191Jf] Certain Mineeal Kesoukces 113 



the Carolina and ISTortliwestern Kailroad. Tin-bearing pegma- 

 tite has been exposed at a number of places throughout this 

 area, and has shown the existence of two or more approxi- 

 mately parallel pegmatitic dikes, which are also following the 

 laminations of the schists and gneisses. There were other peg- 

 matitic dikes also observed that were cutting the dikes referred 

 to above and the lamination of the country rock. The company 

 has acquired by purchase and lease control of a property 

 about 2 miles long and 1 mile wide, which has been prospected 

 m'ore or less over its entire area. 



The country rock of this section consists of hornblende and 

 mica gneisses and schists that are intersected by the pegma- 

 titic dikes, which sometimes are cutting across the strike of 

 the schists and then again following it and at other times have 

 sent off apophyses which have forced their way between the 

 laminations of the schist and gneiss. Occasionally, a mass of 

 the pegmatite is encountered that has all the appearance of a 

 boss. These dikes are very variable in width from a few feet 

 up to 30 or more. They have the usual mineralogical character 

 of ordinary pegmatitic dikes, except that for the most part they 

 are tin-bearing. The position of the tin in these dikes was 

 carefully noted, and in nearly all cases it was observed that the 

 main portion of the dike carried little or no cassiterite (tin 

 oxide) , but that this mineral was confined to restricted portions 

 of the dike, which, in nearly all cases, was near the contact, 

 of the pegmatitic dike and country rock. In these areas there 

 was usually but little feldspar, and the dike was made up large- 

 ly of quartz and mica. Occasionally, where the pegmatitic 

 dike was narrow, tin oxide was found scattered sparingly 

 throughout the whole mass. 



The work done by this company has made this section the 

 most favorable one for studying the occurences of these pegma- 

 titic dikes and of the tin mineral which they contain. Begin- 

 ning at the southwest end of tlie property, on a hill, just above 

 the Little Catawba River, the company has sunk shafts and 

 pits and made open cuts at various intervals from this point 

 for a distance of 2 miles in a northeast direction to what is 

 known as the Main Shaft mine, where the greater amount of 



