The A B C of Mining: A Handbook for ProspectorsBramble, Charles A.
Science
The A B C of Mining: A Handbook for Prospectors
Bramble, Charles A.
Mining engineering; Prospecting
Native iron is only found in meteorites that have come from space.
Magnetite is loadstone ore; the powder is reddish black, and the ore,
dark brown to black. It is found in the older rocks and is an
important ore.
Hematite varies from metallic to dull in luster. There are many
varieties of it, known as ironstone, ocher, needle ore, etc. Hematite
may be slightly magnetic. Immense beds exist in the triassic
sandstones, and in the secondary rocks below the coal measures. The
powder and streak of limonite are always yellow; it is an important
ore. Siderite assumes many forms. It is called spathic ore,
clay-ironstone, carbonate of iron, black band, etc. Most of these
carbonate iron ores only range between 30 and 40 per cent. of metallic
iron, but are in demand as fluxes for other iron ores. The pyritic
ores of iron, including marcasite, pyrrhotite and mispickel, are often
taken for gold by the inexperienced. In an accessible region pyrites
may be valuable, as they are bought by makers of sulphuric acid.
Iron is so low in price that vast deposits exist which cannot be made
use of because they would be too expensive to mine. A deep bed, or a
narrow one, or the slightest difficulty in transportation, would
preclude any profitable development. It is known that enormous areas
in northern Labrador, for instance, are full of iron deposits, yet
there seems no chance of their having the slightest economic value for
a long time, if ever. Conditions of commerce very different to those
now obtaining will have to exist before they can be utilized.
Iron ore is most favorably situated for profitable extraction when it
is near coking coal and beds of limestone; the former for fuel, the
latter for flux. Occasionally such regions as that of Lake Superior
may be able to compete successfully with others, although they do not
possess the necessary smelting facilities, because these deficiencies
are counterbalanced by inexhaustive stores of easily mined ores, and
transportation facilities unrivaled in cheapness.
Lead. The two important sources of supply are galena and cerussite.
The former contains 87 per cent. of lead, and frequently some silver
and gold. It is so distinctive as to be easily recognized. Luster,
metallic; opaque; lead-gray; harsh. Brittle to sectile (may be cut).
Cleavage, perfect. Fracture, even to sub-conchoidal. Structure,
granular or foliated, tabular, or fibrous. Specific gravity is 7.5,
and hardness, 2.6.
The carbonate cerussite contains about 79 per cent. lead. Luster,
vitreous to resinous. Translucent. Color, gray. Smooth. Brittle.
Cleavage, perfect to imperfect. Fracture, conchoidal. Massive to
granular. Rich carbonate ores look like clay, and are undoubtedly
often passed by.
The economic ores of lead are:
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