94 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



work, as they form a natural back from which the rock may be 

 broken away. 



The syenite is medium to fine in texture, the feldspar which 

 composes the greater part of the mass ranging from 5 mm down to 

 2 mm in diameter. The color in the quarry is bright green to 

 yellowish green, and of polished surfaces a lustrous dark green 

 that appears nearly black when seen from a distance. The stone 

 from this quarry is sold under the name of " Adirondack green 

 granite." 



The quarry was first opened by Moore Brothers of Barre, Vt. 

 It was later taken over by the Adirondack Granite Co., a consolida- 

 tion of several quarry properties in the vicinity of Ausable Forks. 

 Recently it has been worked under lease by J. H. Moore. 



Microscopic examination. The composition of the syenite is 

 about 75 per cent of feldspar and 25 per cent of other ingredients, 

 including pyroxene, quartz, magnetite and zircon. The feldspar 

 consists of microcline, microperthite and oligoclase, all in stout 

 prisms with interlocking borders. The microperthite is very abun- 

 dant and affords beautiful examples of this peculiar intergrowth, 

 the alternating bands of microcline and albite being unusually large. 

 The pyroxene has an emerald green color and is strongly pleochroic. 

 Zircon is quite abundant. There is very little evidence of altera- 

 tion among the minerals, but some secondary limonite has been 

 deposited along the sutures and pores, probably filtering in from 

 the surface. The feldspar and quartz are crossed by microscopic 

 fractures in the direction of the grain similar to those found in 

 granites, but smaller in dimensions and less abundant. No sulphides 

 were observed in the sections. 



Physical tests. The syenite from this quarry has a specific 

 gravity of 2.71, or a weight of 169 pounds to the cubic foot. The 

 crushing strength is 14,734 pounds a square inch. The ratio of 

 absorption is .155 per cent or .26 pounds to the cubic foot. 



Ausable Granite Company's quarry 



The first syenite in the Ausable Forks area was quarried from 

 the ridge a little east of the Moore quarry by the Ausable Granite 

 Company, later consolidated with the Adirondack company. The 

 quarry has not been operated for the last few years, as the other 

 localities offer better advantages for extracting stone of uniform 

 grade. The general character of the rock, however, is very similar 

 to the material in the Moore quarry. The quarry supplied both 

 monumental and building stock in limited quantity. 



