MURPHREE'S VALLEY; MANGANESE ORES. 117 



In this part of the Sand Valley the base of the LaGrange 

 Sandstone is on the foot slope of Red mountain. The search 

 for manganese, so far as seen near here, had been at too high 

 a geologic level above the base of this Sandstone. The posi- 

 tion of this ore is always in the Lower Siliceous between the 

 Black Shale, and the base of the LaGrange. The lower 

 stratum of it has never been seen within less than fiity feet 

 of the Black Shale, nor the upper one within less than fifty 

 feet of the LaGrange. Its range is therefore a narrow one, 

 not exceeding 150 feet, generally less. Persistent search in 

 this narrow belt could hardly fail of discovering valuable de- 

 posits of ore, as yet, unknown. 



In Sect. 10, T. 12, R. 2 East, some good samples of pyrolu- 

 site ore were seen, and a little in the adjacent S. 16, but no 

 body was found. In S. 30, same Tp., a little body of it may 

 be found. The characteristic out-crop of impure manganese 

 is seen near the top of Red Mountain ; and about its base in 

 Sand Valley, were seen a number of pieces or chunks of 

 hardened wad. It was nearly black, rather a brown black, 

 crumbly, soiled the hands, and had all the usual characteris- 

 tics of wad. What was seen of it had mainly been torn out 

 of the surface dirt, hence no opinion could be formed of its 

 quantity. It was only of interest as showing the existence 

 of manganese at that locality. In quality, what was seen 

 was impure, and probably did not contain over 15 per cent, 

 of dioxide of manganese. 



Nearly South of this place, in S. 6, of T. 13, R. 2 E., was 

 found a |thin bed, carrying iron and manganese, yet so 

 blended as not to be classed as a definite ore of either ; color 

 various, from purple to reddish grey, and brown ; streak 

 brown, to reddish, iron largely predominant. The bed was 

 less than a foot thick, and though of geologic interest, of 

 very little value. In Sections 13 and 23, T. 13, R. 1 E., 

 some similar examples of iron ore in beds were seen, with a 

 small mixture of manganese. One of these was cut in a pit 

 to the depth of 30 inches, it was not known that the bottom 

 was reached. In color it varied from dark red to light, and 

 dark grey, and to deep brown, and black. In hardness it 



