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Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Bog Iron and Slag, Atsion, NJ
Sciences and Greg Fischer
Mathematics
Stockton University, 101 Vera King Farris Dr, Galloway, NJ 08205
Iron Industry in the Pine Barrens Methodology
At the iron industry’s peak in the late‐1700s to mid‐1800s, there were between 14 and 30 furnaces Loose and in‐place bog iron and slag samples were collected along the Mullica River in Atsion, NJ.
and forges in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Although Batsto is perhaps the most well‐known and well‐ Subsamples were taken from each and pulverized into a fine powder for mineralogical and geochemical
preserved, the remains of Atsion and many other iron towns can still be found today. analysis. Geochemical analysis was performed with a Bruker S1 Titan handheld X‐ray fluorescence
analyzer. Mineralogical analysis will be performed with a Rigaku MiniFlex 600 X‐ray Diffractometer.
The Pines supplied both the fuel and the iron; vast areas of woods were clear‐cut to create the Water samples were taken from the Mullica River in the same location for additional analysis using
charcoal that would power the furnaces and forges, while the savannas supplied sporadic but atomic absorption spectroscopy. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel.
plentiful bog iron. Seashells were transported via dirt roads from the shore to be used as flux, a
material which removes impurities and acts as a reducing agent.
Pine Barrens furnaces went into blast every spring as dammed rivers melted and began to flow,
turning the waterwheels which powered their massive bellows. Giant hammers crushed the ore in
preparation for smelting and shaped the pig iron that was yielded—the booming sound of the
The iron industry employed a great number of workers at its peak. Blacksmiths, molders, pattern‐
makers, ore‐raisers, and colliers (charcoal‐makers) all played an important role. Some ironworkers,
though not many, were indentured servants working off their debt for passage to the New World. The
colliers, often African Americans, were considered to have the lowest status of all the workers.
Pine Barrens iron was used for many purposes, ranging from war to cookware. Cannons, cannonballs,
and rounds were produced for the American Revolution, the First Barbary War, and the War of 1812.
Other outstanding uses include a steam cylinder for an experimental steamboat and the original
wrought‐iron fence at Independence Hall. Dutch ovens, kettles, stoves, nails, firebacks, and more
were also produced in large quantities—a ship named Atsion would make regular trips to deliver
stoves from the Mullica River to New York City and Albany.
Results
© Greg Fischer
© Greg Fischer
Comparison of Iron Content in Atsion, NJ
60
A
50
A
Iron Conent (weight %)
40
30
Background on Bog Iron AB
20
Acidic groundwater leaches iron from glauconite‐rich greensands—Eocene and Cretaceous strata
that have been covered with Quaternary coastal plain deposits. This dissolved iron is brought to 10
B
groundwater‐fed streams and bogs, where it precipitates as bog iron. While original models
suggested that the iron simply precipitates due to aeration‐induced oxidation, current models 0
Bog iron is considered limonite, an iron ore comprised of a multitude of hydrated ferric
oxyhydroxides. Limonite contains a variety of minerals; however, the only mineral that
researchers have been able to identify in Pine Barrens bog iron thus far is goethite. Historic Conclusions
literature notes four forms of bog iron found in the Pine Barrens, which are listed and pictured
below. Geochemical analysis of modern bog iron at Atsion shows no significant difference in iron content
from historically measured values. The significant difference in iron content between slag and both
Iron Scum: Loose precipitate historical and in‐place bog iron shows the efficiency of the Atsion furnace/forge. The low iron
Loam Ore: Loose precipitate + soil/sand content of the out‐of‐place bog iron can likely be attributed to weathering, but further analysis is
Seed Ore: Partially consolidated precipitate + soil/sand needed to confirm this hypothesis. Additional analysis of bog iron geochemistry and mineralogy will
Massive Ore: Fully consolidated rock‐like ore reveal more information about both the formation and composition of Pine Barrens bog iron.
Iron Scum Glauconite
Acknowledgements
© Greg Fischer
© Greg Fischer
I would like to thank Mark Demitroff, Jessica Favorito, and Rocky Severs for their assistance in
literature review and mineralogic/chemical analysis.
Loam, Seed, and Massive Ore
References
Bayley, W.S. 1910. Iron mines and mining in New Jersey. MacCrellish & Quigley, State Printers, Trenton,
NJ.
© Greg Fischer
© Greg Fischer
Cook, G.H. 1868. Geology of New Jersey: By authority of the Legislature. The Daily Advertiser Office,
Newark, NJ.
Crerar D.A., Knox G.W., and J.L. Means. 1979. Biogeochemistry of bog iron in the New Jersey Pine
Barrens. Chemical Geology. 24:111–135.
McPhee, J. (1968). The Pine Barrens. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Pierce, A. D. (1957). Iron in the Pines: The Story of New Jersey's Ghost Towns and Bog Iron. New
Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers Univ. Pr.
GIS‐4672—Pinelands Physical & Cultural Geography Poster Presentation Kramer Hall, Hammonton, NJ May 02, 2019