Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-03-26
The IRON Interests of Virginia

To the elttor Of the Alexandria Gazche:
am Informed of the fact that The magnetic
irou ores Of Missouri are found in Shepherds
| Mountaio, the sub magnetic ores 10 Iron Noun
tain the Pilot Knob bears large quantities. Of
s.licous specuar nro, aud large deposits Of
specuIar and browc hcmat;t. cx;s.e, aud are
mined upon, 10 the vicoity Of. the Marsnec
river, 10 Phelps AL CrAm!9:i counties.
| The geological form atioDs Of tiitse c,uu,i::,
| Lake Superior aud Missouri are va!g .miiar
to the Blue Ridge region OF Virginia, especial
| ly the foot Mills Of that range The cDrncr ofc:
of Lake Superior are found 10 the Pots1am
sandstone formation, and this formation. the
| sandstone, with ripple ma1ks-worn holcs-:s
miles southwest Of Linden, short distance
eastward of the Fauquer and Warren county
line, in Fauquier county, and here is found,
near by. deposit of copper, native and carl b.
nate.
No doubt this PotSdam sandstone has been
lifted into its present position by The actions of
the forces Of the land aCaues, acting from the
southeast towards the northwest, at RICH angles
to the direction Of the shore line oil the SIUTidn
E2Tloa and by its FORCE acting through count-
less ages, formed number Of those ridges now
to be seen between the Blue Ridge and tide.
water and those mountains and Icing lines Of
mountain ranges, extending betwecu the Blue
Ridge ard the western base OF the Appalachian
range. Ia Warren county, a 5hOrc distance
west of the top Of the Blue Ridge, on tie min,
era property OF The Alexandria Copper Con-
paDy, which has bcUn opened copper Nina,
there is massive ledge OF sandstone, boid
precipce over one hundred feet high, ~ the
western slope, nearly vertical, and !hc strata
being nearly horizontal This massive deposit
Ct sandstone has, 10 doubt, been lifted up,
raised into !s present position. Gaping the Blu;
Ridge, by the steady and powerful torcrs al
Iude1 to above. In this ledge Of sandstone !
was shown horizontal thin seam Of pure native
copper. having the appearance Of having been
pressed through u set Of ;0s, and pressed out
ioto thio sheet Of metal. Furhcreyp orations /
will determine the true 8gc Of this copper for |
NATION, and give light 10 The appearance Of
the Potsdam sandstone, on the top OF the Fist
Primitive MOuntain Range d tic E'1rth. Rut
the age eff the formations Ut l.JdcStone Ridge is |
more ancient even than the formations of lake |
Superior or Missouri. ].odestono Ridge. no |
doubt, was raised up above tho surface oi the !
waters Of the Primitive OceaH, at the same pc.
Rod az the Blue Ridge, or more than likely at
an earlier period. Ii may have been the ii;!st
rocky knob that raised its head above the 0rirl
itivc ocean that not only covered tho American
continent bu. the continent Ct the GA World |
also. Its a0ri,Ltes were much greater and high.
err than its present appearances Indicates; it was
more lofty ; the rush Q! waters and ether ie.
nuding causes, have ground down it, surface,
le7eIed its summit, hatteacd out its deposits Of
iron ores, and reduced the ridges that connects
it with the Blue Ridge proper TO regular aal
uniform shape. terminating on The summit OF
Lolestonc Ridge, ard its mineral formations
its iron ores-arc amongst the earliest Gr.nt!.
tive ores ofMe eartE. and as consequence,
are the puraSt iron ores in crtStenGe
HUGH IHOs. nn!-G!A,.
Catett's. Fauquicr county, Va.