On Metallic Minerals. 425 



There are two other forges, one in Woodhonse, the other 

 in Dcrchain, the hitter is not doing much." 



The ore which is used at these works, is hog iron ore, 

 said to be of a superior quality. It is found in the swamps 

 of Cliarlotteville, Middlcton, and Windham. Houghton, 

 Norwich, Dereham, and other parts of the London District 

 of Upper Canada contain ore also, but lliese deposits have 

 not been worked. No rock iron ore is known to exist in 

 this part of the country, but the deposits of bog iron ore 

 are said to be derived from water, which oosing from the 

 soil remains stagnant in the swamps depositing the bog 

 iron therein. Mr. Harris is of opinion that the clearing 

 of the country from wood will be likely to check the accu- 

 muhition of the ore. 



The soil contains a very considerable (juantity of magnetic 

 iron, disseminated in grains. Mr. Harris has extracted 

 (he docs not say by what means, but I suppose by a 

 n)agnet,) tliirty or forty grains of ore from one pound of 

 the soil, in Charlottevillc, previously dried. Tiie whole 

 district is said to contain more or less of ore, particularly 

 tlie Randy parts. 



Those beds that have been worked have yielded from 

 thirty to thirty-three per cent, of very soft iron. It may be 

 presumed that they do not obtain all the metal, as thev 

 neither wa»Ii or roast the ore to rid it of its impurities. — 

 Thoy do not use any flux, it is probable therefore, that the 

 particles of soil brought in with, and adhering to the ore, 

 renders any <Hher flux in some measure unnecessary. — 

 Much metal is said to be lost by its entering into combina- 

 tion with the fiUcious and other in>i»urities thus placed 

 with it in the furnace. The furnace produces from 

 eighteen to twenty tons of iron per week. 



