Over View of Mineral Resources

 

1. Overview of Mineral Resources

• Pocahontas County is considered important for its mineral potential, having three distinct geological zones with outcropping rocks.
• The county's mineral resources include petroleum, natural gas, coal, water power, mineral waters, iron ore, manganese, precious metals, limestone, clay, building stone, glass sand, and forests.

2. Petroleum and Natural Gas

• The area has potential for oil and gas due to the presence of oil and gas horizons and favorable structural conditions.
• However, the region's high carbon ratios suggest that oil is less likely to be found in commercial quantities, and gas is also unlikely to be found in areas with ratios above 70.
• The Oriskany Sandstone is considered a potential horizon for gas, especially west of the Greenbrier River, but it lies beneath the drainage.
• The Huntersville Chert may also contain oil and gas, but it is very deep in areas where oil and gas are currently being extracted.
• Previous folding and metamorphism of the rocks in the county may have allowed any oil or gas that was once present to escape.
• It is noted that investing in oil drilling in Pocahontas County is considered a high-risk venture.

3. Commercial Coal

• The county contains several minable coal seams, especially within the Kanawha and New River Groups.
• Three coals are given tonnage estimates: The Gilbert, Hughes Ferry, and Sewell coals.
• The Sewell Coal is considered the most valuable and persistent seam in the county, with a wide distribution in the western part of Edray and Little Levels Districts.
• The Hughes Ferry Coal appears to be of minable thickness in parts of the Edray and Little Levels Districts.
• The Gilbert Coal was only seen in one location, but it's possible that it extends to other locations.
• There are no commercial coal mines in the county at the time of the report, and test borings have not been conducted to determine the extent of coal deposits.
• Due to the inaccessibility of coal deposits, their development is likely to occur in the distant future.
• Samples from weathered outcrops and old prospecting dumps were used to do coal analyses, but these were not representative of the true composition of the coals.

4. Iron Ore

• The main prospecting horizons for iron ore are the Oriskany and Clinton formations.
• Oriskany ores are found as brown hematite (limonite), while Clinton ores are red hematite.
• Oriskany ores are generally considered replacements of other materials, while Clinton ores are thought to be sedimentary in origin.
• Prospecting for iron ore was done in the early 1900s, but interest has since declined due to the discovery of more accessible and purer ores in the Great Lakes region.
• Several prospects were investigated on Beaver Lick Mountain, but fresh exposures were not available at the time of the report.
• No iron ore of minable thickness was found in fresh exposures.
• It is suggested that better grade ores may be found due to local enrichment in folded troughs or basins.
• Both the Oriskany and Clinton ores contain sufficient iron to be of economic value in the future, but more detailed prospecting is needed to determine available reserves.

5. Manganese

• Manganese is found in association with iron ores in the Oriskany and Clinton Series.
• Loose pieces of manganese were found on the southern end of Michael Mountain, and one sample was determined to be a good grade of manganese ore.
• The accumulation of manganese deposits is thought to occur in areas with reduced land surfaces, where iron and manganese were carried in solution and redeposited in the rock.
• No commercial quantities of manganese are known to exist in the county, but a more thorough search is recommended.

6. Other Resources

• Limestone is considered a significant asset in the county, with various beds having high calcium carbonate content and suitable for lime, cement, concrete aggregate, and road material.
• Clay and shale deposits exist in the county, some of which may be suitable for brick and tile production.
• Building stone resources are available, with some deposits showing potential for "marble".
• Water power potential exists, but no utilization was being made of streams for hydroelectric power at the time of the report.
• Mineral springs are numerous in the region, with varying mineral content.
• Precious metals are not expected to be found in significant quantities.

7. Economic Considerations

• Accessibility is a major factor in the economic viability of mineral resources in the county. Many deposits are located in remote areas with difficult terrain.
• Further prospecting and investigation are needed to determine the extent and quality of many of the mineral resources.
• Market conditions play a role in the feasibility of developing these resources.
• For example, vast quantities of easily accessible iron ore in the Great Lakes region had led to dormancy in West Virginia iron ore prospecting.

This information indicates that Pocahontas County possesses a variety of mineral resources with potential for future development, but many deposits require further exploration and assessment to determine their commercial viability. The report emphasizes that while there are promising resources, there are challenges to their economic use, such as accessibility and market demands.