ORES OF THE CHAMPLAIN, TACONIC AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS. 
489 
heaps on the ground. The ore was dug many years ago, but it seems to be too siliceous to 
work well alone in the furnace. By proper mixture with other ores, it might be wrought with 
advantage. Isaac Lockwood owns a part of the land underlaid by this ore. The right of 
digging the mine is vested in Nathaniel Bradley of Connecticut, who purchased a large 
amount of mineral property in the Highlands some yeai*s ago. The ore is associated witTi 
granular quartz on the east, and probably with limestone on the west, but this latter rock was 
not seen near the ore beds. These rocks are associated in the above order at the mouth of 
Peekskill creek. 
Staten-island ore beds. Dr. L. C. Beck, in his first Annual Report, described the hema¬ 
tite beds of Staten island.* During the geological investigations of the island, I have 
observed numerous slight indications of the same ore along the east base of the serpentine 
hills. The ore beds, where I have seen them, are directly contiguous to the serpentine rock, 
which contains an abundance of carbonate and hydrate of magnesia, and which seems to 
have performed the same office in the deposition of the ore as the limestone beds of Columbia 
and Dutchess counties. Where the rock is fissured and broken up, above the serpentine rock 
in place, the iron ore is interspersed through the cavities between the masses; but the main 
body of the ore lies directly above the rock, and forms the soil for a depth of four to eight 
feet. Much of the ore is in the state of a fine earth of a brown color, but the masses of solid 
■ore have an oolitic structure, composed of aggregated, concentric, spherical concretions, from 
the size of shot to small bullets. The ore is occasionally found in small quantities near the 
base of the serpentine ridge. In some instances it was observed fibrous and stalactitical. Mr. 
Hazzard informed me that beautiful stalactites of limonite had been found on the top of the 
hill, in digging a well. 
Dr. Pierce described the iron ores of Staten island in 1818 (Vide American Journal of 
Science, Vol. 1, p. 145). Speaking of the ridge, or mountain as he calls it of serpentine, he 
says, “ A mineral of uncommon appearance is observed. It is composed principally of quartz, 
rough with numerous cells of various forms, in which small siliceous crystals are generally 
found; the veins or plates of quartz that intersect each other, often embrace talc and oxide 
of iron, which decomposing, gives some specimens the appearance of volcanic origin. Asso¬ 
ciated with this cellular ferruginous quartz, brown hematite is often observed.” “ Its fibres 
* “ On Staten island, five miles southwest of the Claarantine, on the road to Richmond village, there are beds of 
brown hematite of some extent. The ore is sometimes massive, and at others consists of spherical grains ^of various 
sizes united by a ferruginous cement, and known by the name of shot ore. It often has a shining surface, and appears to 
be mixed and coated with talc. Brown and yellow ochres are also found here, and are used by the inhabitants as paints. 
These ores contain twelve or thirteen per centum of water. 
“ Dungin’s mine is situated about a mile and a half north of that just described. The ore is similar to the preceding., 
“ In consequence of the scarcity of fuel, no furnaces have been erected in the immediate -vicinity of these beds. The 
ore has for several years been transported in considerable quantity to Egg harbor; but whether it is smelted there, or 
■carried elsewhere, I could not ascertain.” 
Geol. 1st Dist. 
62 
