438 w. f. prouty crystalline marbles op alabama 



The crystalline Marble 



GENERAL EXTENT AND LOCATION 



The crystalline marbles of the State are the only ones which are now 

 being quarried. They are located in a long and narrow area extending 

 through Talladega County and into the northern portion of Coosa 

 County — a distance of approximately 35 miles in a northeast and south- 

 west direction (see map showing location of marble beds). The maxi- 

 mum width of this area, which includes the marble-bearing rocks, is a 

 little less than iy 2 miles. Both extremities of the field are terminated 

 by converging faults. 



GENERAL GEOLOGIC AND TOPOGRAPHIC SETTING AND AGE 



The marble area is for its entire length on the western border of the 

 Talladega phyllite (Ocoee), from which it is separated, for the most part 

 at least, by a reverse fault. For much of the distance on the northwest 

 side of the marble area are found the deep red lands of the Knox Dolo- 

 mite formation. Phyllites, whose age in some cases is Cambrian, occur 

 locally on the northwest side similar in character to those on the south- 

 east side of the marble. 



The long, narrow area in which the marble occurs is in part a fault- 

 block. The strike of its rocks is in many places different from that of 

 the bordering areas. 



While there is no direct fossil evidence as to the age of the marble in 

 any part of the field, the general thickness and the character of the asso- 

 ciated rocks lead to the conclusion that the age varies in different parts 

 of the field from Pelham (Chickamauga) through Beekmantown to 

 Middle Cambrian. 



The thickest deposits of marble are to be found toward the central and 

 southwestern part of the field, where at the present time the chief devel- 

 opment of the marble industry is taking place. 



The position of the marble-bearing rocks is indicated topographically 

 by a well defined valley for the greater part of the course, but in a few 

 places the valley is diagonally crossed by elevations which mark the posi- 

 tion of more resistant rocks. These elevations form the few watersheds 

 in the valley. 



The phyllite area to the southeast rises to a considerable elevation above 

 the valley. The dolomite lands to the northwest of the marble are also 

 slightly elevated above the valley and frequently form broad, fertile, low 

 tablelands on that side. The phyllite areas which occur on the north- 

 west side of the marble are marked by sharp . ridges. In one case the 



