170 M. Hisinger on the Geology of Sweden. 



the northern countries is remarkable. Besides mica slate, 

 granular limestone, compact felspar, talcose and hornblende 

 rocks, the gneiss contains the greater portion of the Swedish 

 iron, copper, and argentiferous lead mines. It often passes 

 into mica slate in the vicinity of these beds, the felspar sud- 

 denly ceasing, and being replaced by a greater quantity of 

 mica, chlorite, hornblende, &c. The ores often occur in 

 masses of considerable bulk. 



Mica slate never occurs in the plains or low hills, except in 

 beds subordinate to the gneiss ; it commonly forms the most 

 elevated summits of the great chain of Scandinavian Alps, and 

 contains beds of metalliferous substances, limestone, &c. The 

 other rocks, such as clayslate, limestone, talcose slate, compact 

 felspar, and diorite, scarcely form any thing but subordinate 

 beds in the gneiss or mica slate. Diorite and compact felspar 

 alternate with gneiss in Smoland ; talcose slate with micaslate 

 in Jemlland ; and with gneiss in the parishes of Hallefors and 

 Grythytta, in Westmania. Dark-gray compact limestone is 

 found in subordinate beds in the clayslate of Jemtland. On 

 some of the Smoland heights, near the church of Saaby, and 

 in the environs of Villkjol, a compact felspar occurs, contain- 

 ing small crystals of the same substance, thus forming a por- 

 phyry ; it is however of inconsiderable extent. 



Granular limestone is the most common and abundant rock 

 of all those subordinate to the gneiss. As in the vicinity of 

 the metalliferous situations, the gneiss sometimes passes into 

 mica slate in those parts which approach the limestone; the 

 latter is sometimes a pure carbonate of lime, at others it is 

 mixed with the carbonates of manganese, iron, and magnesia. 

 Among the numerous minerals disseminated in it, we may 

 particularly distinguish spinelle in some beds in Sudermania ; 

 hornblende, sahlite, garnet and compact felspar are the sub- 

 stances which most commonly accompany the limestone. Ga- 

 lena, copper, and iron are sometimes found in it ; as in the en- 

 virons of Sahla, Tunaberg, Haakansboda, Langbanshytta, &c. 



As far as respects the interior structure of the mountains, or 

 the direction of the beds composing them, it may be stated in 

 general terms that the direction of the beds is nearly parallel 

 to the direction of the most elevated part of the great chain ; 

 thus in Sweden it is from N.N.E. to S.S.W. The dip of the 

 beds is variable, and it is difficult to establish a rule in this 

 respect; yet it would appear, that on the back of the moun- 

 tains to the N. of Roras, the inclination is commonly towards 

 the W. The angles of the dip vary somewhat less ; and ob- 

 servation shows that the most horizontal beds generally occur 

 on the highest summits, and those highest mclined, on the 



lowest 



