This rare map and report by Thomas Ridgway summarizes the mineral resource potential of lands near the C&O Railroad, then partially still under construction. The map, drawn by Matthew Maury, illustrates 12 individually colored and patterned geological types from Richmond to the Ohio River along the line of the railroad with emphasis on iron ore and coal deposits plus economic occurrences of granite, marl, copper, roofing slate, kaolin, hydraulic cement, and numerous medicinal springs. The gold belt located in Louisa County is also shown. Seventeen important iron ore deposits are sequentially labeled by Roman numeral and are individually described in the text. Four cross sections of the West Virginia coal fields are given, including a large sketch of New River Canyon in Fayette County. Access to cheap coal, due in large part to completion of the C&O RR, would cause Virginia to temporarily become the leading iron ore and pig iron producer in the United States during the end of the 19th century. 24 pages, disbound. The map is not listed in Marcou & Marcou.

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Condition: B+

The map has faint color offsetting and a binding tear at left that extends 1" into the image. Disbound report text has light toning, while the title page has minor soiling and a few ink notations at top.