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Branner Earth Sciences Library
REPORT OF
THE BUREAU OF MINES
1900
CONTHNTS
INTRODUCTION p. 5-8
MINERAL INDUSTRIES OF ONTARIO - - 9-^4
MINES OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO - - 3S.88
MINES OF EASTERN ONTARIO - - - 89-111
MICMIPICOTON MINING DIVISION - - - iia-iiS
NIVEN'S BASE LINE, i899 .... i25-i4a
COPPER AND IRON REGIONS OF ONTARIO - - 143-191
MINERALS OF ONTARIO, WITH NOTES - - ipa-aia
A SKETCH OF THE NICKEL INDUSTRY - - 313-M4
THE MINES LAW OF ONTARIO - - »5-M9
PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO.
Toronto :
Printed and Published by L. K. CAMERON,
Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Mafetty,
1900,
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
LbTTIBS of Tb iKBMTSSION 1-8
Report of the Bubeau of Mines 5-8
MlHEBAL InDUBTBIBS OF ONTARIO 984
Mioing Companies 9
Mining lands 11
Mineral production 11
Building roaterials and clay phkIqcU 12
Petroleum, natural gas and carbide 12
Salt and gypsum 12
Talc, graphite and mica 12
Table of production 13
Iron ore and pfg iron 14
Hamilton furnace 14
Deeeronto furnace 15
Midland furnace 16
Nickel and copper 17
Artenic and zinc 18
Gold and silver 18
Corundum 10
Peat fuel 21
Trent Valley Peat Fuel C< 21
Beaverton peat works , 22
Other peat companies 23
Mining Accidents 34
Canadian Copper Co*s Mines 24
Mil'ermine 26
Location NT 20 25
Location 8 V 1 29 20
Regina mine 28
Black Sturgeon mine 28
Gulden Star mine 30
Cameron mine 81
Mikado mine :U
Vankonghnet mine 32
Wilcox mine 32
Provincial Assay Office : 33
Mines of Nobthwestkbn Ontabio 85-88
Report of Inspector Bow 36
General view of operations 35
Lake of the Woods region 36
Bullion mine 36
Rainy River Gold Mining Co 37
Scramble mine 37
Black Sturgeon mine . .• 37
Treasure mine 38
Bad mine 88
Sultana mine ;i8
Burley mine 42
Hay Island mine 42
Scotty Island mine ... 42
Black Jack aud Grold Hill properties 43
Triggs mine 43
Wendigo mine 44
Regina mine 44
Sturgeon Lake region 46
Virginia or Lizzie mine 46
Nina mine 47
Anglo-Canadian Gold Estates 47
Gold Panner mine 49
Camp Bay mines 60
Combined Gold Mines Co 60
PA(7^
Nobthwestebn Omtabio Mines.— Con.
Boulder mine SI
Gteld Sun mine 51
Bully Boy mine 61
Trojan mine 61
Shoal Lake region 52
Mikado mine 62
Sirdar mine 66
Sirdar point 67
Bullion No. 2 mine 57
Imperial mine 67
Yum- Yum mine 68
.Location Mil 68
Tycoon mine 58
Crown Poinv mine 59
Great Granite properties 59
Cameron Island mine 60
Nora mine 60
Manitou Lake region 61
Oxford mine 61
Orion mine 62
Independence mine 62
Glass Reef 62
Barkers' mine 63
Cracker Jack mine 63
New Klondike region 68
Golden Whale mine ^.. 68
Location S V 106 64
Lower Seine region 64
Foley mine G6
Golden Star mine 66
Randolph mine 68
Isabella mine 68
Deoca mine 68
Lucky Coon mine 70
Manhattan mine 70
Golden Crescent mine 71
Ferguson mine 72
Olive mine . 72
Swede Boy mine 74
Alice A. mine 75
Gold Bug and £mma Abbott locations. . . 76
Upper Seine region 76
Duluth Mining Co 76
Hammond Reef mine 76
Sawbill mine 78
Koy mine 79
Pettigrew's mine 79
Ltcation A L282 80
Island Falls properties so
Rust and Weadock properties 81
Lake Superior region go
Empress mine 82
Ursa Major mine 33
West End silver mine 84
Porcupine silver mine 84
Rabbit Mountain silver mine 86
Blake and Bokton copper mine 86
Pritchard Harbor copper mine 85
Tip-top oopper mine 86
Zenith zinc mine 84;
[»]
Contents
iii
PAOK.
NoiTHWBBTBBN Outabio M IKKS.— C!im.
G«tio sine mioe 87
Iron ore locations 87
Bednction Works 88
iUt PortAge works 88
Nortniiti works 88
K«6w»tin works 88
Mixsi OF EASTEfiK Ontario . .89-111
lUport of laipector De K»lh 89
Gold minas 89
Ophir mine 89
Deloro mines 90
Atl&a AneDic Go 91
Belmont min* 92
Bo?rth iiiiii« 98
Copp€!r and Nickel mines 94
Brace uunes 94
Rock Lake intd» 95
Copper Cliff mine 96
Evuif mine 96
Me Arthur No. 1 mine . . 96
McArthnr No. 8 mine 97
Clara Bell mines 97
Mtcdo&aldmldt 97
Slobie mino 1*7
Six and Six mine %
Smelter plants of the Copper Co 98
Great Lakes Copiier Cj 9«
Gertrade mine 99
Or«iufhtOD mmp 99
Pafty Sotiod Copper Mining Co 100
Hattie Bell mine 100
Iron Farmoes 101
Ham Uton fumade 101
D«s«ronto f ornaee 102
MidlMkd furuCQ 102
1 ron mioefl 102
Bttdfoid mine 103
Coe Hill mine* 103
Calabogie mines 103
CftUbogie Mining Co 103
RobertSTille mines 104
Equitable mine 104
Wilbur mine 104
NataralGas 105
Petroleum 107
Cement 108
Owen Sound Portland Cement Co 108
Georgian Bay Portland Cement Co 108
Napinee Mills Cement Works 109
Stone Quarries 109
Owen Sound Stone Co 110
Nottawa quarry 110
Smeeton's quarry 110
Robertson ft Go's, quarry 110
Credit Forks Mining and Mfg. Co ... . 110
S*lt HI
Pert HI
HfOBiPiooiov MiNiiro Dituion 112-118
Report of Inspeetor Boyd 112
List of Lioenaees 115
FACE
Ari thibi Diamonds in Ontario? ]1!K124
Discoveries in the United St&tei 120
Origin of diamonds 121
Diamonds in South Africa 12'i
Are there diamonds in Ontario ? 123
NiVBN's Base Line 1899 125 142
Jtep^irt of W. A. PBrks 126
lioute to Fort Mattm^flmi 125
Route to Kamiskotaia lake 128
Route to Night Hawk lake 1 29
rJ8hkftnogama lake and river 134
Route to Trout river 135
Troat or Macoz^oda river . . 136
Route from Tr A\t rive* to Mibsanabierlvt-r. 137
Summary of observations 141
Copper and Iron Eeoionh op Ontario.. 143-191
Copper depofiiti 143
Minee in Nurtheta Michigan 144
C >pper and ailver near Thunder Bay 1 46
McKellar'js polDt and adjacent istands.. . 148
Shores of Tbundtr bay. 140
Iron ore dep i»iti )60
Michigan ranges 150
Vermilion and Mesibi ranges 152
MlchipicdLon iron rar-ge 164
The Helen mine 155
Range east of Helen mine 167
Iron range near Dog river 160
8j]i(»QUA iron'orea of Batchawaiia bay ... 101
General conclasioti 8 16:<
Pjirry Sound copper rcgioQ 161
Wilcox mine 167
Other locjhtioni near Georgian bay 167
Prospects inland frLim Parry Sound 168
At^e of the Parry Sound rocks 169
Northern part of Parry Sound district . . 169
Locations near Lorins: 170
RockH near SftJid lake 171
Region went of lake Temistatitiog 172
Mining ckima on Net lake 1 73
Bai« d«if Perej) 174
Pleistocene geology 175
Old lake beaches 175
Terraces near Meaford 170
Terraces on lake Temiscaming 177
Glacial geolog:y 178
Notes on the Petrography of Ontario 179
Thonder Bay region 179
Parry Sound district ISO
Relations of Upper and Lower Huronian . . 182
Huron ian con glomer area 18.S
The most important break in the Huron-
ian 186
Heronite or Anatctte-Tlnguaite 186
M INERALS OF OnTABIO, WITH NOTBS .... 192-212
A Sketch of the Nickel Industrt 213-224
Pources of Nickel ores 218
N«w Refining Caledonia ores 215
Smelting Canadian ore« 216
iv
Contents
N lOKKL Industry. — G<m,
Otford refining ptocesa 218
Balbaob refining proceM 221
Hoepfner and Frasoh lefining procease* 221
Lake Superior Power Co.'s process 222
l^irity of nickel 223
Uses of nickel 22-^
PAOK.
Thi Mnm Law of Ontario 225-329
Foatures of the present law 229
How mining lands may be acquired and held 226
Teonre of claims in mining divisions 227
The Bureau of Mines 228
Exploration of unknown Ontario 229
Provision for refining nickel ore 229
MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
Canada Lron Furnace Coy's works 16
do do 16
do du 16
do do 16
Unloading Pier of Blast Furnace at Deser-
onto 82
Cast House of Deseronto Furnace 82
Laboratory of Deseronto Furnace 32
Provincial Assay Office, Belleville 32
Furnaces in Provincial Assay Office 82
Analytical Room. Provincial Assay Office. 32
Sultana gold mill , 32
Burley gold mine 32
Cross section Sultana gold mine 39
Cross section Beglna gold mine 45
Mill and works, Mikado gold mine IS
Mill and shaft, Mikado mine 48
Camp buildings. Mikado mine 48
Shaft house and dump. Sirdar gold mine ... 48
Cross Kection Mikado mine 53
Shaft Crown Point gold mine 64
Mill, shaft house, etc., Crown Point mine. . 64
Imperial gold mine 64
Cameron Island gold mine 64
Buildings Cameron Island mine 64
Cross section Foley gold mine 65
Cross section Golden Star mine 60
Cross section Olive gold mine 73
Croi^s section Sawbill gold mine 77
Sultana and Burley gold mines 80
General view of Begina mine 80
Keewatin Reduction works 80
Mill and shaft house, Regina mine 80
Mill Combined gold mine 80
Railroad Combined mine 80
Cross section West End silver mine 83
Olive gold mine 96
Mill and shaft Olive gold mine %
Rock Lake copper mine 96
Road to Rock Lake mine 96
Quarry Island gold mine 96
Vein, Quarry Island mine 96
Plan Englehart's pnmping rig 107
Tunnel and shaft Stella gold mine 112
Tunnel Gold Sun mine 112
Steel River rapids 112
Falls at MounUin lake 112
Lizard vein, Ursa Major gold mine lie
Ursa Major gold mine 112
Power plant Englehart pumping system . . 112
do do .... 112
do do ... 112
do do .... 112
Indian children at Fort Mattagami 128
Three Generations at Fort Mattagami 128
Canoeing near Height of Land, Algoma . . . 128
Packing supplies in northern Algoma . 128
Dikes and sheets at Sturgeon Foint, Lake
Superior 145
Shore near McKellar's Point, Lake Superior 148
Trout bay, lake Superior . . . 148
Plan showing the Iron range in Michipico-
ton Mining Division \h\s
Heronite 187
Graphic representations of refining New
Caledonia nickel ores 216
Diagrammatic scheme of the Orford method
of refining nickel 219
Rapids on Trout river 224
Mount Horden, Algoma 224
A New Caledonia nickel mine 22-(
Convict Laborers in New Caledonia 224
Ore dump and tramway in a New Caledonia
mine 224
Map of parts of the Districts of Algoma and
Nipissing, showing the Upper Basins of
the Moose, Ottawa' and Michipicoton
rivers
Map of Sudbury Mining District, showing lo-
cation of mines and mining properties. .
WARWICK BROS & KUTTER. Printers.
T O ROy T O ,
To His Honor thb Honorabls Sir Oliver Mowat, G.C.M.6,
Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Ontario :
I have the honor to transmit herewith, for presentation to the Legislative Assemblj,
the Ninth Beport of the Bureaa of Mines.
I have the Honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
K J. DAVIS,
Oommissioner of Crown Lands.
DXPARTMSNT OF OrOWN LaNDB,
ToBOSTO, April 25, 1900.
[1]
OENKRAL BOOKBINOINO CO.
" MSST " 005 ' 9 2610
QUAUTV CONTROL MAMK
To THK Honorable KLier: J*. Davis,
Comnii^aioner of Crown Landa:
Sir, — TI|C,Nint^4teport of the Bureau of Mines is submitted to you herewith, for
presentation to His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
Tour obedient servant,
ARCHIBALD BLUE,
Director.
BuRKAU OF MlNK:^,
Toronto, April 25, 1900.
[3
REPORT OF
THE BUREAU OF MINES
By Archibald Blue, Director
The records of the year 1899 furnish evidence that the. mining industry of Ontario
Gontinnee to expand and prosper. This is shown especially in the extent to which capi-
tal is being attracted, in the purchase of mineral lands from the Grown, and in the
growing volume of production.
Daring the year there were incorporated under the Joint Stock Oompanies Act 74
Companies with a capital of $87,382,994, and in addition seven othtjr Oompanies organ-
ized elsewhere were authorized by license to carry on business in the Province with a
capital of $9,551,000. The following table gives the statistics for the first 28 yearift
after Confederation and for the last four years, inclusive of licensed Oompanies :
Year.
186895
1896...
1897...
1898...
1899...
No.
Capital.
120
46,929,889
26
15,600,000
140
101,531,000
49
30J62.998
81
96,933,994
The number organized and licensed during the thirty-two years is 416, and the
amount of authorized capital is $291,757,372. Last year's Oompanies make a fifth of
the whole in number, and rank as second in the amount of authorized capital during the
whole period, being exceeded only by the record of 1897.
The next tables present the transactions in mining lands for the last eight years, the
first showing the number and area of mining locations sold and the purchase money paid
therefor, and the second the number of locations leased and the amounts paid thereon as
rent. Included under this latter head is the money paid each year for lands previously
leased, which is a steadily growing figure :^
^ Although tbs BnrMa was organized in 1891 the statistics for that ^ear are not given in the tables,
beeaoae the traiMaetioiia iooladed many locations applied fur in the previous year before and during the
lime that huids were withdrawn from sale, and which therefore would not afford a fair comparison with th»
traaeactioiia of late^ years.
[5]
Bureau of Mines Report
No. 5
year.
