IRON ORES OF THE CLINTON FORMATION 25 



Niagaran strata. Oolitic hematite was encountered at 976 feet and 

 continued, according to the record, till 986 feet. The passage from 

 the Clinton into the Medina strata was taken at 1007 feet depth and 

 according to Prosser's interpretation at 991 feet. On the latter 

 basis the combined thickness of the Clinton, Rochester and Lock- 

 port beds amounted to 466 feet. The second well, known as the 

 State well,^ was drilled a short distance southeast of the Gale well. 

 The record given by Dr Englehardt does not vary essentially from 

 the preceding, so far as the Clinton is concerned. The ore bed was 

 encountered at 995 feet, with an estimated thickness of 5 feet. 



Chittenango, Madison co. This is the site of a deep well 

 which was drilled in 1890. The altitude at the top of the well is 

 estimated at 444 feet. Prosser^ gives the Clinton as beginning at 

 567 feet depth, with a green argillaceous shale 33 feet thick. Below 

 this is bluish gray shale, 44 feet. Then follows dark gray calcareous 

 material with iron ore, 11 feet, and at the base green argillaceous 

 shale, 235 feet; the lower 10 feet having "a few reddish chips like 

 iron ore." 



Lakeport, Madison co. A section from the base to the top 

 of the Clinton formation is afforded by the test hole drilled at Lake- 

 port, on the south shore of Oneida lake, about 6 miles from the 

 eastern end. The hole was started in the basal Lockport, a dolomitic 

 limestone, which was underlain by 22 feet of Rochester shale. 



STRATA FEET 



Limestone, with much shale and 6 inches of iron ore at 



66 feet depth 17 



Shale, with limey bands 227 



Ore, fossil, alternating with limestone and shale 2)^2 



Shale, with thin limestone 45 



Ore, oolitic i 



Sandstone, shaly at top 2 



The thickness of the strata aggregates 295 feet. This is about the 

 maximum for the Clinton in New York State. The main element 

 of the formation, as will be observed, consists of the upper shale, 

 above the ore horizon, which reaches a much greater thickness than 

 in any other portion of the belt. The presence of this great bed of 

 shale affords an explanation for the depression occupied by Onci'la 



' fkMil. Soc. Am. r.ul. I89J. 4:10-'. 

 - (leol. Soc. Am. Bui. 1892. 4: 97. 



