MAGNETIC OXIDE OF IRON. 
7 
Mountain Mine, Antoine Mine, Conklin Mine and New Mine, are a group from twenty- 
live to fifty rods northwest and north from the Paterson Mine, belonging to the Messrs. 
Townsend. The lie in nearly parallel beds; the ore of all apparently similar, being a rich 
black magnetic oxide, possessing polarity. About 5000 tons of ore have been taken from 
these mines. The iron obtained from it is red short. The associated minerals are hornblende, 
feldspar and pyroxene; the last of which, is laminated, and often very beautiful* 
Long Mine. This mine is situated about five miles southwest of Southfield furnace. The 
ore occurs in gneiss rock, and follows the general direction and dip of the strata, and is never 
at right angles to them. It has been traced in a direction nearly north and south for the dis¬ 
tance of a mile or more. The average width of the deposit is sixteen feet, to make up which 
there are two parallel layers, with a thin waving stratum between them, from four to twelve 
inches thick. The associates of the ore are hornblende, pyroxene, quartz, mica and feldspar, 
the proportions of which are subject to great variation. 
The ore itself, in a state of the greatest purity, is of a bluish black colour, and has minute 
grains of quartz disseminated through it, which causes it to give fire with steel. It breaks 
into columnar fragments, and being of a granular structure, is without much difficulty reduced 
to a coarse powder ; and when in this state, it is strongly attracted by the magnet. Its average 
specific gravity is 4.885 ; and with the exception of the silicious particles, it is entirely soluble 
in hot concentrated muriatic acid. 
Upon analysis, this ore was found to have the following composition, viz : 
Protoxide of iron,... 25.40 
Peroxide of iron,. 70.50 
Oxide of manganese,. 1.60 
Silica or quartz, and loss,. 2.50 
These proportions of protoxide and peroxide of iron are equivalent to 68.50 per cent of 
metallic iron. The ore is said to yield, on the average, 62 per cent, in the large way. 
According to Mr. Townsend, the Long Mine was discovered in 1761, by David Jones. About 
37,500 tons of ore have been taken from it, being an average of 500 tons annually. The iron 
obtained from it is remarkably tough, clean and strong, and has been much used for steel, 
cannon, muskets, wire and fine malleable iron. 
Greenwood Mine, is two miles southeast of Greenwood furnace in the town of Monroe. 
It is in granitic gneiss. Three layers of ore, separated by a few feet of rock, are exposed, 
of which the middle one is nine feet in thickness. These layers dip to the southeast, lying 
conformably with the gneiss. The ore is mostly compact and hard, and it contains a consi¬ 
derable proportion of iron pyrites. Hence it requires to be roasted before it can be advanta¬ 
geously used in the furnace. Its associates are quartz, hornblende and mica.f 
The Rich Iron Mine is situated five miles southeast of Monroe Works, and is on the 
* Dr. Horton’s Report on the Geology and Mineralogy of Orange county. New-York Geological Reports, 1839, 
t Ibid. 
