N Oll'l'H CAROLIXA DEPAR'l'l\IEN'r 01'' CoNSERVA'rION AND DlffELOPl\H;NT R. BRUCE ETHERIDGE, Direr/or BULLETIN NUMBER 38 .. ·,t' . GOLD DEP.OSITS . I IN NORTH: CAROLINA BY I HERMAN J. BRYSON St,1te GeologiJt RALEIGH 1936 ---·------- ____ ,._,_,:~---- --·--~· ---· ~ :MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPl\IEN'f Go,·ernor J. C. B. Ehringhaus, Cl1air111a1l, ez officio .. ________________ Raleigh E. S. Askew ················--------····--···········-------------····---·--·---------··Greenville F, P icrcy Ca rte r ... ·----··------------------------------------················---------------Ash evillc ,v, C. Ewing ____ ..... ---------------------------·-···-------------··----··········---------Fa ycttc,•ille J. Q. Gilkey ___ ..................-------·-·····--····-····-········-····-·········-·····----l\Iarion J. L. Horne, J r-----···-----------------------·····---------------·-······--------Rocky l\fount Sant ford Martin ..... ··---------------··--··········--------------····--··-·-·----Wins ton-Salem J os, J, Stonc_______________ ........................................................ --------Grecnsboro D. L. ,v ard, J r •...•............ -----··----·······---········--------······-----------New Bern Harry R. LindsaY---------·-·--··············---·--···········--············-···----·Lcaks,·ille J, \V, Harrelson ······-----------·--·-···············-----·······--····--····------------·····Raleigh J. P. Rawley.......................... - ..............................................- ...... High Point J. L. l\IeN air--···-·············--------·····························--·······--·--····__Laurinburg R. Bruce Etheridge, Director Table of Contents Page CHAPTER I: HlSTOlllCAL NOTES ON GOLD MINING IN NORTH CAROLINA.... 7 CHAPTER II: DEVELOPMENT OF GoLD DEPOSITS • . • • . • . 13 Mining, recovery, and production; character and fineness of gold • . 13 General Statement . • . 13 Placer and Soft Oxidized Ores ...••.•. , • , , . 13 Free Milling, Hard Ores . • . 15 Sulphide Ores ................. , • , ............ , . 17 Chemical Treatment , , . 17 Other Chemical Processes • • • . 18 Recent Processes . • • . 20 Successful Processes Adapted to Ores of North Carolina . 23 Mechanical Processes ........ , . • . • . 23 Stamp :Mill . 25 Flotation l\lill ......... , , , , , , , • . 28 Chemical Processes ...... , , . 29 Chlorination Process . 29 Cyanide Process ......•..•.. , . 31 Production of Gold in North Carolina . 38 Table of Gold and Silver Production in North Carolina from 1799 to 1934 39 Character and Fineness of Gold in North Carolina . 40 CHAPTER Ill: GF.OGRAPHICAL AND Gnor.OGICAL DISTRIIIUTION OF GOLD ORES IN NollTH CAROLINA • • • • . • • . • 42 Rocks of gold-bearing areas; nature and structure of ore deposits; weathering of ore bodies; origin of ores; age of ores . 42 General Statement . 42 Rocks of the Gold-Bearing Areas • . 43 Nature and Structure of Ore Deposits . 45 Veins . • • . 46 Lodes or Mineralized Zones . 47 Weathering of Ore Bodies ......... , . 48 Origin of Gold Ores . • . .. 50 Age of Ores . • . • . 51 CHAPTER IV: THI! EASTERN CAROLINA BF.LT . • . • . 52 Genernl Description . • . 52 Mines in the Eastern Carolina Belt • . 54 Nash Count)' . • • • . 5·1 Portis .Mine . 5-1 History of Portis Mine . 61 Mann-Arrington Mine ...................................... , . 62 Arrington Mine ......•........ , . 62 Conyer's :Mine .........•......... , . 62 CHAPTER V: THE CAROi.INA SLATE BF.LT • • . • • • • . • . • . 6-1 General Statement . 6·1 Ore Deposits and Mines in the Slate Belt • . 66 l\foore County . 67 Bell l\line ...............•.. , .. , . 67 Burns l\fine . 67 Cagle JI.fine . 68 Clegg 1'1inc .... , . 6tl Brown 1'line . 6S Randolph County . 69 Hoover Hill l\linc . • . 69 Jones or Keystone Mine . 69 Uharie 1'[inc . 70 Alred 1'finc . • . 71 Davidson County . • . 71 l\fontgomcrr County ........... , • . • . 7t Russell !\[inc . • . 72 Coggins (Appalachian) Mine . • . 1, Riggon Hill !\fine . 74 ___ ______......_ -- - --- --- -- Page Steel Mine • • • . • • . 74 Saunders ltfine .......... , . , . 74 Moratock Mine ......•• , •. , . 7'i Sam Christian l.',fine . 75 Beaver Dam Mine . • . 75 Black Ankle l.',fine . 7'.5 Iola Mine • . • . 77 Montgomery l.',fine . 77 Carter l>Iinc . 78 Stanly County . 79 Haithcock and Hern Mines , . 79 Parker Mine . 79 Crowell l.',fine . 81 Barringer l.',fine . 82 Crawford (Ingram) Mine • . 82 Cabarrus and Rowan Counties . 8; l.',fauncy l.',fine . 83 Rocky River Mine .... , ...... , . 84 Allen Furr Mine . 81 Snyder J.',fine . 86 Harkey Mine . • . ..