A bird's-eye view of the production and characteristics of imports of foreign iron ores in recent years

SWANK, James M, A BIRD»S-.EYE VIEW OP THE PRODUC- TION AND CHARACTERISTICS OP IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES, 4:. ,St '.^'^^ m ' j DARL TN403 A3S9 A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW THE PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERISTICS IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES, I WITH STATISTICS OF IMPORTS OF FOREIGN IRON ORES IN RECENT YEARS. By JAMES M. SWANK, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION. PHILADELPHIA : THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, No. 261 South Fourth Street. 1885. CONTENTS. PAGE Our Imports of Iron Ore, 3 Destination of Foreign Ore Imported, 3, 4 Countries from which Foreign Ore is Obtained, 4 Reasons why Foreign Ore is Imported, 5 Ports at which Foreign Ore is Entered, 6 The Juragua Iron Company Limited, 6 A Canadian Iron Ore Enterprise, 6 Imports of Iron Ore by European Iron-jiaking Countries, ... 7 Production of Iron Ore in the United States in 1883 and 1884, 7, 8 Leading Iron Ore Districts in the United States, 9 Production of .Spiegeleisen in the United States, 10 New and Old Iron Ore Fields in the United States, 10 The Marquette District, 11 The Menominee District, 12 Statistics of the Marquette and Menominee Districts, 13 The Vermillion District, 13, 14 The Gogebic District, 15, 16 The Iron Ores of Missouri, 16, 17 The Cornwall Mines in Pennsylvania, 18 The Salisbury District, 18, 19 The Iron Ores op New York, 19 The Champlain District, 19, 20 The Chateaugay Ore and Iron Company, 20, 21 The Sterling and Tilly Foster Mines, 21,22 The Hudson River Ore and Iron Company, 22 The Iron Ores of New Jersey, 22, 23 The Iron Ores of Ohio and Pennsylvania, . . 24 The Iron Ores of Indiana, Illinois, Delaware, and Virginia, . 25 The Iron Ores of West Virginia and North Carolina, 26 The Iron Ores of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, . 27-29 The Iron Ores West op the Mississippi, 29 Summary, 29-31 THE PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERISTICS IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. The following paper was contributed to the special report on the Min- eral Resources of the United States, by Albert Williams, Jr., Chief of the Division of Mining Statistics and Technology of the United States Geolog- ical Survey, Department of the Interior, published in 1885. In the preparation of the following essay an attempt has been made to bring together in popular form the leading facts connected with our iron-ore resources and our domestic and foreign iron-ore supplies. No other purpose has been enter- tained. The facts presented will afford a bird's-eye view of one of the great industries of our country, and of its relation to our extensive iron and steel industries and to the many other industries that are dependent upon them. Our Imports of Iron Ore. — Previous to 1879 the quantity of iron ore imported into the United States was not recorded, but it did not amount to 100,000 tons in any one year. The quantity of iron ore imported from 1879 to 1884, both years included, was as follows, in tons of 2,240 pounds. The foreign value of the inii^ortations in these years is also given. Years. Gross tons. Values. 1879 284,141 493,408 782,887 589,655 490,875 487,820 8681,467 1,436,809 1881 ■> 2'>'> 652 1882 . 1,640,564 1,207,991 1,133,678 1883 1884 The American Iron and Steel Association has ascertained the destination of 439,183 gross tons of the 487,820 tons of iron ore that were imported in 1884. This information we present in the following table. IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. States and Districts. New York | 9,562 New Jersey 1,918 Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania 147,891 Schuylkill Valley, Pennsylvania 54,211 Upper Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania ; 3,076 Lower Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania \ 158,361 Allegheny County, Pennsylvania [ 20,288 Conemaugh Valley and Youghiogheny Valley, Pennsylvania ] 40,169 Charcoal Furnaces, Pennsylvania | 1,492 Maryland 600 Ohio j 1,615 Total 439,183 These figures leave 48,637 tons unaccounted for, which were chiefly used in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Washington Territory. The figures presented in the table for Pennsylva- nia and Maryland we believe to be complete, or very nearly so. Of the 439,183 tons accounted for, 81,758 tons were used in the manufacture of pig iron for general jjurpcses, while the remainder was used in the manufacture of Bessemer pig iron and spiegeleisen. Our imports of iron ore are derived from many countries, but principally from Spain. The following table of imports of iron ore into the United States in the fiscal year which end- ed June 30, 1884, shows the sources of foreign supply for that vear. Statistics for the calendar vear 1884 are not obtainable. Spain Italy French Possessions in Africa Turkey in Asia Dominion of Canada England Greece France Portugal Mexico 1 Total 553,806 Gross tons. Values. 374,943 8829,423 ' 57,664 154,857 56,448 109,920 4,875 76,601 29,125 71,900 7,355 23,873 12,530 18,615 4,566 18,410 6,299 13,942 The impulse that was given to the importation of iron ore in 1879, 1880, and 1881 was due partly to the high pri- IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 5 ces asked for Lake Superior ores, partly to a scarcity of iron ores on the Atlantic Coast that were suitable for the manufac- ture of Bessemer pig iron, and partly to the revival in the American iron industry in these years whicli created an ex- traordinary demand for iron ores for general as well as for special purposes. The first two of these influences have now largely disappeared, and the last one has entirely disappear- ed. Lake Superior j)rices have fallen, owing partly to the opening of new mines in that district, and new sources of supply of Bessemer ores have been developed in the East. But in the meantime American capitalists have made exten- sive investments in Cuban and Canadian iron-ore mines, the product of which is now being brought to this country for the manufacture of Bessemer pig iron, while increasing use of Spanish and Elba iron ores is being made by Eastern furnace owners in the manufacture of pig iron