1. LOCATIONS SOLP.
No.
1892. .
1893..
1891.
1895..
1896.
1897..
1898..
1899.
Totals
66
GS
Acres.
6,200
4,370 I
16.273
11,48'*
40
3,271
7,64t;
99
7.720
15 868
140
10.734
22,084
472
29,794
.W.47t«
292
19,529
40,469
294
36,019
75,367
1,465
116,667
247,674
2. LOCATIONS LEA8KD.
Year.
No.
Acres.
1892 .. .
95
13,122
13,047
12,917.36
1893
122
14.669 7«.
1894
66
7,0ol
10,29^;..^6
1895
175
16,084
18,2 11. HI
189G
161
13.224
18,504.14
1897
TS3
H6,014
48,911
91 062.46
1898
506
57,49a.2;»
1899
4%
63.258
76,t?07.%
Totals
2,404
269,711
298,762.59
Adding the revenoe from miners' licenses, etc., in the Michipicoton Mining Division for
the three years 1897-9 ($11,223.50) the aggregate revenue from mineral lands during
the eight years is $557,660.09, or jui annual average of $69,707.57. The revenue for
1899, including miners' licenses, etc, is $155,953.90, which exceeds any former year.
The average size of locations sold during the period of eight years is very nearly 80
acres, and of locations leased 108 acres. For 1899 the average of locations sold is 119
acrep, and of locations leased 127 acres, being higher than the averages for any year of the
period excepting 1892, in which year the average of leased locations was 138 acres. The
Average of the 3,869 locations leased and sold in the eight years is 97 acres, and the
aggregate is 376,378 acres, or 6S^ square miles.
i899]
Introduction
Statifltios of mineral prcdaction were incomplete for the first year of the Bareaa's
operational but in the table which follows a comparison is made of the values of products
in 1892 and 1899 :
Products.
Baildiogstooe, rubble, etc ,
Cement, natural rock
Cement, Portland
Lime
|-
Drain tile
Common brick .
Fresned brick and terra cotta .
Paving brick
Sewer pipe
Pottery
Petroleum products
Natural gas
Carbide of calcium
Salt
Gjrpeum . .
Graphite
Talc
Mica .. .
Arsenic . .
Iron ore..
Pig iron .
Nickel...
Copper . . .
Cobalt . . .
Gold
Silver . . . .
Zinc
Totals.
1892.
1891*.
s880,000
si,04l,8a0
38,580
117,089
-47,417
444.227
850,000
536,000
100,000
200,246
980,000
1.813.760
259,385
1(»5,000
42,650
1S8,35<;
80,000
101.000
1,400,435
1.747.352
1H0,(K)0
440.!»04
74,('»80
162,700
317,412
25.980
1IV612
H;,179
500
SS.O(»0 1
],500
4>42
30,951
808,157 '•
5lH),90l'
5CG.104
232,1».^>
17rt,237
3,713
3« HOO
423,978
732
6>,575 ;
24.000
.<5, 350,349
.'<8,7S9,'K)1
The list shows that during the eight years paving brick, eewer pipe, carbide of calcium
graphitOi talo, arsenic, iron ore, pig iron and zinc have been introduced as new products
of tlie mineral indnstij, whoBe aggregate value last year was %\^\\^)^\b. ^V^xk^vcA
Bureau of Mines Report No. 5
clay products have increased in value by $1,343,186, petroleum products an
natural gas by $627,821, salt by $154,712 and mica by $36,600. A falHng off is show ^
in gypsum, nickel and copper ; but in the case of the two metals this result is almo^» 1
certainly due to a too low estimate of selling prices at the works. There is an increas ^
in gold and silver of $451,921, and of all metalliferous prcducts of $1,195,462. Th«
Affgi^gAte increase in the value of products in 1899 over 1892 is $3,439,552, and in 1899
over 1898 it is $1,554,024. Altogether the outlook for the mineral industry of the
Province was never so cheering as it is now.
Statistics of metal production for the first h^lf of the current year (1900) afford
evidence of continuing progress. Several gold mills have been idle, pending develop-
ment of the mines, enlargement of machinery capacity and other causes. Returns
have been received from eight, which show that during the six months 22,177 tons of ore
were treated. The yield was 9,983.37 ounceF, worth $156,269.84 gold and $141.54
silver. The silver mines show a product of 12,000 tons ore, with a yield of 85,000
ounces valued at $51,000. The arsenic product was 208,000 lb., worth $8,980. The
output of zinc was only 150 tons, estimated at $900. Seven iron mines in the eastern parts
of the Province report a yield of 9,608 tons, worth at the selling price at the mines
$19,532. One mine in the Michipicoton Mining Division, which began to produce in
July, will probably show a larger output than this total for each fortnight until naviga-
tion closes. At two blast furnaces there was smelted during the first half of the year
50,538 tons ore and 8,155 tons mill cinder. The proportion of Ontario ore used was a
little more than one-fourth of the whole, being 13,252 tons ; but the second half of the
year will no doubt show better results in this respect. The quantity of pig iron produced
was 32,279 tons, the value of which is $511,209, computed at the selling price at the
furnaces. Open hearth steel begins for the first time to figure in the metallic industries
of the Province. The production for the first six months was 945 tons, valued at $25,515.
The quantity of nickel-copper ore raised wag 87,808 tons, and the quantity of roasted ore
smelted was 100,073 tons, which yielded a matte product of 12,323 tons. The estimated
metallic contents of the matte is 1,925 tons nickel valued at $413,771, and 1,784 tons
copper valued at $165,968. The total value of metal products for the six months was
$1,353,287, or two-thirds as much as for the whole of last year.
A number of amendments have been made to the Mines Act during the Session of
the Legislature of 1900, the most important of which are the abandonment of royalties
on all ores, a' provision to secure the refining of nickel ores in the country, and additional
regulations for the health and safety of miners.
MINERAL INDUSTRIES OF ONTARIO
Statistics of 1899
[n dealing with the mineral statistics of the Province for the year it is proper to
^ogniztnce of the minins; companies organiz 'd and the trAn8%ctions of mining 1 wds,
11 as the figures of product ion, o! men employed in the industry and of wages paid
bor. Records of accidents also form an essential part of mining statif^tics, and the
3 and causes of such accidents demand inquiry in the interests alike of employers
nploy^i, beside the put pose they serve in shaping legislation to provide for the
I and safety of the men engaged in the industry.
MINING COMPANIES.
n previous reports of the Bureau lists have been published of the mining companies
have been organized in the Province under the provisions of the Joint Stock Oom-
I Act since Confederation. These lists gave the names of all Buch companies, the
of their charters, and the amounts of their authorized capital. In the list which
8 for 1899 there is given in addition the head ofE^e of each company, which will be
aseful ia any case where communication with the office is desired.
M I N I N « C O M P A N I K 8 I N C O R P O R A T E 1) IN 18 99.
Name of Company.
l%n Gold Rppfj* Company of Ontario, liimited ....
nin MininfT Comoatty of Ontario, Limited
HMoiz Exploration and Mining Company, Limited.,
tikokan Gold Development Company of Ontario,
nited
nfflo- American Copper Mining Company of Parry
and, Limit*»d
rgenteuil Gold Mining and Milling Company, Limited
inlder Mining Company of Ontario, Limited
altimnre Copper and Geld Mining Company, Limited
ack Hawk Gold Mining Company, Limited
line Mining and Expl'^ration Company, Limited
iffalo Consolidated Gold Mining Company, Limited.
illion Number Two Mining Company, Limited
itannia ConBoIidated Gold Mining Company of Onta-
, Limited
ritiffh Colonial Mining and Development Company of
tario. Limited
>rona Mining Company of Ontario, Limited
tpper King Minin? Company, Limited
tckerjack Gold Mining Company, Limited
kmbridee Gold Mming Companv of Ontario, Limited
■own Point Mining Company, Limited
inada Nickel Company, liimited
dton Gold Mining Company, Limited
apnnt Gold Mining Company, Ijimited
mpire Mininar Oomnany of Maniton. Limited
nniskillen Minine Company, Limited
ghting Chance Gold Mining Company, Limited
Did Rewnre Mining Company of Ontario, Limited . .
[9]
Head Office.
Ottawa
( )ttawa
Port Arthur .
Port Arthur .
Parry Sound .
Toronto
Rat Portage .
T'ondon
Toronto
Toronto ....
NiagHra Falls
Hat Portage .
Ottawa
Date.
Millbridge
Niagara
Windsor
Fort Frances . .
Toronto
Ottawa
Worthington . .
Fort William..
Ottawa
Toronto
Sanit Ste Marie
Mine Centre
Toronto
Capital.
16th Mar., 1899
19th May, 1899
Slst May, 1899
15th June, 1899
3rd Nov., 1899
24th Nov., 1899
18th April, 18«9
27th May, 1899
8rd July, 18^9
8l8t Aug., 1899
13'h Sept., 1899
22nd Sept., 1899
18th Oct., 1899
27th Oct., 18P9
13th Jan., 1899
24th Mar., 1899
Slst May, 1899
18th Sept., 18<i9
4th Oct., 1899
Srd Nov., 1899
17th May, 1899
18th Oct, 1899
10th July, 1899
12th Aug., 1899
19th April, 1899
28th Feb., 1899'.
S
40.000
400,000
1,000,000
1,000,000
3,000,000
999,999
2,000,000
250,000
498.000
5,000.000
8,000,000
999,999
300,000
500,000
190,000
iro,ooo
1,000,000
980.000
1,000.000
900.000
990 000
1,000,000
850,000
480.C00
999.000
99^(AQ
lO
Bureau of Mines Report
N
MININO 0OMPANIB8 INUOBPORATKD IN 1 S^i) . — Concluded
Name of Company.
The Golden Crescent Mining and Exploration Company of
Ontario, Limited
The Gold Bng Mining; Company, Limited
The Gold Hun Mining Company, Limited
The Golden Eagle Mining and Exploration Company of
Ontario, Limit«>d
The Gold Leaf Mining Company of Ontario, Limited
The Galena Gold Mining Company, Limited
The Gananoque Gold Mining Company, Limited
The Great Nurth Coantrie Gold Mining Company, Limited.
The Gold Qaarry Mining Company, Limited
The Gold bullion Mining Company of Ontario, Limited
The Gainea Gold and Copper Mining Company of Toronto,
Limited :....
The Gold Panner Mining Company of Ontario, Limited.. ..
The Gold Reefs Company, Limited
The Gold Coin Mining Company of Ontario, Limited
The Gnelph Mining and Development Company, Limited..
The Glaaa Reef Gold Mining Company of Lake Manitou,
Limited
The Gold Winner Mining Company of Ontario, Limited .
The Headlight Gold Mining and Exploration Company of
Ontario, Limited
The Hornblende Gold Biining and Exploration Company of
Ontario, Limited
The Hammond- Reef Consolidated Mining Company, Limited
The Hartford Gold Mining and Development Company,
Limited .
The Island Falls Mines Company, Limited
The Imperial Copper Company of Parry Sound, Limited ....
The John Sykes Mining and Milling Company, Limited.. ..
The Kalevaia Gold Mining Company. Limited
The Mikado Peninsula Gold Mining and Development Com-
pany of Ontario, Canada, Limited
The Mines Contract and Investigation Company, Limited. .
The Mnntreal-ManitoQ Mines Company, Limited
The Minnei«ota Ontario Gold Min«>R Company, Limited
The ^Toont Roya^-Maniton Gold Mining Company, Limited
The Northland Go'd Company of Ontario, Limited
The Nntional Min^s Investment Company, Limited
The Nickel Copper Company of Ontario, Limited . .
The Ontario Victoria Miring Company, Limited
The Orion Grold Minintr Company, Limited
The Ophir Minea Development Company of Ontario, Limited
The Parry Sonnd Copper Mining Company, Limited
The Prichard*s Harbour Copper Mining and Development
Company, Limited
The Qnartx Creek G« Id Mining Company of Ontario, Limited
The Rock I^ke Mininsr Company, Limited
The Randolph Gold Mining Company, Limited
The Standard Gold Mining and Development Company of
Faflrle River, Ontario, Limited
The Saint George Mines Development Company, Limited .
The Standard Mica Company of To onto. Limited
The Sndbury Coprer and Nickel Company, Limited
The Sirdar Gold Mining Companv, I^imited
The Sl^can-Kilo Mining Company, Limited
The Victor Gold Mining and Development Company of Rat
Portage, Limited
Licensed Mining Companies.
Head Office.
Port Arthur
Mine Centre
Windsor
Mine Centre .
Oftowa
Niacrara Falls.
Gananoque . .
Toronto
Cornwall
Fort Erie
Toronto ....
Rat Portage
Ottawa
Mine Centre
Guelph
Wabigoon ...
Port Arthur. .
IBth Mar., 1899
16th Mar., 1899
13th April, 1899
18th April, 1899
19th April, 1S99
26th April, 1899
25th May, 1899
25th May, 1899
31st May, 189')
28th June, 1899
28th June, 1899
19th July, 1899
28th July, 18A9
31st Aug., 1899
18th Sept., 1899
21st Oct., 1899
13th Dec, 1899
Mine Centre ..; 13th April, 1899
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Port Arthur . .
Toronto
Toronto
Mine Centre . .
Rat Portage ..
Toronto
Ottawa
Mine Centre . .
Toronto
Mine Centre . .
Toronto
Hamilton
Toronto
R'tt Portage . .
Toronto
Parry Sound . .
13th April. 1899
28rd June. 1899
13th Dec, 1899
12th Jur. 1^99
2«th July, 1899
6»h Jan., 1899
17th Dec, 1899
13th April, 1899
12th May, 1899
6th Oct., 18P9
let Nov., 1890
24ih Nov., 1899
27th Sept., 1809
3rd Nov., 1899
27Th Dpc , 18P9
28th Ffb.,
17th May,
ISth Sept.
2ird Mar
1899
1899
1899
1899
Ra t Portage . . 1 8th Sept. , 1 899
TorontJo .... '26th April, 1899
SaultSte.Marie 18th Jan., 1899
Rat Portage
Eagle Kiver
Toronto . . . .
Toronto . . . .
Sudbury . . . .
Toronto . ,
Ottawa
The Canadian Copper Company . .
The Canadian Minps Development Company of Michipicoton
The Great Lake* Copper Company
The Goldpn Rod Mininflr Company
The Manitou Lake G-«H Mining Company, Limited ....
The Northwest Ontario Mining and Development Company,
Limited
The Salor Consolidated Mining and Milling Company of
Osmp McKeoney, Limited I
Rat Portage
Clevland, Ohio
London, Eng.
