ELISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 95 



In. general, the quality of these ores is good; low in 

 sulphur, and below the Bessemer limit in phosphorus. 



The mined material will, in many cases, be high in 

 silica, but there is no reason why, by means of magnetic 

 concentration, a high grade product should not be obtained. 



The titaniferous belt is by far the most persistent, and 

 shows a large quantity of ore, but the percentage of titanic 

 acid condemns this material for blast-furnace use, at least 

 in competion with iron-ores less difficult to smelt to pig- 

 iron. 



There is little doubt that there are valuable, workable 

 beds of ore throughout the other two belts, such as at 

 Ballou's, Piney creek, Graybeal's, Horse creek, etc., but it 

 will require much more extensive exploitation to define 

 their true extent. 



Other beds of ore have been uncovered throughout the 

 county, but they are rather out of the range of what is con- 

 sidered to be the principal ore-region. 



Such are, for instance, a bed of magnetite 9 feet thick, 

 on the Ben Greer place, on the waters of Little Horse creek; 

 and a belt of brown hematite along the north-western 

 slopes of Phoenix and Three Top mountains, which is sup- 

 posed to be a secondary formation, and of little importance 

 as compared with the magnetic ores. 



Nearly all of these ore-deposits, being situated on tribu- 

 taries of the north fork of Xew river, w^ould be accessible 

 to a railroad built up that stream, which is a very feasible 

 project. 



XoTE BY THE SECRETARY.— Comments or criticisms upon all papers, whether 

 private corrections of t3pographical or other errors, or communications tor publication 

 as "Discussion," or independent papers on the same or a related subject, are earnestly- 

 invited. 