for the general market and for sale to our steel manufacturers. Much the larger part of the iron ore that was imported in 1882, 1883, and 1884 came from Bilbao and from Mediterra- nean ports for use in the manufacture of Bessemer and other pig iron chiefly on or near the Atlantic coast, the inducements to import it being its richness, purity, and cheapness. The causes which influenced importations in 1879, 1880, and 1881 taught our people the value of foreign ores, and unless pre- vented by a high duty such foreign ores as have been used on the Atlantic coast will continue to be imported. The duty on iron ore was changed by the tariff which went into effect July 1, 1883, from 20 per cent, ad valorem to 75 cents per ton of 2,240 pounds. That foreign ore can be brought to this country at low prices is due in part, of course, to the very great cheap- ness of the labor that is employed in mining it, but largely also to the cheapness of ocean freights. The vessels which carry the ore are usually " ocean tramps," which carry grain, petroleum, lumber, and occasionally cotton to Europe, and the owners of which are glad to bring back ore at low rates rather than come in ballast. These vessels are all owned abroad. The following table shows the quantities and values of iron ore imported into the various customs districts of the United States in the four calendar years 1881, 1882, 1883, and 1884. For this and the preceding table we are indebted to 6 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. the courtesy of the Hon. Josepli Nimmo, Jr., Chief of the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury De})artment. 1881. 1882. 1883. 1884. Gross tons. Values. Gross tons. Values. Gross tons. Values. Gross tons. Values. Baltimore 375,798 $1,005,496 243,182 8654,629 236,998 8612,626 184,521 1 473 4 243 1 749 8357,136 5,005 7 765 Beaufort, S C Boston 716 2,492 2,867 7,320 1,664 273 2 9,420 48 6,851 264 145,909 905 .37,635 31 558 3,322 755 7 33,181 98 21,6.51 677 421,776 2,783 120,008 101 8iSQ 2 470 ' 5 '>77 2,865 BufTalo Creek Champlain 5 6,525 28 17,810 Cuyahoga 10,500 617 8,716 264 196,419 3,418 13,612 13,671 155,564 1 100 37,675 1,646 25,%1 770 641,344 10,650 44,026 48,323 394,952 1 622 30,964 121,154 10 27 T.'iS ' 1 Ra? Detroit Genesee 784 14 36,800 942 1740 Huron 4 10 150 New York 94 236 29 401 82 995 Oswegatcliie ORfiR Oswego 17 862 40 744 11 17Q ' T.K^ Perth Amboy . . 10 08'' ''Q 1«q fiO S.^ : 124 'iKl Philadelphia Puget Sound 111^944 279i818 170,420 3,521 2,979 386,386 169,507 388,900 7,084 2,012 4,024 2,177 5,387 5,758 1,831 7,125 Sandusky . ' 1 ' 1 Total 782,887 j*2,222,652 589,655 $1,640,564 490,875 81,207,991 487,820 81,133,678 The Juragua Iron Company Limited, an American com- pany, has opened extensive mines of iron ore on the south- eastern coast of Cuba, which it purchased early in 1883 and from which shipments to this country commenced in August, 1884. These shipments have since aggregated many thousand tons, and they promise to become in a short time a leading feature of our iron-ore imports. Whether they will result in reducing the supply heretofore received from Spain is yet a matter of conjecture. The quantity of iron ore shipped in 1884 amounted to about 20,000 tons; the shipments in 1885 will probably reach 100,000 tons. The ores from these mines are used for Bessemer purposes. They are rich in iron and very Ioav in phosphorus. The Juragua Iron Company Lim- ited is composed of the Bethlehem Iron Company, the Penn- sylvania Steel Company, and Mr. Alfred Earnshaw. Near Trenton, in the province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, a company of American and Canadian capitalists, which was organized in 1883, has made extensive arrange- ments, involving a large expenditure of money, for mining iron ore from several mines which have been developed and IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 7 from others which have been located. The ores of these mines are said to be well adapted to the manufacture of Bessemer steel. The shij^ping port is at Weller's Bay, on Lake Ontario, four miles south of Trenton. The shipments to the United States during 1884 amounted to about 40,000 tons. An in- crease in the shipments for 1885 is expected. The principal promoters of the enterprise are Mr. S. J. Ritchie, of Tallmadge, Ohio; Hon. S. Burke, Hon. Henry B. Payne, and Mr. William Chisholm, of Cleveland, Ohio ; the Messrs. McMullen, of Tren- ton and Picton, Ontario, and the Messrs. Coe, of Madoc, On- tario. The following table shows the number of tons of iron ore imported during the last six years into each of the leading iron-manufacturing countries of the world. Years. Great Britain. France. Germany. Belgium. j United States. 1879 1,083,692 2,634,401 2,449,277 3,282,496 3,178,310 2,728,672 911,812 1,168,215 1,287,870 1,425,870 1,601,217 1,412,710 380,000 607,007 615,490 785,360 800,373 980,442 614,534 921,784 1,169,206 1,206,717 1,612,469 1,487,748 284,141 493,408 782,887 589,655 490 875 1880 1881 1882 1884 .. 487 820 It will be seen from this table that the United States is the smallest importer of iron ore of all the countries mentioned. If we consider its prominent place among these countries, be- ing second in the production of iron and steel, it is very much the smallest importer. Production of Iron Ore in the United States in ISSo and 1884-. — Full statistics of the production of iron ore in the United States are not obtained, and can not be obtained, except in census years. The annual production of iron ore in the whole country may, however, be very accurately estimated. The average quantity of iron ore that is used in producing a ton of pig iron in the United States, in addition to the mill cinder that is used in some furnaces, is shown by the census of 1880 to be about 1.9 tons, while the production of j)ig iron is definitely ascertained from year to year by the American Iron and Steel Association, so that the quantity of iron ore produced in any year and used at our blast furnaces is ap- proximately ascertained by multiplying the year's production 8 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. of pig iron by 1.9 and deducting from the j)roduct tlie quan- tity of iron ore imported. By this method we obtain the following results for 1884. The pig iron produced, 4,097,868 gross tons, multiplied by 1.9 gives 7,785,949 