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 Post subject: Graphite mine
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:42 am 
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:17 am
Posts: 754
Location: Monroe, CT
Me and Diana found a huge, bat gated graphite mine in northern new york state, while at a rev. war reanactment at fort ticonderoga. Its in a town called Graphite near lake george there was about 10 entrances all bat gated, very big mine. Does any one have any info on it, there was a processing plant dated 1917 nearby. -Mike


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:11 pm 
This is from the book "Greenfield Glimpses," published in 1976.

" About 1903 William Carver, a Greenfield resident, was prospecting on the
mountainside near the Hemlock School discovering some black lead. He
divulged theinformaiton to a Mr. Meyer of New York City who formed a
stock company. The Empire Graphite Company. Morris I. Price, a New York
attorney, ecame the President and Dr. A. F. Schrier, secretary. Assays
made of the graphite proved it to be of excellent quality for use in
crucibles and for use as a lubricant. A site was acquired and some 500
acres leased. Machinery was installed with plans for l00 tons daily and
the employment of about 50 men. Mine cars were operated some 200 to 300
ft. inside the mine. The graphite after being processed at the mill was
worth between 60 to one dollar per pound. It was transported by horses
and wagons to Kings the Delaware and Hudson station about three miles
distant; later automobile trucks were used. The Empire Mill was burned.
It was replaced by a second and larger mill The Empire went bankrupt and
soon after the holdings were bought by the Flake Graphite Company. During
World War I the price was maintained at a profitable price. However, after
the war the price fell to a few pennies per pound forcing the closing of
the graphite mill. The late William McKnight of Porter Corners worked at
the mill and described the mill operations. The ruins remain of that which
was once a profitable enterprise."


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:27 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2005 11:28 pm
Posts: 1758
Location: Winnemucca, NV
Mike, as far as I know it was officially called the Graphite Mine and it was bat gated fairly recently. I have two vintage black and white shots of two of the entrances. I will post them in the photos section when I locate them.

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"If you thought old, abandoned mines were only in the west, then you haven't been to IronMiners.com!"


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:27 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:17 am
Posts: 754
Location: Monroe, CT
Thanks for the info! thats very interesting, I brought back some graphite that I found there. It seems I cant go any where without finding mines!


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:51 am 
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:17 am
Posts: 754
Location: Monroe, CT
I am looking forward to seeing the photos, Mike. It was bat gated in 1997.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:03 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:44 pm
Posts: 385
Location: Hamburg, NJ
NJ had a few graphite mines as well, there is one east of route 23 and south of copperas mountain. It is marked on a geological map I have,.

Here is a link to an overview of the graphite mine's in NJ

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/infocirc/graphite.pdf#search=%22nj%20graphite%20mine%22


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:36 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2005 11:33 pm
Posts: 3080
Location: Above the Sterling Hill Mine
Might be worth starting to investigate them.. I've seen information about some of the mines in my geology reports, but haven't gone out to find any yet.


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