Trans. N. Y. Ac. Set. 162 Apr. 24, 



deteriorate eastward. Analyses of these coals from Laurel Fork, made 

 by Mr. McCreath, show the volatile matter to vary from 20 to 21 per 

 cent. ; the sulphur from 3 to 4-tenths of one per cent. ; while the ash is 

 little more than 2 per cent. For the most part, the dip of these beds is 

 gentle, and they are available for a long distance. The coal is very 

 soft and will not bear handling, but it can be mined very cheaply. Its 

 coke is marvelously clean, and should be fully equal to that manufac- 

 tured on New River. It should be as pure as that from the Powell 

 River coals ; but the low percentage or volatile matter will detract 

 from its strength. At the same time, the volatile portion is greater 

 than in the Broad Top and New River coals, both of which yield coke 

 which bears well the burden of 60 feet stacks. 



The New River Series belongs to the Vespertine or Pocono of Penn- 

 sylvania. The coal bearing part of this group is wanting in Scott 

 and Lee Counties, but it develops rapidly north-eastward, where it 

 has been studied by Lesley and Fontaine. The beds attain their 

 greatest thickness in the south-eastern side of the area, where, along- 

 side of the faults, small patches have escaped erosion. Some of the 

 beds are from 5 to 8 feet thick ; but, for the most part, the coal is in- 

 ferior in quality and contains much ash. The volatile matter is low, 

 and the coal is usually spoken of as anthracite or semi-anthracite ; its 

 economic value is insignificant. 



The iron ores are brown hematite and "fossil ore " (Clinton), with 

 here and there a little magnetite. The Lower Helderberg yields brown 

 hematite, which fills pockets or cavities in the limestone. This ore 

 abounds in Scott and Wise Counties, on Clinch River and its tributaries ; 

 but its quaUty varies annoyingly. At some localities it is very sandy, 

 while at others it is clean enough for Bessemer treatment. Mr. Mc- 

 Creath'S analyses show the variations to be: Metallic iron, 41. to 

 52.; Sulphur, .030 to .060; Phosphorus, .057 to .890; Insoluble mat- 

 ter, 7.S40 to 22. The ore from some of the pockets has been smelted 

 in open-hearth forges. 



The Clinton ores have been brought up along five lines, most of 

 which are unbroken from New River to beyond the Tennessee line. 

 The importance of these ores was recognized by the Director of the 

 third Geological Survey of Kentucky, and a corps carefully studied and 

 reported on the series as shown along Stone Mountain for 60 miles 

 from the Tennessee line. These ores are rather higher in metallic iron 

 than those of the same series in Pennsylvania, and are very low in 

 phosphorus, seldom showing more than 1 1 hundredths of one per cent. 



The Calciferons ores, those of the Knox group, are exposed in a 

 broad area. They occur in great pockets, and have been prospected 

 extensively within the mountain area of Scott and Russell Counties, 



