He published several successful articles and amassed a large private collection of minerals.

In the summer of 1827, they traveled to Nova Scotia, to collect minerals and make observations upon the geology of the area.

And based on the visit, they published A Description of the Mineralogy and Geology of a part of Nova Scotia on the American Journal of Science and Arts Volume 14-15.

[5][6] And in August 1831, submitted Remarks on the Mineralogy and Geology of Nova Scotia, corrected and enlarged version of the prior 'essay', to the first volume of Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

[9] After his father’s death in 1856, Alger took over as manager of the South Boston Iron Company.