TALC AND SOAPSTONE 427 



The mining of soapstone (steatito) iHlarp;olyl)y the first mt'thoii. 

 Mining by shafts, tunnels, and drifts is (-ontined tu the fuliateil 

 and fibrous varieties of talc. In New York the method of 

 mining is practically the same at all of the mines. Inclined 

 shafts are sunk, following the dip of the country rock, which 

 is first gneiss, and then massive white dolomite, as the beds 

 of talc are approached. These rocks stand verj^ well, so that 

 timbering is required only occasionally. When the shafts 

 reach the beds of talc, drifts are run along the strike of the 

 deposit. On account of the compactness of this talc, blast- 

 ing is usualty necessary in removing it. As the talc comes 

 from the mine it varies in size from particles no larger than 

 dust to masses two feet or more in length, and it is conveyed 

 in hand cars to the mills, where it is pulverized. The larger 

 masses are broken with sledges and then passed through 

 Blake crushers and conveyed by a belt to a pair of slightly 

 corrugated steel rolls, which reduce the talc to small pieces, 

 one fourth inch or less in length. From the rolls the crushed 

 talc is carried by an endless belt convej'or to bins on the top 

 floors of the mills, and then it is conveyed automatically into 

 Griffin mills on the floor below. A draft of air is forced 

 through the mill, and as the talc becomes fairly fine it is blown 

 through an opening and falls to the floor below. It is returned 

 to the second floor and conveyed into large hopper shaped 

 bin cars, from which it is dropped mto Alsing cylinders, in 

 which is a quantity of waterwom pebbles, 2^ inches or less 

 in diameter. As the cylinder revolves, the constant pounding 

 and rubbing of these quartz pebbles on the talc completely 

 pulverize it. From this cylinder the talc passes through a 

 grating, thus becommg separated from tlie quartz pebbles, 

 and is conveyed automatically mto a bag filling machine, 

 where it is bagged and w^eighed, ready for shipment. 



Talc mining in North Carohna does not present any serious 

 difficulties, as the deposits do not extend to any great depth. 

 The presence of water in the mines in the lowlands occasion- 

 ally causes considerable expense and loss of time. Most of 

 the mines thus located have been worked by means of open 

 pits, which during a period of heavy rain have to be abandoned 

 on account of being flooded. Although some of the deposits. 



