New-York tribune., 1869-01-04
MISSOURI.
THE IRON RESOURCES OF TIE STATE.

THE IRON RESOURCES OF TIE STATE
lFRoM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
Sr. LOUIS, Dec 26.-Thc celebrated mass of
solid ore known Pilot Knob situated at the present
terminus of the Iron Mountain Railroad, distance Of
about sC from the City Of ST. Louis IL stands out
prominently to view in the shape OF great cone 5s feet
hight and covering Of 400 acres at the base
The quality OF this grand mountain OF wealth Is known
as the "scous specular oxide" lhas been estimated
that at very low figures there is 100000 tuns OF
ore in this one body above the natural surface OF the
earth in that locality and who except It's creator can
even approximate To the enormous quantity concenled
below the surface The OF Pilot Knob somewhat
different from other iron In that peghbOrhOod.
both III appearance and compositions IL contains some 10
gray steolke fracture The silica should make the ore
less valuable, the presence OF that mineral makes
Fnp The sTecuar oxide we have The Iron Mountain dis
tant but few miles FROM plot KNOB ana nlnedihey
largest mass OF that quality OF known To exist in
the State and s made up almost excusyey Of this class
perhaps about pcr cent Of silica for quantity and
quality OF In Iron Monntan there s no need OF spee
proved for many purposes The mounsin is 22s feet IN
hight and at the base OF 500 acres which,
according TO calculation OF Dr. Liton, contains IN
quantity the general surface the enormous amount
Of 1865 10000 cubic feet or G0siS5 tuns OF ore Dut
this is only fraction of the orc In that locality Tho
nature Of the orethe puonic character OF the ass0
cated rockshe position Of the orc beneath the level OF
the valley, and the sedlmentary rocks bhrllng te base
OF the mountan-al indicate its gneous orgn and that
IL extends downward indefinitely, enarging as u DC,
the sze every foot OF descent give over JOOOO
tuns of orc.
At shepord Mountain, Immediately across narrow
valley from Pilot Knob. lind specuar and magnetic
oxides" unlimited quantities. all In very pure state,
yielding they do, less than two per cent OF slick and
8luuina which has been heretofore remarked, does
Dure its quality The ore OF this mountain exists IN
vertical veins ranging In different directions through the
porplyry OF which the mountain II composed These
veins vary thickness from 10 IA feet aud will yield
an amount Of they doubtless continue
downward indefinitely having every appearance OF an
igneous origin existing they do In pluOnic rock, the
walls OF which appear TO be sriaed In places. Tho
purple porphyry each side as lost ts color aud has
become s0! and somewhat frable, which would natu-
rally be expected from such rock after the exposure to
heat and the action atmospheric influences Fragments
the porphyry also detected in the ore, changed In
the same manner as the wall rock.
We fnd brown hemstite generally dGused through
the whole State - wherever the ferrugn0us sind.
stone or the second and third magnetism limestone are
developed Includes fair distribution In some
what over counties OF State; but there Is
enough OF the very best qualities within few miles OF
Pilot Knob aud Iron MOuntan above the surface or the
valleys to furnish 100000 tuns per annum OF maufac
tufsd iron for the next 200 years.
An OF these ores well adapted TO making pig iron
and those Iron Mountain and shcperd Mountain are
used for making blooms by the Catalan process III the
blOomerlcs at Pilot Knob and Valley Forge.