Crown Mountain Mine, Crown Mountain, Lumpkin County, Georgia, USAi

Regional Level Types
Crown Mountain Mine	Mine
Crown Mountain	Mountain
Lumpkin County	County
Georgia	State
USA	Country

The highest point of Findley Ridge, which is near its center, half-a-mile due south from the court-house in Dahlonega, is known as Crown Mountain. The northern part of the Fish Trap mine, that part, which has been worked for the gold contained in its saprolite and quartz veins, lies well down the mountain's south side; but most of the mountain is included in lot 947, 12th district. This lot, with 948, immediately north of it, 989, diagonally adjacent on the southeast, a ten-acre strip from the west side of 987, and one acre from the southeast corner of 986, comprise what is known as THE CROWN MOUNTAIN PROPERTY, owned by Judge W. W. Murray, of the United States Court of Land. Claims, whose residence is Huntingdon, Tenn.

Crown Mountain has an altitude of 275 feet above the public square in Dahlonega, and 250 feet above a well-known spring at its base. Its altitude above sea-level is 1,754 feet. It consists principally of the mica-schists of the so-called Yellow and Black belts; but the schists, of what is known as the Fish Trap belt, form a part of its southern side, and the large dike of hornblende-schist, discussed in another part of this report, forms the greater part of its northern side. The dip of the schistosity of all these is from 30° to 50°, usually to the northeast. On the broad oval top of the mountain are to be found small, well-worn bowlders and pebbles; and, covering its sides, a bed of clay, described further on. The mountain is well timbered with chestnut, oak and pine, the two former being in much the greater abundance.

Some little prospecting for gold appears to have been done upon the Crown Mountain property, years ago, before Judge Murray became its owner; for, about half-way up the northwest side of the mountain, is what is left of a few old shallow inclines and prospect holes; and, near the top, on the south side, a 30-foot incline was run down on a vein in the "South Black belt," which is said to have yielded good results. The most of the work, however, seems to have been done on a large white quartz vein on the northwest side, which is said to have proved of low grade. As a gold prospect, the property had little reputation, before Judge Murray began prospecting it, in a systematic way, some two or three years ago. Its real value, probably, has not been shown, even by the work, done by this gentleman; for it has been confined to the top of the mountain, no tunnel having, as yet, been driven, down near its base, to expose the character of the deposits deeper down; though Judge Murray has this in view. Under his direction, three tunnels, over 200 feet long, with drifts, have been excavated, one each, into the north, south and east sides of the mountain, at varying elevations near the top, for the purpose of ascertaining the auriferous character of the schistose saprolites and the veins encountered. These tunnels are known, respectively, as the East, South and North Tunnels. In addition to these, a few prospecting pits have been dug, here and there, and a shallow incline has been sunk on a small, but rich, vein near the north tunnel.