652 MISSOUEI IRON ORES OF THE CARBONIFEROUS AGE. 



The following are analysis of New Bloomfield, ores : 



Compact Variety. Earthy Variety. 



Metallic Iron 63.87 > 61.17. 



Silica 5.80 8. 63. 



Phosphoric Acid 0.10 0.165 



Sulphur 0.017 0.018 



UPPER CARBONIFEROUS ORES. 



These ores exist in regular layers, interstratified with coal and shale 

 beds, and lie chiefly in a horizontal position. They include three principal 

 •varieties : The impure carbonate or clay ironstone, the red hematites, and 

 the limonites. They are more commonly found and in thicker layers in the 

 lowei* coal measures. 



CLAY IRONSTONE. 



In the middle and upper coal measures, there are occasionally found thin 

 bands of ore, but they do not often exceed two inches in thickuess, and 

 rarely are there as many as two layers found in near proximity. The 

 lower measures often abound in bands and concretions of this ore, and 

 although not often over two inches thick, yet are sometimes as much as four 

 inches. We may also generally expect to find several layers within a few 

 feet of vertical distance. 



In Johnson county, on the banks of Clear Fork, five miles Southeast of 

 Knob Noster were observed two layers of ironstone, each of one foot thick- 

 ness and separated by one foot of clay shales ; over the uppermost iron- 

 stone bed rested four feet of sandy shales inclosing concretions of ironstone, 

 all amounting to three feet thickness of ore inclosed in seven feet of soft 

 ■shales. Thirty feet below, there lies a bed of good coal, varying from two 

 to three feet in thickness. Twenty feet above the ironstone beds, there 

 rests another coal bed of one to one and a half feet thickness, with still 

 another of one foot, lying twelve feet higher. Here are both coal and iron' 

 ore together — important facts for consideration. Similar ore beds and' 

 apparentJy a continuation of these, are exposed on Clear Fork about ten 

 miles north. Between the two outcrops, and under Knob Noster and its 

 vicinity, there lies a good bed of yellow ochre, varying in thickness from 

 two to five feet. 



On Grand Eiver, near Little Compton, Carroll county, similar' beds are 

 exposed, lying horizontally, and separated by soft clay shales. The iron- 

 stone beds are here included within a vertical thickness of thirteen feet of 

 clay shales, and amount in all, to over two feet in thickness. A one and a 

 half foot seam occurs in the bluffs above. Three miles east of Clinton, 

 Henry county, the shale beds contain concretionary forms of ironstone in 

 large masses. Similar ore, quite fossiliferous, seems quite abundant at 

 Gilkerson's ford on Grand Eiver. Two good coal beds also lie in the same 

 Muffs. We predict that at some future time, this locality will become impor- 

 tant. Other important localities are at Timbered Mound and on Marmaton, 



