64 THE PROSPECTOR'S HANDBOOK. 



Jaspery clay iron clay ironstone, &c. 

 Micaceous iron ore (a scaly variety) is used as the basis 

 for a certain kind of paint. 



Magnetic Iron Ore (loadstone}. 



Colour dark iron grey with metallic lustre. 

 Streak black. 

 Structure brittle. 

 H. 5-5 to 6-5; S.G. 5 to 5-1. 



Composition per cent. peroxide of iron, 69 ; protoxide 

 of iron, 31. 



Infusible before B.F. Yields bottle-green glass when 

 neated with borax in inner flame. If powdered, the iron 

 can be separated from impurities by the magnet. Not acted 

 on by nitric acid ; but when powdered is soluble in hydro- 

 chloric acid. Masses of specular iron ore and magnetic 

 iron may sometimes be mistaken for one another; the 

 difference of streaks easily distinguishes them. This ore is 

 the most important in the north of Europe. 



Brown Iron Ore (limonite). 



Sometimes earthy. Massive, with botryoidal and smooth 

 surface, &c. 



Structure fibrous. 



Colour brownish yellow and coffee colour. 

 Streak yellowish. 

 Lustre dull or submetallic. 

 H. 5 to 5-5 ; S.G. 3*6 to 4. 



Composition 85 per cent, of iron peroxide, of which 

 seven-tenths is pure iron. 



Before B.F. blackens and becomes magnetic. Gives 

 bottle-green glass in the inner flame when heated with 

 borax. 



Varieties : 



Brown haematite Botryoidal, stalactitic, &c. 

 Yellow and brown ochre Earthy. 



Bog iron ore Of a loose, friable texture. Found as a 

 black or brownish earth in low swampy ground. 

 Brown or yellow ironstone Hard and compact. 



