Il6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



tional ores. In all the surface exposures the quality is low, 

 but improvement may in general be looked for in depth. It is possi- 

 ble that the surface layers exposed on the west limb of the anti- 

 cline are the lower beds of the Swede Pond quartzite into which 

 the graphite has been carried by igneous activity. The ore on the 

 west limb is much more available than the material on the east 

 limb, in that quarry methods could be employed, because the 

 graphite schist lies in a horizontal position, but the inferior character 

 forces us to place our emphasis upon the cast limb in spite of its 

 greater dip. 



The graphite schist in pits nos. I and 2 is separted into several 

 seams by layers of yellow quartzite. In no. 1 pit the following 

 order was found in descending order : 2 feet of graphite schist, 9 

 inches of quartzite, 1 foot 6 inches of graphite, 1 foot 6 inches of 

 quartzite, 4 feet 10 inches of graphite schist, making a total of 

 8 feet 4 inches of graphite schist. In no. 2 pit the beds occur as 

 follows : 4 feet 6 inches of graphite schist, 2 feet of quartzite, 9 

 inches of graphite, 2 feet of quartzite, 9 inches of graphite, making 

 a total of 6 feet of graphite ore. This alternation of graphite and 

 quartzite is unfortunate in that it will complicate the mining prac- 

 tice, involving as it will the rejection of some of the blasted rock. 



Microscopic examination of the yellow quartzite, that separates 

 the graphite seam into several layers, seems to indicate that this 

 is in part igneous material. It is quite possible that the igneous 

 activity has removed the graphite from the barren zones and con- 

 centrated it in the other portions of the bed. If this should be 

 true it might interfere with the uniformity and character of the 

 rock in depth. This suggestion is furthermore strengthened by the 

 finding of large flake graphite which has the appearance of being 

 of the contact type. This occurs near the bottom of the Dixon 

 schist in contact with the Chesterfield limestone. 



About 1000 feet north of no. 1 pit a ridge of the lower Swede 

 Pond quartzite dips at an angle approaching 90 . It is inferred 

 from this outcrop that the graphite rock is situated thus to the 

 west of this exposure, but as this account is being written the 

 presence of the ore at this spot has not been proved. If, however, 

 this should be established it would be safe to assume that the ore 

 can be traced for about 2000 feet along the eastern limb of the 

 anticline. Assuming 6 feet for the thickness of the graphite ore 

 and that the bed should be followed for 300 feet down the dip, 

 the available tonnage of the schist is calculated to be 300,000 tons. 



