f' . 
48 
Iron. 
Symbol, Fe. ( Ferrum ) ; atomic weight, 56; specific gravity, 75. 
Iron, although now about the most useful metal, is not supposed to have been 
worked at as early a period as copper, tin, and the noble metals. This may be 
accounted for by the fact that iron ores require certain metallurgical processes to 
reduce them, which were probably unknown to the ancients. 
Iron is of a bluish grey colour, with a dull and fibrous fracture, but 
acquires a brilliant surface by polishing. Its hardness is 4*5 (being one of the 
hardest metals), it is both malleable and ductile, and possesses the greatest 
tenacity of any metal. On exposure to the air, particularly damp air, or charged with 
a little salt, iron rusts quickly, forming a red oxide. 
The melting point of iron has not been accurately determined, but is sup¬ 
posed to be about 2780° F. Iron is attracted by a magnet, and if a mass of 
the metal Ixj placed near a natural or artificial magnet, it becomes magnetic ; 
this magnetism can only be destroyed by heating to redness. Iron is a metal 
which at the present time it would be very difficult to do without, as steel is a 
form of iron in which there is a certain percentage of carbon. Every one is so 
familiar with the uses to which iron and steel arc put that it is useless to 
enumerate them here. 
Iron is of the commonest occurrence of any metal in nature, and it is to this 
metal that the colouring of most of the rocks is due, and no animal or vegetable 
life can exist without it. Iron occurs metallic, but more commonly in the form of 
oxides, carbonates, and sulphides; also, the majority of the meteorites which fall are 
chiefly composed of iron. 
Pyrite .—Iron pyrites; Sulphide of iron. — This ore is generally found in 
cubes through a rock or reef, but is also sometimes massive, and in the form of , 
pseudomorphs of other minerals or organic remains. In colour it is from a bronze 
yellow to a silvery white, with a metallic lustre. Its hardness is 6*5, being hard 
enough to strike fire with steel; specific gravity is 5, and composition sulphur 
53*3; iron, 46*7. 
When pyrites is heated on charcoal it gives off sulphur, and becomes magnetic, j 
It often contains gold in small quantities, when it is called auriferous pyrites; and 
should therefore be tested for that metal. It is easily distinguished from all the 
other yellow metallic minerals by its hardness. It occurs throughout the crystal¬ 
line series in this Colony, and has been found to carry gold wherever tested in the j 
Darling Range. It is always associated with gold on all the fields of the Colony. 
Hematite . — Specular Iron Ore ; Iron Oxide.—This ore occurs in many forms, ’ 
rarely crystalline, but mostly massive botryoidal (Kidney ore), micaceous iron ores, 
red hematite, red ochre, jaspery clay iron, clay iron stone, &c. 
It varies in colour from a bright steel grey, through all shades of red and 
brown, to black, in some cases possessing a brilliant metallic lustre, as in the case 
of the specular or micaceous ores, but more commonly of a dull earthy appearance, 
but the streak of all is cherry red to reddish brown. 
The specific gravity is about 5, its hardness about 6, and it is sometimes 
slightly attracted by the magnet. Its composition is oxygen, 30, iron, 70. If is 
infusible alone, but when heated on charcoal becomes magnetic, which added to 
the fact that it yields a red powder, distinguishes it from any other mineral. It 
is of the commonest occurrence in this Colony, but will not pay to work, although 
there are large lodes of a high class. The only use to which the earthy red form 
is put here is by the natives, who call it “ Wilgie,” and with it they colour them¬ 
selves all over. 
The other ores which are met with in this Colony in any quantities are 
magnetite (magnetic oxide), limenite (brown iron ore) ; but as iron ores are of no 
value, it is useless to trouble about them. 
