Howard Smith mine

Mica Mine in Avery county, North Carolina

Howard Smith mine

Principal periods worked 1955-56
Workings Cut 120, incline 40, drifts 64.
Description of muscovite Green, reeved, bent, clay stain
Production Small sheet
Shape Lens
Size 1-15 T
Strike NE
Dip NW
Relation to wallrock Partly discordant
Wallrock Biotite gneiss
Extent of weathering Saprolite (40 ft).
Remarks Pl-Q-M wall zone, fine to medium grained; accessory sericite, biotite; P-Pl core, fine-grained.
Source of information DMEA

Geographic context

Abbreviations

Principal periods worked
WWI World War I
WWII World War II
int intermittent
Production
Small < 500 lb
Moderate 500-10,000 lb
Large > 10,000 lb
Size of pegmatite
D depth
L length
T thickness
avg average
Internal structure
B biotite
F feldspar
M muscovite
P perthite
Pl plagioclase
Q quartz
Source information
CMC Colonial Mica Corporation
DMEA Defense Minerals Exploration Administration
OME Office of Minerals Exploration
USGS U.S. Geological Survey
OF USGS open-file reports and maps