Poston. Mass.
New York ....
St. Paul, Minn
28*h Mar.. 1899
28th T>pc., 1899
22nd Feb, If
28th Mar, 1899
8rd May, 18P9
.^rd June, 1899
28th Nov., 1899
8th Nov., 1899
7th June, 1899
18th Dpc, 1899
5th Oct., 1^99
3H Nov., 18P9
26th July, 1899
2,
1,
1,<
London, Eng.. I 16th Sept., 1899 2
Toronto | 6th May, 181»9l 1,5
1899]
Statistics of 1899
11
The total DuroWr orflfanized and chartered dariDg the year was 74. with an anthor-
ized capital of $87,382,994. Bat to this number may be added seven other companies
orgsnized elsewhere which have taken oat licenses to sell stock and other securities, and
all bat one of which are carrying on mining operations in "the Province. The author-
iied capital of these seven companies is $9 551,000, which with the other companies
chartered daring the year make ap a total of 81, with an authorized capital of $96,933,-
994. The aggregate number of mining companies to which charters and licenses have
been iBSued since Oonfederation is 416^ with an authorized capital of $291,757,372.
MINING LANDS.
The number of mininsf locations sold and leased by the Grown last year was 790,
with a total area of 98,307 acres, and the amount received from sales and rentals was
1150,975 02. This sum includes $12,981 11 derived from lands previously leased and
wbioh are subject to a yearly rent charge. Adding $4,979 collected as fees in the Michi-
piooton mioing division, the aggregate revenue of the mineral lands of the Province for
1899 is $155,954.02, which exceeds the revenue of 1898 from the same sources by
154,768.40, and the revenue of 1898 exceeded the average of the preceding six years by
151,098.88.
The following table gives the details by districts of mineral lands sold and leased
in 1899 :
51 I N I N <; LANDS SOLI).
District.
R«iny River,
Tbnnder Bay
A]goma
Elsewhere . .
Sales.
236
n
18
30
294
Acres.
*
27,472
1,968
2,321
3,288
67.8S8 26
8,46t> 26
7,136 70
6.936 17
a5,049
75,367 12
M I NM N G LANDS L K A 8 K D .
District.
Rainy River.
Thunder Bay
Alflfoina
Elsewhere . .
Ijeases.
Acres.
9
320
106
26
46
29,217
24,0^4
8.7R8
6.249
63,268
29,217 00
24,034 0)
3,7-8 48
6,617 31
4m
62,626 79
MINERAL PRODUCTION.
As shown by the snmmary table on paflre 13 the total value of the mineral products
Q( the year was $6,789,901, which is $1,554 024 or 21} per cent, more than in the pre-
<Kdmg year. The runaber of hands employed was 10,003 and the amount of wages paid
ferhhor was $2 930,100, which incumber was 33 per G««nt and in amount 19 per cent. *
■ore than in 1898. The largest increases are in building ma^ieTxaXa^ i^\% Vcotl ^t^^ ?,^^\
vid the lai^fas^ deoreMse in petroleum products. Nickel and cop^^ aYio^ V^Ka^aX^osfaVki^s^
12 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
ia 1892, although the prodocts were larger and market prices of the metals were higher
than in that year.
BUILDING MATBRIAL8AND CLAY PRODUCTS.
An upward tendency is manifested in the production of building materials. In
building: materials proper, including stone, brick, lime and cement, the values were
$3,556,366 or 81,107,704 more than in 1898. The value of cement rose to $561 266,
being $184,948 more tban in 1898, and nearly 80 per cent, of the whole was Portland
cement. Since 1894, when this cement began to be made in the Province, the produc-
tion ha» increased from 30,580 barrels to 222.550 barrels and the value from $61,060 to
$444 227, and during this time the value of imports has been steadily increasing. In
the last fiscal year it reached 1,300,424 cwt., valued at $467,944, in the iace of a duty of
$147,145. The value of drain tile, sewer pipe, paving brick and pottery in 1898 was
$522,152, or $48,435 more than in the previous year.
PBTROLEUM, NATURAL GAB AND CARBII)£.
These three products come under the same general class. The petroleum industry
of the country is now practically controlled by one corporation, which is understood to be
a branch of the Standi^rd Oil Company. The result of the first year's operations shows a
considerable fallinc: off in quantities and values, the crude oil being less than in the previous
year by 3,363 010 gallons, and the total value of refined products less by $223,182.
Bat the percentage of illuminating oil distilled from the crude continues to show steady
improvement, it having risen from 38.67 p.c. in 1892 to 45.52 in 1898 and to 49.53 p.c.
in 1899. The percentage of lubricating oil is more than 4 per cent, less than in 1892
and about the same as in the three years precedini; last year. But on the other hand the
percentage of all other oils has fallen from the average of the three years to the
rate of 1892, being 28 8 per cent. The producing area continues to be about the same
as in 1898, and no important new strikes have been reported.
Daring 1899 there were bored in the two natural gas fields of the Province 35 new
wells, 28 of which proved to be producers. The total number of producing wells in the
year was 150, being 8 more than in 1898, and the length of pipe for the delivery of gas
was 341^ miles, or an increase of 26^ miles. The number of men employed in the
industry was 95, the amount of wages paid for labor was $40,149. and the value of product
$440,904. In 1898 the amount of wages was $31,457 and the value of product $301,-
5^9. The companies paid to the Provincial Government last year under the provisions
of 62 Y. c 8, an aggregate of $9,362 93.
Two works were producing carbide of calcium last year, but one of them met with
an accident and was a product for part of the year only. The quantity produced there-
fore oaly shows a small increase upon the figures of 1898. A new mill is in coarse of
construction at Ottawa, which no doubt will add materially to the extent of the business
for the current year.
SALT AND GYPSUM.
The salt industry is expanding steadily, and daring the past year it reached a value
of $317,412. The twelve works in operation produced 45.347 tons of fine salt, valued at
$249,157, and 11,028 tons of coarse salt, valued at $68 255. In 1898 the total product
wss 59.385 barrels, valued at $278,886, and in 1892 it was 43,387 barrels, valued at
$162,700. The recent increase in value is largely due to the fact that at some of the
principal works salt of a better qnality is being produced. The total number of work-
men employed at 4h<^ 12 salt establishments last year was 261, and the amount of wages
paid for labor $80,021.
The gypsum bueiness does not indicate any activity, and the statistics show little or
no advance upon previous years.
TALC, GRAPHITE AND MICA.
These three minerals are yet in the very early stage of development. The discovery
of M deposit of excellent talc in the vicinity of Madoc has led to the opening up of a mine
/et ^Bi region, for wbioh there ie likely to be a good demand. At present the whole of
i899]
Statistics of I890
13
8UMMART OF MINERAL PRObUOTION IN 181)9.
Prodact.
barrels.
bushels
number.
Bailding stone, mbble, etc
Cement, DAtunJ rock ....
Oenneni, PoriUud
riime .,.,
Dimtn t^le
Oommon brick **
Pmeed bri2k and terra cotta **
FtMng brick " 1
Sewer pipe
Pottery '
Petroletim Imperial gal
lUnminftting oil *'
Lnbricating oil "
Benzine and naptha **
Qae and fuel oils and tar **
Paraffin wax and candles lb.
NatnnJ gas
Carbide of calcinm tons ^
Salt *•
Gypenm and products of ''
Talc. '*
Graphite **
Mica •'
Iron ore ; * *
Pig iron *'
Nickel •*
Ck»pper
ZfaM *'
Anenio lb.
Gold cz.
8fl?er "
Totals
139,487
222,650
4,342,600
21,027,400
233,898,000
10,808,000
5,800,000
23.616,967
11,697,910
2,087,475
1,394,5:«)
6,410,915
2,792,766
1,064
56,376
1,200
100
1,220
206
16,911
64,749
2,872
2,834
1.200
113,937
37,727
105,467
2,930,10(i
Net tons of 2,000 lb.
Bureau of Mines Report
[No. 5
the oatpnt is beiog shipped to Neir York State, to be milled there, but it is not nnlikelj
that Canadian capital will be f jund to operate the mine and prepare the product for
market at home.
The graphite mine in Brongham is proving to be a large body and the mineral is of
excellent qadity. If the claims made by manufactarera of the superior value of- graphite
as material for the manufacture of inks and varnishes are substantiated by time tests, a
new and important use of the mineral will be assigned to it in the arts.
The production of mica last year shows a substantial improvement upon that of the
previous year. As an insulator of electricity m.ica has come extensively into use during
recent years, and the demand for it continues active. But the employment of the poorer
grades as material for the manufacture of pipe and boiler coverings appears to be destined
to give an assured success to the owners of mica mines, as it furnishes them a m«rket
for a large portion of product which hitherto was thrown into the dump heaps. The
company which was organized in Toronto a few years ago to manufacture boiler covering
from scrap mica has now a second factory in operation in Montreal, and experiments
conducted by officers of the British navy and by a number of railway companies in Great
Britain, Canada and the United States have been so uniformly satisfactory as to leave
no doubt of the value of mica as one of the best and cheapest of all non-conductor
materials.
IRON ORK AND PK; IRON.
Eight iron mines worked on a moderate scale in the counties of Hastings, Frontenac
and Lanark last year yielded 16,911 tons of ore, worth $30,951 at the selling price of
ore at the mines. In 1898 the production was 27,409 tons, valued at $48,875. In that
year the mines employed 100 men whose axgregAte of earnings was $26,700. Last year
the number of workmen employed was 87, and the amount of wages paid for labor
$16,463. The year 1900, however, will show more hopeful results and very substantial
increase' of production.
The statistics of pig iron denote satisfactory development since the operations of the
first furnace began four years ago. The following figures give the details of the industry
for the four years :
Schedule.
Ore smelted tons
Scale and mill cinder m
Limestone for flux »
Coke for fuel n
Pig iron product n
Viuue of product $
Wages for labor n
Average workmen No.
1896.
1897.
1898.
1899.
61.138
87.492
77,028
110,036
5,888
5.350
8,614
10,004
8 6S7
9.47:<
13,799
25,3<n
30,.348
27.810
50.407
74,408
28.302
24,011
48.253
64.749
363,780
28^1,128
530,789
808.167
47.000
40.000
61.476
79,869
125
130
130
200
The quantity of Ontario ore smelted last year was 24,494 tons, or 22 per cent, of the
whole. In the previous year it was 20,968 teas, which was 27 per cent, of the whole.
The increase in the production of pig iron was 16,496 tons, or 34 per cent. ; but owing to
the improved market for iron the increase in value was $277,368, or 52 per cent
There was also an increase of 70 in the average number of workmen employed at the
fumaoes, and an increase of $18,393 in the amount of wages paid for labor.
After a successful career of four years the Hamilton blast furnace has passed this
year into the hands of a new proprietory. The Hamilton Steel and Iron Company was
organized on the first of January with a capital of $2,000,000, and took over the plants
of the Hamilton Blast Furnace Company and the Ontario Rolling Mill Company, the
agreement being that the new company should build a steel plant and mill for rolling
steel and operate the blast furnace, the old rolling mill and the nail factory connected
with it. The site of the steel mill is east of the blast furnace about 150 yards. Its
dimensions are 75 by 200 feet, and the framework is covered with corrugated iron. The
plant consists of two open hearth furnaces, constructed of steel and lined with fire brick.
As first planned, one was an acid-lined and the other a basic-lined furnace ; but a short
experience showed that the latter was the best suited for the company's requirements,
and both furnaces are now basic-lined. The charges are fed through three doors by an
1 899 ] Statistics of 1899 15 .
!ctric oharf^iog machine, and each chtrge consists of about 15 tons of scrap, pig iron,
e, limestone, ferromanganese, etc. The fuel h supplied by four gas generators, and the
paci^ of each furnace is 40 to 45 tons of steel per day. An electric movable crane
OToe materials from any point to any point in the mill, and proves itself to be a very
xmomic arrangement. The rolling mills adjoin the steel miU upon the east, and are
nder oonstruction.
A. T. Wood, M.P., is president of the new company, 0. S. Wilcox is general man-
ger, Robert Kobson is assistant general manager and secretary, and W. A. Child is
leasaTer.
The Deseronto furnace is excellently situated about half a mile south of the town on the
ihoie of the Bay of Q liute, with ample depth of water for shipping at the end of a short pier.
The dimenfioDS of the furnace are : Height, 51' 3^" j diameter at hearth, 5' 11^; diameter
It boshes, 9' 6''; diameter just below bell, 5' 6''. The average output is 35 tons per day.
The blast is supplied by a blowing engine with 2rj(48'' steam cylinder, and 46^
■qoare air cylinder ; the downcomer is 40^ diameter, branching into two parts which fire
the boilers on the one hand and the hot bUst stove on the other. The latter consists of
seveaty-two Y-shaped cast iron pipes 9' high and 5''x8'' in section ; these are S3 arranged
that the burning gas plays over their outer surface while the blast is passing inside ; the
temperature of the latter is raised to 925^. The blsRt passes from the blowing engine at
I pressure of 2f'.b. per sq. in. to a circular receiver 8'xl5', from which it issues by a 16"^
pipe which forks into two branches entering the hot sbova The cast house is 98'x43' in
plin, the hot stove I7'x,2(y; elevator shed 46'x43'. There are two new b-iilers and one
second hand boiler aggregating 250 h.p.; two pumps, lO'^xlO'' and 5''x''4x6'' for supply to
witer jackets, two boiler pumps and other accessories. A 25 h.p. Westinghouse engine
dri?e8 a Junior Westinghouse dynamo which supplies current for lighting, and a 9|''xl2''
engine operates the elevator and crusher.
The ore is wheeled from the stock pile to the crusher house. If fine enough it is
ihovelled directly into the buckets of a belt conveyer; if too coarse, it is first passed through
i Blake crusher and then elevated to the bin in a similar manner. For unloading, a
trestle 448 ft long extends into the lake. The track is 40 ft. above water level, and the
extreme height is 77ft. There are three hoists made by McMyler, Cleveland, affording
unple faoilitiea for rapid unloading. The track runs from the trestle in a new stockhouse
206' x90' which will be completed during the summer. A new storehouse for charcoal
78'x23' in plan has just been built in order that a sufficient stock maybe always on hand.
The furnace shell was built by Marsh & Henth >m, Belleville ; the trestle by the
Peninsular Bridge Go , Detroit ; and the engine, pumps, jackets and some other parts
belonged formerly to the Union Iron Oo. of Detroit.
The charcoal is supplied by the Standard Chemical Co., whose works are distant
iboat half a mile, and by the use of this fuel an excellent series of grades of pig iron is
iroduced much lower in sulphur than the metal from a furnace ubing coke.
