SenatorClingman, a gentleman of some^scientific knowledge, had noticed in bis^geological investigations of the formation^of Mitchell county ancient mounds, upon^which large forest trees are growing. Sup^posing these mounds to be the dnmps of^some ancient mines worked in prehistoric^time, he opened several, but found no prec^^ious metals, only mica, which he believed^worthless. Therefore, the exploration of^tfet^e mounds was abandoned. A few^months later a ^cute Yankee^ from Con^necticut, while prospecting the county for^mineral and coming upon a mound which^Clineman had opened, upon examining the^mica cd determining its value, soon after^ward obtained a lease upon the property in^question and by his energy and practical^knowledge of the business soon made^^ handsome fortune. At the present^time there are In this section but two unties^that are lance producers, the Cloudlanrt.^now 100 feet d^ cp, and the Kuby mine, the^most valuable property of its kind in th^country, which is being worked at a depth^ot 300 feet and producing two tons monthly^The Clarissa mine, near itaker-ville.^one time produced about one half the total^product of the I'nited States, but after be^^ing worked to a depth of :W5 feet has been^abandoned, as the vein has pinched and^the mine is now very wet.
Alarge portion of the product of North^Carolina is mined by farmers who eke out^a scanty subsistence by prospecting for^this valuable mineral. In this mica belt,^which is tn;rtj miles wide and 100 miles^long, the mica Is found near the surface^and ot as ifood quality as at a considerable^depth, which is unquestionably a common^experience every w Here, since mica is not^as quickly oxidized as other minerals. Af^ter the vein is opened a tew feet in depth^say ten or twenty feet, if no pay mica is^found the prospect is usually abaudoned.^These quasi miners are well satisfied with^the finding of a few po^kets yielding $100^to S'Joo return for a season's labor.
