52 
[Assembly 
82. The lead mines of Ulster county are situated in the same range of 
mountains which contain those of Sullivan; and only a few miles dis- 
tant from the latter, mining operations have been conducted during the 
past year by the North American Coal and Mining Company. The 
principal mine is situated on the northwest face of the Shawangunk, 
about three-quarters of a mile from the Red Bridge, which forms the 
boundary between the counties of Ulster and Sullivan, on the Hudson 
and Delaware canah The general character of the deposit of lead ore 
at this place is similar to that of the Sullivan mine, but in consequence, 
as it appeared to me, of some disturbance in the stratification, the rock 
and the bed of galena dip towards the north at a high angle. This, 
however, will hereafter be described by the geologist of the district. 
The mine has been worked by a perpendicular shaft, to which levels or 
drifts, passing into the mountain at different heights, are now construct- 
ing. The galena here, as at the Sullivan mine, is associated with cop- 
per pyrites and blende, in a gangue of quartz. The quartz often occurs 
in large and fine crystals; — these, however, are seldom doubly termi- 
nated, and are usually opaque. 
At the time of my visit, the amount of lead ore obtained at this 
mine was quite inconsiderable, and it seemed to me that the prospect 
was far from being favorable to the proprietors. Perhaps, however, 
the mining operations were not then sufficiently advanced to enable me 
to form a correct opinion concerning the extent of this deposit of ore. 
But taking into consideration the nature of the rock in which the ore 
is found, the limited quantity of ore heretofore obtained, and the various 
foreign matters with which it is mixed, I more than doubt whether 
either of these mines will ever yield an amount of lead equal in value 
to the outlay which must be incurred in working them. 
83. I have now examined and described, in my several annual reports, 
the principal deposits of lead ore which are at present known to exist 
in this State. A connected account of these will be introduced into 
the final work, with such additional information as may have been, in 
the mean time, obtained. It may be proper to add, that the lead mines 
of St. Lawrence county are the only ones which now give promise of 
successful exploration. The purity and abundance of the ore, and the 
ease with which it is reduced, all conspire to render these mines of the 
highest value and importance. No better evidence of the correctness 
of this assertion need be offered, than the fact that during the last year, 
(1838,) there were produced from the three mines in Rossie, 3,347,463 
