THE ADIRONDACK GRAPHITE DEPOSITS 33 



graphite. The amount of displacement and the nature of the fault 

 is unknown. Near the mouth of the drift-opening the rocks are 

 highly folded and involved with the gabbro in a very complex 

 manner. 



In 1898 graphite veins were reported as occurring on Split Rock 

 mountain. 1 It would seem as if these were not located at the spot 

 where the above contact deposits occur. Kemp says that " at Split 

 Rock . . . narrow veins or veinlets of graphite have been found 

 crossing the gneisses, and rilling fissures up to an inch in width. 

 The graphite is in rather coarse leaves, and stands at an angle, 

 somewhat less than a right angle, to the wall rock. Considerable 

 vein quartz is mingled with it, and it is not so pure as one would 

 infer at first sight. A large deposit of this sort would be the 

 richest and most desirable of all, but veins have not yet been found 

 crossing the gneisses in sufficient abundance to justify mining." 2 



It has been the opinion of graphite men and of the early geologists 

 that graphite frequently occurs in veins. As has been said, some 

 confusion resulted from the improper use of the term, which has 

 been applied indiscriminately to graphite deposits of various origins. 

 While it is true that fissure veins carrying graphite do occur, as is 

 the case in the vicinity of Split Rock, they are insignificant and of 

 no commercial value. 



The Gulf Prospect 



This property is in the township of Jay, Essex county, 4 miles 

 south-southeast of Ausable Forks within the Ausable quadrangle 

 or, more explicitly, to the east of the East branch of the 

 Ausable river, a mile south of Ellis mountain, at the western 

 entrance of a deep and narrow fault line valley known on the 

 government map as the Gulf. Directly to the south runs a similar 

 valley at right angles to the former, locally known as the South 

 gulf. 3 The prospect is surrounded by hills on three sides, while to 

 the west the ground slopes gently to the river. 



Prospects. No definite information could be obtained in regard 

 to the dates of prospecting, but from the appearance of the small 

 diggings it is judged that it was done many years ago and has not 

 been renewed. Several small diggings were made on both sides of 

 the road running through the South gulf as indicated upon the 



1 The Mineral Industry for 1898, p. 383. 



2 Kemp, J. F., U. S. G. S. Bui. 225, 1903, p. 512-13. 



3 For the glacial geology of this region, especially the significant rdle played 

 by these fault line valleys, see Bui. Geol. Soc. Am., 27:6.1^-72, especially 

 p. 658-60. 



