Washington telegraph., 1851-03-26
From the N. o. Bulletin.


ZaSc AND MANGANESE MINEs OF ARKANsAs-
There are two ores Of zinc which of very fire.
quent occurrence in the lead mines of the United
States, viz: the suphure, hlende, usually called
by the miners sblack jack" and the carbonate,
called also "dry 5oue." They frequently occur in
large quantities, particularly the "black jack" !"
nearly or quite equal 10 the lead ITSELF And yet.
until very recently, no whatever has been
made OF them. They have been thrown aside
along with the common rubbish of the mine as
utterly Useless, while our country has been i'm
porting its whSle consumption Of zinc. The zinc
ores OF other countries of better quality,
greater quantity, than our own; and yet We throw
ours away, and send 10 other countries for all tue
zinc we want
Why is thisl Merely because the ores of Iinc
are more difficult TO reduce than those Of most
other metals, and we have not had the skill and
patience necessary to bring them into the metallic
state. .isi a& 4
But a,change is about to take place, science has
rendered the reduction of refractory ores more
silnpie and easy than it formerly was; and blende,
which was formerly considered almost incapable
OF reduction, has been compelled to give up its
sulphur, and 10 yield its metal as compe nsation
to the enterprise Of the smelter.
There is an unusual quantity Of zinc ore in Ar
kansas, some of which is connected, usual with
the lead mines, mostly ia the form Of blende; while
"dry bone," or the carbonate. This latter kind is
much more easily reduced than the other.
Hther the demand for zinc in our country has
not been very great, or the quantity used has been
rather limited; hence the market has been easily
supplied. But the new uses to which it is now
being applied, and the great increase in the guam
titles consumed, for purposes to which 1t has long
been applied, will cause a large increase in the
demand for this article, and will add much to the
motives for attempting to supply our own markets
by the reduction Of our
The discovery OF the magnetic telegraph, and
other uses 10 which ee ctro magnetism is now ap-
piled, will cause considerable increase in the de-
mapd for this metal.
Another discovery has recently been made,
which will probably cause still greater increase
in the consumption of zinc; and that IS, that its
oxide Is an excellent pigment, considerably supe-
ror TO white lead, which it destined strongly
to rival, if not to supersede altogether.
Another, and still later discovery has also been
made, which seems likely TO create brisk demand
for blende or the suphuret Of zinc; which is that
the ore, in its natural state, without smelling.
any other preparation than mere grinding, when
mlxed with oil, makes valuable paint
La view of these things, there is reason to be-
lieve that our zinc mines, which have hitherto
been considered utterly worthless, will here
after be considered as offering inducement for the
employment of capital and labor, equal to those
of lead, or any other metal.
Manganese is metal, which, both in its me-
tallic state, and in that of its ore, strongly re-
sembles iron. IL is harder, heavier, and more brit
tie than ron and oxinizes more readily. 1t is
not used in the metallic state at all; for any
to which it is capabe,of being applied. Ear as IS
known, iron IS better
1t is used altogether in the arts, in the state of
ore, and in variety Of ways; for instance in the
,tanufacture of certain kinds of glass; of chloride
of lime, aud in the chemical laboratory. Its value
chiefly depends upon the great quantity OF oxygen
it contains, and u,on the facility with which it
yields it up
1t is nearly always associated with iron, and is
found in small quantities. in almost every country
which iron ore is abundant. But it is usually SO
mixed with if as to be without any value. 1t is
rather to find it by itself in such quantities as
to admit of being worked.
In Arkansas there is a very large quantity Of it,
nearly, quite free from iron, probably enough to
supply the world for ayes to come. 1t is being
mined by company from Nashville, which has
raised not less than two hundred and fifty to three
hundred tons.
Small quantities of manganese have been mined
in the State of Vermont, aud likewise ip New
York, but believe the business has been aban-
doned in both, on account of the poverty Of the
lands. There is Il bed OF it in Virginia, which is
said to be of good quality, and of large quantity;
where mining is going on at the present time,
which is the only known in the United
States worthy of attention, except that in Ar
kansas.
My next will be uPon.the iron ores.
B. LAURENCE, Gcologist.