400 ACCOUNT OF THE CRYOLITE OF GREENLAND. 



end of the road called the heading is a crane for hoisting the cryolite from the 

 bottom of the mine to the tramway. 



2. In the south side of the eastern mine is built an inclined iron road, leading 

 from the southwest corner of the mine in a west-northwest direction up on to the 

 breakwater, which forms the west boundary of the mine. Here the iron road 

 is continued horizontally in the same direction, west-northwest, for about 1 00 

 feet, where, by means of a turn-table, it is connected with a cross line leading 

 north, and with a stone basin built in the Fjord, where at low- water it has to be 

 shipped in barges. At high-water it can be put at once on board the ships. 

 Under the supposition that the dimensions of the mines remain unchanged in 

 depth, the northern part will yield 630 tons of pure cryolite, and the southern 

 part 610 tons of impure cryolite ; estimating the weight of one cubic foot cry- 

 olite at 180 pounds, and a ton at 2,000 pounds. 



II. The western part of the cryolite vein adjoins the breakwater towards the 

 east which has been mentioned several times before ; towards the west and south it 

 extends up to the granite; towards the west the boundary is uncertain. The 

 greatest length and breadth of this part, which on the drawing is marked " C," are 

 respectively 200 and 120 feet; its whole extent can be reckoned at about 20,000 

 cubic feet, consisting of medium clean cryolite. About a third of this is blasted 

 to a depth of four to five feet under high- water mark ; the rest lies level with 

 highest- water mark, with the exception of a small part extending from the south- 

 most corner along the southeast boundaiy, where the cryolite rises to a height of 

 five and a half to eight feet over high-water mark, in the front towards the 

 west the cryolite is nine to ten feet over highest-water mark. In the extreme 

 southeast corner of the west part a vertical shaft (with a profile twelve feet long 

 and twelve feet wide) is blasted to a depth of about twenty-four feet under high- 

 water mark ; at this place the cryolite became better as we went deeper; it was 

 whiter and less mixed with iron ore, sulphurous particles, and lead ore. By 

 driving a network of horizontal galleries, crossing one another in the western part, 

 from the shaft at the commencement, and supporting the passages with pillars, 

 it will probably not be very difficult to procure, with a gang of about fifty men, 

 2,500 or 3,500 tons in the course of those months in which the open mine cannot 

 be worked. 



To keep these mines free from water, an engine with the necessary pumps is 

 used, which, if the water streaming in does not in future increase inthe twenty- 

 four feet deep shaft, will be able to keep the mines clear of water to a depth of 

 about forty feet under high-water mark. 



Supposing that the length and breadth of this western part will remain un- 

 changed in descetiding, each foot in depth will yield 2,700 tons of medium cryolite. 

 The following remark should be made: towards the west the vein of cryolite 

 forms a characteristic point or peninsula, (springing into the side stones,) which 

 has been before mentioned. The space between this point and the stream, 

 about 120 feet west, is occupied by a cupola-shaped hill, whose highest point is 

 thirty-seven and a half feet above high-water. In the northeast part of this, 

 several hollows are found, which have hitherto not been carefully examined, but 

 in which traces of cryolite have been found. These holes have probably formerly 

 been filled with cryolite, which has afterwards been removed or conveyed by 

 running water or other means. From this and the nature of the cryolite in the 

 projecting point, where the vein seems to go horizontally in, we have reason to 

 suppose that cryolite can be obtained under the granite in the whole extent of 

 " D." As it probably continues under the mountain with the same, or with slight 

 variations, from the height with which it enters at the point, (or peninsula,) it will 

 be easily worked by going in under the rocks with horizontal passages, in a level 

 not under high-water (by which annoyance from water will be avoided) eitheri 

 from the sea-side or from the north or from the east. 



