98 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALABAMA. 



ing has been progressing here for several years, operated by 

 J. W. Worthington & Co., and under the efficient manage- 

 ment of Dr. Walls. The mines are three miles eastward 

 from ONEONTA in S's 32 and 33 of T 12, and S's 4 and 5 of 

 T 13, R. 2 E. The works are mainly in the adjacent 

 S's 4 and 33. 



Only two washers have as yet been started, these are sup- 

 plied by water pumped into a large tank on the top of the 

 ore ridge, and delivered by pipes to the washers as required. 

 The daily out put is now about 300 tons which is shipped 

 mainly to the furnaces at North Birmingham, by the Hiints- 

 ville Branch of the Mineral R. R. 



A Branch R. R. connects these mines with the present 

 terminus of the Birmingham & Huntsville Mineral R. R.. 

 at Oneonta, and affords ample facilities for transportation. 

 The ore of these mines by furnace test comes fully up to 

 expectations. It carries less than 12 per cent, of silica 

 less than 25-100 of 1 per cent, of phosphorus, and yields 

 from the furnace 56 per cent, of metallic iron. It is so easy 

 of reduction, that the product of iron, in the small furnace 

 at North Birmingham, is 15 tons per day, greater^ when 

 using this ore, than when using any other that this valley 

 affords. 



These tests are practical, and every way satisfactory they 

 demonstrate that this is among the best, if not the very lest 

 ore found in Alabama. 



A much larger out put of ore could be made here, did the 

 iron market justify increased expenditure. An increased 

 water supply, which has been arranged for, would enable 

 the out put to be increased at will. The present water sup- 

 ply would not probably enable the company to greatly in- 

 crease the product of well cleaned ore. Though by the use 

 of steam shovels the out put was raised in 1891 to 10,000 

 tons per months; but as the ore was not always thoroughly 

 cleaned, and freed from chert, they were discontinued. 



These works carried on by J. W. Worthington & Co., 

 have now been in operation over three years, and as yet 

 they have made but a small impression on this great body 