tons, from which, if we deduct 487,820 tons of iron ore imported, we have 7,298,- 129 tons as the home production of the year that was used at our blast furnaces. This country also annually produces in forges directly from the ore about 40,000 gross tons of l)looms and billets, representing about 120,000 tons of native ore. The largest and best of these forges are located in the Champlain district of New York, while others are found in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and Missouri. We also use some iron ore as fettling in the puddling furnaces of our rolling mills, and the quantity so used in 1884 we estimate, upon the basis of the census figures of 1880, to have amounted to about 300,000 tons, which, added to the domestic ore used in our blast furnaces and forges, gives us 7,718,129 gross tons as the probable production and consumption of domestic iron ore in 1884. This calculation takes no account of ore produced and not consumed. That the figures above given of the production and con- sumption of iron ore in the United States in 1884 are correct is proved by statistics obtained by the American Iron and Steel Association. In response to a circular letter addressed to all the manufacturers of iron and steel in the country, and which was very generally answered, detailed information was fur- nished which indicates that the aggregate consumption of domestic iron ore in 1884 amounted to 7,639,581 gross tons. This result is so close to the result reached b}^ the method adopted in the preparation of this paper that it may safely be assumed that the quantity given by that method (7,718,129 tons) is correct and should stand. As incidental to the present inquiry it may be stated that, if we eliminate the mill cinder from the census statistics of 1880, and the probable amount of pig iron that was produced with it, it will appear that an average of 2.03 tons of iron ore was in that year required to produce a ton of pig iron. This is below the average in the leading iron-producing countries of Europe. Great Britain averages 2.4 ; Germany, 2.6 ; France, 2.6 ; and Belgium, 2.7. IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. The following statistics showing the production of domes- tic iron ore in 1883 and 1884 in certain leading districts have been obtained from reliable sources of information. As will be observed, the figures for 1884 embrace more than half the total estimated consumption of that year. Districts. 1883. 1884. Gross tons. 2,352,288 Not opened. 295,430 &ross t07is. 2,455,924 o-qaoon 194,70-t 305,300 521,416 35,000 20,000 other Lake Champlain Mines, including the Port Henry and 290,500 90,000 Total 4,087,281 4,177,197 In 1882 the Lake Superior region and the State of New Jersey reached respectively the largest production of iron ore ill their history. In the former 2,947,392 gross tons were pro- duced, and in the latter the production was 932,762 tons. The remainder of our domestic supply of iron ore in the two years mentioned, as well as in previous years, was obtain- ed from mines located in all the States and Territories that produce pig iron, and located, too, in nearly every case in close proximity to the blast furnaces. There are very few States and Territories in the Union in which iron ore has not been discovered. The large number of " local mines " in so many States and Territories indicates not only the wide distribution of iron ore in our country, but also the existence of a dispo- sition among the people of all sections to develop the various deposits as promptly as the wants of the country recjuire. The iron-making instincts of our people are shown fully as much in their search for native iron ores and in the means they have used to develop them as in their readiness to adopt the best modern methods of manufacture. A less energetic peo- ple, for instance, would have been appalled by the difficulties which confronted the first shippers of iron ore from the Lake Superior region, and there are not to be found anywhere in the world to-day better or more exjDensive machinery and ap- 10 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. })lianccs for the mining of iron ore than are to he found in that district. The hitest illustration we liave had of the enter])rise of our people in seeking at home for new sources of supi)ly of iron ore of a quality or character that had not previously heen dis- covered, or discovered in insufficient quantities, is seen in the search of our Bessemer steel manufacturers for manganiferous iron ores in Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, and Arkan- sas— a search which has resulted in a considerable increase during the past year in our production of spiegeleisen and fer- ro-manganese. The production amounted to 33,803 net tons, of which New Jersey produced 7,058 tons, Pennsylvania 26,509 tons, and Colorado 326 tons. The following table shows the production of these articles in the United States since 1875. In each year foreign as well as domestic ore was used, but in 1884 there was a marked diminution in the use of foreign ore. Net tons. 19,603 21,086 21,%3 1883 24,574 Years. Net tons. 7,832 Yeai 1880. 1876 6,616 1881. 1877 8,845 1882. 1879 13,931 1884. New and Old Iron Ore Fields in the United States. — Of the important deposits of iron ore that have been developed in this country and are still worked the Salisbuiy district in Western Connecticut was developed as early as 1731; the Schuylkill Valley mines in Pennsylvania were developed in 1716, and the Cornwall " ore hills " in the same State about 1735 ; the magnetic ore mines in Northern New Jersey were opened about 1710 ; the Sterling mines in Orange county, New York, in 1750, and the Champlain district in the same State about 1800; the Tennessee mines, the mines in Bath county, Kentucky, the Cranberry mines in North Carolina, and the Juniata ^"alley mines in Pennsylvania near the close of the last century ; the Hanging Rock region of Kentucky during the second decade of the present century, and the same region in Ohio during the third decade. The Iron Mountain and Pilot Knob region in Missouri was developed about 1845. The existence of iron ore on the southern shore of Lake Superior, the most celebrated and most jiroductive iron-ore reo-ion in this countrv, was not even discovered until IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 11 about 1830, and no attempt was made to develop it until 1845, just forty years ago. It is a noticeable fact, however, that, not- withstanding our early enterprise as iron manufacturers, some of the richest deposits of iron ore in this country were not de- veloped, and in some instances were not discovered, until in very recent years. No attempt was made to develop some of these deposits until after the boom of 1879 and 1880, while the development of others was greatly stimulated by that event. A notice of the location and characteristics of some of the older iron-ore fields above referred to and of all of the most recently developed deposits is demanded by the increasing public interest in the general question. Such illustrative chemical analyses as will be presented have in every instance been obtained from reliable sources. 