THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



163 



The hearth-stones are made of LandafF quartz 

 rork. 



From two to three hundred thousand bushels 

 of cliarcoal are consumed per annum. 



Hard-wood coal costs $4 00 per 100 bushels. 

 Spruce 2 50 " " " 



Limestone used for flux costs $1 per ton. 

 The charge for the furnace, when in full blast, 

 consists of 



15 bushels of charcoal, 

 5 boxes (56 lbs. each) iron ore. 

 1 box of limestone = 12 1-2 per cent. 

 Average product, 2 1-2 tons of pig iron and 

 castings ()er diem. 



At the commencement of the blast 1 1-2 tons 

 only are produced. 



The ore delivered at the works costs $6 per 

 ton, viz. 



mining, $5 00 per toil. 



Hauling to bank, 50 " 



Breaking, 50 " 



10 miners are employed at $15 per mouth by 

 the contractor. 



Price of pig iron, 2 cts. per lb., castings, 5 cts. 

 per lb., bar iron, 5 1-2 cts. per lb. 



The following statistical account of a blast was 

 handed to me by the agent : 



BLAST FURNACE, WINTER, SPRING, A.ND SUMMER 

 OF 1838. 



July 1, 18.38. Dr. 



To 109,709 Bushels Coal, 

 " 2l,940 added for wasted and dirt, 



131,649 bushels Coal, at 4 l-2c 5924 20 



" 690 - 17 - 1 - 21 lbs. Ore, at 6,50 4490 67 

 " 77 - 17 - - lbs. Limestone, at 1,25 97 31 

 8 Loads Clay, at 1,00 8 00 



" Labor and Board of Hands, 2297 90 



" Blacksmith's Bill, 85 48 



" Moulding Sand for Blast, 40 00 



" Use of Flasks and Patterns, 25 00 



" Repairing Flasks and Patterns, 30 00 



" Hearth Dravving and laying same, 100 00 

 " Agency and Clerks, 500 00 



« 26-10-0-0 lbs. Shot Iron, at $20 530 00 

 Net, 7775 47 



$21904 10 

 July 6, 1838. Cr. 



By 729,749 lbs. Pig and Scrap, at 2c 14594 98 

 " 182,728 lbs. Castings, at 4c 7309 12 



S21904 10 



The ore yields 55.12 per cent, of iron. 



About 160 bushels of coal are required to smelt 

 a ton of the ore. 



The blast continued 24 weeks. 



The per-oxide of iron presents itself in sever- 

 al forms, and abounds in New Hampshire. When 

 finely pulverized, this kind of ore gives a red 

 powder, like iron rust, but when crystallized it is 

 often resplendent like a polished metal ; hence 

 the name of a crystallized variety, specular iron 

 ore, comes from its mirror-like brilliancy. A- 

 niong the important localities of this kind of ore, 

 1 would mention that of Piermont, which has 

 been described in another part of the Report. 



The ore is the micaceous specular oxide of 

 iron. 



Specimens of this ore were analyzed in my la- 

 boratory, under my directions, and the following 

 results were obtained. 



A specimen of the purest ore yielded in 100 

 grains, 



Per oxide of iron, 93.5 



Titanic acid, 3.8 



Silica, 2.7 



100.0 

 From which it will appear that the ore con- 

 tains 64.8 per cent, of pure metallic iron. 



An average specimen of the ore yielded in 

 100 grains. 



Peroxide of iron, 75.0 



Titanic acid, 3.8 



Silica (quartz) 18.2 



100.0 

 It contains 54.07 per cent, of metallic iron. 

 It is evident fioin what has been heretofore sta- 

 ted as to the extent of the Piermont ore, and 

 from the above analysis, that profitable iron works 

 may be established at that place. 



The iron ore of Barllrtl which occurs on Bald- 



face mountain, near the line of Jackson, has been 

 described in a former section. 



I shall here state its composition, and call 

 public attention to its value. The ore consists of 

 a mixture the per-oxide and the prot-oxide of 

 iron, the former largely predominating so as to 

 give to the pulverized ore a deep red color. It is 

 but slightly magnetic, owing to the larger propor- 

 tion of the per-oxide. 



This ore is also mixed with a minute proportion 

 of oxide of manganese, which will have a favor- 

 able influence in the conversion of the iron in- 

 to steel, for the oxide of manganese, giving out 

 a portion ot its oxygeu, tends to reduce the pro- 

 portion of carbon which enters into the compo- 

 sition of cast iron, so as to bring the iron in- 

 to the condition of steel. The celebrated Swe- 

 dish chemist, Berzelins, is of opinion that man- 

 ganese e.xerts a very favorable influence in this 

 manner, and from dbservation, it is well known 

 that such is the result. 



The Bartlett iron ore was analyzed by me four 

 years ago, and it was proposed then to erect a 

 blast furnace for the maniifuclure of iron, but 

 embarrassments in the commerce of the coun- 

 try prevented any investment of capital in the 

 business at that time. I would now again call 

 public attention to the immense veins of iron ore 

 which exist in that town, for 1 am satisfied that 

 few localities in New England can comjiete vpith 

 that locality in the abundance of the ore and 

 cheapness of fuel. 



The ore contains from 48 to 50 per cent, of 

 pure iron, on the average, as ascertained by sev- 

 eral analyses, and from 1 to 5 per cent, of man- 

 ganese. 



100 grains of the ore was analyzed in my la- 

 boratory, by Mr. Williams, who obtained, 

 Per oxide of iron, 69.4 



Quartz and felspar, 25.2 



Oxide of manganese, 2.7 



69.4 of per oxide contains 48.117 per cent, 

 of metallic iron. 

 Another specimen yielded. 

 Felspar and quartz. 

