ALABAMA MICA DEPOSITS 61 



and 50 tons. This fact appears to have been largely due 

 to inexperienced preparation of the sheet mica stock of- 

 fered for sale, and to a considerable extent disposed of 

 on the run-of-mine basis, the grade of the mica recovered, 

 judging by examination of spme 2,600 pounds of mine 

 run sheet now in the house, being much above average, 

 and grading to fair and occasionally large sizes of clear, 

 flat, amber muscovite, without specks or inclusions, to 

 some extent more than ordinarly free from imperfections 

 and therefore probably suitable for ordinary electrical if 

 not for high potential uses. 



About 16 tons of mica of all grades was stated by Mr. 

 Arnott to have been recovered and sold in 1919, and the 

 partially and imperfectly graded stock residue of about 

 18 tons, is now on hand in the mica house awaiting dis- 

 position. 



A number of large crystals of mica, weighing 50 to 

 100 pounds or more each, have been recovered. These 

 crystals, as is usually the case, were "tangle sheet" or 

 imperfectly splitting on the edges, but produced some 

 good sheet in the body of the block. 



Some idea can be formed of recoverable mica percent- 

 ages in the pegmatite, and of relative mine cost, from the 

 stated fact that during the last period of operation, a 

 small working force of three men for two weeks, and 

 four men for the same additional period recovered ap- 

 proximately 18 tons of mine-run block of all classes. 



Exhibit sample, serial Nos. 111-112 were taken 

 from the Arnott mine and are representative. 



Great Southern Mica Mine. The Great Southern mica 

 mine is located in the S. E. 14 of the S. W. 14 of Section 

 6, Township 18 S., Range 10 E., about 1 mile S. of Mica- 

 ville. 



It is one of the oldest and has been one of the most 

 extensive mica developments in the State, and was last 

 worked by the Great Southern Mica Company, who ceased 

 operations as nearly as could be ascertained about the 

 year 1907. The material facts in connection with the 

 mine itself are involved in obscurity, as the mine labor 

 employed was largely imported, very few local men ever 

 having worked in it, and the owning and operating com- 



