20 
ECONOMICAL MINERALOGY. 
to Dr. Emmons, has mixed with it a greenish mineral, resembling phosphate of lime and 
hornblende. 
In the same district are the Conger Mine and the Sailly and Averil's Mine , which, however, 
do not require particular descriptions. 
Franklin County. Although the magnetic oxide of iron has not heretofore been found 
in such abundance in this county as in some of those which are contiguous to it, several 
deposits are already known to exist, and there can be no doubt that others will hereafter be 
discovered. 
In the vicinity of Malone, a bed of this ore was opened many years since, from which 
several hundred tons of good ore have been obtained. A fine deposit is noticed by Dr. Em¬ 
mons, as occurring near Miller’s in the town of Franklin, and another on a ridge near the 
outlet of Tupper’s lake. 
The Deer River ore has a resinous lustre, and its masses are intermixed with hornblende. 
Its gangue is coarsely crystallized hornblende, accompanied with large imperfect garnets, 
and some black mica. 
The Duane Bed is represented as a mixture of coarse and fine ore. It is a rich ore, inter¬ 
mixed with particles of granular greenish-white feldspar. 
But the most interesting ore of iron in this county, is that which is known as the “ Steel 
ore.” The deposit from which this is obtained, is situated in the Old Military township, No. 
9, adjoining the town of Duane. The ore is of a black colour, is strongly attracted by the 
magnet, and possesses polarity. The associates are principally hornblende, quartz and feld¬ 
spar. There is considerable variation in the width of the vein. It has been opened for several 
years. 
I analyzed this ore some years since, and found that it did not differ from common magnetic 
oxide of iron. It has also been assayed, as we are informed, by Thomas B. Clemson, Esq. 
who gives the following as the result :* 
Iron and Scoria,. 15.42 
Iron alone,... 12.90 
The part possessing the properties of steel,... 64.50 
This ore possesses considerable interest, from the fact that it is said to yield, directly, by 
the process of smelting, a substance possessing all the properties of manufactured steel. By 
some, these properties are thought to be inherent in the ore itself, while Dr. Emmons has 
advanced the opinion that the iron obtained from the ore is converted into steel during the 
process of tempering.! 
* MS. communication from James C. Duane, Esq. of Schenectady. See also the Report of the Commissioners to surrey the 
route of the Ogdensburgh and Champlain rail-road. Documents of the New-York Legislature, 1841. 
■)■ See Dr. Emmons’ Report on the “ Steel Ore ” to the Assembly of the State of New-York, March 10th, 1841. Also the com¬ 
munication of B. S. Roberts, in the Report of the Commissioners to survey the Ogdensburgh and Champlain rail-road. Documents 
of the Nav-York Legislature, 1841. 
