16 GEOLOGICAL MEMOIRS. 



phide of zinc, more than a fathom thick, accompanied by magnetic 

 iron-ore, oxide of zinc, and iron- and copper-pyrites, and associated 

 with crystaUine Hmestones and diorites, occur under particular cir- 

 cumstances, analogous to those observed at Breitenbrunn and Rit- 

 tersgriin (Saxony) in the clay-slate of Goldenhohe. 



Near Neudeck two veins of magnetic iron-ore, associated with 

 eclogite, and running from south to north in granite, are now being 

 worked. The thickness of that portion of them which is metalli- 

 ferous varies from 5 to 7 fathoms. Quartz-veins with red oxide of 

 iron, traversing an eclogitic rock, are worked near Hochofen. The 

 same iron-ore occurs in other localities of the mica-schist district, 

 associated with amphibolic and dioritic rocks. 



The numerous veins of quartz, which are rich in red and specular 

 oxide of iron, and run from north to south through the granite and the 

 crystalline slates, may be considered to be a special system, later in 

 age to all the other metalliferous veins of the country under notice. 

 These veins are here and there associated into groups, and extend 

 into Saxony ; two of them (the Irrgiinger and the Hemecberger Zug) 

 having a total length of from 4|- to 5 Austrian (or from 22 to 25 En- 

 glish) miles : sometimes ores of manganese (pyrolusite, polianite, and 

 psilomelane) abound more than the iron-ores, and even totally replace 

 them. 



The Bohemian portion of the Fichtelgebirge and the Kaiserwald 

 (Carlsbad Mountains) are metalliferous in a lesser degree than the 

 Bohemian Erzgebirge and the Bavarian portion of the Fichtelgebirge, 

 whence gold, silver, and tin were formerly obtained. Traces of gold 

 and silver have been found, but were soon neglected. Some tin- and 

 cinnabar-mines were also long ago abandoned ; and at the present 

 time beds of oxide of iron, contained in clay-slate, are the only object 

 of mining-operations in this part of Bohemia. During the sixteenth 

 century ores of silver and lead were worked in the Kaiserwald ; at 

 present the only objects of mining-industry are some quartz-veins 

 near Reichenbach, running N.E. and S.W., and containing galena 

 with pyrites and sulphide of zinc, and also a deposit of red oxide of 

 iron near Schonficht. Some years ago tin-ores in granite, under 

 circumstances similar to those observed in th^ Erzgebirge, and ores 

 of cobalt and manganese were worked in the environs of Konigswart. 



The northern extremity of the Bohmerwald, where, in the six- 

 teenth century, there were extensive gold, cobalt, silver, and graphite 

 mines, has now lost the better part of its metallurgical importance ; 

 there existing only some isolated and minor exploitations of copper- 

 ores, galena, and oxide of iron. 



The mining-activity of these districts, although it has sensibly 

 fallen off from its former prosperity, may still, however, be revived, 

 as the old workings have only exhausted the upper horizons of the 

 metalliferous deposits, without penetrating into their depths, which 

 may reasonably be supposed to contain undiscovered riches. The 

 revival of mining-operations would be a real benefit to the inhabitants, 

 of these districts, as they are deprived of every other means of exist- 

 ence. [Count M.] 



