364 Mr. Kingston's Account ofthe Iron-Mine at Haytor. 



the sides of the planes in some exceeding an inch, in others 

 scarcely l-8th of an inch. They are mostly found in a matrix 

 of ferruginous clay, in juxta-position with massive chalcedony, 

 quartz, and specular iron. 



Semi-opal — Mostly in irregularly rounded nodules, invested 

 by indurated clay (lithomarga). The colours, various shades 

 of blue, green, or yellow, occasionally all passing into each 

 other in the same specimen, or forming distinct stripes. It 

 also frequently alternates in stripes with the indurated clay. 



Garnet — Massive, blended with actinolite, &c. in the lode, 

 and especially at the eastern end ; and crystallized, mostly in 

 rhomboidal dodecahedrons, and their modifications. The co- 

 lours, various shades of yellowish or reddish brown, passing 

 into black minute crystals, occur (rarely) on the surface of the 

 ore under glassy actinolite. Most of the crystals are coarse, 

 and of inferior size. 



Actinolite — Intimately blended with the ore, in amorphous 

 masses, and in distinctly radiated clusters, the radii from l-8th 

 of an inch to an inch in length : the colours varying from a 

 light to a very dark green. A thin variety, with a vitreous 

 lustre, occurs sparingly on the surface ofthe ore. Actinolite 

 is very abundant, and gives a greenish hue to a large portion 

 of the ore. It is most prevalent in the upper and under beds, 

 and seems to increase with the depth. 



Some fine cabinet-specimens of all the above species have 

 been found ; an interesting series of which (the most complete 

 I believe that has been formed) is in the possession of Shirley 

 Woolmer, Esq. of Exeter. 



The ore, when melted, produces iron of a very tough and 

 superior description, as I have myself proved by some experi- 

 ments. It is also stated, on good authority, to be capable of 

 conversion into excellent steel ; but the purpose to which it 

 has hitherto been applied is that of mixing with the argillaceous 

 ironstone ofthe Welch coal-measures, to improve its quality; 

 for which, I understand, it is preferable to the hematitic ores 

 of Lancashire ; and this, I should suppose, will be the pur- 

 pose that it will ultimately be found most practically available 

 for; as its distance from proper fuel (the Bovey coal, situated 

 within three or four miles of it, from some late experiments 

 that have been made, giving very little hope of being efficient 

 for the purpose of smelting, and the Dartmoor peat being at 

 too great a distance) would probably be an effectual obstacle 

 to the erection of any works in the neighbourhood, even sup- 

 posing a less limited quantity of ore to exist, than at present 

 appears to be the case. But this is a part of the subject on 

 which I am incompetent to treat, and it is besides foreign to the 



object 



