THE 



AMERICAN 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &c, 



Art. I. — Remarks on the Gold Mines of North Carolina ; by 

 Charles E. Rothe, Miner and Mineralogist from Saxony. 



At the solicitation of some of my scientific friends, as well 

 in Germany as in this country, I will proceed to offer at this 

 time, a few observations on the Gold Mines of North Caro- 

 lina, in anticipation of a more regular account, of the geol- 

 ogy of that region of country, which I contemplate publish- 

 ing at some future day. 



My first visit to these mines, was made more than two 

 yeajs ago, under the patronage of the " North Carolina 

 Board of Agriculture &c." to which duty I wall assigned by 

 my scientific friend, Professor Olmsted, now of Yale College, 

 but then Professor in the University of North Carolina and 

 geologist of the State. During that excursion, my investi- 

 gations were directed to ascertain the geological formations 

 of the whole region, rather than to make a particular exam- 

 ination of the mines themselves. Having performed this 

 duty, as well as circumstances would permit me, and made 

 my report to Professor Olmsted, accompanied by a geologi- 

 cal map of the country, I immediately returned to the Yad- 

 kin, with a view of examining more minutely the mines them- 

 selves. I accordingly spent several months at two of these 

 mines, and during the summer, visited and examined all the 

 others of any note, spending at each, sufficient time to ascer- 

 tain, as far as possible, its extent and formation. Thus, I 

 think my opportunities of forming a correct opinion of the 

 Gold Mines of North Carolina have been superior to those 

 of any other person, who has ever attempted to describe 

 them, (a.) 



The geographical situation of the mines of North Carolina 

 is too generally known to require any further description at 

 this time. I will therefore proceed to give my ideas,-— first, 



Vol. XIII.— No. 2. 1 