Lake Superior ore has been used chiefly, but during the latter part of 1899 and the
)^ginning of the present year about 600 tons of Canadian ores have been smelted. At
iresent magnetite from the Belmont mine is being used in small quantities, and it is
loped that the output of Ontario ore will increase rapidly to obviate the necessity for
nporting such large amounts. The remarks of Inspector DeKalb on Iron Mines and
)list Famaoes in his report on the Mines of Eastern Ontario may be read with profit in
his connection
Under the provisions of the Mines Act for the encouragement of iron mining, the
oupany will be entitled to a payment from the Provincial Treasurer of fifty cents per
on of pig metal produced from ores not mined in Ontario, and one dollar per ton of pig
Mtal when Ontario ores are used, provided that charcoal fuel is used in the furuAoe and
hat the following proportions of Ontario ores are smelted with the foreign ores :
(a) Jn first period of two yean, not leB« than twenty per cent.
(() After two yean, not less than forty per cent.
(e) After four years, not less than sixty per cent.
(cf) After six yean, not less than eighty per cent.
(e) After eight years, not less than one hundred per cent.
If the piDportion of Ontario ores in any year fall below that specified above, a per.
lent^e of tiie payment corresponding to the percentage of defioveiLoy \tL OtiVaxv^ q>t^ V^
.16
Bureau of Mines Report
[No. 5
be deducted therefrom, and if the percentage of Ontario ores fall below twenty
in any year no payment will be made for the metal produced from ores not
Ontario ; and of coarse no claim can be made unless charcoal fuel is used.
percent
mined in
LiJ
o
<
at/oy
a
oe:
<
Q
<
<
<
A new farnace, in coarse of erection by the Canada Fnmace Company of Montreal,
will be blown in dnring the present year. The location of it is on the northwest side o£
JktidlMnd beahor, at the town of Midland The property oonsists of abont fifty acres, andl
ii
s
c
o
g
E
3
h.
Iron Furnace Ck>Dipany'4 Worka, Midland, showiiiK Cast Iloiiue, Elevator and StovM, pp. 16, 102.
i899 ] Statistics of 1899 17
iends 3000 feet along the shore line, where the water will accommodate vessels of twenty
et draft The boildings consist of a oast honse 42' x 165', an engine house 40^ x 63',
lx)iler house 58' x 76' ana a machine shop 30' x 65'. The foundations are of Portland
tment and the superstructures of granite and brick. The chimney is a steel stack 8^'
ismeter and 170' above the yard level. It rests on a base of concrete and granite 24^'
pare, built to a height of 26'. The furnace stack rests on concrete faced with granite
2' square at the base and 24' square at the top. The outside measurement of the stack
1 19' diameter, and it is supported by eight columns of cast iron. Power is supplied by
Ight boilers of 70 h.p. each, driving two engines, and there are three ovens of 16' x 60'
) produce hot air for the blast.
The diameter of the furnace stack at the hearth is 8' , at the bosh 13' , and at the throat
0'. The capacity of the crucible is 352 cubic feet and of the bosh 912 feet. The blast
I fed through eight tuyeres. The steam cylinders of the blowing engines are 34" and the
ir cylinders 7 2^", with a stroke of 48". At 35 revolutions the two enflfines will supply
5,000 cubic feet per minute, and at 40 revolutions they will supply 17,000 cubic feet.
Ids is with allowance for loss, the nominal horsepowers being respectively 616 and 704.
lie furnace will have a capacity of 150 tons of pig iron per day.
The whole works have been planned by John J. Drummond, the Company's general
Dperintendent, and they are being carried to*completion under his direction. The presi-
ent of the Company is P. H. Griffin of Buffalo, who is one of the largest makers of car
rheels in the world. T. Guildford Smith of the same place is vice-president, and George
I Drummond and Thomas J. Drummond of Montreal are respectively managing director
nd secretary.
At the start of the Midland works the capital stock of the Company will be $500,000
aid up, together with $200,000 of five per cent 20-year gold bonds. Its properties em-
race the Radnor Forges enterprise in Quebec, together with timber limits, water powers,
mestone quarries and 100,000 acres of Dog ore lands in that Province. The eales agents
re Drummond, McCoU & Oo. of Montreal, who, having the benefit of direct connection
ith the car wheel shops at Hamilton and St Thomas in Ontario and at Lachine in Que-
9c, besides being largely interested in the manufacture of cast iron gas and water pipes
) Lachine and Londonderry, N. S., are in a position to fiad a ready market for the
itput of the new furnace. It is expected that at first the bulk of the supplies of ore
ill come from Michipicoton.
Two other blast furnaces are projected in the Province, one to be located at Oolling-
ood and the other at Kingston ; but neither of these projects have yet taken substantial
lape.
NICKEL AND COPPER.
in the eight years 1892-99, for which complete statistics are available, the quantity
! nickel and copper ores smelted and reduced to matte in the Sudbury district was
63,082 tons, and the estimated metallic contents were 36,449,000 lb. nickel and 40,338,-
00 lb. copper. At the selling price of matte at the furnaces, which is the form in which
i b exported to the refineries, the total value of the nickel product in the eight years was
3,295,000 and of the copper 81,480,000, or a totel of $4,775,000. But at the average
Blliog price of the metals durin j; the eight years the value of the refined metals would be
12,696,000 for nickel and $4,657,000 for copper, or a total of $17,353,000. The total
•mount paid for wages in Ontario during the eight years was $2,334,000, and ttiis makes
ip a large proportion of the expenditure for all purposes in our Province for the produc-
aon of matte. After allowance is made for the cost of explosives, fuel and other supplies,
1 Urge part of the remaining $2,441,000 which makes up the selling value of the matte
i^t the works must be placed to the credit of profits and the bounty of Nature. It is cer-
tain therefore according to these statistics that the shsre of the value of the refined metals
&tributed outside of Ontario for wages, services and profits during the eight years has
Qoi been less than $12,578,000, or 72 per cent, of the whole.
2 M.
i8
Bureau of Mines Report
[Nt
The total qaBntity of ore raised last year was 203,118 tons, and the total qn
smtlted 171,230 tons. The following table gives the statistics for the five years 18
according to the retams made to the Boreaa :
Schedule.
Ore raised ... .tons
Ore smelted m
Ordinary matte .... n
Bessemerized matte n
Nickel contents .... „
Copper contents .... n
Value of nickel S
Value of copper .... n
Wa^es paid n
Men employed . .number
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
203,118
76,439
109.097
93.166
123,920
88,646
78.606
96,094
121,924
171.230
12,625
9.733
13.706
21,101
19,109
lOSA
328
106
2,81^
1.9484
1.999
2,788}^
4,186j
2,872
1.868
2.760
2,834
404,86*1
367,000
369,651
614,220
626,104
160,913
130,660
200,067
268,080
176.236
209,960
247,161
263,226
316,601
443.879
444
485
636
637
839
With an increase of nearly 50.000 tons in the quantity of ore smelted, the i
contents in 1899 exceed those of 1898 by less than 100 tons, and the copper conteni
actually less by 1350 ton& These figures should be verified before any attempt at
parison is made with them.
The statistics of labor show that there were employed at the mines and workc
year underground 278, and above ground 536, with 25 boys under 16 years of age i
ground, and that the total amount of wages paid for labor was $443,879.
AB8KNIC ANM> ZINC.
These are two of the most recent additions to the metallic productions of the
ince. Arsenic is a content of the miepickel ores of Hastings county, and is one ol
bye-products of gold mining. Zinc is found also in the same county, but the larges
posits are on the north shore of lake Superior, where a mine was opened last year.
GOLD AND SILVER.
Gold was produced last year at 15 locations, being two less than in the pre
year]; but there was a considerable increase in the number of men employed and ii
amount of wages paid for labor, as well as in the gold product of the mines. The fo
ing table gives the statistics of gold mining in the Province for the last five years :
Schedule.
Minea worked . .number
Men above ground n
Men under ground u
Ore treated tons
Gold product oz. ,
Gold value $
Wages paid for labor. . m,
1895
1896
18»7
1898
1899
8
8
9
17
15
126
103
222
296
307
111
86
216
2«4
356
6,500
13,292
27,689
57,895
59,615
3.038
7.164
11,412
16,261
27,594
50,781
121,848
190,244
275,078
424,568
66,234
91,210
217,766
290,919
324,024
"^rTA great deal of development work was carried on during the year of whic
account is taken in this table, which deals with bullion-producing mines only. It
also be stated that a large proportion of the wages paid for labor is properly a el
against capital, as it hps been expended in opening up the mines. But it will be noi
that for the first time in the period of years the value of the gold product exceeds
amount paid for labor.
1 By a printer's error the nickel content? for 1898 were given as 2,283£ tons instead of 2,783j tons.
there is a strong probability of errors in the returns of nickel and copper contents for the last two yeai
1899]
Statistics of 1899
19
The next table gives the statiatioB ef silver mining for the two years 1898 and
B99:
1898
1899
Ore raised tons
6,600
5,600
86,600
51,960
28,430
32
27
8.000
8,000
105,467
65,575
29,000
23
17
Ore Btamped n
Bullion product oz.
Value ofbuUion $
Wagen paid for labor n
Average workmen above gjound number
Average workmen underground .... n
Better results may be expected in silver as well as in gold mining as capital is
Qvested and expended for exploration and development work. The experience already
amed proves that the Province has important resoarces in the precions metals.
CORUNDUM.
Prof. Willett G.^Miller was unable to do any systematic field work in 1899 on account of
is time being taken up in connection with the milling of corundum rock and the prepar-
:ion of material for the Paris exhibition. An account of the results of the mill work
id of the tests on corundum made by a number of manufacturers was added to the last
eport As the results of economic interest were given in that Report it is not neces-
ry to repeat them here. It may be added, however, that all the refined corundum
bioh has been distributed since that time has been found by manufacturers to be of first
188 quality, and a considerable demand has arisen for the Ontario material This
mand will be supplied in the near future, as the works of the Canada Corundum
impany which are being erected in the township of Raglan are nearing completion.
te machinery which is being placed in this mill is of the latest and most apprbved
signs, and since a very careful study has been made of the methods of treatqaent of
9 Ontario rook it is believed that the plant being erected will be found to be well
apted to the work it is required to do. As the corundum industry is a new one in this
nntry it was necessary to go slowly at first and make a careful study of the subject
fore erecting a plant. Now, however, it is felt that those in charge of the work have
tained all the information on the subject possible to be acquired, both from experiment
d from the experience of other fields, and the district should soon become a steady
oducer.
During last winter Prof. Miller had the opportunity of visiting the well-known
mndum districts in North Carolina and Georgia. Some of these deposits have been
Drked for a number of years, but at the time of his visit there was little activity in
e industry. This was owing chiefly to two causes. The deposits are so situated that
te product of the works has to be teamed long distances over mountain roads in order
• reach shipping points on the railroad. Moreover, several of the deposits on which
insiderable work has been done have been found to be of small size and have been
)andoned. Only one property has apparently been worked with success, and the easily
orked material in this deposit is now about exhausted. Up to the present the product
IS oome chiefly from the decomposed rock matter, but hereafter the output will have to
9 derived from treatment of the solid rock. A new plant with new method of treat-
lent is necessary to ensure success and to overcome difficulties of transportation.
The Ontario deposits certainly have a considerable advantage over ttiose of the South
1 reapect to cost of transportation. In regard to the quality of the material so far pro-
laoed from the deposits of this Province there is nothing to be desired. As to their size
tod the peroentage of the mineral in the rock, Prof. Miller says they compare favourably
nth any deposits which he has examined. Indeed it is doubtful if any of the Southern
hpositi oontain as much material which can be worked at a profit as do some of those
^ this Ptovince.
30 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
The mineral oocnrs in the Soath under conditions similar to thoie nnder which it ii
fonnd here, but the rocks in which it there occurs are on the whole considerably more
basic.
At the present time it is almost impossible to obtain corundum on the market
There are many cases in which if it were obtainable it would replace emery entirely. In
other cases it is in demand for mixing with emery in order to bring up the cutting power
of the latter. The demand for high class abrasives is increasing, and is likely to be much
greater in the near future.
POaXSCRIl'T.
The Canada Corundum Company has been vigorously prosecuting development work
of late and a small mill has been erected. The treatment of the corundum rock is still
(August, 1900) in an experimental stage, and for that reason no detailed account of the
operations is given. However, Mr. J. W. Wells, Assayer at the Provincial Aassy
Office; Belleville, recently paid a visit to the works and has prepared the following brifif
sketch of the plant.
The officers of the Company are, — President, Clark Edwards, Bridgeport. Conn;
Vice-President, J. N. Shenstone, Toronto ; Managing Director, B. A. C. OnAg, Toronto;
Mine Manager, R. T. Hodgson, B.A«, graduate of Kingston School of Mines ; Mil
Foreman, L. S. Ropes, graduate of Houghton School of Mines, Michigan. There are at
present thirty-five men on the pay roll.
The mines owned by the Compauy now being opened up are situated on the south
slope of a hill on a farm owned by Henry Robillard, in the township of Raglan, Renfrew
county. The exposure showing corundum in place runs 250 feet north and south, kdA
is about 300 yards wide. Considerable stripping of overlying earth and debris has been
done. There are three openings which are being worked by benches, starting from tiie
lowest exposure as in a quarry. About 550 tons of milling rock were on the dumps at
the time of visit The corundum occurs in form massive to crystalline, from the size
of a pea to 100-lb. lumpb, in a reddish syenite. Hand cobbing is not necessary, as most
of the rock taken out is fit for milling, carrying from fifteen to thirty per cent, corundum.
The rock is hauled by teams to the mill, three quarters of a mile distant
The mill is located on the site of Kelly's saw mill, on a creek flowing into the York
branch of the Madawaska river, about seven miles south of Combermere village by the
road. The mill dam is fed by three streams and an upper dam, giving fairly good
power. Application is being made to the Government to divert the waters of Echo lake,
which would give abundance of power. The mill at present b only experimental, the
object being to determine the cheapest and easiest method of concentrating the raw mate-
rial to a marketable product. It treats on an average twelve tons of rock per aay of ten
hours, giving from one and three-quarters to two and a half tons of concentrates. Water
is drawn from the dam by a penstock 15 inches in diameter, 442 feet long, leading to
a five-nozzle Leffel Cascade impulse water-wheel, furnishing with a fifty two foot head <rf
water 35 available horse power. The water-wheel is connected by belting, diafts and
wire cable to the main shaft in the mill, 400 feet distant from the wheel.
