E. T. Allen — Native Iron in Missouri. 99 



Akt. XII. — Native Iron in the Coal Measures of Missouri ; 

 by E. T. Allen. 



The occurrence of native iron of terrestrial origin lias been 

 until recently a mooted question with mineralogists. In the 

 fifth edition of Dana's Mineralogy bearing the date 1868, we 

 read : " The occurrence of masses of native iron apart from 

 meteoric origin is not placed beyond doubt.'' We now have 

 on record, however, a considerable number of occurrences of 

 terrestrial iron which such authorities as Dana and Tschermak 

 admit to be genuine. Terrestrial iron is claimed to have been 

 found (1)* in eruptive rocks, (2)f in river sands, sometimes 

 associated with gold or platinum, (3) in obvious connection 

 with;): carbonaceous matter, (4)§ in various other situations. 



A careful study of the literature of this subject does not 

 convince one that a number of the specimens described may 

 not have been meteoric, or in some cases, perhaps, artificial. 

 Others, the origin of which is more probable or even estab- 

 lished, were obtained only in dust, grains, or very small pieces, 

 so that a study of the physical properties must have been diffi- 

 cult. In many cases we have no published analyses. The 

 number of irons, which are undoubtedly terrestrial and con- 

 cerning which we have full and satisfactory data, is still so 

 small that new discoveries may possess some interest. 



During the past year we have received at this laboratory a 

 number of such specimens of remarkable purity. These were 

 obtained from different localities in Missouri, but proved on 

 inquiry to have a similar origin and paragenesis and almost 

 identical composition and properties. 



I. Natural Iron from Cameron, Clinton Co., Mo. 



This iron, which was received in December, 1895, was 

 obtained in largest quantity and has been most fully examined. 

 It was discovered in drilling out an old well on the land of 

 Mrs. Mary E. Reed of Cameron. Twenty-five years before, 

 the well had been sunk thirty-seven feet till a layer of sand- 



*Meunier, C. R., Ixxxix, 215, 1879. Smith, Ann. Ch. Phys., V, xvi, 402, 1819. 

 Andrews, this Journal, II, xv, 443, 1853. Hawes, ibid., Ill, xiii, 33, 1877. 

 Cooke, Ann. Rep. State Geol. N. J., 1874, p. 56. Bornemann, Pogg. Ann., 

 lxxxviii, 145, 1853. 



f Hussak, this Journal, III, vol. xliii, 177, 1892. Page, ib., xxv, 160, 1883. 

 Daubree and Meunier, C. R., cxiii, 172, 1891. Genth, Proc. Phil. Soc., Philad., xi, 

 443, 1870. 



\ Shepard, this Journal, xl, 366, 1841. Bahr, ib., II, xiv, 275. Bornemann, 1. c. 



§ Hayes, this Journal, II, xxi, 153, 1856; xxviii, 137, 1857. Genth, ib., xxviii, 

 246, 1859. Hoffmann, Proc. R. Soc. Canada, Sec. Ill, p. 39, 1890. Ann. Rep. 

 State Geol. N. J., 1883, p. 162. Clemson, Trans. G. Soc. Penn., i, 358, 1834. 

 Journ. Phys., xli, 3. 