 Alumina, 

 Manganese, 



Per-oxide and prot-oxide of 

 iron by difference. 



21.40 

 0.15 

 1.20 



77.25 



100.00 

 or 35 per cent, of metallic iron. 



We may therefore calculate upon at least 48 

 per cent, of cast iron as the result of the smelting 

 operations of a blast furnace. 



Copper Ores rank next to those of iron in 

 economical value, and it is very desirable to find 

 veins of sufficient magnitude to warrant the 

 erection of a copper furnace. 



Thus far we have ascertained the existence of 

 a great number of small veins, and a few of con- 

 siderable magnitude. 



The copper ores of New Hampshire, which 

 have been found are the sulphurets of copper and 

 iron, or copper pyrites. 



In Franconia, several small veins of a rich ore 

 of this kind occur on the estate of Mr. Horace 

 Brooks, but they are not wide enough to warrant 

 the erection of works for their reduction. 



A specimen of this ore, analyzed in my labor- 

 atory by M. B. Williams, yielded in 100 grains, 



Deut-oxide of Copper, = 35.8 = Copper, 28.568 



Peroxide of Iron, 46.0 Iron, 31.863 



Silica, 2.0 2.000 



Sulphur, 35.0 35.000 



97.431 

 In the town of Unity, on the estate of Mr. J. 

 Neal, there is a vein of copper and iron pyrites 

 of considerable magnitude. This vein will be 

 found described in our North and South section- 

 al line. 



The ore on analysis was found to yield, 

 Sulphur, 32.575 



Copper, 6.345 



Iron, 42.780 



Titaniferous Iron, 18.300 



100.000 

 Copper AND Zinc ores of Warren. 

 In the western part of the town of Warren, 1 

 examined the copper mines, on the Davis farm be- 

 longing to Major George Little of Litdeton. 



The ore is a vein included in mica slate rocks, 

 and consists of crystallized tremolite, mixe<l wnth 



small masses of copper pyrites, and occasionally 

 with blende. 



The principal vein is at least 20 feet wide, but 

 only one wall of the vein is disclosed. Small 

 veins of clear copper pyrites also run along the 

 sides of the principal vein, between it and the 

 wall rock. 



The tremolite is extremely fragile, and may be 

 easily separated from the ore by the stamping 

 mill "and washing table, sc that all the pure cop- 

 per ore may be obtained sejiarately. 



The first specimens which were obtained yiel- 

 ded but 6 per cent, of copper in the mass, but on 

 working deeper into the vein, the ore became 

 richer and yields 12per cent, and by washing tlie 

 ore, we may obtain a pure copper pyrites which 

 yields 27 per cent, of copper. 



An average specimen of the last ore which was 

 raised fi-om the mine yielded on analysis, 

 Tremolite, 55.30 



Iron, 15.72 



Copper, 11.97 



Sulphur and loss, 17.01 



100.00 



The mine may be drained easily to the depth 

 of 114 feet without the aid of pumps, provided a 

 drain be cut for the distance of 342 puces down 

 the side of the hill to the brook. 



This vein is worthy of a careful exploration 

 which will soon lie made by sinking a shaft into 

 it. On the opposite side of the road, near the 

 copper mine, occurs a large vein of black blende 

 or sulphuret of zinc associated with galena and 

 copper pyrites. This vein is irregular and va- 

 ries in width from one to five feet. It dips to the 

 N. E. at an angle of 34 deg. and runs N. W. and 

 S. E. The vein is included in mica slate, and 

 runs nearly in a line with the strata. 



On chemical analysis, the dark color of the 

 zinc ore was found to be due to the presence of 

 oxide of iron. It is practicable to work this ore 

 for zinc, and it will yield by the process of distil- 

 lation, afler the English method, 30 per cent, of 

 zinc, which is about half the real amount which 

 it contains. 



The lead ore was analyzed, and it was found to 

 contain a very minute proportion of silver, but 

 not sufficient to warrant the expense of extrac- 

 ting it in a large way. It contains 83.47 per cent, 

 of lead and 15 per cent, of sulphur. 



One specimen yielded one thousandth part of 

 silver, but in others there was no trace of its pres- 

 ence, so that no estimate can be made of the sil- 

 ver contained in the mine, since its distribution is 

 irregular. 



In working the zinc ore the non-volatile met- 

 als such as copper, lead and iron will remain be- 

 hind in the slag which may be subsequently sep- 

 arated if worth the expense. 



Lead ore of Haverhill. 

 The lead ore of Haverhill found by Mr. Will- 

 mot was examined for silver, but on analysis of 

 200 grains of the ore, no trace of that metal was 

 discovered. The ore being a pure galena will 

 contain 



Lead 85 



Sulphur 15 



100 

 Zinc and Lead ores of Eaton. 

 In the town of Eaton, near Snell's pond, oc- 

 curs an important vein of zinc and lead ores. 

 The dimensions of this vein, as before stated, are 

 sufficiently great to warrant mining operations, 

 since a vein 6 feet wide afibrds ample room for 

 the miners. Although an attempt was made 

 about twelve years since to work this mine for 

 lead, no attention was paid to the zinc ore which 

 is vastly more abundant and aftbrds a more rea- 

 sonable hope of reward. At that time no per- 

 son in this country knew how to manage the sul- 

 phuret of zinc, but now it can be done, and zinc 

 has come into such general demand as to war- 

 rant the belief that a valuable supply of that 

 metal will ere long be obtained from this mine. 

 Results of a chemical analysis of 100 grains of 

 the yellow brown blende or zinc ore of Eaton. 

 Sulphur, 33.22 



Zinc, 63.62 



Iron, 3.10 



Cadmium and loss, 0.06 



100.00 



