Cuba. — There  are  two  principal  groups  of  iron-ore  deposits  in  Cuba —
the  magnetite  and  hematite  ore  on  the  south  coast,  and  the  brown  ore,
or  limonite,  on  the  north  coast.  All  are  near  the  eastern  end  of  the  island.
The  ores  of  Firmeza  and  Daiquiri,  on  the  south  coast,  are  mixed  magnetite
and  hematite,  averaging  about  58  per  cent,  iron  and  0.03  per  cent,  phos-
phorus. They  are  associated  with  igneous  rocks.  A  determination  of
tonnage  is  difficult  because  of  the  irregularity  of  the  ore  bodies,  and  esti-
mates of  reserves  range  from  5  million  to  9  million  tons.  The  brown
ore  of  the  north  shore  is  hydrated  brown  hematite,  a  laterization  product
of  serpentine.  The  dried  ore  averages  about  46  per  cent,  iron,  0.01  per
cent,  phosphorus,  and  1.7  per  cent,  chromium.  The  reserve  tonnage,
estimated  as  high  as  3,000  million  tons,  is  mainly  contained  in  the
three  large  deposits  of  Camaguey,  Mayari,  and  Moa.
The  principal  deposits  of  Cuba  are  owned  and  operated  by  the  Beth-
lehem Steel  Co.  Important  undeveloped  deposits  are  owned  by  the
Buena  Vista  Iron  Co.  (Mid vale  Steel  &  Ordnance  Co.),  United
States  Steel  Corporation,  Guantanamo  Exploration  Co.,  and  Eastern
Steel  Co.
