The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-29
P. B. Mcdonald, in the Iron Trade R.

T
 view.
 ~ CONSIDERABLE attention has late N ly been directed to iron ore min. ~ mining in the southern states, particularly Alabama, on account of a better realization of the growing impor- tance of the conditions in those sections. Visiting mining men have commented upon the extent and soundness of the southern iron industry, and no little pub licity has been shed by the governments $ suit against the United states Steel cor poration. Undoubtedly, Alabamas iron industry Is much more impressive and firmly established than many northern mining men are aware. The general opin- ion that southern mining is conducted in a primitive, slipshod way is not un- founded, but developments and changes during the past few years have resulted ill surprising improvements until most of the iron mines in the Birmingham district compare very favorably with the well equipped, trim looking mines in the Lake Superior regions. The tranquil climate and the prevalence of negro labor, to- gether with the low grade of the ores, for long time accounted for indifferently equipped mines indifferently managed. On the other hand, the mild climate is dis tinctly an advantage for all-year opera tion of open pit mines and for efficient transportation of wet iron ore without freezing.
 Birmingham and. the surrounding dis trict are well supplied with railroads par ticularly as Birmingham, with a popula- ton of 1SO0o0, is an important trade cen- ter.
 Geographically, Birmingham is well sit :. uated, being within much easier shipping distance than is generally supposed to industrial centers of the middle west, and comparatively close to southern Atlantic seaboard cities.
 Primarily, however. the big advantage Alabama enjoys in iron-making is the consistent proximity of its iron orc to coal The principal iron formation is par alleled on both sides only three or four miles away by extensive coal fields. This, of course, is point of tremendous advantage compared to northern opera tions, where iron ore from Minnesota has to be transported to meet coal from Ohi, Illinois or Pennsylvania. Again, much of Alabama's iron ore is found intimately associated with lime, making a self-fux- ing ore to such an extent is this condi- tion prevalent that some theories of the formation of the ore consider it the oxi- dized portions Of ferruginous limestone strata A still further advantage is the occurrence of red hematite ores of the Clinton variety In the same district with the brown limonite ores; since the most convenient furnace charge includes a mixture of these two quite different ores
 In a consideration of Iron mining in Alabama, it should first be understood that the red Clinton hematite and the brown llmonites, known as. brown ores are two separate propositions. The red Clinton ore occurs in Silurian strata as definite rock formation and its out crop can be traced for 12 miles in practi- cally straight line between Birmingham and Bsssemer. The brown ores' are OK. idized and concentrated portions of clay or sand banks; they are not a definits rock formation, but are merely superfi-
 
 Clinton ore mines are underground ,rines. while the brown ores are mined in open pits, as on the Mesabi range in Minneso. ta In spite of the irregular and recent geological character of the brown ores, some of the deposits are of great extent and as furnace mixture they play an important and necessary part in Alabama f, ou ma king
 The brown ores are almost always washed or concentrated to separate the clay from the iron, and usually the amount of clay is several times the amount of iron; indeed. the quantity of material, which is sometimes treated to recover enc ton of brown iron ore, is sur prising. The red Clinton ores are not con- certrated. although some attempts have been made to treat what are called the l soft red ores," which are the upper weathered portions of the Clinton mem- Der. In spite of the fact that the name of the principal mining town, outside of Birmingham, Is Bessemer. there ds no ore of Besseme rQuality produced in conn | mercial quantities in the state: that is, containing not over 0.05 per cent phos- phorus for 50 per cent of iron. As for the iron content of the ores, it ia usually of such low grade that in the Lake Superior district most of 1t could not be mined at all; generally speaking, a 70 per cent Alabama Clinton ore Is bet | ter than . 50 per cent Lake Superior ore An account of less contained water. better