86 IRON ORE AND COAL DEPOSITS AT WALLEEAWANG. 



4. Clay hands. — As I have already mentioned, the English clay 

 iron ores, or "clay bands" as they are generally termed, are 

 impure carbonates of iron, containing a large quantity of 

 argillaceous or clayey matter. In Scotland an ore of this kind 

 occurs, containing a large quantity of carbonaceous matter as 

 well, and is kno\\'Ti as the " black band," and like the English 

 " clay bands" it is found interstratified with the coal measures. 

 The percentage of carbonaceous substance varies from 10 to 

 15 per cent., and in some cases rises to even 30 per cent. The 

 presence of this is a great advantage, for they contain suiScient 

 to effect their roasting, previous to reduction, without the 

 addition of any extra fuel. 



This so called " clay band" appears to be more of a brown 

 hematite, of the kind known as limonite. 



I was enabled to examine four seams of this ore. They are 

 interstratiiied with the coal measures, and, in common with them, 

 at this part they are approximately horizontal, having only a slight 

 dip of not more than about 2° to the N.E. ; their outcrops are 

 seen jutting out in the gullies and creeks on both the E. and W. 

 sides of the Dividing Eange. 



'I'he lower of the four seams is perhaps the least pure and 

 valuable of them all ; but the other three are of very good quality 

 and of great value, as shown by the analysis. 



Analysis of clay hand iron ores.- 



—Clay 



hand No. 1 



Water, hygroscopic 

 „ combined 





.. 1-28 

 .. 3-54 



Silica and insoluble matter 





.. 4-60 



*Sesquioxide of iron 





.. 80-00 



Phosphorus 

 Sulphur 

 tUndetermined ... 





•49 



•11 



.. 9-98 





100-00 



Clay hand No. 2 contains 53"31 per cent, metallic iron. 



Clay hand No. 8 contains 4928 per cent, metallic iron. 



It is highly probable, from the unusual richness of clay band 

 No. 1, and from the small quantity of combined water which it 

 contains, that it has been subjected to a bush fire, and answers, 

 therefore, more or less, to roasted ore. A sample of this ore, 

 taken from an unexposed portion of the seam, would most likely 

 yield about 50 per cent, metallic iron, in place of 56 per cent. 



As is usually the case with such deposits, the thickness varies 

 somewhat ; in some places they are from 8 to 9 inches thick, and 



* Equivalent to 56 per cent, metallic iron. 



t Consisting principally of manganese, alumina, lime, and magnesia. 



