CHAPTER XXXVI 



GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE WEST INDIES 



General paucity of mineral resources. Iron. Manganese. Salt. Phos- 

 phate. Sulphur. Asphaltum. Peculiar geological history of the 

 region. Its bearing upon the myth of Atlantis. 



THE reader may have noted the brevity of my remarks 

 concerning the mineral resources of the West Indies. 

 In general it may be stated that these islands are poor in 

 those products of the rocks which are useful to mankind. 

 No mineral fuels of any kind are found, unless rock 

 asphalt (which is used in Cuba for the manufacture of 

 gas, and in Barbados for running a locomotive) may be 

 so considered. 



The precious metals are found only in the Great An- 

 tilles, and even there they are restricted to Cuba and 

 Santo Domingo, and it is doubtful if they occur in paying 

 quantities in either of these. Copper is found in the 

 same islands, but also in doubtful quantities. But two 

 metallic ores are known to occur in quantity, iron and 

 manganese. These occur in eastern Cuba in great purity 

 and large quantity, and have been or are the source of 

 much value. There is every reason to believe that similar 

 ores may be found in Haiti and San Domingo. Salt, 

 which in these islands is more a product of the sea than 

 of the land, is worked for profit in Cuba, Turks Island, 

 Anguilla, St. Martin, and perhaps other places. Sulphur 

 is known to occur in the soufrieres of the Caribbee 

 Islands, but it is probably not in great quantities or com- 



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