Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-01-10
The Iron Interests Of Virginia.

The Iron Interests ofVirginia.
To the editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
In my communication dated January :, 1878,
[ referred to my examination Of iron ores at
the Centennial Exposition, and gave my rea
sons Cor attaching so high a standard to The
ores OF Lodestone Ridge, aud to our Blue Ridge
iron ore region. | will now give extracts from
my correspondence with Prof. ". T. Dean
tor the purpose OF sustaining my judgement.
And 10 the trst place to show the disnterestei
and generous reasons that actuatcd that gcnt.e
man in makiog the analysis OF those ores.
will give an extract from his letter dated Via.
csnnes. lad, May J4,h:
"T.kiug very active Interest 10 all matters
appertaioiog to miuing and metauray. aud the
technology Of iron aod steel, | should BE- plea
ed if you would do me the favor to make up
box OF specimens OF be various ores contained
10 the deposits CT which you write. Classified
so that may understand their geological re-
latious, as would like TO test them by auay.s
myself, and uoic, them 10 be "Msnufacture!
at some future time. You can seed them ~
freight or expires. at my charge. As shah
notice the analysis through the columns OF The
Manufacturer" ali further in!ornatioo y3u
can furnish me viii aid me ~ that extent 70
making up Just verdict for all Interested.
| forwarded ID Prof.! Dean q box c0o'aiulog
81 specimens Of the o5e' and the country rocks
of L)destonc Ridge, syenlte, greensboro All
hornblende, with al! the rocks helopgog 10 the
Laurentian aud the Huronisn Periods. 81 that
be would be able to perfectly u1dersta1d tn
geological relations Of the ores aai tn, ac.oal
plpyiog rocks. agaio wrote to MIN. uaicr
date of Juaa 18Th. as f,ows:
Il mailed you q letter yesterday cDotalniag
two specimens Of iron or: from our Lldastoor
Ridge. The specnea of blush black, very
Goe.grained, ore from natural L)de>toae. |
am fully impressed Is s,ra,had ore, n't =
primitive ore. II is an ore formed from tNr
grinding down oil the prlm'tlse ores OF the
Laureutian formations. You will no;l.9 he
foe black magnetic sand enclosed With sampe.
This sand is siuilar to the black sand rzs,tat
Throughout. our A2)ic tormatoos cxtehila'
from the summit of the Blue Ridge to Tide.
water to be noticed 10 the ruts and road dltchc-
after every rain. The ore is 10 boulder, J.,
slatg 10 structure, and seems 10 havs bAtu
formed by being deposited 10 hor;z ,otaI strata
or else washed into assures 10 the rock iormt
tiop. believe the mass Of The mountain
composed of primitive ores, overlald bp til
syenite rock, and bounded By the Creecston
and hornblende rocks. Above the syenltc Is
6od the mica aud talcos, states, the sandston'.
&c. Am | corrcc: 10 my opinion that those t7'
grained, very compact ores are very similar T.
the. ores OF Denuamora, aud other min'S 4
Sweden, OF Norway, of the ores OF Siberia.
India, &c., and also very similar Ia the or,-
of Canada Lake Superior, Missouri, 81.
Irec=ived az answer from Prot. Dean. latei
July u, in these words:
Judging from q superficial! cxam'oaii5o,
and basiug decision upon aotu. appearances,
should not hesitate 10 affirming thai ECU have
as fine quality of ore for the production l!
Bessemer iron as have ever seen brou.h:
from tic most renowned of our ore proGucia.
regions. 10 few days | will give the cut!!e
box an inspection as requested and report |"
you without delay, and will then, al Intervals
between other duties, make critical assays and
report through the American Manufacturer.
10 the mean time should you discover aurthng
touching the character or geology CT your
ores that you might consider Of importance II
reaching a correct estimate Tor publication. ycu
will please report as you are aware that tnr
more complete the Information, the more sure
~ will its value, as a mineral region take rnc:
10 the public miud.
wish to add haTc icw words rcs1cclicg
the presence Of titanic acid ADD phosphorus II
the iron ores Of Virginia. | will ooiy monior
that all the experts who have examined our
Virginia iron ores unite IN the general Sta!r'
ment of the extent and richUes OF our iron ore
deposits, but 10 the past three years It has be
come somewhat fashionable for ron masters
seeking mineral Investments 10 cur Virginia
iron ore lands, acd also the che miSts 10 their
employ, to Gud fault With our valuable lron
ore interests By the ssumed discovery OF titab c
acid 10 those ores. 1t has become somewha!
chronic disease with certain gentlemen to as
sumo that all Virginia ores are commercially
aC0rthleSs. in consequ nee OF the preselco Of
titanic acid
"Musbet and Others claim that Ii,auum has
beneficial effect upon iron, yet the question
appears to be 0Dc rtqulrirg further lcvrol
gaticu.
The New Jersey steel works have b.eu u>iu.
the ores Of the Adirondack Mountains O! New
York, containing huge per can,age Of tltanIc
acid, ever since their organizations; 10 feet
those works were the pioneer works OF The
steel manufacture 10 the United States, and
they commenced with. and have continued to
use the titanic iron ores Of New York, even up
to the present date. Lrrge amounts Of ttal'
iron ores have been miDed and shipped from
Maryland, to be used as an importao; aimx
ture with the ores free of this acid, s. as 10
produce tough and hard iron, specially suit.
able for fabrication into high grades Of steel
The micacems ores. mincd near North Garden
Station. beyond Charlottesville, have been ship.
ped westward for mixture at the Buf1Io Gap
furnace, and those ores contain, | have been
creditably Informed, over per cent OF titanic
acid, yet the admxture is considered to be very
desirable and produces very superior IRON.
A moderate per cent. of titanic acid is 90 longer
considered Objectionable 10 the production 0!
IRON steel, or even Besscmcr st,cl. Phosphorus
is very Objectionable for the production o.
Bessemer steel, although 10 moderate amounts
it is favorable to the production ct foundry AMI
o good mill irou
10 former commute alton referred to the
importance Of selecting the ores from the ecu
ire of The vein, or bed, for Bsssemcr pig, a
being purer, having less perc ntaec of phos,
phorus. The nearer the surface, and 10 cootrast
with the country rock, the presence OF phos
phorus being generally mere abundant, such
ores are more suitable for foundry pig aGd
merchantable or nIl iron.