U ALABAMA MICA DEPOSITS 97 



Hillabee green schists, may have been the determining 

 cause on a copper basis for the extensive work first 

 done here, which consisted of the removal of an elbow 

 shaped surface cut some 150 to 200 ft. in length alto- 

 gether, and nearly 20 feet deep. In the bottom of the 

 cut are two shafts rumored to have been carried down to 

 a considerable depth, but no accurate information is as- 

 certainable about them, as they are full of water and 

 choked with old timbers and debris. Later operations 

 coming under the observation of old residents now living 

 near by are stated to have been for mica. 



Outcrops of mica occur in the sides and slopes of the 

 old cut in many places, carried in soft kaolinized pegma- 

 tite. From long exposure, this mica had become rotten 

 and soft, was of medium, running to extremely large 

 sizes, and originally of good quality. 



Examination of the old dumps taken from the body of 

 the cut (and which from the size of the trees growing 

 on them must have belonged to the original opening up 

 of the mine) disclosed books of soft mica in considerable 

 amount, of a copperish color resembling phlogopite, but 

 an altered biotite. 



To the west of the cut, on the Rader lot next adjoining 

 it, this same peculiar class of altered biotite was found, 

 embedded in .the walls of a shaft about 15 feet deep, which 

 had been recently sunk. 



Exhibit samples, serial No. 127, is representative of 

 this mica. 



Haralson Mine. A new mica prospect is just being 

 opened up near Sardis Church, in Section 33, Township 

 19 S., Range 7 E., about 2i/ 2 miles S. of Erin station on 

 the A. B. & A. R. R. 



The deposit is being opened up by Miss Nellie Haral- 

 son of Talladega, Ala., and is developing some amber 

 muscovite mica, in good flat crystals running in size 

 to 3x4 inches. 



Exhibit sample series No. 128 is from the mine. 



4 MB 