The rock broken to a convenient size is fed to a large Gates crusher, the crushed
rock passing down to large steel rolls. The product from the rolls is elevated to a tilted
revolving cylindrical sizer divided into three compartments, (1) ^ inch, leading to oonoon-
trating tables below; (2) :^ inch, leading to a two-compartment Hartzjig; (3) | inch,
leading to a two-compartment Hart z jig. The rejections from the sizar go down to the
rolls for re-crushing. The concentrated production from the jigs, freed to a considerable
extent from felspar, mica, etc., is re crushed, washed, dried, freed from magnetite by a
magnetic separator and sizsd by screens to marketable product, coutainiug on the average
99.5 per cent, of corundum. The fines (l inch and finer) from the sizer pass to two tables^
— a Wilfley and a Bartlett — which separate the corundum almost completely from felspar,
mica, etc., the magnetite however being retained. The product from the tables is dried,
passed through the magnetic separator to free it from magnetite and sized for the market^-^-
A Gates crueher is used for crushing concentrates for sizing, and for drying a patent
dryer made by the Wm. Hamilton Manufacturing Company, Peterborough.
i899 ] Statistics of 1899 211
The marketable prodaot, sized from 16 to 40 meali to meet demands, has a first-rate
•rasive qaality, owiog to the crushed corandnm not breaking lUong parting planes,
ereby having a hackly fractare and rough edges. The product sells at an average
ice of six cents per pound, with a greater demand than supply, as it is alleged to be
perior in every respect to emery, carborundum or any other abrasive on the market
ed for the same purposes.
The Cbmpany has plans prepared for a lOO-ton mill to be crested as soon as a satis-
;tory scheme of concentration is evolved from the experimental plant now in operation.
PEAT FUEL.
Whether coal existed in this Province or not was a question of intense interest to the
habitants in the early decades of the present century. The growth of coal mining in
e States lying immediately to the south aroused the attention of the farmer-settlers on
ritish soil, and the fondest hopes were entertained that vast stores of the precious fuel
9uld be discovered on this side of the line. A scheme for the scientific exploration of
le Province gave rise to the Geological Survey, with a chief who had become famous for
s work on a Welsh coal field, and for many years Logan and his faithful staff labored
a herculean task. As time went on, and data were accumulated, it became more and
ore evident that coal was not to be found in Ontario, although a variety of other
inerals in greater or less profusion were discovered at maoy points.
With the exception of wood, which grows alike in scarcity and price year by year,
atario must import her supplies of fuel, and only recently has any glimmer of a coming
ange been seen. Throughout the entire Province there are vast areas of vegetable mat-
r in the first stage of its conversion into coal, and the utilization of this peat is one of
e problems which is being vigorously attacked just now. In previous reports of the
nrean the occurrence and uses of peat have been described in detail, and during the
si year satisfactory progress has been made towards the inception of a peat fuel
duatry.
TRENT V ALLEY PEAT FUEL CO.
About one and a half miles south of Victoria Boad, a station on the Coboconk
anch of the Midland Railway, are situated the works of the Trent Valley Peat Fuel
t. For over a year the officers of the company have been experimenting with various
nns of apparatus, and have evolved a plant for the conversion of the moist, spongy peat
to dry compact briquettes whose calorific value per unit of oost compares frnvorutolj
thcoaL
Peat bogs in the basin of Balsam lake, stretching southeast from the works with an
sa of 30 square miles and southwest with a similar area, are to be the sources of supply,
lOe large stores to the northeast are avaOable also should the demand arise. The deptii
the peat varies from 4 to 55 feet, and the computation of the quantity obtainable
kdfl to enormous figures. (The peat is dug out by a dredge handling three cubic yards
4,050 lb. per minute, and is pUed in heaps on the bank for air drying. After two
teks or po, the peat is removed by the dredge to barges which are towed to the works.
i this stage water constitutes 80 to 90 per cent, of the whole, and this is lowered to 55
r oent by a pressure of 300 tons applied to one ton lots of peat at a time. The corn-
et block which results from this operation is thrown into a screw conveyor and broken
) roughly in order that it may be handled by a chain conveyor. The latter forwards
B peat to the breaker, which consists of a large number of loose arms mounted upon
baidiary axles, in such a manner that when the main shaft is revolved the arms upon
8 other axles fiy out by centrifugal force and beat violently any objects within their
ach ; the -^hole is cased in. The peat is by this means reduced to fibres and powder,
id passes to the dryer, which was built by F. D. Cummer & Son, Cleveland. This
yparatus consists of a cylinder 30 feet in leogth, enclosed in a large brickwork chamber,
id the following concise description is extracted from the manufacturer's catalogue :
The pure heated gases resulting from perfect combustion of the fuel in the heating
eate pass into a large commingling chamber which extends \Jie Qn\AX^\%n%^ ^\ ^^ \t^^
33 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
cylinder. This cylinder (which is set at an incline and revolyes slowly in trnnnioned
bearings) has a great many large hooded openings so arranged that the heated air ind <
gases at highest temperature are drawn through the hoods by a fan into the cylinder in '
direct contact with the wet material entering the machine. The material immediately
commences to part with its moisture, and as it travels rearwards towards the discharge
constantly becoming more dry, the temperature of the heated air brought in contact with
it is relatively lowered. The drying material is constantly being cascaded in the cylinder.''
After drying, the peat is conveyed to the compressing house, in which are installed three
machines of Dickson's patent. This machine is fully described in the seventh report of
the Bureau, page 22.
To make good briquettes the moisture must not exceed 12 per cent. ; if there be
more thsn this, the briquettes crack on drying, and chip readily, while if ignited they
bum with a series of small explosions due to the generation of steam. Nor must the
moisture be less than 10 per cent , or the friction in the compressing tube becomes so
great that the machines would soon be racked to pieces. However, by means of the
hydraulic press and with careful attention to the temperature of the drying kiln, it is
anticipated that there will be no trouble in the production of a fuel of uniform excellency.
From the machines the briquettes travel by a screw conveyor to the storehouse,
where they are sacked and hauled to the railway or shipped in barges by the Trent Val-
ley canal which passes by just beside the works. Tne company believe that when the
works are running to their full capacity the briquettes may be delivered in Toronto at a
price which will make them a dangerous competitor for other fuels in the market. Wilh
cheap water communication along the canal there is no apparent reason why the briquettes
should not be delivered in the towns along the line at such a cost as to displace all other
fuels save anthracite.
The officers of the Trent Valley Peat Fuel Co., are : President, A. L. Davis ; Secre-
tary Treasurer, W. G. Morrow ; Superintendent, W. J. Sims ; the head office is at Peter-
borough. To Mr. Sims, who is a contractor, chiefly for Government work, is due all
the credit for the plant ; his ideas and experience are embodied in the present plant, and
many changes have been made under his direction. The company have secured from
the Canadian Peat Fuel Co. the rights to operate their machinery in the counties of
Ontario, Durham, Victoria, Peterborough, Northumberland, Hastings and Prince Edward.
The following buildings have been erected on the site previously mentioned : Drying kiln
house 60 X 30 ft.; storehouse for dry peat 100 x 40 ft.; press house 30 x 40 fC; engine
house 24 x 40 ft.; storehouse for briquettes 60 x 30 ft., capacity 200 tons. Power is
supplied by a 90 h. p. boiler and a 75 h. p. Wheelock engine, from Goldie and McOullocL
B E A V B R T O N PEAT WORKS.
Mr. Alexander Dobson has for some time been operatiug a plant for the manufac-
ture of peat fuel near Beaverton. The works are situated upon a bog with an area of
150 acres, about a mile and a half south of the town, and a considerable quantity of com-
pressed peat has been produced.
The surface having been stripped, the peat is cut by an automatic digging machine,
which is so much superior to manual labor that it merits description. A trench is first
cut in the bog, and the machine is placed in position close to the edge ; a short, enclosed
link belt carrying knives and scrapers hangs from the machine, and touches the bottom
of the trench which is made 8 inches wider for a foot or so at one end. When motion is
communicated to the belt, the knives and scrapers cut into and carry up the peat to a
hopper, from which it is removed to the other side of the machine by a short chain con-
veyor. At the same time the supporting wheels of the machine, which are very broad,
are driven at slow speed, and the machine moves continuously forward, supplying to the
digging apparatus fresh surfaces from which to cut the peat. In this manner the machine
moves along the edge of the trench, increasing the width of the latter 8 inches in pas-
sing, and by a series of journeys removes all the peat from the area exposed to a depth
of 2| feet. When discharged from the machine the peat is raked out into thin beds
and allowed to dry roughly ; it is then shovelled into waggons and drawn to the mill by
electric power. The peat must now be more thoroughly dried, and this is done, after a
preliminary breaking, in an apparatus which has been patented by Mr. Dobson. It con-
i899 ] Statistics of 1899 33
its of a ojlinder made of boiler plftte, 5 feet in diameter and 30 feet long, mounted on
I axle whioh dips a little from the horizontal ; the cylindez is enclosed in brickwork
ith a fire-place under the higher end. The lower end is open, and connection is made
ith the cldmney in snch a way that when a fire is lighted in (he gra^ the flames strike
18 ontside of the cylinder, almost at its highest point^ and play along it until the other
id is reached^ where the products of combustion pass intD the cylinder, and after travel-
ig back over the wet peat, which is fed in at the upper end, escape through the stack.
be peat is subjected to two drying influences, the direct heat of the fire and the current
! hot dry air which is escaping, so that only a short time is needed for desiccation,
he dried material, still retaining 10 or 12 per cent, moisture, is passed through a
iokson breaking machine and then passes to a Dickson press. In a 10-hours day 5 tons of
riquettes on an average are turned out by the one macMne, and it is probable that some
cperimenta which are being made will result in an increase of the production to 10 or 12
OS per day. Considerable difficulty is experienced with the dies, which often break
ider the strain, necessitating a costly delay in operations ; it is almost certain, however,
lat this obstacle will be overcome shortly and the whole plant will be worked smoothly and
ntinuously. The briquettes are delivered in Beaverton at $3.25 per ton, in comparison
Ith anthracite at $6.25 per ton, and find ready sale. Those who use the peat consider
at it is as good as coal, and prefer to use it because of the absence of smoke and clinker.
In a letter to the Canadian Peat Fuel Co., dated July 16th, 1900, Mr. Dobson makes
e following statements :
*' Answering your enquiries re output of my one machine plant, I can readily manu-
cture 2,000 lb of peat foe! per hour, using dies 2^ in. diameter, (with chilled eccen-
ic8 now being furnished and heavier dies I anticipate no difficulty in operating continu-
tsly). To run my plant I employ eight men at a cost of $9.30 per day of ten hours,
lis includes the cutting of peat by one man to fire the boiler and drier, (one man can
t in a single day enough crude peat for firing purposes to last several days.) Re cost
production : There is no question but that I can produce the fuel, provided the plant
operated continuously, under $1.00 per ton. I would recommend operating night and
y, and after improvements to press are completed I propose to keep my plant running
y and night. The cost of production will thereby be appreciably reduced. Re Drier :
orking upon peat carrying from 40 to 50 p.c. of moisture my drier easily delivers enough
itably dried peat for one press. Two cylinders can readily be operated in one furnace,
livering two tons of dried peat per hour. Cost of installation would be about $1,700.
16 dryer is simple in construction, very durable and is easily operated by one man. Re
lectrical Digger : A simple, strongly constructed plant costs less than $500, digs enough
)at in one day to supply one press three days. Re Sale : There is no difficulty in finding
ready market; even in this vicinity where wood is freely used I get $3 per ton at works
ad my customers think highly of the fuel. My plant can be duplicated for $8,000, and
am convinced that wherever a bog adjacent to a town is to be had a highly profitable
stum can be depended upon under proper business management."
Shortly after this letter was written Mr. Dobson was unfortunately burnt out, and
' will be some time before the plant can be repaired and started afresh.
OTHKR PKAT COMPANMEK.
The following individuals or companies are also commencing to manufacture peat
Bel, or have already done so :
The Simcoe Peat Fuel Co., Barrie, with one Dickson press and breaker and Dobson
fjv. A peat bog about two miles from the town will be the source of supply.
The Brockville Peat Fuel Co., who are jast about to start operations.
Mr. Hogg, at Qalt, has already made 200 tons and has sold the entire output at $4
Br ton.
The Welland Peat Fuel Co. have made 200 tons this year and are re-commencing
^ a delay caused by an accident to the machinery.
Mr. Ardagh, at Stratford, has made 250 tons this year and sells the fuel in the town
b 14 per ton.
Mr. Matheson, at Perth, with one machine has made some fuel, but has recently
>nQed a company which will take over the business.
24 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
A company has also been formed at Chatham and the plant is being installed.
The Prince Edward Peat Fuel Oo., at Picton, have two Dickson machines, but have
to wait until a dryer is installed before satisfactory progress can be made.
From these dbtes it will be evident that the peat fuel industry is rapidly taking
root in Ontario, and before long we may expect to see the little round briquettes making
their appearance beside the time-honored coal and wood. This subject is of so much
importance that Inspector De Kalb is preparing a special report dealing with the indoitry,
which will be issued by the Bureau as soon as it can be prepared.
MINING ACCIDENTa.
The past year has been notable, among other things, for the number of serious acci-
dents which have taken place, and it is a matter of the deepest regret that the deaths of
fourteen men and injuries to eleven must be reported. While two of the fatal accidents
may more properly be ascribed to the operation of a railroad than to a mine, ten of the
remaining twelve cases are most distinctly due to the dangerous nature of mining when
precautions have not been taken and carelessness has not been checked. Five of the
deaths and two of the injuries have been caused by explosives, and this feature hai
become so serious that a Manual of Explosives, describing their nature, proper use and
the precautions which should be employed, has been drawn up under the direction of the
Bureau by Inspector DeKalb for the use of those engaged in mining.
Another prolific source of accident has been the misuse or failure of hoisting appara-
tus ; four men have been killed and five ir jured by mishaps of this nature. ThiB has led
to a revision of those sections of the Mines Act which deal with hoisting, and a set of
stringent regulations has been drawn up which will certainly reduce the risk very much.
In one instance a man was killed by the rolling of a large piece of ore which had
been pointed out to him several times as dangerous, and in this case the blame must be
laid entirely on the victim himself. Such an accident might readily occur in almost any
excavation above ground, and it can hardly be said that t£e working of a mine is respon-
sible for such mishaps as this.
