SPECULAR OXIDE OF IRON. 
25 
In Crown-Point, this ore, although not found in separate deposits, is nevertheless often 
associated with magnetic oxide of iron, and its formation is no doubt due to the alteration of 
the latter mineral. Thus in the Saxe Ore Bed, the red ore, which has been changed from 
themagnetic oxide to the peroxide, exhibits the fibrous structure of the common hematite. 
The same transformation may be observed in some of the mines in the town of Moriah, and 
in perhaps a still more striking manner in the celebrated Arnold Mine in Clinton county. 
St. Lawrence County. Numerous deposits of the specular oxide of iron have already 
been made known in this county. The most valuable are those known by the names of the 
Kearney and Parish Ore Beds. These beds are situated about four and a half miles south¬ 
west of the village of Gouverneur. Although they are distinguished by the names above 
given, they are not more than 80 or 100 rods distant from each other, and are undoubtedly 
parts of one vast deposit, which has been traced at least a mile in a northern and southern 
direction. A large quantity of ore has been taken from the present openings, and it yields 
iron of a good quality. The deposit of ore seems to be a bed resting on the primitive rock, 
and overlaid by the oldest of the sandstones. 
The specimens from the Parish and Kearney beds present several varieties; such as the 
slaty, like the micaceous ore; hard and compact; jaspery and semi-crystalline; the blades, 
although small, having the high lustre of the Elba ore. The powder of all these has a bright 
red colour, and soils the fingers like red paint. Associated with the ore are crystals of brown 
spar, carbonate of iron, calcareous spar in dodecahedral crystals, and rarely sulphate of ba¬ 
rytes. A vein of so-called arragonite, (most probably calcareous spar,) also passes through the 
bed, from which fine specimens, both crystallized and fibrous, may be obtained. 
The most abundant ore, however, is that which has a brownish red colour, compact texture,' 
and a dull earthy aspect. The specific gravity of an average specimen of this is 4.855, and 
the following is its composition, viz : 
Peroxide of iron,. 96.52 
Silica, alumina, &c. 3.48 
The ore, when properly selected, is of good quality, and yields in the large way fifty per 
cent of pig iron, of which about 2600 pounds are said to yield a ton of wrought iron. A 
mixture of bog iron ore improves the quality of the iron obtained. 
Several important deposits of the specular oxide of iron are found in the towns of Plermon 
and Edwards. The ore is often in large brilliant plates, and is associated with crystallized 
quartz of the dodecahedral form, and with carbonate of iron. 
At Gouverneur Bow there are several unimportant localities of this ore, some specimens 
from which have the high lustre so characteristic of this mineral when in a crystallized form. 
It is here usually in small veins, with associates similar to those observed in the beds pre¬ 
viously noticed. 
Beds of this ore are said also to occur in the towns of Fowler and Scriba. In Canton there 
is a bed which was formerly worked, but is now abandoned; and there is also a deposit in 
Part I. 4 
