Black-band Ironstone

Black-band Ironstone is an ore of iron found very extensively in Scotland and elsewhere. It occurs in the Carboniferous system in regular bands or layers, and is generally associated with coal and limestone. It is mainly a carbonate of iron with much coaly matter. The black-band ironstone is easily reduced. It does not, however, yield a first-class iron when smelted by itself, and is therefore generally mixed with a small quantity of hematite (red iron ore), which communicates strength and hardness to the iron obtained.