Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-17
IRON ORES OF THE COPPER REGION.

In our geological examinations and ramblea through
the great copper region of the South-West through
Floyd, Carroll and Grsyson, We were constantly sur
prsed by stumbling on and over the rich and eIten
sive masses of iron ores which invariably accompany
the copper ores as thsir "gcssan or in connection
with their gossan, tout crops.) At the Weddle and
Nowlsn mines in Floyd great quantities OF the brown
hemste, thydrsted o1ydes,) red oI}d and mag
uetic ores exist at the latter named place iron hss
been made at intervals for more than so years. Rob
ert G. Tonorsy the last 10 manufacture Ion here
4nd his furnace-West Fork Furnace-is now stand
ing, in q condition for operation at any time. Some
If the best wheels now in use the Virginia and
tennessee Rail Road, ws are informed, were made
rom the iron produced here. II those wheels are
low in use, they must have run nearly, If not fully,
dve years, and the test is therefore, complete.
We are inclined to credit almost any story OF the
enacy Of ths iron n the form of castings. from the
tact that contains large amount Of copper in It's
composition; but as merchant or rolled iron, for the
same resson II answers but an Indifferent purpose;
indeed il scarcely be made into bars and will not
mite at "welding hest" With itself or any other
ron. As common iron, however. 1t csnnot be
xcelled, if equaed, by any iron the world can pro-
duce.
An auecdo,e is related by Mr.. Toncray, which
orcibIy illustrates the tenscity and Hexibity Of this
iron, 10 the simple form Of castings
"Old Shelor'' produced iron here over ffty years
ago. and the of his furnace are still TO be seen
He made hollow ware, and reiailed it through the
surrounding counties. AT military training. to
which tho hark wonds n4n Of that dny had gahsrsd
the old rOnmaster Of the wilderness displayed biz
pots and pans 10 all the rosghness and rudeness OF
thoss primitive days, the simple efforts Of primitive
id.as and primitive skill But the people, or many
Of them had seen better days and better things, and
in fact had made their porrdge in the scientific ket'
ties OF Birmingham, and much WAS the fun and loud
the laugh raised at the expense of Shslor and his
wares. But the tables SOON turned, for the olc
man, in his wrath hurled some OF them against the
surrounding rocks There are plenty in Floyd) acci
dentsy missing the heads OF his tormenters but, 10
the surprise of ALL they rsboundsd, safe and sound
from the obstacles which resisted their impetuous
course, and fell to the ground unoroken The conse'
quence was. that Squire Shelor sold bis culinary I'm
pements and made many more of the same kind,
which, to this day. remain heirlooms In the Kitchens
of our mountsineers, and would not, even now, be
exchanged for those of more ekilful and elegant
pattern.
Along the whole range OF the copper region im
mense masses of these ores are found. On Little River
on Big Reed leland on Little Reed leland and on
their ributaries on New River where 1t enters the
mountains, and its various southeastern tributaries
not mentioned above, these ores are met with, IN
great profusion and In unlimited quantities. But they
do not lie deep in the esrthi they seem to be the ei
scis of the decopposlng copper ores and the arsenl-
cal rocks since they invariably lie over the oIydes OF
"copper" and frequently, when the dip of the measures
are less than G0 70 degrees, 10 the "bsck OF the
odes" and should be safe guide TO the discovery OF
the sulphurets, which, however, our copper miners
have not yet, it seems, discovered.
1t will thus appear, that on the New River and Its
tributaries, have variety Of iron suitable tor
every purpose; iron which, when rolled or manu-
featured into wrought or merchant iron. cannot be
e1celled by anything the world can produce for wlre
for chains railroad bars Sc, and ron too, that s
unrivaled for cannon and hollow ware, and cylinder
and castings Of all kinds and descriptions requiring
teuacty and strength.