1. The celebrated Marquette district, in Michigan, the most productive of all the iron-ore districts in the country, is main- ly embraced in Marquette county, a small part of it extending northwest into Baraga county. Its principal ports of ship- ment for the ores that are not consumed in local furnaces are Marquette and Escanaba, the former on Lake Superior and the latter on Lake Michigan. Small quantities of ore are annually shipped from this district at L'Anse, on Lake Su- perior. There are at present several charcoal furnaces in the district. The great extent and great richness and purity of the hem- atite and magnetic iron ores of the Marquette district are too well known to require extended reference. The district is by far the most important iron-ore field in the United States. We subjoin a collection of fourteen analyses of the ores of the Republic mine, one of the most noted mines of the Mar- quette district, which we take from Mr. A. P. Swineford's Min- eral Resources of Lake Superior, printed in 1876. This mine is operated by the Republic Iron Company. 1. 2. 3. 4. .018 5. 69.24 6. 71.82 68.40 .08 .82 .33 8. 68.23 .15 3.53 9. 65.86 .073 4.63 10. 69.89 .06 2.02 11. 67.55 .045 2.58 12. 68.00 .05 13. 68.40 14. 70.60 Aver- age. Metallic iron.... Phosphorus Silica . 65.n trace 67.75 .05 68.01 trace 68.48 053 1.08 .84 1.10 2 07 Lime Magnesia .... 12 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. The iron ore of the Cliampioii mine shows 07 per cent, of iron, 3 per cent, of silica, and .03 per cent, of phosphorus. Several analyses of West Republic ore that are before us show iron ranging from 66.483 to 68.583 per cent., and phosphorus ranging from .039 to .054 per cent. Two analyses of the spec- ular ore of the Lake Sujierior mine give the following results. Metallic iron ' 64.831 3.600 2.030 .550 .600 .007 65 680 Silica 3 700 Alumina 0 370 Lime 700 Magnesia 3-50 Phosphorus 095 2. The Menominee Range district is mainly situated in Me- nominee county, Michigan, the western part of it extending in- to Florence county, Wisconsin. This district ranks second in productiveness to the Marquette district. Both districts lie on the southern shore of Lake Superior. The' Menominee district owes its development mainly to the enterprise of the Menominee Mining Company, of Mil- waukee. About 1876 this company obtained control of a large extent of country owned by the Lake Superior Ship Canal, Raihvay, and Iron Company, and by other i^arties, and at once commenced active operations. In 1877 10,405 tons were shipped, and thereafter shipments rapidly increased, both from the mines of this company and from mines opened by other capitalists. The Menominee Mining Company is still the largest shipper in the district, and the next largest is the Penn Iron Mining Company, a corporation which was organ- ized in 1882 and which represents a large amount of Pennsyl- vania capital. The ore from this district is all shipped at Es- canaba to ports below, except a very small quantity which is used at two local charcoal furnaces. The ores of the Menominee district are generally red hematites, and partake of the same general characteristics as similar ores of the Marquette district, except that they are as a rule softer. They are found in large deposits. We subjoin analyses of the ores of some of the mines operated by the Penn Mining Company. These analyses w^ere made by the Cambria Iron Company from ores used in its bla.st furnaces. IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 13 Vulcan. Cyclops. Norway. Quinnesec. 63.930 6.S60 .013 60.470 3.380 .009 58.940 12.270 .016 Silica .01 3. The statistics of the Marquette and Menominee iron-ore districts have usually been given together, but the districts are not contiguous. In a list of eighty-two mines in the two dis- tricts, which we find credited in the Marquette Mining Journal with having produced iron ore in one or all of the last three years, fourteen are located in the Menominee district. The production of iron ore in 1884 in these two districts and by the isolated Colby mine, in Ontonagon county, also in Upper Michigan, was 2,455,921 gross tons, of which the Menominee district produced 698,047 tons. In 1882, however, the two dis- tricts alone produced the exceptionally large quantity of 2,- 947,392 tons, and in that year the proportion of the Menominee district was 1,032,611 tons. The most productive mine in the whole Lake Superior region in 1883 and 1884 was the Chapin mine, in the Menominee district, which produced 265,830 tons in 1883 and 290,972 tons in 1884. The Lake Superior mine, in the Marquette district, has, however, produced a still larger annual product, its output in 1882 being 296,509 tons. This latter mine has been the most productive of all the mines in the' Lake Superior region, the Cleveland, Jackson, and Repub- lic mines, in the same district, coming next, in the order men- tioned. Since 1856 the total production of iron ore on the south- ern shore of Lake Superior has amounted to 24,809,391 gross tons. Most of the capital that has been invested in the devel- opment of the iron ores of this region has been supplied by New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. 