OF ARKANSAS. K 



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Tlie artificial nitre plantations of France, afford, by a similar process, 

 on an average, about four per cent of salt-petre. The dry nitre earths of 

 Beans cave, which are abundant, ought, therefore, to be profitable to work. 



There is a very largo amount of said earths available at the cave, par- 

 ticularly of the laminated variety, as will be seen by reference to the 

 Report of Mr. E. T. Cox, who was detailed to survey that locality. 



It will be observed also from that Report, that this saltpetre cave is 

 favorably situated for the transportation of its saline and other products to 

 market, as it is located on the immediate bank of White river. 



It is worthy, moreover, of note, that the red earthy residuum is of suf- 

 ficiently fine texture and contains enough coloring principle, from the per 

 centage of oxide of iron which it contains, to afford a good, durable, red 

 ochre paint, having a good body, and being especially well adapted for 

 painting brick walls and outdoor work generally; while the finer earths 

 that remain long suspended in water, afford a species of polishing powder 

 free from grit, but not rich enough in siliceous earth, to be rapid and 

 efficient in its effects. 



The magnesian limestones of lower silurian date of Marion county, 

 afford, besides the lead ores already made mention of, some fine zinc ores. 



The richest and best locality of these zinc ores, that I have yet examined 

 in this county, is on section 13, township 19 north, range 17 west, of the 

 5th principal meridian, on the w r aters of the east branch of George's creek. 

 The surface indications here are quite encouraging, and lead to the infer- 

 ence that considerable bodies of both the carbonate and sulphuret of zinc 

 exist more deeply* seated in the crevices of the rock; indeed, these ores 

 seem to occur here in veins between well-defined walls of rock, the main 

 vein running north 30 deg. east and south, 30 deg. west, besides some cross 

 courses north 70 deg. to 80 deg. west. These veins or crevices are ex- 

 posed in one place on George's creek, 8 feet 9 inches across from wall to 

 wall. Several shallow openings have been made, at different points, a 

 few hundred yards apart, on George's Creek, in all of which good speci- 

 mens of these zinc ores have been exposed, associated, occasionally, with 

 some sulphuret of lead and small quantities of sulphuret of copper. 



I would particularly designate this place, as worthy of the attention and 

 exploration of the zinc manufacturer, as the locality gives promise, as far 

 as can be judged, from the partial openings made, of affording good rich 

 zinc ores in sufficient quantities td» supply a furnace. 



There is more sulphuret of zinc at these than at the zinc mines of Law- 

 rence county; but still there are large quantities of carbonate also, which 

 yield from 48 to 52 per cent of zinc, as may be seen by consulting the an- 

 alysis of these ores, in the Report of the Chemical Assistant. The sulphuret, 



