52 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALABAMA. 



Near the middle of this section (30) several small cuttings 

 had been made on these beds. JNo. 1 showed 30 inches of ore, 

 partly concretionary of a deep rich red color, partly lenticular, 

 and partly rough or coarse grained ore ; it was estimated at 

 45 per ct. of iron. No. 2 showed good ore as usual. No. 3 

 had been opened only enough to show the upper bench, 

 which was 30 inches thick, ore soft dark grey. This bed is 

 usually, if not invariably in this region, in two benches, of 

 about equal thickness. From the exposure made, this bed 

 was judged at this place, to carry 60 inches of ore. 



No other openings were found on this bed for several 

 miles farther down the mountain. Its position and 

 importance are not generally known. It very seldom shows 

 much on the surface, and therefore requires close observation 

 to determine its position, if that be not already known. The 

 existence of this bed was not known, till the writer pointed 

 out its position, and made openings on it, a few years ago. 



And yet in many places it is the most important bed in the 

 Red Mountain. For the last two miles we have seen it to be 

 the heaviest, and most of that distance carrying 40 to 45 

 per cent ore. Below this place for several miles, only the 

 1st and 2nd beds have been opened. 



In the S. W. i of S. 30, T. 12, R. 2 E., numerous little pits 

 had been dug on the upper bed, or No. 1; all showed a good 

 degree of uniformity in thickness and quality. Measure- 

 ments were made of each. They ranged from 30 to 36 

 inches of ore, and in quality will approximate 40 per cent, 

 of iron. It is, and has been for miles above here, almost 

 wholly concretionary ore. Perhaps this term may require 

 explanation. It is a form of ore that is not common else- 

 where, and is only possessed by this bed in its course 

 through Township 12 of Range 2 East. This ore has been 

 called concretionary, because it is formed in masses of vari- 

 ou^ sizes, each apparently around a centre or core. These 

 masses are built up of concentric coats around this central 

 core. These masses are ot irregular shape, owing to the 

 manner of compacting in the bed; and a large mass will 

 generally contain several smaller ones inclosed in its con- 



