DISTRIBUTION OF GOLD MINES IX THE SOUTH APPALACHIAN REGION. 85
The most prominent mine in this district is the Smith mine, operated by Mrs. J. Belknap Smith. It is situated 14 miles northwest of Thomson in jIcDuffie county.
A 3-foot vein of white quartz, carrying free gold, pyrite, chalcopyrite and galena, and milling from $8 to $24 by simple amalgamation, has been developed by two shafts to a depth of 160 feet, and for a distance of about 300 feet along the strike (nearly north and south). The mill (10 stamps) is located three miles from the mine on Little river. Xo attempt is made to save the sulphurets, and the tailings are stated to carry as high as $12 per ton.
Other mines in this district are the Columbia, Egypt, Tatham, Williams, "Warren, and Magruder.
GOLD MINES IN" ALABAMA.1
MINES IN CLEBURNE COUNTY.
All of the more important mines of the county are located in the Arbacoochee district, situated 7 miles southeast of Heflin, the nearest railroad point. In the earlier clays extensive placer mining was carried on about f of a mile southwest of the mining village, Arbacoochee, principally in the Clear Creek valley. The auriferous deposit at this point covers nearly 100 acres in Sections 5, 6 and 7, T. 17, E. 11 E.
During the summer of 1895 a pocket of very rich quartz was opened up in one of the old placer pits on the boundary line between Sections 6 and 7. It is stated that between $1000 and $2000 of coarse gold was taken from about 400 pounds of ore and the immediately overlying gravel. This find created considerable local stir, and prospecting was being pushed along the strike of the quartz-vein as far as the direction could be determined from the very limited dimensions of the ore lens, the latter having a maximum width of 8 inches, a dip of about 30°, and pinching rapidly along the strike in a distance of about 6 feet. The ultimate value of this find will depend on the continuation of this shoot in length and depth, or the discovery of new ore-bodies along the strike of the veins. Prospecting along this ore-lead was still in progress during 1896.
The only hydraulic work in the State was carried on for a short time by the Arbacoochee Hydraulic Company on side-hill deposits, about i mile east of Arbacoochee. The limited supply of water and poor management are given as the reasons for failure.
The Anna Howe, the Anna Howe Extension, the Crutchfield and the Valdor are adjoining properties in the Arbacoochee district. These
1 For a more complete statement concerning- gold mines and mining in Alabama see Bulletins 3 and o of Alabama Geological Survey, referred to on p. 13.
