ALABAMA MICA DEPOSITS 49 



working heading or breast, from which point a narrow 

 and irregular entry continues on north to a connection 

 with the "Smith Slope" for an air course. As stated by 

 the superintendent, Mr. Dave Norris, the ultimate pur- 

 pose of this working plan was to stope on up to the sur- 

 face for a resultant slope recovery, but at the time the 

 examination was made all the entries from the shaft out 

 had been so back filled temporarily with kaolin and mine 

 waste, as to be almost impossible of access, the cost of 

 mica recovery by such means and under such disadvan- 

 tages being largely prohibitive. 



The westerly pegmatite body, known as the "Big Vein," 

 lies parallel to the "Punch Vein," having a strike of N. 

 20W., and has been similarly developed along its surface 

 outcrop by open cuts for about the same distance. Mica 

 recoveries have been made from this "vein" by these open 

 cuts, and by six shafts located as shown on Figure 2, 

 varying in depth from 30 to 65 feet. The pegmatite body 

 here entered, has a very slight S. W. dip standing nearly 

 vertical. 



Most of the original mica mining on this property was 

 done on the "Big Vein," from which at various times and 

 under previous ownership, mica in excess of 100 tons is 

 stated to have been recovered and sold, running above 

 general average in the percentage of sheet. 



Practically all of the sheet mica obtained from this mine 

 has been taken from the contact, next to the foot wall, 

 and the continuance of this rule of occurrence was an 

 observed and noted fact in all of the slopes and entries 

 examined. No mica of large size has ever been found in 

 the kaolin, which, however, carries in excess of 50 per 

 cent, of small flake. 



In the "Big Vein," the micaized portion of the pegma- 

 tite has an observed average thickness of from one to 

 four feet, and in the "Punch Vein," of from 6 inches to 

 21/2 feet; within which limits all of the mica of value as 

 sheet is carried or comprised. 



Outside of the micaized portions, the pegmatite bodies 

 present the usual variations as to thickness, but are con- 

 tinuously persistent and never lenticular along the strike 

 throughout the mine as thus far worked. 



