MURPHREE'S VALLEY; ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 91 



hills around here at the corresponding level, and shot ore 

 is seen in the gullies on the red hill sides. Hence the ex- 

 pectation that bodies, or deposits of ore may be found in 

 this region, may be reasonably indulged. 



The Second Limonite Horizon Is also in the Lower Silu- 

 rian ur Knox Dolomite formation, about 400 to 500 feet 

 above its base. The intervening space between these hori- 

 zons is mainly destitute of iron. 



This horizon makes its appoarance much farther to the 

 northeast in this valley than the former one. At the higher 

 level where this portion of the Silurian first comes to the 

 surface, in S. 18, T. 12 of R. 3 E., is a good exposure of it. 

 Much ore is here scattered over about 40 acres of surface. 

 Some of it very good ore, equal to the best. Some very im- 

 pure, heavily mixed with chert, yet showing an amount of 

 available ore of fair quality to invite development. It may 

 be, probably is, much more extensive than is shown by the 

 surface ore. The gentle slope of the hills here make it al- 

 most certain that the ore body, 50 to 75 feet thick, may carry 

 available quantities of ore much farther than it is seen on 

 the surface. 



This belt, or horizon of ore, next makes its appearance 

 on the Foster and Robinett places, in S. 13 or 14, T. 12, R. 

 2 E., and extends thence to the Byrd place in S. 22, T. 12, 

 R. 2 E., nearly South of Hood's Cross roads. It here at- 

 tains its greatest volume, or thickness. Certainly one 

 hundred to one hundred and fifty feet. Much ore is shown 

 on the surface, and the quality is almost equal to the first 

 horizon at Champion Mines. But the ore is more scattered 

 through a great mass of irony clay and ochre. The hills, 

 almost wholly composed of this material, rise to the height 

 of 100 to 200 feet above the valley. That much valuable 

 ore exists here, is veiy evident, but whether the proportion 

 of ore to the surplus mass of waste material is sufficient to 

 make mining profitable, remains yet to be demonstrated. 

 From this point toward8 the S. W. this belt of iron bearing 

 strata diminishes in volume. It shows itself again in S. 31, 



