Y73, 74 1 ] OCHRES — IRON ORE. 43 



I have not personally ascertained the extent of this deposit, but 

 it probably extends both northward and southward from the 

 locality mentioned ; and is said to crop out near Mr. McMackin's, 

 6 miles S. of Eastport. 



73. About 3 miles S; W. of Westville, Simpson county ,[ near 

 Mr. Wright's, there occurs a deposit of pipeclay tinged yellovi 

 with hydrated peroxide ol iron — a color which is rather uncommon 

 elsewhere. It has been successfully used in the neighborhood as 

 yellow paint; the tint is not, however, sufficiently intense and uni- 

 form to render the deposit of any more than local importance. 



Yellow ochre is of common occurrence in the Orange Sand for- 

 mation throughout the State, but no case has come under my per- 

 sonal observation in which its quantity and quality both would 

 justify its exploitation on the large scale. A considerable deposit, 

 the material of which has already been put to use in times past, 

 exists, according to Prof. Wailes, at White Cliffs, Adams county. 

 Usually, it occurs in small veins or lenticular masses, and very 

 commonly fills the cavities of the concretionary nodules so fre- 

 quently lound. I have often heard of "beds" of yellow ochre, in 

 different portions of the State, but have thus far either found them 

 to consist of yellow sand, or, that the existence of a small vein or 

 nodule had been taken as an earnest of a larger deposit close at 

 hand. It is quite likely, however, that such beds may still be 

 found, as the formation is certainly rich enough in the ingredients 

 required. 



Red ochre, also, is found very extensively, but usually in small 

 quantities. Like the yellow ochre, it has been locally used as a 

 paint in numerous places, and its tints are sometines extremely 

 beautiful, such as crimson, scarlet and purple. With the exception, 

 however, of the ochreous clay deposit in Tishomingo, above 

 described, I have not thus far found any deposit of coloring matter 

 of this kind, of more than local importance. 



74 1 . Iron ore. — Aluminous brown iron ore, and brown hematite, 

 as has been mentioned (IF 13), are very extensively diffused through- 

 out the Orange Sand formation, more especially in the northern 



iron ore, but their surface studded with brilliant crystalline surfaces of the form 

 and aggregation of Iron Spar, or carbonate of iron. The process which ha* 

 taken place here, seems to ofler some analogy to that just noticed in connection 

 with the red clay (U71). 



