THE  GRAY  IRON  ORES  OF  TALLADEGA 
COUNTY,  ALA. 
By  Philip  S.  Smith. 
TOPOGRAPHY   AND   GEOLOGY. 
The  gray  iron  ores  of  Alabama  occur  in  a  narrow  belt  that  is  con- 
ned almost  entirely  to  Talladega  County.  The  most  northern 
xurrence  of  gray  ore  is  in  the  range  known  as  the  Talladega  Hills. 
I  extends  in  a  general  northeast-southwest  direction,  which  changes 
>  a  more  nearly  north-south  course  in  Alpine  Mountain.  South  of 
lpine  Mountain  there  is  a  break  of  several  miles  in  which  faults  occur, 
>  that  the  iron-bearing  members  are  too  deeply  buried  for  profitable 
ining  under  present  conditions.  About  4  miles  south  of  the  south- 
n  end  of  Alpine  Mountain  the  iron  members  again  appear  at  the  sur- 
,ce  in  the  eastern  ridge  of  the  Weewoka  Hills,  the  highest  point  of 
hich  is  called  Heacock  Mountain.  The  general  direction  of  this  range 
northeast-southwest. 
South  of  the  Weewoka  Hills  the  range  is  formed  by  Andeluvia 
ountain,  an  unsymmetrical  isolated  peak  with  two  spurs,  one  point- 
g  to  the  northeast  and  one  to  the  northwest.  Along  the  southwest 
,ce  of  this  mountain  the  range  is  abruptly  terminated  by  a  fault,  so 
Lat  its  connection  with  the  southern  continuation  of  the  ridge  is 
unewhat  obscured. 
South' of  this  gap  the  iron-bearing  ridge  continues  for  2  or  3  miles 
ith  a  nearly  north-south  strike.  This  portion  is  cut  across  by 
inauhee  and  Tallaseehatchee  creeks.  South  of  Tallaseehatchee 
reek  the  course  of  the  range  abruptly  changes  from  north-south  to 
1 ' .  20°  S.  and  continues  thus  for  about  4  miles  to  Oden  Gap.  At 
ris  point  the  range  is  cut  through  by  a  small  northward-flowing  creek 
rown  as  Shirtee  Creek.  From  Oden  Gap  to  Fulton  Gap  the  range 
ctends  for  about  2  miles  in  a  nearly  east-west  direction.  It  then 
mtinues  with  a  more  northwest-southeast  direction  for  4  miles  and 
irms  a  high  ridge  known  as  the  Kahatchee  Hills. 
As  far  as  Fulton  Gap  the  range  is  rather  narrow,  at  few  places  over 
mile  in  width,  but  is  well  defined  and  has  a  single  crest.     Beyond, 
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