Robert Beverley, in History and Present State of Virginia, gave this description of mineral resources:
"For Mineral Earths, 'tis believed, they have great Plenty and Variety, that Country being in a good Latitude, and have great Appearances of them. It has been proved too, that they have both Iron and Lead, as appears by what was said before, concerning the Iron-Work, set up at Falling Creek, in James River, where the Iron proved reasonably good: But before they got into the Body of the Mine, the People were cut off in that fatal Massacres; and the Project has never been set on Foot since. However, Col. Byrd, who is Proprietor of that Land, is at this Time boring, and searching after the richest Veins, near the Place of the former Work; which is very commodious for such an Undertaking, by reason of the Neighbourhood of abundance of Wood, running Water, Fire-Stone, and other Necessaries for that Purpose.
"It is also said, that there is found good Iron Ore at Corotoman, and in several other Parts of the Country.
"The Gold-Mine, of which there was lately so much Noise, may, perhaps be found hereafter to be some good Metal, when it comes to be fully examined. But, be that as it will, the Stones, that are found near it in great Plenty, are valuable; their Lustre approaching nearer to that of the Diamond, than those of Bristol or Kerry. There is no other Fault in them, but their Softness, which the Weather hardens, when they have been some time exposed to it, they being found under the Surface of the Earth. This Place is about a Day's Journey from the Frontier Inhabitants of James River.
----- "Mr. Alexander Whittaker, Minister of Henrico, on James River, in the Company's Time, writing to them, say thus: Twelve Miles from the Falls, there is Chrystal Rock, wherewith the Indians do head many of their Arrows; and Three Days Journey from thence, there is a Rock and Stony Hill found, which is on the Top covered over with a perfect and most rich Silver Ore. Our men that went out to discover those Parts, had but Two Iron Pickaxes with them, and those so ill tempered, that the Points of them turned again, bowed at every Stroke; so that we could not search the Entrails of the Place; Yet some Trial was made of the Ore with good Success."
It is not clear from Beverley's writing whether the Falls in the preceding paragraph were on the James or the Potomac River. There is some support for each view.
These notes of Beverley are quoted to show that in 1705 there was a knowledge in Virginia of iron and lead ores and a belief that gold and silver ores did exist.
(28 Nov 04)
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