4. The Vermillion Lake iron district, in St. Louis county, Minnesota, on the northern shore of Lake Superior, embraces several extensive mines that are opened or exposed, the most of them containing hard hematite ores of the same general characteristics as those found on the southern shore of the lake. The first shipment of iron ore from this district took place on the 31st of July, 1884, over the Dulutli and Iron 14 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. Range Railroad, which connects Two Harbors, on Lake Supe- rior, twenty-five miles northeast of Duluth, with the town of Tower, at the mines, the distance between the two places be- ing seventy-two miles. This road, which is under the control of the Minnesota Iron Company, the owner of all the mines, is to be continued from Two Harbors to Duluth, where it will connect with the railroad system of the United States. At Two Harbors are extensive piers at which vessels will receive the ore, which it is expected will find its principal markets at ports on the lower lakes. The shijjments in 1884, all to these ports, amounted to 62,124 gross tons. Shipments will be largely increased in 1885. Of the vast extent and uniformly good quality of the iron ores of this district there is no room for doubt, and the facilities for shipment are favorable. The policy of the company will be to ship only the best ores. All of the Vermillion Lake ores are sufficiently Ioav in phosphorus for Bessemer purposes, but they contain little or no manga- nese. The existence of iron ore in this district was discovered by explorers about twenty years ago, but it was not until 1874 that any steps were taken to ascertain their extent or value,, and not until 1883 that the building of the railroad was com- menced. A few of the mines were opened in 1881 and 1882, The development of this district is in the hands of experi- enced capitalists, at the head of whom is ]Mr. Charlemagne Tower, of Philadelphia. The following analyses, made by ]SIessrs. Carnegie Brothers & Company Limited, of Pittsburgh, present a fair average of a large number which have been made of average samples from the Vermillion mines. The analyses here given are of ores from the mines which supplied the shipments in 1884. Breitung Mine. Stone Mine. Lee Mine. Iron 69.700 69.160 67.180 Manganese trace Phosphorus .047 .053 .050 Sulphur .007 .008 .025 Silica I .700 .700 , 2.150 Alumina .400 i 1.230 Lime -350 , .450 Magnesia trace trace t .320 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 15 It is a fact of much interest that Minnesota, one of our prairie States, should promise to become a large producer of iron ore. 5. In the vicinity of Gogebic Lake, in Ontonagon county, Michigan, on the southern shore of Lake Superior, and west of the Marquette and Menominee iron-ore districts, are exten- sive deposits of iron ore of the same general characteristics as the ores found in all the other Lake Superior districts. The existence of marketable iron ore in this district was discov- ered in 1880, but owing to the absence of railroad transporta- tion no attempt was made until quite recently to develop any of the deposits, which will not be worked together, being con- trolled by various projectors and operators, principally un- der leases from the Lake Superior Ship Canal, Railway, and Iron Company. About twenty openings have been made, but down to the close of 1884 shipments of ore had been made from only the Colby mine, lying about six miles east of the Montreal river. It is claimed that the existence of extensive forests of hard wood in close proximity to the iron-ore de- posits and to calcareous marl as a fluxing material justifies the erection of blast furnaces in the district. Analyses of numer- ous samples of marl found in the district show the deposits to consist of nearly pure carbonate of lime with but a trace of phosphorus. The Milwaukee, Lake Shore, and Western Railway was completed to the Gogebic district in 1884, and during 1885 it is expected that it will be completed to Ashland, Wisconsin, on Lake Superior, where there is an excellent harljor and where expensive piers are being built, and from which it is expected that considerable shipments of iron ore to lower lake ports will be made before this year closes. It was over this road that the ore from the Colby mine was shipped by way of Milwaukee in 1884. The quantity shipped amounted to 1,022 gross tons. It was received by Carnegie Brothers & Company Limited, of Pittsburgh, for use in their blast fur- naces, and gave complete satisfaction. It contained a large percentage of manganese. From the Colby mine to Ashland the distance by railroad will be less than fifty miles, and from any of the mines in the vicinity of Gogebic Lake to Ashland the distance will probably not exceed seventy-five miles. 16 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. Ill Aslilaiid county, Wisconsin, just west of the Montreal river, which forms the Ijoundary Ijetween Michigan and Wis- consin, are several promising iron-ore deposits which await development. Analyses of the iron ores of the Gogeljic district show that they are rich in metallic iron, very low in phosphorus, variable in silica, and free from sulphur. They are as a rule adapted to the manufacture of Bessemer pig iron. In a few mines manganese is also found in sufficient quantity in combination with iron to produce spiegeleisen. We subjoin a few analyses of ore from the Colbv mine. Iron and manganese. Metallic iron Phosphorus Silica Manganese 60.040 48.630 62.340 55.490 .070 2.680 6.850 57.140 .071 65.100 .042 8.840 .920 61.270 52.700 .075 1.820 8.570 Most of the analyses of the iron ores of this district that have been made show metallic iron ranging from 50 to 06 per cent. 6. There are four distinct iron-ore fields in Missouri, known as the Iron Mountain, the Southeastern, the Southwest, and the Western districts. " The Iron Mountain region," to quote the words of Mr. AV. B. Potter, " although much the smallest in area, is l)y far the most imjxjrtant, since it has produced, and still is capable of producing, more ore than all the other regions combined." This district is located in Iron and St. Francois counties, from eighty to ninety miles south of St. Louis. The principal deposits of the district are known as Iron IVIountain and Pilot Knob. The former has been work- ed since 1845 and the latter since 1817. They have frequent- ly been described. Iron Mountain alone has produced about 3,000,000 tons of ore; Pilot Knob has produced about 1,000,- 000 tons. In 1872 there were mined and .shipped from Iron Mountain alone 269,480 tons. A large part of the production of Iron ]\Iountain and Pilot Knob has been taken to Pittsburgh and other places on the Ohio river, but in recent years ship- ments have been mainly to nearer localities. Below are two analyses of Iron Mountain ore, which we take from a paper IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 17 prepared by My. W. B. Potter in 1884, and published in the Journal of the United States Association of Charcoal Ironworkers. Surface ore. Bluflf ore. Peroxide of iron. 95.040 2..570 1.570 .790 .170 .140 none .005 .071 90 610 2.800 Silica 3 750 Lime 480 Magnesia 320 Manganese . trace Sulphur .... trace Phosphoric acid 075 100.356 100.195 68.530 .031 65.610 Phosphorus .033 The following analyses show the chemical composition of the iron ores of Pilot Knob. Protoxide of iron 0.150 1 670 Silica 13 270 5 180 Alumina 2190 890 Lime 210 1 760 Magnesia 140 130 Manganese.. none none Sulphur.... trace 078 Phosphoric acid n!