F. H. Hatch— The Iron Ore Su2:>plies of the World. 509 



80 per cent of the output went to Germany, but in 1916 a contract 

 was made with the Swedish Government which secured for the 

 United Kingdom approximately 50 per cent of the output. 



In Norway the deposits, although large, are of low grade, and 

 require concentration. The present production is small. The most 

 important is that at Sydvaranger, on the northern coast, the shipping 

 port, Kirkenes, on the south side of Varanger Fjord, being within 

 the Arctic Circle. The ore is a low-phosphorus magnetite, occurring 

 in close association with apatite and interbedded with quartz. 

 The bulk of it averages from 30 to 35 per cent iron, and is worked 

 open-cast ; but a smaller quantity of 50 per cent ore is mined. To 

 free the ore from apatite a magnetic concentration plant is used, 

 yielding a product which, when briquetted, contains 65 per cent 

 iron and "02 phosphorus. The reserves are estimated at 100 million 

 tons raw ore. At Dunderland, on the west coast, there is a large 

 deposit of mixed haematite and magnetite in association with apatite, 

 the raw ore averaging about 35 per cent iron with a high phosphorus 

 content. By special methods of concentration it is stated that the 

 magnetite and haematite can be separated, and the grade of the ore 

 brought up to 68 per cent iron, with only "03 per cent phosphorus. 

 The reserves are estimated at 150 million tons. 



The estimate of the Scandinavian reserves as a whole made by 

 the Swedish geologists for the Stockholm Report, but as revised 

 and brought up to date by the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau, 

 is as follows : — 



Million 

 tons. 



Northern Sweden . 1,003 

 Central and Southein 



Sweden . . . 116 



Norway . . . 350 



Total . . 1,469 



Average iron 

 content. 

 per cent. 



60 



57 

 35 



Say, 1,500 million tons of 54 per cent grade. 



Central Europe. 

 The " minette " orefield, which extends over a portion of Alsace- 

 Lorraine, Luxemburg, and Belgiimi, is the most important, in regard 

 to quantity, in Europe, and the struggle for its possession was one 

 of the main causes of the late War. The annexation in 1871 of the 

 eastern part of the field gave Germany the means of building up a 

 great iron trade, while the early occupation of the Briey and Longwy_ 

 basins proved a severe handicap to France during the progress of 

 the War. This field in 1912 produced 44 million tons or 28 per cent 

 of the world's output, divided between Germany, Luxemburg, and 



