6 Gold Region of Georgia, 



of the hill, where the stream had laid bare the formation, the horn- 

 blende slate crops out, affording evidence that the talcose slate rests 

 upon it. This I have remarked in many places, as well where dig- 

 ging has made the disclosure, as where the streams have broken the 

 hills. A Mr. Lyon has opened at least two veins exemplifying this 

 position ; and Loud's vein is another example. The end of the 

 Horse range mountain, broken down by Duke's creek, gives still fur- 

 ther proof of the superposition of the talcose slate, upon the diabase, 

 the gneiss and mica slate. 



While penetrating the talcose slate, the veins of quartz are seldom 

 found in situ ; reaching the diabase in the descent, the vein is usual- 

 ly larger and richer in gold. This rock, the base of the talcose 

 slate being compact, holds the water above it ; it doubtless rests up- 

 on gneiss or granite. If it be true, as some suppose, that the depth 

 of veins is somewhat proportionate to their length, we may in this 

 country anticipate very deep mining before veins are exhausted or 

 wedged out. 



Before I quit the subject of the gold veins of Habersham, I will 

 mention one differing in structure from those treated of; it is on the 

 Tesantee ; the wall is talcose slate ; next the vein it is a protogene or 

 talcose slate, passing into mica slate with quartz. The center of the 

 vein contained quartzose blocks, or thin flag, lying parallel to the wall ; 

 the whole was very dark and ferruginous, and full of gold finely dif- 

 fused through it : the wall and vein could be separated in thin pieces, 

 and was easily reduced, [broken ?] 



The variety observable in the veins of Georgia, consisted more in 

 the form in which the substances were associated, than in the sub- 

 stances themselves. The black crust observable on the rock taken 

 out near the surface, could best be accounted for by examining one 

 of the veins opened ^aelow the water. At Loud's, a strong smell was 

 given off as soon as the rock was exposed to the air ; this arose from 

 decomposing pyrites, the ore containing this substance in its own 

 gangue, and thus produced the black stain and apparent scorise, sup- 

 posed by the diggers to have some resemblance to lava or cinders ; 

 and it is attributable to this mineral that the stain on the boulders is 

 produced in branches, and the smaller pebbles are conglomerated to- 

 gether by this ferruginous matter. 



Of the other metals, and of the crystals of this region, I can say 

 little : there is iron and oxide of titanium in great abundance ; also, 

 copper pyrites in Rayburn ; of these the specimens shown rae were 



