104 GOLD AND TIN DEPOSITS OF SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. 
identity but similar in some respects to epidote pierce both the schist and quartz lenses 
which have developed in it. The most probable conclusion is that intense replacement or 
metasomatism has gone on in the mica schist along narrow but easy fracture channels for 
siliceous sulphide solutions. On this ground, therefore, this deposit would also in a way 
stand between the replacement bodies of the Haile, Colossus, and other mines and the fissure 
veins like those at the Brown and Schlegelmilch mines, but it holds a different kind of 
intermediate position from that of the Ferguson deposit. 
The ore consists of the granular white quartz with disseminated auriferous pyrite and 
free gold. Some very rich specimens were seen, in which the gold was scattered all through 
the quartz much as particles of magnetite might occur in quartz sand. This sort of ore has 
been found mostly near the surface, and the fact that at greater depth grains of pyrite play 
the same role as the gold above makes it probable that the gold has been liberated by 
oxidation of the sulphide. It is worthy of mention, however, that the quartz-bearing free 
gold is, in many cases, at least, wholly unstained by iron as would be expected where oxida- 
tion of pyrite had taken place. The concentrates are of good grade, having a shipping value 
of over $100 per ton, and this is another argument in favor of oxidation of the portion where 
the gold is now free. Moreover it is said that in general the heavier the pyritization, the 
higher the value of the ore. Of the unoxidized ore it is not known how much gold is 
recovered by amalgamation. 
As nearly as could be learned, an ore shoot about 90 feet long has been followed from the 
surface down to the 165-foot level, where work is now being done whenever the water can 
be kept down. Another bunch of ore 200 feet to the north was worked in former days to a 
depth of probably something like 100 feet, but the shaft and workings are now caved in. 
The ore varies in width from a foot to 8 feet or more. 
No information was obtained which throws light on the question of persistency of the ore 
body. The average value of the ore is not known to the writer, but is probably rather good. 
OTHER MINKS. 
Mining for gold has been carried on in many other portions of the area included in this 
report. At most of these operations were abandoned so long ago — in many cases before the 
war — that their names were barely more than a memory in the minds of those interested 
in this subject; in fact, the existence of several mines has been learned only from old 
literature on the geology of this region. Many such were of course not visited at all. Brief 
mention is made of some of these, based on hearsay or on earlier writings. Some other 
-mines or prospects were visited, but these were mostly inaccessible and but little could be 
learned, while a number of the places visited never deserved more consideration than the 
small amount of prospecting which was given them before they were abandoned. 
West mine. — The West mine is in Union County, S. C, only a few hundred yards south- 
east of the Thompson mine. The two were probably discovered at about the same time 
and have always been treated together in descriptions. At the time of the writer's visit 
the workings were filled with water and the old stamp mill was in a sad state of dilapidation. 
One man was washing in a small stream near the mine gravels which had been subjected to 
the same operation many times before. As his labor was resulting in small profit and as he 
was unacquainted with the history of the underground workings of the mine, little informa- 
tion was elicited from him. 
In 1844 a shaft had been sunk to a depth of 115 feet and was said to be the deepest shaft 
in the Stated In 1857 this shaft had been deepened to 150 feet,& and is now said to have a 
depth of 175 feet. An old, open cut, mostly filled with water, shows that the trend of the 
country rock is parallel to that at the Thompson mine (N. 10° E.) and that the ore is 
similar in character. It is said that some of the ore was of high grade, but that a large pro- 
portion of the value was lost because the sulphides were not saved. 
a Lieber, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 70. 
bTuomey, M., Rept. Geol. and Agr. Survey South Carolina, 1844, p. 24. 