« 069 • 100.325 100.647 A statement which we have received from the Iron ]\Iount- ain Company gives the average analysis of a series of sam- ples of No. 1 ore from Iron Mountain as follows : Metallic iron 65. .5000 Silica 5.7500 Sulphur 0160 Phosphorus 0405 In Crawford and Dent counties, Missouri, in the Southwest section, just west of the Iron Mountain district, are numerous mines of rich ore that are operated by the Missouri Iron Com- pany and hy others. We have received from this company several analyses of the ores of this section, which show metal- 18 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. lie iron ranging in every case above 00 per cent., with a very low percentage of phosphorus, little or no sulphur, and vari- able silica. We have room for only one of these analyses, re- lating to the surface ore of Simmons Mountain. Peroxide of iron 98.140 Silicic acid 1.410 Alumina OGO Lime 240 Magnesia 110 Phosphoric acid. Metallic iron 68.690 Phosphorus 016 7. The immense Cornwall iron-ore deposit in Le])aiion coun- ty, Pennsylvania, appears to be no nearer exhaustion to-day than when it was first opened, a hundred and fifty years ago. We give below detailed analyses of six samples of the ore of the Cornwall mines, " selected," as we are informed, " to give a general average of the quality of the ore." The mines sup- ply a large number of local and neighboring furnaces. Pig iron made from this ore has been largely used as a mixture with other pig iron in the manufacture of Bessemer steel. Magnetic oxide of iron.. Sesquioxide of iron Oxide of copper Oxide of cobalt Oxide of manganese Lime Sulphuric acid Phosphoric acid... Quartz and silica.. Copper pyrites Iron pyrites.. Water, etc 78.278 1.840 0.200 trace 1.286 1.000 0.039 0.072 11.082 0.352 5.222 0.629 1.480 0.095 trace 2.695 1.110 0.204 0.010 28.000 1.818 1.792 0.598 67.282 trace trace 0.153 trace 1.867 1.210 0.105 0.006 18.240 0.232 8.299 2.522 22.794 0.250 0.067 trace 1.228 1.403 0.013 0.002 2.200 0.084 2.943 53.075 41.131 52.298 1.300 0.030 0.076 0.105 trace trace 3.193 1.369 1.510 1.111 0.187 0.003 I 0.006 37.860 3.840 0.604 I 1.479 0.603 2.107 100.000 1 100.000 100.000 I 100.000 Metallic iron Metallic copper.. Phosphorus Sulphur 59.229 1.589 0.032 2.910 46.422 1.814 0.004 1.672 52.666 0.080 0.002 4.549 65.952 0.200 0.007 0.045 1.246 0.001 1.076 8. The Salisbury iron region is properh' confined to the towai, or township, of this name in the northwestern portion of Litchfield county, Connecticut, but it is frequently referred to as embracing also the contiguous counties of Columbia and IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 19 Dutchess in New York and Berkshire in Massachusetts, the whole constituting a strip of country from ten to fifteen miles wide, in which may be found about twenty charcoal furnaces. The ores of this celebrated region are brown hematites, some of which are found in beds and others in veins. In the Salis- bury region proper there are seven charcoal furnaces, which are supplied with ores from three mines, known as Old Hill, Davis, and Chatfield. Iron has been manufactured in this part of Connecticut since 1734. We subjoin complete analy- ses of the ores of the three mines mentioned, which still show no signs of exhaustion. Sesquioxide of iron Sesquioxide of manganese Silica Sulpliur Pliosphoric acid Lime, magnesia, alumina, water, etc Metallic iron Metallic manganese Sulphur Phosphorvis 75.720 1.376 7.580 .082 .032 15.210 78.136 .826 6.630 .048 .501 13.857 73.51 .96 10.48 .07 .57 14.41 .576 .048 .219 51.45 .67 .07 The pig iron produced from the Salisbury iron ores is in high repute for the manufacture of car-wheels and of rolls for rolling mills, but it is also in demand for all purposes requiring great strength and tenacity. More than a century ago there were many forges in this district which produced bar iron of superior quality. The American navy has been sup- plied with many guns made from Salisbury iron. Only the ore of the Davis mine appears to be adapted to the manufac- ture of steel. 9. The State of New York is very rich in iron ore, the principal deiDOsits of which lie along its eastern border, on both banks of the Hudson river and in the neighborhood of Lake Champlain. Much of the ore is magnetic, rich in iron, and low in phosphorus. In Clinton and Essex counties, in the Champlain district, iron has been made directly from the 20 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. ore ill nuinorous charcoal forges (more properly bloomaries) since the beginning of the century, and considerable quanti- ties of pig iron have also been made in these and neighboring counties with anthracite coal and with charcoal. The annual production of iron ore in this district ranges from 500,000 to 600,000 tons. The quality of the iron made in this whole re- gion is most excellent, and it enjoys a high reputation for various uses. As a rule the iron ores of this district are not adapted to the manufacture of any kind of steel, but some Bessemer pig iron is made in the district, and some mines produce ores the blooms and billets from wliich have been used in the manufacture of crucible steel. We subjoin seven analyses of the ore of one of the oldest iron-ore companies in this section, the Port Henry Iron Ore Company, whose mines are located in Essex county. