1853.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 209 



Iron Peroxide, 21.857 i n aa C Metallic Iron. 



Or Protoxide, j 19 ' bb ( 15.29. 



(?) 0.10 



100.12 



You will thus perceive that this ore is a remarkable instance of what is 

 termed in Minerology Isomorphism ; i. e. an ore with all the appearances 

 of one kind of Mineral (in this case of a rich carbonate of iron) but in 

 which it is found upon analysis that one of the constituents has been part- 

 ly or wholly replaced by some other mineral. The proportions of iron 

 and lime here are exactly changed, i. e. we should look to find the main 

 ingredient to be about the 65 per cent, of protoxide of iron, instead of 

 that amount of lime which now takes its place, leaving us 20 per cent, 

 of protoxide of iron representing 15.3 per cent, of Metallic iron only ! 



The ore then proves' to be almost a ferruginous carbonate of lime, but 

 as it is only a surface specimen, one part being evidently weathered, it 

 may become richer at a moderate depth, if a vein, or in a lower bed, if 

 in beds ; for this, the first question as to iron ores in a mining point of 

 view, is not stated. 



As to its produce ; at present it is clearly too poor an ore to be smelted, 

 though it would probably yield iron of the very finest description but if 

 a richer ore is found near the spot, it will then be of great value to smelt 

 with it, the lime and the small portion of Magnesia being the best fluxes 

 and the Manganese improving the quality of the produce. 



With regard to the yield of any Indian iron ore the first question is 

 always, "What is to be the process and furnace adopted? and who are 

 to be the workmen ?" for from the complex and expensive English blast 

 works, to the plain but simple Catalan and French Pyrannean forges, which 

 produce some of the finest iron and steel in the world with the simplest 

 means, every thing depends, as you know, on the furnace and the workman. 

 If Major Napier sends us a promising ore he will perhaps also say by 

 what process he thinks of working it. 



I return your specimen as you desire, but it would be an acquisition for 

 the Museum.* 



H. Piddington, 

 Museum, 26th October, 1852. Cur. Mus. Eco. Geology. 



I have received from Captain Ramsay, Acting Resident at Nepaul, a small 

 collection of the woods of Nepaul, presented by General Jung Bahadur, 

 who has also sent a large collection (96 specimens) of rocks and minerals 



* Major Baker has presented it to the Museum. 



2 E 



