ME. E. W. BINNET ON THE ORIGIN OF IK0NST0NE6. 37 



measures which there dip at an angle of 30°, and thus render 

 the minerals expensive to work, I cannot state; but it is most 

 likely owing to the latter cause, which would tell seriously 

 both on the price of the^coal and ironstone. 



In the lower division of the coal field there are numerous 

 beds of argillaceous ore of such thickness as would be worked 

 in many iron making districts. 



In the middle coal field are many argillaceous and black- 

 band ores fully as rich as those wrought in other places, and 

 so situated that they could be calcined together with great 

 advantage. Amongst the former are those of Clifton and 

 St. Helens, and doubtless many other places in the same 

 position; and amongst the latter the black stone above the 

 cannel mine at Wigan, and several impure cannels and 

 blackbands in that neighbourhood and about Dixon Fold. 

 Below the 4 feet coal at Pendleton a carbonaceous blackband 

 was found in sinking Mr. Fitzgerald's new pit, about 4 feet 

 in thickness. 



An analysis of this ore was made by Mr. John Leigh, F.C.S. 

 200 grains of the bed, taken as a fair average, gave — 



Water 4.0 



BitumiDous matter and carbon 98.0 



Silica 29.3 



Silicates of iron, alumina, and lime 3.2 



Alumina 4.5 



Carbonate of lime 3.4 



Peroxide of iron 67.0 



199.4 



This gives 49 per cent, of combustible matter, and 28.5 

 of peroxide of iron, equivalent to 19.95 per cent, of metallic 

 iron, certainly not a rich ore, but if mixed with the argilla- 

 ceous stones of Clifton, and calcined together, capable of 

 yielding a fair description of mine. In Lancashire, many 

 beds of cannel run into blackband, in a similar manner to 

 what often takes place in Scotland. 



However, it is in the upper coal field that the most valu- 



