144 



Miscellaneous — Iron-ore in Raasay. 



shore of the Island of Skye the Upper Lias crops out, and though 

 bands of ferruginous limestones are referred to by Bryce and other 

 geologists as being visible south of Portree, ironstone proper has not 

 yet been discovered in place except in Raasay. Some fairly good 

 loose stone has, however, been met with some miles north of Portree, 

 and it is possible that future boring may disclose tbe presence of the 

 deposit in tbe north of Skye. 



A TrpiCAL Analysis. The Raasay deposit is from 6 to 17 feet 

 thick, and tails out into limy bands. Some interesting specimens of 

 the stone have been presented by Mr. Thorneycroft to the metallurgical 

 museum of the West of Scotland Technical College. A typical 

 analysis of the ore in bulk is as follows, the corresponding figures 

 of the average of Cleveland ironstone being given for purposes of 

 comparison : — 



Ferrous oxide 

 Ferric oxide . 

 Manganese oxide 

 Alumina 

 Lime 

 Magnesia 

 Carbon dioxide 

 Silica . 

 Sulphur 



Phosphoric acid 

 Water, etc. . 



Iron in raw . 



Less by calcining . 

 Iron in calcination 

 Specific gravity 



It is suggested now that rather than erect blast furnaces in the 

 island Messrs. William Baird & Co. may calcine the ore (many 

 millions of tons of which will, it is reported, be available) in Raasay, 

 and ship the calcined ore to their works at Gartsherrie. As will be 

 seen from the analysis, the ore is of a good basic kind, and in these 

 days when the basic Bessemer furnace is used largely for making steel 

 suitable for sheet and tinplate rolling, the adoption of a plan such as 

 has been indicated would be of the greatest service to the West of 

 Scotland, where there are a great many sheet and bar rollers who 

 do not make their own steel, and who are largely dependent upon 

 foreign imports. With a lai'ge supply of cheap ore, Messrs. William 

 Baircl & Co. would find themselves in a position to manufacture at 

 a price which would effectually keep out the foreigner. 



There seems to be no doubt that a much-needed source of supply of 

 iron-ore in vast quantities has been discovered, and important as the 

 possible benefits that may accrue to the iron and steel trades of 

 the West of Scotland are, the beneficial results of the establishment 

 of mining works on an extensive scale in the Western Isles, which 

 will give work to large numbers of men in a district where little 

 employment has hitherto been obtainable, cannot be overestimated. 