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 88.323 88.772 76.608 81.381 85.559 84.623 1.791 1.513 4.227 4.694 3.297 3.495 63.958 64.287 55.475 58.935 61.9.57 61.279 .782 .661 1.846 2.050 1.440 1.528 Magnetic oxide of iron Phosphoric acid Equivalent to Metallic iron Phosphorns 92.78 .71 10. The Chateaugay Ore and Iron Company, whose oper- ations are on a large scale, Avas organized in 1881, (after the boom of 1879 and 1880,) for the development of the Chateau- gay mines, in the vicinity of Chateaugay Lake, in Franklin county, west of Lake Champlain, the port of shipment being Plattsburgh, on the last-named lake, with which the mines are connected by a railroad 35 miles long, owned by the com- pany. The company owns about 75,000 acres of land. Since the commencement of operations in 1881 it has mined 752,101 tons of ore. The output was 102,626 tons in eight months of 1881, 240,377 tons in 1882, 194,704 tons in 1883, and 214,394 tons in 1884. To meet an extraordinary demand a production of 500,000 tons per annum is possible, the mines being fully equipped Avith powerful machinery and the ore being favor- ably situated. The mining plant employed by this company is one of the most extensive and complete in the countiy. In addition to its mining operations the company is a large pro- ducer of charcoal blooms, owning a number of forges in the IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 21 neighborhood, and it also owns and operates one charcoal fur- nace at Plattsburgh. Much the larger portion of the ore pro- duced by this company is, however, sold to furnace owners in New York and neighboring States, where it has been used in the manufacture of Bessemer steel and for other purposes. We subjoin an analysis of Chateaugay ore, which we oljtain from the company. Peroxide of iron 47.3S0 Protoxide of iron 21.320 Protoxide of manganese 210 Alumina 4.020 Lime 3.720 Magnesia 2.110 Phosphoric acid 057 Sulphur 084 Silica 20.890 Iron 49.750 Pho.sphorus 025 11. In the immediate vicinity of New York City, and near to the Hudson river, are two celebrated iron-ore fields — one known as the mines of the Sterling Iron and Railway Com- pany, which have been worked since 1750, and the other known as the Tilly Foster mine. The Sterling mines em- brace about 22,000 acres in Orange and Rockland counties, and the Tilly Foster mine is in Putnam county. Tlie Ster- ling ores are most used in the manufacture of foundry and mill pig iron, but the ore of some of the mines is a pure Bes- semer ore. The reputation of the Sterling ores was made by the Long mine, which was discovered in 1750. The "big mine " is the one that is now most worked. Its ores contain some phosphorus. The company itself operates two anthracite furnaces. We give below analyses of the ores of two of the Sterling mines. Cook mine. ; Scott mine. Iron Oxygen. Silica Sulphur. Alumina Lime Magnesia Oxide of manganese. 64.24 65.47 24.48 24.93 7.45 4.92 none none .184 .52 1.13 .71 1.59 .56 .32 The Tilly Foster ore is largely used by the Lackawanna 22 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. .05 100.78 Iron and Coal Company in tlie production of Bessemer pig iron, at Scranton, Pennsylvania, and it has also been used for the same i)urpose by the Bethlehem Iron Company. We sub- join an analysis of this ore which has been furnished us by the first-mentioned company. Magnetic oxide of iron 67.41 [ Sulphur 08 Oxide of manganese 30 j Carbonic acid 2.30 Silica 11.75 I Phosphoric acid Alumina 3.50 Lime 2.15 | Magnesia 13.24 , Metallic iron 48.82 Several other iron-ore deposits of similar character, which are apparently large but imperfectly developed, exist within a few miles of the Tilly Foster mine. 12. A new iron-ore field was developed in 1S83 on the ea.st side of the Hudson river, in Columbia county, by the Hudson River Ore and Iron Company, Avhich has expended a large sum of money in prosecuting its enterprise. The ore of this district is described as a carbonate that is not greatly unlike the Cleveland ore in England, but much richer. When roast- ed it is adapted to the manufacture of Bessemer steel. The quantity of ore mined in 1884 by the company owning this property amounted to 90,000 tons. The deposits are very large. We subjoin two analyses of the ore after it had been roasted, which we take from The Iron Age. 1. 2. Iron 51.160 50.820 Silica 3-200 9.030 Sulphur 550 .600 Phosphorus 029 .031 We are furnished by Messrs. Crocker Brothers, of New York, the agents of the Hudson River Ore and Iron Company, with the following more complete analysis of roasted ore. Peroxide of iron 66.991 Protoxide of iron 3.584 Protosesquioxide of manganese 3.066 Alumina 2.637 Lime 3.720 Magnesia 7.125 Phosphoric acid 0.087 Sulphuric acid 1.450 Iron 49.682 Phosphorus 038 Sulphur 580 Manganese 2.209 13. All of the iron ores of New Jersey that are now mined are in the northern part of the State. They are chiefly mag- netic. In the last century and during a considerable part of IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 23 the present century bog ore was used in a number of charcoal furnaces in the southern part of the State. Most of the ores that are now mined are only suitable for forge or foundry pur- poses, but some are well adapted to the manufacture of Besse- mer pig iron as the}^ come from the mine, while others contain too much sulphur for this purpose and require to be roasted. These ores are also roasted when used for other purposes. We subjoin two analyses of magnetic ores, obtained in Sussex county, which are very low in sulphur and are used at Frank- lin furnace in the manufacture of Bessemer pig iron. Hill vein. [Furnace vein. Magnetic oxide of iron ! 