Cooley Mine, Elbert County, Georgia, USAi

Regional Level Types
Cooley Mine	Mine
Elbert County	County
Georgia	State
USA	Country

Beryl crystals up to 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter are reported from the dumps of the Cooley Mica Mines on the N. M. Cooley Farm, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the Savannah River, 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the Rock Branch section.

The Cooley Mine is on the N. M. Cooley farm, 1.5 mile west of the Savannah River and on a clay road three-fourths of a mile northwest of the Elberton-Iva Highway, two miles east of the Rock Branch section. The mine was in production, September, 1942, operated by Mr. 0. E. Thomas. The chief miner is Luther Willis. The deposit was discovered and opened ti;J.is year. The development work to date consists of two inclined, irregular, shallow shafts down the dip of the vein to a depth of about 20 feet; also drifting along the vein for about 45 feet. The waste and mica is pulled out of the shafts by rope and windlass. Three men work the mine. About eight thousand pounds of mica, both sheet and scrap, have been taken out of the mine.

Most of the mica produced is block "A," usually wavy; the color is pale green to light rum. All cut pattern is wavy. Much of the mica is greatly shattered; many of the "A" books are 6 by 8 inches in size.

The pegmatite is from 2 1/2 to 3 feet thick, strikes N. 30° E., dipping 53° NW. It contains "burr-rock." The feldspar is of the potash type partly kaolinized to present depth of mining; the wall rock is coarse-grained granite. Numerous fragments of beryl were found on the dumps and several crystals six inches in diameter were observed.