350 
GEOLOGY OF THE SECOND DISTRICT. 
Concluding Remarks on the Iron Ores of St. Lawrence. 
The iron ores of St. Lawrence county belong, it will be observed, to three different kinds 
or species ; the specular, the magnetic, and the bog ore. The first is found in many places, 
but quite limited in extent. The Parish and Kearney, and the Tate and Polley beds, are 
large and important, and capable of supplying ore to any amount. The Parish and Kearney 
beds in reality belong to one mass ; and the indications in that neighborhood show that the 
beds may be opened at several different places, in addition to those from which the ore is now 
raised. 
In these four beds or veins mentioned above, not so much danger is to be apprehended of 
exhausting the ore, as at Edwards, an account of which has been given. 
The magnetic ores being confined to the extreme southeast part of the county, in a region 
which is unsettled and not well explored, I am not able to give an opinion of their true value. 
Much depends upon the facilities of intercourse with a market. It is certain that before they 
can be made valuable, roads of a durable kind will have to be constructed. The face of the 
country is favorable to enterprise on every other consideration. With a good road, it appears 
a feasible project to bring out the magnetic ores, after they have been separated from earthy 
matter. In this state, they would be important to the furnaces and forges now in operation 
at several places ; and in particular they might be added with great advantage to the specular 
and bog ores, either for castings or bar iron. The quality of the iron will not only be improved, 
but the whole can be worked with greater economy in fuel. 
As to the quantity of iron ore in the southeastern townships, I have no hesitation in saying 
that it is inexhaustible. The Chamont ores in particular, together with other veins in the 
immediate vicinity, are remarkably developed, and they will become richer and more valuable 
as they are explored. The deeper the bed is worked, the richer is the ore, and the easier 
will it work either in a forge or furnace. 
The above remarks are intended to show that this county possesses large resources for the 
iron business ; that many advantages accrue from the possession of the several kinds of ore 
which have been mentioned, for the purpose of mixing, so as to adapt them to the qualities of 
the iron it is wished to make or produce. It is rare that such a combination of circumstances 
exist for the production of this important article, in a territory no larger than this county. 
Rensselaerite. 
This substance, usually known as soapstone, was specifically separated from that rock early 
in the survey; and inasmuch as it forms large masses, greater by far than most other mine¬ 
rals, it appeared proper to describe it as a rock, rather than a body belonging to mineralogy 
proper. In this respect, however, it may be considered as analogous to hornblende, lime¬ 
stone, and a variety of other substances, which may be placed with propriety in either depart¬ 
ment. They are both simple minerals, and rocks. The geologist describes them, because 
