112 HONEYMAN ON THE LO^^DONDEREY IRON 3ITNES. 



Akt. XIII. Ox THE Geologicaj. Features of the 

 Londonderry Iron Mines. By Eev. D. Hone ym an, 

 D. C. L., F. G. S. 



(Read January 7, 1867.) 



These mines are situate on Great Villa2:e river on the south 

 side of the Cobequid mountains. Their history, previous to 

 1855, and the opinions until then entertained by the geologist 

 as to the character, age and origin of the iron deposits, are fully 

 given in Dr. Dawson's Acadian Geology. The following 

 observations may be regarded as a sequel to the history just 

 referred to. They are the result of two visits which I made to 

 those mines in preparing illustrations of the resources of the 

 Province for the London International Exliibition of 1862, and 

 Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867. On my first visit I found 

 in operation one blast furnace and several puddling furnaces. 

 The ores employed were brown hematite and specular. The 

 flux used was a limestone derived from a lower carboniferous 

 deposit, existing about three miles west of the mines, and the 

 fuel used was charcoal made from the hardwood of the neigh- 

 bouring forest. A massive ]^asmyth hammer was constantly at 

 work forming bars of charcoal iron, which were chiefly exported 

 to England. The specular ore was derived from a bed about 

 three feet thick, and the hematite from a bed of variable thickness 

 and of unknown depth. In order to ascertain the depth pits 

 had been sunk, but without any definite result. My last visit 

 was of a much more satisfactory character, and the information 

 acquired is of the most interesting and singular description. I 

 found the works considerably extended by an increase of the 

 number of puddling furnaces, and by the addition of rollers for 

 the manufacture of bars and rods of iron. An attempt had also 

 been made to manufacture cast steel, with the most satisfactory 

 result. So that now there are here manufactured, — 



Pig iron of the finest quality, 



Charcoal iron. 



Puddled steel, 



Cast steel. 

 Dr. Percy's analysis shows the character of the Pig iron. 