In another instance a man was so severely injured by the collapse of a derrick that
he afterwards died ; and this again can hardly be laid to the account of mining opera-
tions. The following are the particulars of the casualties :
AT THK CANADIAN COPPKB OOMPANY*B MINKS.
Six cassalties occurred at Oopper Olifi during the year, and three of the victims died
from the injuries they received.
The first aoddent of the year took place on the 7th of March, at the rock house of
the McArthur No. 2 mine. The oars which convey the ore to the roast yard are placed
beneath chutes in the rock house, and are moveid by means of crow bars in order
that the material may be distributed over the body of the car. Occasionally there is a
jam in the chute, and it is necessary to mount the car and loosen the mass with a
crowbar. On the 7th of March such a jam took place and one of the men, F. Dido,
started to climb up on top of the car. Unfortunately, instead of mounting at the end, as
is customary, he chose the side ; and as the car was at that moment in motion he was
caught between the posts of the rock house and the side of the car and severely crushed.
He was taken to the Sudbury General Hospital, and at first it was thought that his
injuries were not serious. On the 8th, however, it became apparent that Uiis estimate
of his condition was amiss, and becoming rapidly worse he died at 10.30 a.m. on the 10th.
The accident was so obviously due to the carelessness of the deceased that it was
not considered necessary to hold an inquest. The danger to which a man is exposed
while engaged in such work is certainly not greater than that which confronts the
brakeman in railroad work, and the company can be entirely exonerated from blame.
On the 30th of March an arcident happened to Peter Flemming, an employee ol
D. L. McKinnon, roastyard contractor for the Canadian Copper Co. The man waf
working on the almost perpendicular face of a bed of roasted ore at a short distance from
i899 ] Statistics of 1899 35
the ground, and had been endeavoring to dislodge a large mass. Before effecting this lie
came down and went to work beneath it at the bottom of the heap nntil the mass
suddenly gave way, and rolling down, knocked him over and broke his leg. He was
taken to the hospital and after a short time was able to be aboat again. No blast was
fired which would loosen the ore, and the affair can only be regarded as one of those
anfortanate occurrences due to carelessness.
On the 5th of April E. Pelletier, another employee of D. L. McKinnon, was injured
at Copper Cliff by a blast. Pelletier was workiog on the roast heaps, and having three
holes ready in his pile asked permission to fire one of them. This was granted, imd the
warning whistles were given by the blaster ; Pelletier lit the fuse and went off for some
distanca His working-mate testifies that he saw the victim go back to the hole and for
unassigned reason shove a piece of wood into it As he was doing this the exploaion
took placp, and the hand which held the wo3d was badly torn and some of the bones
fractured, but amputation was not considered necessary. This accident was evidently
due entirely to the foolhardiness of the man himseli
On April 22nd James Davis was severely wounded while working on a derrick at
the McArthur No. 1 mine. A derrick was being erected beside an open pit, and Davis
was aloft on the structure when it collapsed, throwing him over the edge of the pit to a
depth of 25 feet. He was picked up unconscious, and gradually sank until on tilie 28th
of the same month he died. An inquest was held by Coronor McMurchy of North
Bay, and the jury found '< that the said Jamfs Davis came to his death by the falling
of the derrick at McArthur No. 1 mine and then falling into the shaft of the said mine
on April 22Qd, 1899, said accident being caused by neglect of the Canadian Copper
Oompany, through their foreman, Hugh Dickson, in not having derrick properly guyed,
•ad also in not providing spirit level so that plumbing could be done at bottom of mast."
On the 6th of June a man named Isaac Domanskl was knocked down and killed by
a train on the property of the Canadian Copper Co. He was on his way from home to
the Copper Cliff post office and was walking along the track. A train of ore cars man-
ned by Contractor McKinnon's men overtook him, and the two brakemen made every
effort to warn him of his danger ; but he seemed to be perplexed and confused, and step-
ping in the wrong direction was knocked down and instantly killed. Notices were posted
nearby forbidding penons from walking on the track in that vicinity. Coroner Mc-
Murchy of Nor^ Bay visitod the scene of the accident, and after watching the operation
txf the cars did not consider it necessary to hold an inquest.
An employe of the Canadian Copper Co., Samuel Lafthi by name, was injured on
the 29th of July while going up out of a shaft, which was being sunk. The victim was
climbing a ladder at* the time, and slipping on a rung fell to the bottom. One of
Ida 1^ was broken in two places, and there was a fracture at the base of the skull
Trhich caused some anxiety. On the 5lh of August the man was reported to be doing
xiioely, and no serious results had followed from the scalp wounds.
AT THK MILLBB MINK.
At the Miller iron mine, Hastings, operated by L. Sherk, Son <& Co., Hamilton,
William Gordaneer was injured in the lattor part of March by falling some 30 feet down
a shaft He was engaged in dumping the bucket at the time, and caught his mitton on
the hook from which the bucket is hung. He was dragged over the mouth of the shaft,
and fell to the bottom about 30 feet, fracturing his leg. The shaft, apparently, was not
ienced at the time, and if a proper railing had been provided the accident would probably
not have occurred, The use of a proper subsidiary landing hook together with a fencing
about the shaft renders the operation of landing no more dangerous Uian any other carried
on in the mina
AT LOCATION NT 20.
A fatal accident occurred at N T 20, near Shoal lake in the New Klondike district, on
March 28th, when James McMahon wag killed by a premature blast. Inspector Bow
WIS directed to visit the mine and hold an investigation ; and the following evidence was
taken by him under oath. The witnesses were William Blouquest and James Whito,
Biinera who worked with the deceased, Joseph Talbot, who waa TUTa:ii\i% ^i^DA V^vi!^^ voi^
a6 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
Charles Wright, manager of the mine. The shaft had been sunk vertically to a depth of
80 feet, and William Blonquest, James White and the deceased were working in the
bottom of the shaft, hand drilling, on the night of the 27th-28th of March. Aboat 2:30
a.m. on the 28th three holes had been completed and the deceased, who was foreman 0!
the work, ordered the other men to go ap while he remained below to charge the holes.
The two men were hoisted to the surface in the backet, and the latter was sent down
again for the drills, etc. When these had been brought up eight sticks of powder, suffi-
cient for the three holes, were sent down together with caps and fuse. After fifteen or
twenty minutes, ample time to permit of the charging of the holes, the battery wim
were lowered, each of the two men who came up handling one wire. These were not
connected with the battery in any way, which at this time was in its own box in the
engine house ; no one but the deceased ever handled the battery or removed it from the
box mentioned. It was quite dark at the time and those on the surface could not see
whether the charging of the holes had been completed or or not, but sufficient time for
connecting the wires had scarcely elapsed before one of the holes exploded. Just a
moment before James White had shouted down asking if the wires were long enough,
and the deceased answered what they thought was intended for " all right," the latter
word being drowned by the report ^
The unfortunate man was found dead, with his face badly bruised, the side of his
head crushed evidently by flying rock, his legs broken and with other injuries which
showed that, in all probability, he was stooping over the hole working at it when the
blast went offl The manager stated that none of the powder on the property was over a
month olcl, and the evidence of the other witnesses pointed to the conclusion that it was
in proper condition. It was kept beyond the reach of water in the storehouse, and hence
could not have got wet ; no premature blast or accidental explosion bad ever occurred
before on the property. The eight sticks used in charging the holes had been thawed out
in the engine room before being sent down. The evidence of the two witnesses who had
ever done any charging in the shaft, or had ever seen it done, was to the effect that the
manager had cautiop'^d them against the use of iron or steel, and only wooden tamping
rods had ever been used.
At the time of the accident only two articles were in the shaft which could have
been used for t&mping ; these were a wooden tamping rod and a small pump. The latter
consisted of an iron pipe about 3 feet long and 1 in. in diameter provided with a pbton
inside, and was used for cleaning out holes previous to charging. When the pump was
examined after the accident it was found that the lower end wa<3 slightly bruised and
also slightly bent. This led the manager to the belief that the deceased had used it for
tamping, and that it had been shot out by the blast. The Inspector, however, and with
him another witness, was of the opinion that the bruising was simply due to ordinary
wear and tear. Of the tamping rod only the upper half could be found, indicating in
all probability that the stick had been in the hole at the time of the explosion and the
lower half had been blown away.
The manager's explanation is that the deceased was probably inserting a stick at a
time, and on account of irregularities in the hole had to use some instrament as a ram-
mer. The pressure would probably squeeze some of the nitroglycerine from the absor-
bent, and if the pump had been used a spark might readily have been produced which
would do the mischief.
The Inspector reports that although it was impossible to arrive at a satisfactory con-
clusion as to the exact cause of the premature blast, the evidence went to show that it
was undoubtedly the fault of the victim, probably through carelessness in charging the
hole.
AT LOCATION S V 129.
One of the most serious accidents in the year took place on the 18th of May, on the
location SV 129 in the Manitou district. Three men, the night shift in this case, were
killed instantly by the explosion of a hole which was supposed to have been fired. In-
spector Bow, who was then at Bonheur, was instructed by wire to proceed to the scene
of the disaster and make an investigation under oath. This was done, and a full report
wBB forwarded to the Bureau.
i899 ] Statistics of 1899 37
Five witnesBefl were examined, ThomaB Armstrong, James Maxwell, Samael Morrey,
William Quirk and William James Spedding.
The property oonsists of location 129 SY belonging to the Oxford Mining Co.,
head office, 80 Bay St, Toronto, and at the time of the accident a shaft had been sank to
a depth of about 40 feet Work was being carried on day and night, with three men in
each shift ; the drilling was being done by hand.
The details of the accident are as follows : On Wednesday, the 17th of May, the day
shift consisting of William Quirk, Samuel Morrey and William J. Spedding had drilled
five holes to an average depth of 3 feet ; these were being put in for the purpose of
squaring up the shaft. At the end of the day Spedding and Morrey went up to the sur-
hce removing all tools, etc., while Quirk remained below to prepare for blasting. The
five holes were charged with 60 per cent, powder and tamped with a little clay after the
insertion of the fuses ; the latter were of such length that the holes would be fired in
succession. Quirk then came up and the three miners remained close by until they heard
the blasts. There were only two reports, indicating that three holes had missed, so Quirk
went below again and found that the fuses had not bumsd properly. He then took out
the caps and fuses and inserted an *' exploder '' in one hole, together with a little extra
dynamite, and coming up fired the hole with the battery. Again he went down, and
this time arranged that the t vo remaining holes should be exploded simultaneously. One
of these, however, was near the hanging wall, and the water running down was carrying
a certain amount of sand into the hole on top of the powder and tamping ; part of the
latter was removed, but not all. Quirk was a little doubtful as to this hole, but came up
and fired the holes with the battsry. A report was heard and the men went off to dinner
without waiting to ascertain whether both charges had been exploded or not, but be-
lieving that the former was the case.
The night shift, consisting of Cornelius Quirk, Joseph Laurin and Bud Irish, went up
to work as usual, accompanied by the manager, Thomas Armstrong, who was going to
help as was his custom in cleaning out the broken rock. William Quirk went up to the
shaft again to see whether all the holes had broken, and calling to hfs brother Cornelius,
who was below, he asked if the corner hole (pointing to it) had broken. Oomelius
answered " Not very well," and William then warned him to be careful since some powder
stall remained in it. Armstrong, the manager, who was there also, told Cornelius Quirk
that if he had any doubt about the hole to leave it until morning, and then when charging
the other holes to insert a small extra charge and fire it with the rest. Armstrong and .
William Quirk then went down to the camp leaving no one but the three miners at the
Bhaft, the blacksmith working by day only. At midnight the night shift were down to
the camp for supper as usual, and the manager spoke to Cornelius Quirk ; this was the
last time any of them were seen alive.
In the morning the men went up to work at the usual time about 7 o'clock, the black-
imith being about five minutes ahead of the others. When he reached the shaft he found
the lighted lantern hanging on the crank of the windlass, and pulling away the canvas
covering which was used to keep out rain, he looked down and saw the men lying in th«
bottom. He ran back calling for help and met the others on their way up James Price
and Samuel Morrey went down at once and put the bodies into the bucket. The three
men were perfectly dead, and must have been killed instantly. A drill 30 in. long was
found stuck firmly point first in the collar of the shaft, with a piece broken from the head ;
it had probably been used for the drilling and bad been blown against the side of the
ihaft which it struck with a force sufficient to cause a break, and then glancing ofi entered
the wooden collar. On one of the bodies was a broken watch which had stopped at 2.57
a.ni. The night shift blast from about 5.30 to 6 a.m. and their shots are always heard at
the camp, but no report had been noticed by anyone during the night. There can be
little doubt th»t the accident took place at the time indicated by the watch. All the
drills and tools were still in the shaft, and it was very unlikely that before these had been
ramoved any powder and fuse would be taken down ; as a matter of fact none was to be
fotmd.
The positions of the bodies and the wounds that they bore pointed to only one con-
doilon. The three were drilling either so close to the missed hole that they unexpectedly
^ke into it, or their Hole was so near to the dynamite that the blows were su^ev^Tit 1^
^^ise an explosion. According to the evidence previously stskt^d \\i^ m^^dV^^ ^'Q.^^^5^\!^»
28 Bureau of Mines Report [No. 5
warning about the nnezploded cbarge, and if cautious would probably bave avoided it,
although they might have thought that all the charges Lad gone off completely and for
that reason taken the risk.
As no one living was down the shaft from the time of the firing of Uie day ihift
holes until after the accident, there is no possible way of obtaining evidence as to whether
the night shift had reason to believe that any powder remained in any of the holes or not ;
the victims were gcod miners, two of them having had a number of years experience, tnd
they should have been fully aware of any risks that they ran.
From the evidence it is clear that the men were carefully warned and that the re-
sponsibility rested upon themselves alone. It is often an easy matter to point out how an
accident might have been prevented after it has occurred, and in this case two ooiunei
might have been taken. Had the last two holes been fired separately, if that were not
disadvantageous under the circumstances, it would have been noticed that one of the
holes had missed again and proper precautions could have been taken. Or if Wm. Quirk
had gone down again after ihe blast had taken place, he would have discovered that thi
entire charge in one hole had not exploded. It is evident that when a number of holes
are fired simultaneously there should be an inspection afterwards by some competent p6^
son.
