Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-01-30
yIRGINIA,S MINERALS
IFrom The whiy or 1865. 4

ltrom Inc Mhly OF 1865.
sThe State Geologist, DR.. Grant,
has recently returned from tour of
tho State and is more than ever im.
pressed with the vastness ard variety
Of the mineral resources of Virginia.
He seems to be surprised into an un-
usual degree of admiration at the
wonders he has witnessed. Although
Virginians have long heard vague ac-
counts Of vast wealth in mines and
minerals, concealed in the bowels of
the earth, and are prepared to expect
gratifying disclosures, they will
scarcely be prepared for the wonder
ful results exhibited by DIR. Grants
recent explorations. yirginia's ener-
gy has been chiefly directed to agri
culture. Few of our citizens have
sought to explore tho hidden wealth
and wonders of her soil. But little
Las been known in regard to these,
and httlo has been revealed, moro by
accident, or casual and superficial
examinations; than by continued and
we'll directed scientific explorations.
DIR. Grants professional ardor and
personal energy, are in keeping with
his high attainmonts. The State will
be much indebted to him for making
her vast resources known to herself
and to the world.
CDR Grant travelled about twenty.
five hundred miles ovor the State,
visiting nearly every county, and
carefully examining and exploring
each. He snys that Virginia pos.
sesses every metal and mineral that
all the other States possess, and any
specific one in as great abundance
and Of equal quality with any other
single State.
"Of the metals examined by him
may be enumerated gold, silver, cop
per, iron, lead, tin, zinc, platinum,
molybdenum, tellurium, cobalt, nick
el, bismuth, antimony, arsenic, plum
bago, etc.
"Of the minerals, coal, marble, ka-
olin, porcelain clay), pottor's clay,
fire clay, fuller's earth, hydraulic c.
mont, asbestos, soap stone, slate, red
and yellow ore, mineral paints, man
gnnese, gypsum, salt, mari, white
sand, numerous mineral springs, etc.
"Dr. Grant has visited over ono
hundred gold mines, forty silver
mines, twenty-five consecutive miles
of copper, lend and zinc, three tin
mines, one platinum, two of mo
lybdenum, one of tellurium, two OF
cobalt, one of nickel, one of bismuth,
one of nntimoay, four of arsenic, and
twenty of plumbago.
"There are about two hundred
square miles OF coal lands in the
Shenandoah Valley, ono hundred
square miles in Chesterfield county,
twenty square miles in tho Fnrmville
fields, and two hundred and fifty
square miles in Botetourt, Montgom.
cry and other counties of Southwest.
ern Virginia.
"Of the valuable ores ho says: The
gold ores of Virginia are moro brit
tie, more easily crushed, and, d,by anal
ysis, equally valuable with those ol
Colorado, and cover fully as great an
area.
"Silver is found both in simple ore
in argentiferous galena, and with
copper.
"Thero are lead mines in South
western Virginia as rich rs any in
America. They supplied the whole
South during the war, and showed
no signs of exhaustion. Tho ores
are compact blue sulphurets, and are
frequently found in solid veins six
feet wide.
"The coppers are carbonates and
sulphurets. Masses of native cop
per have beon found in this State OF
great size. The mines extend through
eight counties.
"The iron ores are rod and brown
hematite, ferguinous ochre, specular
magnetic, spathic, black band and
sulphurets.
"The Goals found are adapted tc
the furnace, smithing, manufactur
ing, family use, manufacture of gas