The Journal of Geology, May-June 1893: A Semi-Quarterly Magazone of Geology and Related SciencesVarious
Science
The Journal of Geology, May-June 1893: A Semi-Quarterly Magazone of Geology and Related Sciences
Various
Geology -- Periodicals
Frequently the iron and manganese which were originally finely
disseminated through shale, sandstone, etc., are subsequently
concentrated into bodies of comparatively pure ore, and very commonly
this concentration takes place by a process of re-solution of the iron
and manganese and re-deposition by replacement with limestone, or,
more rarely, with some other material. The limestone or other material
which thus acts as a precipitant is often in the same series of strata
from which the iron and manganese were removed, and thus these two
substances, which were once in a finely disseminated condition, may be
converted into deposits of comparatively pure ore and yet remain in the
same general series of strata in which they were originally deposited.
A remarkable case of this is seen in the iron deposits of the Penokee
series in Michigan and Wisconsin,[16] to be mentioned again on page
370. It has also been suggested by H. D. Rogers[17] that certain
siderite deposits in the Coal Measures were formed by the conversion
of finely disseminated sesquioxide of iron into carbonate of iron by
organic matter, and the subsequent segregation of the carbonate as now
found in layers and nodules.
The surface waters that carry the iron and manganese to the strata
being deposited at a given time are sometimes derived from areas
in which iron predominates, sometimes from areas in which iron and
manganese are both abundant, and sometimes, though rarely, on account
of the scarcity of such regions, from areas in which manganese
largely predominates over iron. If iron and manganese were always
precipitated from these waters in similar chemical forms and under
the same conditions, it would be expected that the strata deriving
their iron and manganese from surface waters would contain those
substances in the same relative proportions as they had existed in
the rocks from which they were derived, and that they would be in an
intimately mixed condition. Such is doubtless often the case, or at
least approximately so; but it is also often the case that iron and
manganese occur in separate deposits, yet in close proximity to each
other and often alternating along the same horizon. Besides this, the
two substances frequently form parts of the same deposit and yet are
distinctly separate from each other. In such cases the question arises
as to why the iron and manganese are not intimately mixed in the form
of a manganiferous iron ore, as would be expected if they had been
precipitated together. Moreover, deposits sometimes occur which are
composed largely of manganese ore, with little or almost no iron, and
when the source of the manganese is looked for, we often find that the
rocks which probably supplied it contained both manganese and iron, and
that the iron was present in a much larger proportion as regards the
manganese than in the new deposit. Here again the question arises as to
why the iron and manganese are not in the same relative proportions in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account