An accident which bears a strong resemblance to the one described above is mentioned
by A. H. Stokes, H. M. Inspector of Mines for the Midland District, Eng., in his report for
1899 ; the description is quoted in full " A stone heading was being driven, and a shot
of 5 cz. of bellite had missed fire. After an interval of 25 houis, the workmen commenced
to bore another hole about nine inches from the missed shot. They were using a machine
and screw-auger drill, and when it had bored about three feet the mis-fire shot exploded
and injured two men. Upon examination of the stone after the accident it waa clearly
seen how the accident occurred ; for instead of the second hole being drilled parallel to
the hole of the missed shot, it was driven at an angle pointing towants the explosive in
the missed-fire cartridge, and the screw of the drill had struck the oartridge at a point
where the detonatqp lay, and thus fired the shot. This accident shows not only the im-
portance of starting a ihot hole as far as possible from a missed shot, but that its direc-
tion should be carefully noted, and be at a point increasing the distance between them
rather than approaching the explosive at the back of the firat shot-hole."
A slight accident occurred in the early part of June at the same location. James
Price was overcome by gas, and while bong hoisted in the bucket became unoonacions
and fell out. He was bruised and received a scalp wound, but his injuries were not
serious and he quickly recovered.
AT THE BBOINA MINE.
On the 1st of June a miner, Harry Lampshire by name, was killed by falling
thirty-five feet down the shaft of the Begina mine. Inspector Bow visited the mine
shortly after the accident, but on inquiring into the circumstances did not consider it
necessary to hold an investigation. The shaft was being sunk by day and night shifts,
and at the time of the accident only two men were at work in the mine, Henry Lamp-
shire and Fred. Harris. It was between three and four p.m., and the men had hoisted
the tools from the bottom of the shaft to the platform of the seventh level, thirty-five feet
above. Lampshire was at the hoisting compartment at the seventh level and was lower-
ing a rope to Harris at the bottom, when suddenly he fell and was instantly killed.
Harris had no idea as to what made Lampshire fall, and there was no one else in the
mine at the tima The platform at the level in question consisted of heavy six-inch
timbers spiked down wiUi an opening for the hoisting compartment. On top of this
heavy round timbers had been piled, and these were held by struts to prevent the plat-
form from beiog blown away. Conseqaently the footing was not very good, but such a
condition is almost unavoidable where the platform is not far above the blast. The
deceased was probably careless in moving about, and tripped or fell over some obstacle.
AT THE BLACK S T U H O K O N MINK.
On June 19th three men, Charles Adams, John Howe and Charles Hass, were killed a
the Black Sturgeon mine near Rat Pqrtage through the failure of the hoisting apparatus
■899 ] |>tatistic5 of 1899 29
M>nt ^ve or ten minntea past seven p.m. four miners got into the backet to be lowered to
9 bottom of the shaft. The engineer was standing some twelve feet away from the
ist at the time, and tamed aroand when the signal to lower was given to find that the
ble was paying oat very fast instead of remaining qaiet. He qaickly pat on the brake
powerfally as possible, and stopped the backet when it had reached a depth of 120
3t. The shaft is vertical for the first sixty or seventy feet, inclined for the next forty
fifty feet, and then vertical to the bottom at a depth of 175 feet. Tae backet in
scending so rapidly strack the skids with considerable force and was dashed against
e hanging wall, throwing the men off the bncket. Three fell to the bottom of the shaft
it the foarth, Anderson, strack the skids, and slipping down them for some distance
U into the backet again and was saved.
Inspector Bow visited the mine on the 22ad and 23 rd of Jane, and made an investi-
.tion ander oath into the circamstances of the accident. The following witnesses were
Bmined: Patrick Oalligan, manager of the mine and part owner of the property;
Borge Robert Thnrber, foreman of the mine ; Edward Lindall, head engineer ; James
[cMollen, second engineer; John Linton, lander; Charles John Anderson, who was
irt in the accident, and Oliver Longchamps and Alex. Phillips, miners on day shift at
;e time. The mine was at the same time examined and the machinery tested. The
ine is situated on lot 11, concession 6, of the township of Haycock, and is owned and
lerated by Messrs. P. Oalligan and F. W. Gilchrist. A shaft 6x11 feet had been sunk
a depth of 175 feet, and deviates from the vertical for from forty to fifty feet as has
ien already described. A ladder way with platforms constracted according to the Mines
ct had been provided as far as the first leve], which was at a depth of ninety- three feet,
id below this ladders were suspended to within twenty feet or thereaboats of the bottom.
lie lower ladderway was not provided with platforms, nor were the ladders set at suitable
iglee, but it is not customary or convenient to have this arrangement for the first fifty
' sixty feet from the bottom or below the lowest level because of the destructive effects
the blasting. According to the evidence in this case the lower ladders had not been
placed as they should have been, and it was necessary to use the bucket to reach the
)ttom of the shaft. A pole skidway was provided for the bucket in the inclined portion
! the shaft.
The hoisting machinery consisted of a 7x10 in. duplex Lsdgerwood hoist with driving
nion, friction clutch and band brake, a 7*8 in. steel wire cable and a steel bucket of half
ton oap^ty ; the engine house was situated about fifty feet from the shaft. Ten men
ere employed in the shaft, five on each shift, working by contract. No orders to the
mtrary having been given, the men were always in the habit of riding in the bucket,
id as many as three or four sometimes went down at once.
On the day of the accident, about 7.05 or 7.10 p.m.,. three miners of the night shift
ore standing on the edge of the bucket holding the rope and waiting to be lowered to
le bottom. The bucket was hanging in the open mouth of the shaft, the top level with
\B floor. Charles Anderson, a fourth miner, told the lander to ring four bells, which
aa the signal for the engineer to lower men. The bell was rang, but how many times
I uncertain from the evidence. Anderson was just stepping on the backet when it
tarted to descend with the four men on board, slowly at first, and suddenly with great
peed. It was evident to those above that the bucket had run away, but it could not be
topped until it had reached a depth of 120 or 130 feet. George Tliurber went down by
iddW and found the bucket on the skids with Anderson in it still conscious, while the
ther three men were discovered at the bottom of the shaft dead. They had evidently
leen thrown from their positions when the bucket struck the skidway, and Anderson
leaped almost miraculously in the manner described.
During this time the following incidents had occurred in the hoist house. The
mgineer, James McMullen^ who had just gone on duty half an hour before, was the only
me in the engine room at the time. He was standing at the door facing the shaft house
lad about 12 ft. from the hoist, when he heard the signal bell. Turning immediatedly,
be law that the drum was revolving, and knowing that something was wrong stopped it
II quickly as possible by pressing his foot on the brake, applying in all probability at the
mne time the friction clutch. The brake lever had a play of about 6 in. between two
iprighta fastened to the floor ; these were provided with nine holes each in whlck «k ^vcl
loald be inserted, so that if the brake were applied and it waa deavc^ \a>l^^ \\* m >^^\»
36 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
condition, the pin could be mn throngh the hole above to lock it down. The Inapeolor
f oond that the only hole that could be used was the aizth ; those above left the brake too
slack, while the others below could not be reached. He also ascertained that with the
pin in sixth hole the brake alone would not even hold an empty bucket. This improper
state of affairs had existed previous to and at the time of the occurrence of the aoddent
The brake should have been tightened by the adjusting screw so that when the lever wu W^
secured in place by the pin it would without the aid of the friction clutch have held the '^
bucket loaded to full capacity. Had such been the case the accident would probably not
have occurred. The Inspector also found that with the brake lever fastened at the sixth
hole and the friction clutch applied tightly, the bucket could be held when full of rock
with six men stekndiog on the rim. The day engineer, when he went ofi duty at 6.20 p. ■. ^
m. on the/}ay of the accident, left the brake lever with the pin in the sixth hole and the V^
friction clutch on as was customary. This should have withstood much more than the
strain to which it had been subjected as shown by the result of the experiment jntt
quoted. The night engineer however, although he did not touch the brake lever, ran the
engine for a short time when he came on duty to clear the water out of the cylinders, and
to do this without moving the drum it was necessary to throw off the friction dutcL
While doing this he would be compelled to press his foot on the brake in order to hold,
the bucket.
It was also found that when the brake was oft altogether and friction clutch appli
and held tightly, a certain weight in the bucket would reverse the engine, as would :
turally be expected ; but if the clutch le\er were not held in position by the engineer 1
revolution of the drum would throw it upwards in such a way as to release the friction dutch^Kzn
leaving the drum free to run away. When the clutch lever was applied tightly it was ^
almost horizontal in position, and it was discovered that if the lever were raised thiongb^^B
30 or 40 degrees and the brake was applied the drum could not be held but would grad^
ually gather speed.
The probable cause of the accident may now be explained as follows : The nightg""^
eni(ineer, when he came od, released the friction clutch and ran the engine for a shorts
time as has been previously stated. When re-applying the friction he probably did
not shove the lever down until it was horizontal, but left it at an angle of from 20 to 3(^
degrees from where it should have been. The brake as has been stated was left on by thc^
day engineer, and had not been touched at all. Under these circumst^ances, from the las^
experiment made by the Inspector, it would appear that three men could be held, baU
when a fourth got on the drum was started with considerable resistance at first until-
the clutch was thrown off, and it was then free to run away restrained only by the feebl»
brake. The blame for the accident could hardly be placed upon any one man. Tkm
manager should not have allowed riding in the bucket, and the men should have used the^
ladderway to the first level at least. The foreman should have seen that the botloui^
ladders were replaced after blasting so that recourse to the bucket should not have buui^
necessary. The head engineer should have seen to the proper adjustment of the brake^^
especiaUy as men were being raised and lowered.
AT THE GOLDEN STAB MINE.
During the year four accidents occurred at this mine, one of which resulted fataily-
On August 17th a machine runner, James McAuley , was struck by a piece of fallinfeL-S
rock while engaged in sinking the shaft. The victim wsis working in the sump when ^^^
small piece of rock fell from the manhole at the level above, and struck him in the head^^^
inflicting a scalp wound fortunately not serious and a severe cut on the hand, at the same^^^
time breaking a finger. On the 19 th of September he was reported as quite reoovere^^^
from his injuries. An accident such as this can only be avoided by caution on the part o^T" '
workmen themselves, and due care that their actions shall not endanger others. Those wh^^^
were working at the platform above by accident kicked a piece of rock down the manhole o — ^
the ladderway, and probably would never have noticed it had their attention not beei^^^
called.
On Dec. 8th a timberman, Albert Greeo^was injured while working in the shaft. H^^^
was engaged in erecting a ladder with the purpose of cutting a hitch for the reoeption o^^
timber about 12 ft. above the sixth level, when he lost his baa nee and fell 30 feet t^^
the bottom of the shaft, sustaining a severe scalp wound and bruises about the lef*^
■899 J Statistics of 1899 31
hoalder and arm. Fortunately liis fall was broken by the skids which lie here at an
ngle of 70 degrees, so that he slid for the first 20 ft. instead of falling the entire dis-
mee. On the fourth of January the manager reported th«t he had entirely recovered.
On Dea 11th a machine helper named William Mitchell, while erecting a drill on
stoping bar, accidentally fell a distance of 4 ft. and broke his leg halfway between the
aiee and the ankle. On Jan. 4th, 1900, he was reported to be doing nicely, and it ' was
zpected tliat he would shortly be about on crutches.
On the 22nd of December R. L. Burnet lost his life in the third level north. The
leceased was engaged in shovelling rock into a chute by which the broken ore was dis-
harged into cars on the level below. While thus occupied he undermined a large piece
1 qaartz which was partly embedded in the loose stuff, intending to j amp aside when it
oUed down. Charles Kellog, who was working with him, spoke several times of the dan-
er of taking too much from beneath the mass, but Burnet paid no attention. Finally
be rock broke loose and although Kellog saw it coming and shouted to Burnet, the latter
ad not time to escape and was instantly killed.
AT T H K CAMERON MINK.
By the explosion of some dynamite one man was killed and another severely wound-
d at the Oameron mine, North Hastings. This mine belongs to the Colonial Copper Co.,
2 Broadway New York, and lies about 16 miles northwest from Ooe Hill. Inspector
>e Kalb was instructed to visit the ground and investigate ; he reported the following
etails of the a£fair : On the 21st of Oct. about 4 p. m. Peter Weese, a miner, and Will-
km Galbraith, foreman, were thawing dynamite at the fire in the forge of the blacksmith
hop. Mr. Galbraith testified that he and Peter Weese had each a cartridge warming
hem near the blaze of the fire, while five cartridges were laid to one side in the black-
oiith shop. Mr. Galbraith observed that the cartridges were not thawing properly, and
ad just said to Weese that they had better stop and *' put them in the hole," when the
xplodon occurred. Mr. Galbraith believed that his cartridge had exploded first.
Mr. Galbraith is a native of St. Oelestin near Three Rivers, Quebec, but is now a
Bsidentof Ohalmer, Mass. He is 52 years of age and has been engaged in mining ever
Lnoe he was 14 years old. He stated that he was quite familiar with hot water thaw-
TBt bat had been deterred from procuring one for two reasons. In the first place, he had
Boeived stringent orders to reduce all expenses as much as possible, although he still
md liberty to purchase anything which was urgently required. In addition to this he
mn expecting that work would cease very shortly, and on that account he was loathe to
dd to the equipment It was only during the last two or three weeks that there had
leen any trouble with the powder, and previous to that he had thawed it simply by the
leat of the sun. He had no idea that it was dangerous to thaw dynamite before a fire,
jid had never had a man injured before while working for him. He had always tried to
ye as careful as possible of his men and himself in so far as his knowledge extended.
WiUiam Daniels was just leaving the blacksmith shop at the time of the - accident,
ind was the only other witness of the affair. His account corroborates that of Mr. Gal-
)raith in all essential details. He states that Peter Weese held two cartridges instead
it one, and that he saw the wrapper on the one Mr. Galbraith held take fire. It then
■rent out and he admonished the men to be more careful. Then he saw it take fire again
md started to leave the shop. Just as he reached the door the explosioi took place and
le was hurled 25 ft , but suffered no serious injury. Weese, who was instantly killed,
iras horribly mutilated, while Mr. Galbraith had one eye blown out, the other blinded, and
lis hands were so severely lacerated that they had to be amputated.
The saddest feature about this unfortunate occurrence is that it was due entirely to
Jie ignorance of the foreman, who should certainly after the experience of so many years
tiave known better than to thaw dynamite before an open fire. The opportunities which
be must have had for learning the danger of this procedure were undoubtedly numerous,
and it is almost incredible that he had not some idea of the risk incurred.
AT THE MIKADO MINE.
On Nov. 3rd Oscar Anderson, a miner, was injured ^hile riding in the cage at the
Mikado mine. Inspector Bow paid a visit to the mine and and reported the foUowing
details of the accident.
