[89] Copper has been found in Illinois, near the sources of Cache river.—James.
[90] "Fluate of Lime.—This mineral occurs in great abundance seventeen miles south of Shawaneetown, Illinois, on Peter's creek, and proceeding about thirteen miles in a south-west direction, it again appears on and near the surface of the ground; at the three forks of the Grand Pierre creek, maintaining the same course, it breaks out in several places for near twenty miles. This beautiful and useful species of lime occurs at Peter's creek, almost invariably in a crystallized form; the crystals are universally cubes: at the three forks of the Grand Pierre creek, it occurs in masses of several feet in diameter. Both the crystallized and massive varieties, possess almost all the shades of colour and have been observed in the European specimens: viz. green, violet, blue, red, yellow, white, black, and rose-coloured. This mineral varies in transparency, some specimens being perfectly limpid, others opaque. Some of the violet and rose-coloured specimens, when recently fractured or pulverized, yield a strong bituminous odor; this character (which has never been observed heretofore as belonging to this species of lime) is perceptible only in the crystallized specimens.
"The vein of fluate of lime is apparently very extensive; very few minerals have been found associated with it, at the above localities. I saw at Peter's creek a few specimens of laminated calcareous spar, and a few of sulphuret of lead. Excavations have been made by several gentlemen who reside in that vicinity, for lead, but no veins or beds of this ore have been found.
"From examination of the situation of those specimens which I found, and the general appearance of the vein of fluor spar, I do not think that there is a sufficiency of lead ore, to reimburse the expenses that would be necessarily incurred in mining. The accompanying rocks of the vein of spar are compact limestone, sandstone, and oolite." Jessup's MS. Report.
"Concreted Carbonate of Lime, variety Oolite.—This occurs on Peter's creek, seventeen miles south of Shawaneetown, Illinois, associated with compact limestone, and sandstone, in the gangue of the fluate of lime. It is composed of globular masses, about the size of English mustard-seed, which are united by a calcareous cement; the nucleus of the globules are detached, leaving a small cavity in the centre of each; its colour is yellowish-white; fracture dull." Ibid.
"Sulphuretted Hydrogen Gas.—This gas is very abundant in the water of many of the springs and wells in Missouri territory. Its origin is probably owing to the decomposition of sulphuret of iron. Six miles west of St. Louis is a large spring of water strongly impregnated with this gas; its odour is perceptible to the distance of four or five hundred yards from the spring. It is reported, that the water has proved beneficial in cases of cutaneous disorders and rheumatic complaints." Ibid.
"Red Oxide of Iron.—This occurs, though not very abundant, in the hills near Isle a Loutre, on the Missouri river. Its texture is compact, fracture earthy. Its external colour is brownish red; its streak and powder is blood red. This variety of ore produces good iron, and yields from sixty to eighty per cent." Ibid.
"Hematitic Brown Oxide of Iron.—This variety of iron ore occurs in considerable quantity in the vicinity of the vein of fluate of lime, near Shawaneetown, Illinois. It occurs there under a number of imitative forms, such as tubular, stalactitical, nodular, botryoidal, and reniform. Its colour is blackish and yellow brown; it is easily fused, and will produce near sixty per cent. of good malleable iron." Ibid.
"Argillaceous Oxide of Iron.—This variety of iron ore is abundant in the western parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and in Kentucky, where it is almost the only ore of iron that is worked. The principal furnaces in Pennsylvania, are in Cumberland, Northumberland, and Centre counties, and on the Juniata river." Ibid.
"Columnar Argillaceous Oxide of Iron.—Near the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, is a locality of argillaceous oxide of iron, of a columnar structure, and so rising from the surface of the ground as to have some resemblance to cypress trees. This mineral has by many been thought of volcanic origin; at least, that the cause of its peculiar form is, in some measure, connected with the operation of volcanic causes." Ibid.