94 Notes on the Iron Ore of Korana. [No. 1. 



It is in short the limonite or brown haematite iron ore of minera- 

 logists, on which Dana remarks as follows : 



" Limonite is one of the most important ores of iron. The pig 

 iron from the purer varieties, obtained by smelting with charcoal, 

 is readily convertible into steel." 



It generally contains from 1 to 10 per cent, of silica which in the 

 Korana ore is not in large quantity. 



At present the weather is so hot and I have so little convenience 

 for performing analysis, that I am unable to make a quantitative 

 determination of the constituents of the ore, which, I believe, will 

 be found to yield about 80 per cent, (probably more) of peroxide of 

 iron, a quantity equivalent to fifty-six of metal. 



Having given a general account of the Korana Hills and of the 

 mode of occurrence of the iron ore in my late report to Government 

 on the mineral wealth, &c. of the Salt Range and its dependencies, 

 I need not here enter into further detail. I may remark, however, 

 that as I could only devote one day to the examination of the loca- 

 lity, I can give but little positive information as to the quantity of 

 ore likely to be found. At one spot the mass or vein of it appeared 

 to be of considerable extent. If it should be found to occur in 

 large quantity in all the quartz veins throughout the different ridges 

 forming the Korana Hills, the thick jungle in their immediate 

 vicinity would afford abundance of charcoal with which to smelt 

 the ore, and limestone as a flux could be brought from the Salt 

 Eange, if kunkur, which is no doubt to be found near at hand, would 

 not answer. 



"We very much doubt however if iron could be manufactured in 

 the Punjab, at a cheaper rate than English iron can be supplied. 



It is not improbable that manganese ore (peroxide of manganese) 

 in workable quantity may also be found at Korana, as on our visit 

 there I also discovered and obtained unmistakeable specimens of 

 this valuable mineral, one of which marked No. 72 was forwarded 

 to the Asiatic Society in the collection above referred to. 



