12 Journal of the Mitchell Society- [June 



stone of varying grades of purity is found in almost every 

 county in the Piedmont area of the State. 



Pyrophyllite, a hydrous aluminum silicate, which has many 

 of the physical properties of talc, is being mined in Korth Caro- 

 lina and is used for many of the purposes for which talc is pro- 

 duced. 



The pyrophyllite (agalmatolite) deposits are located in the 

 extreme north central portion of Moore and the south central 

 part of Chatham counties, and can be traced across the country 

 for a distance of eight miles. The principal mining that has 

 been done is near the boundary between the two counties in the 

 vicinity of Glendon, Moore County. They are associated with 

 the slates of this region but are not in direct contact with them, 

 being usually separated by bands of siliceous and iron breccia, 

 which are probably 100 to 150 feet thick. These bands of brec- 

 cia contain more or less pyrophyllite, and they merge into a 

 stratum of a pyrophyllite schist. Between this and the mas- 

 sive beds of pure pyrophyllite there are very often small seams 

 of quartz and larger lenticular quartz masses, several feet thick. 



The strike of this formation is approximately ^N. 55°-60° E. 

 and dipping 60°-'70° to the northwest. It is first encountered 

 about three and three-fourth miles southwest of C. H. Womble's 

 house, and three and one-fourth miles beyond Deep River. 

 Where the formation crosses the river there is a good outcrop 

 of pyrophyllite, and then at a point 100 yards to the northeast 

 and extending for about half a mile, the mineral has been mined 

 at intervals. Beyond this point, which is near Rogers Creek, 

 there has been no mining, but the formation can be followed for 

 another three miles to the northeast. In this distance there are 

 many promising outcrops of the pyrophyllite. 



The beds of this mineral are not entirely of commercial qual- 

 ity, but there are bands of the pyrophyllite that are highly sil- 

 iceous alongside of those that are entirely free from grit. Al- 

 though the general appearance of the waste and good material is 

 very similar, they can readily be distinguished by the touch, 

 and can therefore be readily kept separate by hand cobbing. 



Small seams of quartz often penetrate into the beds of pyro- 