69.50 65.40 Oxide of manganese .46 | 4.13 Silica ' 18.27 \ 1.05 Alumina .27 j .18 Lime 5.00 I 9.74 Magnesia ■ 2.73 I 6.44 Sulphur i .10 I .45 Carbonic acid ' 3.55 I 11.93 Phosphoric acid .03 05 99.91 100.15 Metallic iron 50.32 47 35 A larger general average of New Jersey magnetic ores would show a higher percentage of metallic iron and Avould be more favorable in other proportions for special purposes. For examj)le, the ore of the Richard mine, in Morris county, owned and operated by the Thomas Iron Company, averages 60 per cent, of metallic iron, and contains some phosphorus but no sulphur. The present state of the iron-ore industry of New Jersey is described as follows by the State Geologist, Professor George H. Cook, in his annual report for 1884 : " The low price of iron ore and the light demand for ore at almost any figure have caused a large shrinkage in the production and closed many of our mines. The large and increasing importations of iron ores from Spain and Africa also operate against our mines, since these rich and pure foreign ores can be put down at the furnaces near the seaboard at lower rates, per unit of metallic 24 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. iron, than the New Jersey ores can be profitabh' mined and shipped to these same points. Besides, the adaptation of the former to the making of Bessemer iron enables them to com- pete successfully with our own Bessemer ores which are as yet scarcely developed. The discover}^ of new and productive mines along the Hudson, where ore can be obtained at a min- imum of cost, also makes the competition for the Pennsylva- nia market sharp and telling against some of our mines where the expenses of mining arc rclativelv larger, although our magnetic ores are richer." 14. So many varieties of iron ore are found in Ohio, and they are so widely distributed, that the State at first sight might be called rich in iron ore, and yet it annually makes more iron from Michigan ores than from the ores of its own mines. Pennsylvania, also, although celebrated as our lead- ing iron-producing State, annually makes more iron from ores mined outside its borders than within them. A quar- ter of a century ago Professor Lesley wrote of Pennsylvania : " The reputation of this State for iron has resulted more from the energetic, persevering German use, for a century of years, of what ores do exist, than from any extraordinary wealth of iron of which she can boast." In Ohio the ores of native ori- gin are generally very lean, and too high in j)hosphorus to be serviceable in the manufacture of steel. Economy in the one case and necessity in the other combine to create a demand for Michigan ores, which are transported to ports on Lake Erie at comparatively slight cost, meeting the fuel to smelt them at many places in Ohio, even as far south as the Ohio river. ]\Iichigan ores are taken in large Cjuantities to the Shenango Valley and to Allegheny, Cambria, and other counties in West- ern Pennsjdvania. Spanish and other foreign ores also find their way to this part of the State, and are still more large- ly consumed in the eastern part, in both sections meeting the best of mineral fuel. Michigan and foreign ores are used in Pennsylvania because of their fitness as a mixture with native ores and their comparative cheapness, and because also of the leainiess of so many of the native ores and of the phosphorus that most of them contain. We omit analyses of the ores of Ohio and Pennsylvania as, unnecessary. It must be added, however, that Ohio is a IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. 25 large manufacturer of rolled iron and of the best qualities of foundry iron, produced from its Hanging Rock, blackband, and other native ores, and that the bar, plate, and sheet iron of Pennsylvania and its foundry iron, made exclusively from native ores, are unexcelled anywhere. In both States char- coal is still used as fuel in many furnaces. 15. Indiana and Illinois produce so little iron ore that de- tails'may properly be omitted. The same observation may be made of all the New England States except Connecticut, which has already been noticed. Illinois is, however, one of the most prominent iron and steel producing States in the Union, but the ores it uses are mostly drawn from Lake Su- perior and Missouri, and the fuel for its blast furnaces is ob- tained mainly from the Connellsville region of Pennsylvania. 16. Delaware does not now manufacture pig iron, although it contains some small deposits of very good ores for general purposes. Maryland is not a large manufacturer of pig iron, but the pig iron that it makes from its own ores is noted for its great strength and also for its adaptability to the manufac- ture of car-wheels. Some foreign ores are imported into this State for use as a mixture with native ores. A^ery little Bes- semer pig iron has been made in Maryland. 17! Iron ores are found in most parts of Virginia, and they are usually of good quality, although very few are perfectly adapted to the manufacture of Bessemer steel, and these have thus far been found mainly in small pockets. It is possible that large bodies of ore may yet be developed along the lines of the Norfolk and Western and the Shenandoah Valley rail- roads, and elsewhere, which will be suitable for the manufac- ture of steel. In Southwestern Virginia pig iron of a very superior quality for the manufacture of car-wheels has long been made in charcoal furnaces. In other parts of Virginia pig iron of excellent quality is made in a few charcoal furna- ces and in several new and large coke furnaces, and this iron is finding a market for general purposes as far north as New England. Near Crimora Station, in Augusta county, A^irginia, on the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, there exists a large deposit of manganese ore, which has been worked for several years and which has contributed during the past year a considerable 26 IRON ORES IN THE UNITED STATES. quantity of ore for the manufacture of spiegeleisen and ferro- manganese in Pennsylvania. An analysis of this ore gives 57.291 per cent, of metallic manganese, .373 of metallic iron, and .075 of phosphorus. There are other promising deposits of manganese ore in this State. In West Virginia a great variety of iron ores is also found, which are smelted with both coke and charcoal, but few if any of these have been used in the manufacture of steel. The Bes- semer steel that is now manufactured at Wheeling is made from pig iron smelted from Lake Superior and Missouri ores. The State is more noted for its coal deposits and for the large quantities of nails it manufactures than for its iron ores. 18. An extensive deposit of magnetic iron ore is found on the western slope of Iron Mountain, in Mitchell county, North Carolina, al)0ut three miles from the Tennessee line, which is known as the Cranberry " ore bank." This deposit has been worked in a small way for a hundred years, the ore being con- verted into bar iron in neighboring bloomaries, but recently the Cranberry Iron Company has made preparations to ship