106 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALABAMA. 



100 feet thick, and beneath in deep sink, of 15 feet of soft, 

 dark, aluminous shale. Near the top of the shale is a thin 

 stratum of very sulphurous iron ore. This being protected 

 from the weather by the overhanging cliff, has produced by 

 union of the sulphur and clay slate, a sulphate of alumina, 

 or alum in an impure state; also sulphate of iron or natural 

 copperas. This was the source from which the women of 

 the surrounding region obtained material for dyeing articles 

 of domestic manufacture in the hard times of the past. 



On the opposite side of the valley in S's 13 and 23 of 

 same Tp., was found brown ore in close connection with 

 several thick sheets of yellowish red, hard stratified ore of 

 low grade. And at one place in S. 13 a pit was sunk on a 

 good show of limonite to the depth of 20 feet. At the depth 

 of six feet the limonite had all been passed, and was re- 

 placed by a stratum of hard dark colored ferruginous mate- 

 rial very lean in iron, three feet thick, but which gradually 

 diminished to one foot at the bottom of the shaft. This was 

 all inclosed in a great bed of white clay, with red streaks 

 running through it, and having a distinctly acid taste. This 

 is in the 5th limonite horizon and a little below the La- 

 Grange sandstone. 



At the same horizon in S. 24, T. 14, R 1, W., some large 

 specimens of this ore were seen, south of Rernlap station on 

 the B. & H. Mineral R. R., and also in S. 23 of the same 

 township. Here on a hill capped by LaGrange sandstone, 

 and sloping down to the valley, is found a good show of 

 very good limonite ore, though generally in small nodules. 

 They are scattered along the face of the hill, apparently in 

 two bands for a breadth of fifty to sixty yards. The lower 

 band showed larger pieces than the upper one, and was evi- 

 dently mixed with manganese. Some good specimens of 

 manganiferous iron ore were found here, and also some good 

 samples of pyrolusite. Unfortunately no excavation had 

 been made on this ore, nor test pit sunk to expose its quan- 

 tity or structure. From the surface indications alone, it was 

 inferred that the deposit was sufficiently large to be of con- 

 siderable value, and very favorably situated for easy min- 



