'fhe lir>t iron mines I examined
w •!•<• those connected with the coal
formations along the eastern base of
the Lurjuoiv T-.o.**v,c<>nnneii<’!!itr 1
ten miles south of Cheyenne <’i:y. i
Tnis ore is amonite, commonly
known Uy the name of l>cmathe,or
bn wii iron ore. The sp - imens ob
tained were very compact,, showing
that it must have bc< n derived from
the carbonate of iron, am! it will cer
taidiy prove to be of excellent quality.
I have estimated the c<‘al form;;lions
sout'a of Cheyenne City and north of
the Arkansas to occupy an area »f
ovcro.iH«i square mile.-, and all ths
country is covered with this brows
iron ore to a greater or less extent. 1
is said t<> yield seventy percent oi
metallic iron and about three tons of
the orc is rcquy'ed to make one ton »f
pig iron. This ore has been pronouno
ed by such authorities as Profs. Hall
and Si I liman equal to the best brown
ores of the east.
