ACCOUNT OF THE CRYOLITE OF GREENLAND. 399 



accompaniments we find quartz, iron-stone, lead ore, copperas, sulphur, arsenic, 

 tin-stone, (the last two very seldom.) These substances are not evenly distributed 

 through the whole mass, but the cryolite is partly found quite clean and unmixed ; 

 while larger and smaller quantities are found containing more or less of the above- 

 mentioned minerals. 



A strip of the vein only a few feet broad along the south and southwest bound- 

 ary of the same is conspicuous for its richness in iron-stone and quartz, but espe- 

 cially for lead ore and copperas. The surrounding mountain is also, in certain 

 places, viz., along the southwest boundary strongly impregnated with lead ore, 

 copperas, and varieties of arsenic, tantalite, molybden ore and tin-stone. In the 

 cryolite ai'^ found pieces of the surrounding mountain, both of granite and of trap; 

 it is therefore quite certain that the cryolite has come from the interior of the 

 earth by volcanic agency, and that it is newer than the granite and the trap. 

 The melted mass of cryolite has^ duiing its progress through the granite, torn otF 

 parts ofthe bitter and enclosed tliem in itself. The cryolite veinis what is called a 

 block with face towards south and southwest; in the south and southwest bound- 

 ary of the vein the cryolite can plainly be seen going under the granite, in 

 a very rapid dip, as much as 25° ; at one place, however, where the cryolite forms 

 a kind of peninsula running west, the dip seems to be about 0° 12'; the cryolite 

 appearing to continue under the mountain in a horizontal direction. As far as the 

 quality of the produce is concerned, the cryolite vein consists of two different 

 unequal parts, divided by a breakwater 60 feet high and 110 feet long, running 

 northwest and southeast. 



I. The part east of the breakwater, whose greatest length and breadth are 

 about 235 and 100 feet, and whose total extent can be reckoned at about 16,000 

 cubic feet, consists of two parts — a northerly, 7,000 cubic feet in extent, which is 

 totally of perfectly clean white cryolite, without any mixture Avhatsoever of un- 

 clean minerals, with exception of the mass or part on the surface of the angle«i 

 or separation, which is colored red or yellow by a very thin layer of ochre or 

 clayey iron ; this part runs north and east right up to the granite. In the south 

 and west it is surrounded by the second or southerly part, whose extent amounts 

 to about 9,000 cubic feet, containing only impure cryolite, much mixed with 

 quartz. 



The north part is almost all mined to a depth of fourteen feet below high-water 

 mark; the eastern part of the same only to a depth of 11 to 12 feet, and on the 

 western corner a pump-shaft descends to a depth of little more than twenty- two feet 

 below high -water mark. The southern part, on the boundary towards north, is 

 worked to a depth of four feet below high-water mark, but it rises gradually to- 

 wards the south until it is somewhat over high-water mark. 



To keep the east mine free from water an engine is used which works four 

 pumps, and has been more than sufficient to keep the working places free from 

 water. The engine is calculated to raise the water from a depth of forty feet 

 below high-water mark ; until the whole mine exceeds this depth no greater power 

 will therefore be required. The mine during the winter is of coui'se, filled with 

 snow and ice, and all blasting must, therefore, cease from the months of November 

 to April. In the months from May to October the mine can be worked, except un- 

 der unusually severe climatic conditions, and I think iu this time, with a gang of 

 fifty men, about 5,000 tons of cryolite can be had. 



To convey the pieces broken out to the place where they are piled up, the two 

 following means are used : 



1. Toward the north on the granite rock before mentioned, which separates the 

 eastern mine from the Fjord, is a horizontal road, running iu a north and south 

 direction on a level of one foot above the highest high-water mark, and on this 

 road is laid a tramway running to a spot which has been filled up in the Fjord, 

 in the middle of which is a turn-table and siding. The cryolite can be shipped 

 from here with great ease, generally without ihe use of barges. At the southern 



