128 CORUNDUM^ ITS OCCURRENCE AND DTSTRTBUTTON. 
pei'idotite formations are not so large as in North Carolina, nor are 
the corundum localities so numerous, and it is not probable that there 
is as much corundum in this State as in North Carolina, although 
the Laurel Creek mine may be superior to any one thus far located 
in North Carolina. 
Laurel Creeh mine. — This mine, which is owned by the Interna- 
tional Corundum and Emery Company, is located at Pine Mountain, 
Rabun County, and is 18 miles from Walhalla, S. C, the nearest 
point on the railroad at present, although a railroad now in construc- 
tion from Tallulah Falls to Rabun Gap Avill pass within a fcAv miles 
of this mine. At this locality there is a large outcrop of peri- 
dotite, covering several hundred acres, and along the contact oi 
this with the gneiss large deposits of corundum have been found. 
Several openings have been made, some of which have been worked 
very extensively. Fig. 21 is a topographic map of this peridotite for- 
mation, showing the general location of the cuts and shafts that have 
been made. As is seen from the map, the formation extends ovei 
tw^o small hills, which, on account of their rough and barren nature, 
otter a sharp contrast to the surrounding country. There is a large 
open cut (1 in fig. 21) on the west side of the formation, which follow^ 
for the most part along the contact ; is 200 feet in depth at the loAvei 
end, and gradually rises until at the upper end the surface is reached 
At its lower end this cut encountered what is known as the Big veil 
of massive corundum, the cut having followed on a border vein o 
crystal corundum. PI. XVI is from a photograph of this cut, whicl 
shows the gneiss very distinctly on the left and the peridotite on tli( 
right, with the shaft house in the foreground. 
The Big vein of massive corundum, for which this mine is noted 
is at the foot of the south slope of the hill, and has been followed fron 
the lower end of the cut (1, fig. 21) for a distance of over 300 feet 
represented by the dotted lines, with the shaft house (4, fig. 21) nea: 
the western end. iVlthough this vein is near the contact of the perl 
dotite with the gneiss, it is separated from it by a band of peridotit 
and a small vein of sand corundum. There is some doubt whether th( 
block of gneiss (2, fig. 21) is entirely surrounded by the peridotit 
or Avhether it penetrates the peridotite from the main mass of gneisj^ 
From what could be seen, and from information obtained from Mi 
A. Evans, foreman of the mine, it has very much the appearance o 
being entirely inclosed in the mass of peridotite. The Big vein 
Avhich has been worked by an inclined shaft 116 feet deep, with tunj 
iiels 300 feet in length, has brought the work up to the block of gneid 
just referred to, and, according to Mr. Evans, a little work was donii 
farther to the east which showed the corundum vein to extend on thi 
south side of the block of gneiss, and it is not at all improbable thaj 
