Notes on the Sedimentary Iron Ores of Maryland and their Dinosaurian Fauna
by
Peter M. Kranz*
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT The iron industry of Maryland has played a significant role in the cultural, social, political, and scientific history of the state and of the nation. Although its role today is restricted primarily to manufacture, in the past mining and smelting of ore were important. There are two basic types of ore in Maryland — sedimentary and hard-rock. This paper deals only with the sedimentary and primarily those on the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. axis.
INTRODUCTION One hundred years ago when the Maryland Geological Survey was established, there had been a long-standing tradition, at least since the 1600's, that learned people read the original works of the natural philosophers
BASIC GEOLOGY There are two primary sources of iron ore in Maryland: igneous and sedimentary. I choose to focus on one of the sedimentary iron ores, the so-called "Arundel ores," or "bog iron ores," of the Potomac Group.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO POST CIVIL WAR There is yet one more debt owed by George Washington to the iron ores of Maryland. As mentioned earlier, among the main products made by the industry were shot, shell and cannon.
MINING DINOSAURS During the boom years of 1830-1855, twelve new furnaces were built and dozens of mines opened in the Baltimore-Washington area to handle the "Arundel" ores.
TALES FROM TODAY Arthur Bibbins was struck by a car on a Baltimore street in 1936. He died a day later (Anonymous, 1936). By this time, of course, all iron mining was a thing of the past
THE FUTURE Dinosaur hunting in the iron ore beds will surely continue, but there are other events in the future for the iron ores of Maryland. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission has acquired approximately 22 acres on property just south of the clay pits that is being developed by Potomac Capital Investment Corporation