33 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
It ooonrred in the main abaft, which is vertioal and 250 ft deep. Timber sets are
provided at intervals of 6 or 7 ft and a cage is used for hoisting. At 11.30 am.,
on the day of the disaster, drills were being sent to the surface in the cage. The
shorter ones were lying across the floor, the length of some of them being but very
little less than the width of the cage, while the longer ones were standing on end
and leaning against the side of the cage. Four miners, one of whom was Anderson, were
riding up at the time, one standing in each comer of the cage. There was but very little
space, sometimes less than an inch, between the cage and the wail plates, and while passing
the 120 ft level Anderson turned to look at a man who was standing there with a light,
and it is supposed by this movement shifted one of the short drills on which he was
standing until it projected far enough from the floor of the cage to catch in the timber.
The drill was tilted up, and Anderson's feet were thrown off the cage, while at the same
time one of the longer drills was hurled forward against him, forcing him out of the oage,
which was not provided with a guard railing. Before the cage could be stopped Uie
victim was caught between the oage and the next wall plate, and he was badly squeezed.
He was sent at the request of his relatives to the hospital at Port Arthur, where he died
after a month's illne&s. The cage was not provided with the required safety appliances,
and was hence unsuitable for raising or lowering men, but there was a notice posted at
the shaft mouth forbidding riding in the cage, and instructions to the same effect were
left in the Inspector's Book previous to the accident. It was however the almost
universal practice for the men to disregard these orders when the manager was not in
the vicinity, but since the accident the men have been more careful.
In view of the fact that the men had been forbidden to use the cage, and were only in
in the habit of riding up and down during the absence of the manager, it is evident that
the blame falls upon the men themselves, and that the authorities had done all in their
power to prevent accidents.
AT THB VANKOUOHNBT MINE.
On the 8th of November an accident occurred on lot 1 4, con. 9 Foley, known as the
Yankoughnet copper mine ; the property belonged to a company known as the Niagara
and Georgian Bay Mining and Development Oo. Ltd , which had only been provisioully
organized and was not yet incorporated. A contract for the work was let to a man named
Jacobs, who had full charge of the work. On the date mentioned one of the men, Hugh
Yankoughnet, was being hoisted in the bucket and had nearly reached the Eurface, when
in some unexplained manner the bucket upset and Yankoughnet fell some 37 ft to the
bottom of the shaft. Three ribs were broken, the skull was iojared, the hip fractured
and there were other injuries, so that the unfortunate man lay unconscious for two days.
AT THE WILCOX MINE.
On November 16th two men were injured at the Wilcox mine, belonging to the
Parry Sound Copper Mining Co., Ltd., by an accident to the hoist
The day shift were going off and the night shift were starting when the mishap
occurred. The two men, Eobert Adair and M. McMichael, had just stepped on to the
bucket to go below, and had been lowered about 20 ft when the nut on the bolt which
fastened the hand brake to the frame came off and the bolt dropped out. This of course
rendered the brake entirely useless, and the operator threw the hoist into gear to try to
break the fall. It was impossible to do much however, and the men fell 40 ft to the
bottom of the shaft. The company's physician was in attendance as soon as possible, and
it was found that Adair had his right knee injured and a bruise on his head, while
McMichael had a severe sprain in the right leg and was thought to have been injured
internally. Both men however recovered entirely after a short time.
Inspector DtrKalb, commenting on the accident, stated that it appeared to be due to
the cheap construction of the hoist in having only one brake, while no machine used for
the raising and lowering of men should have less than two. He remarked that it was
also objectionable to raise or lower men in buckets except where a crosshead was em-
ployed as a guide, and since this was inconvenient for the men they were practically
forced to use the ladderway. In all cases a manway should be provided unless the hoist
has been inspected with reference to safety in raising and lowering men, the men should
5. Unloading Pier of Blast Furnace at Deseronto, pp. 15, 102.
6. Cast House of Deseronto Blast Furnace, pp. 15, 102^
T. K.ilionton of IM-Mr.uiio Hl.i-t Kiini.T*-. |» 'Si.
S. Provincial A».»av Office, IJellevilli-. p. 3:5.
t
9. Fiirnwes in Provincial AssMiy Office, Belleville, p. 33
10. Analytical Room of Provincial Assay Office, Belleville, p. 38.
II. Till' Siiltaiii «;..l.l Mill. p. li".
J,
1^. hurhy (;o]d Mine in Lake uf i\\c \V..HMi*, v- V-.
1899 ] Statistics of 1899 33
reqaired to use the laddeni. Another objection to the tue of backets for hoisting and
rering men is that a hood cannot be provided as is done on a cage to shield men from
idea falling from above. These provisions with some others have been embodied in
I Mines Act.
THE PROVINCIAL ASSAY OFFICE.
The Provincial Assay Office at Belleville changed its qaarters daring the year and
7 occnpies two flats and six rooms on No. 24 Victoria avenae. The first flat is used
an office, for sample room and for store room. The office contains five excellent
inets holding collections of economic minerals and rock specimens, comprising in all
at three handred which are available for refereace. The sample room contains
f>ed samples for reference and a collection of rousrh samples from all of the developed
perties in eastern Ontario. The store room contains chemical supplies for the practi-
work of the office. The second flat is divided into a balance room ; an analytical
n, with three fame chambers, work tables, volumetric stock solutions and laboratory
aratas ; a furnace room, containing one large Hoskins muffle gasoline furnace, one set
3rown gas furnaces, work tables, etc ; and a crashing room, containing rock crasher,
therhead pulverizer, mortars, sampling tables, etc.
The laboratory work consists of (1) assays or determinations of values of gold, silver,
per, sicke), lead, zinc and platinum ; (2) analytic il quantitative determinations of
alliciron, sulphur, phosphorus, titanium dioxide, silica, magnesia, etc.; (3) qualita-
determinatioos ; and (4) identification, by the determination of the names or
racters of mineral specimens, with constituents so far as can be ascertained by quali-
ve wet and dry tests.
The laboratory equipment allows for gold and silver assays by fire method, arrastra
Jgamation and cyanide leaching, and samples can be treated up to 25 lb. in weight.
copper both the electrolytic and cyanide methods are used, and for nickel the electro-
c and the Merry cyanide methods. Lead is treated by fire assay and by the
ybdate method for finer determinations, and zinc by the ferro-cyanide volumetric
hod. Analytical determinations are made by the best known methods in actual
3tice, both volumetric and gravimetric.
The samples coming from the various parts of Ontario differ in character and require
nal attention, so that all determiuations are made in duplicate when possible with a
w to reducing errors to a minimum. The laboratory under&ook check or control work
ing the latter part of the year, and samples sent in for check results are done in
licate always, sometimes in triplicate.
Samples received for assay or analysis of less than three pounds in weight are pnlped
oto to 100 mesh fineness. A larger quantity is broken to 5-mesh and sampled down
the usual methods, when a portion is taken and pulped to 100-mesh. All determina-
18 except those requiring impalpable powdering in an agate mortar are made on
iples of lOO-mesb.
H^The assay bead balance in use for weighing gold residues and silver beads is sensitive
;he th of a milligram, giving gold values to twenty cents per ton of ore. The short-
\m analytical balance reads to ^xh of a milligram. These balances answer very well
r ordinary work.
The following table gives a record of the work done at the Office during the year :
ABflays: For For Total.
B. of M. the Pablio.
Gold 197 672 869
Silver 18 136 164
Nickel 6 60 66
Copper 10 162 172
Cobalt 11
Lead 8 8 6
Zinc 6 % ^
3m.
34
Bureau of Mines Report
[No. 5
Analytical DeterminationB :
Metallic Iron
Rilica
Phoaphomi
Titanium dioxide
Sulphur
Arsenic
Lime
Magnesia
Alumina
Ferrous Oxide
Ferric Oxide
Soda
Potassa ...
Moisture
Carbon dioxide
Sulphuric add
hlorine
Platinum
Manganese
Carbon ,
Ash
Volatile combustible.*. . . . ,
Organic matter
For
For
Tot^
B.of M.
the PubUc.
4B
68
27
41
32
32
23
34
33
60
16
19
3
7
3
7
4
8
5
9
3
7
8
7
8
5
13
6
. ,
6
6
5
6
6
1
6
6
1
1
2
10
3
13
10
S
13
10
8
13
3
3
6
Totals ,
1,248
1,641
There were received 304 samples for identification, or qoalitatiye examination mo
or less complete*, of which 224 were reported on free of charge. This class of laboratoi
work is probably of as much valae to prospectors as an actual assay or analysis, ai
therefore it was determined daring the year to charge a nominal fee for the work. Tl
following table gives the fees colledied at the Office for each month of the year.
Months. Assays
and Analyses.
January $40.80
February 86.10
Maroh 28.20
AprU 36.46
M!ay 60.86
June 117.06
July 101.10
August 180.66
September 161.66
October 162.76
November 161 90
December 120.10
Totals $1,146.00
Identi.
Total
fioation.
$40.80
86.10
28.20
36.45
60.36
117.06
101.10
.
180.66
$10.00
171.66
600
167.76
6.60
167.40
12.60
182.70
$38.10
$1,178.10
In addition to the foregoing are fees collected at the Bnresa of Mines on sampl
sent through that office. No certificate of assay or determination is issued until the fe<
are paid.
MINES OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO.
By James A, Bow, Inspector.
I have the honor to sabmit herewith my annual report on the mines of western
bario for the year 1899.
My duties during the year have varied somewhat from the usual oourse. Tue
mer part of the summer was taken up in collecting specimens from the various mines
the Paris Exhibition of 1 900, and incidentally in making a brief inspection of the
lies visited while doing this work. During part of July and August the time was
»zit in making a special examination of the Golden Star mine, and at the same time
the other mines in the Lower Seine locality were visited. Since then a general tour
inspection was made over the district, in which all the principal mines and most of
3 locations on which work was in progress were visited. Since so much of my time
k8 taken up in collecting for the exhibition, and especially because this work was re-
ired to be done as soon as possible, I was not able to visit every location which was
Ing worked, although all the important places were inspected.
Very satisfactory progress has been made over the district as a whole, some locali-
Bs having been of course much more active than others. There are altogether about
20 locations or properties which have been worked daring the year, but on an average
)t more than about 50 or 60 have been in operation at a time, and only about 20 have *
«n in actual operation the year round. It is very difficult to give accurate figures in
eae matters, since many of the properties are only worked intermittently, generally for
few months at a lima In order to pay a visit to every location at which mining
»rk was being carried on it would have been necessary to travel oontinually during
e whole year.
There are twenty gold mines altogether that have stamp mills, a few of these being
ily two stamp test mUls. Eighteen different mills have produced gold during the year,
lere is a total of 331 stamps in the district. Of these, 251 are installed and either in
le or ready for use. Of the remainder, 37 are in process of installation, 23 have not
»en in operation for years, and probably never will be again, and one mill of ten stamps
m been burned down. Of the 251 stamps installed and in use, 225 are gravity stamps,
id the remaining 28 are Tremaine steam stamps. Of the gravity stamps, 241 belong
I gold mills and 10 to silver. Of the Tremaine stamps, 26 belong to gold mills and
ro to silver. Ninety-seven gravity stamps, besides several Tremaine mills, have been
are being installed since last report
It is impossible to give accurate statistics regarding the number of men employed in
inisg in the district, but approximately there are about 1100 ; of whom about 50 per
nt. or 550 are miners. About half the total number, or 550, are employed at the pro-
tcing mines when they are all in operation, and of these about 225 are miners. Of
arse these figures constantly vary throughout the year.
The depths of the principal mines are as follows, the date representing either the
ne of my last inspection or the date of my latest information : Sultana, 530 feet,
arch, 1900 ; Golden Star, 480 feet, Jan., 1900 ; Regina, 475 feet, November, 189V» ;
dey, 420 feet, May, 1898 ; Mikado, 300 feet, March, 1900 ; Olive, 251 feet, Jan , 1900 ;
inmph, 226 feet, 1898 ; Decca, 210 feet, Oct, 1899 ; Triggs, 210 feet, March, 1900 ;
rdar, 200 feet, Deo., 1899; Virginia, 200 feet, Nov., 1899; Burley, 180 feet, July,
199 ; Black Sturgeon, 170 feet, June, 1899 ; Manhattan, 170 feet, Oct, 1899 ; AL282,
tl feet, Oct, 1899 ; Nora, 145 feet ; Bad Mine, 122 feet, Feb., 1900 ; Ursa Major, 117
et. Sept, 1899 ; Oameron Island, 120 feet ; Bullion No. 2, 112 feet, Dec., 1899 ; Bully
07, 115 feet, March, 1900 ; Black Jack, 110 feet (?), Oct, 1899 ; Lucky Ooon, 108 feet,
ot, 1899 ; Sykes mine, 108 feet, Feb , 1900 ; PettigreVs mine, 108 feet, Oct, 1899 ;
irede Boy, 105 feet, Oct, 1899 ; Roy, 105 feet, Oct, 1899 ; Treasure, 100 feet (1) ;
Bramble, 85 feet ; Empress, 417 feet (tunnels) Sept, 1899. Silver mines : West End,
55 ieet (about) and 150 feet ; Babbit MounUin, 300 feet (f).
[36]
36 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
In former years gold waa almost exclusively the object of the prospectors, hu\
recently they havc^ tamed their attention to the commoner ores of iron, copper and zinc.
Deposits of iron ore have been sought for quite actively, and prospecting work hsi
been carried on for the purpose of* testing some of the properties ; for this the new nil
road is largely responsible.
Prospecting for copper has been prosecuted, but with no very encouraging results a
far. The Port Arthur district has been explored for many years, but it is a very diffi
cult country to prospect, and it will not be surprising if deposits of copper remain nn
discovered for many years to come ; in all likelihood, both copper pyrites and nativi
copper will be found in paying quantities in the region.
Zinc has attracted attention recently on the north shore of lake Superior, and th
investment of capital in an enterprise to mine the ore of that metal has had its natura
effect in stimulating prospectors to a more diligent search for new deposits. The result
appear to be encouraging, and prospecting will probably be carried on actively duriu]
the summer.
Silver mining remains very much the same as during the previous year ; the future
of course, dependis largely upon a variation in the price of silver.
There has been an unusually large number of accidents, especially of those resultiuj
fatally, during the year ; but I do not think this undue proportion over previous years i
necesEarily to be accounted for wholly by any material change in conditions. The law o
chance must be taken into consideration. Carelessness in dealing with explosives ha
been the most prolific source of trouble^ and in some cases inexperience is at the founds
tion of the accident But the experience of the past year should act as a preventative t
a certain extent in the future, if the facts of the accidents are properly made known,
leave instructions forbidding riding in the bucket, skip or cage at all mines, for I find thi
practice almost universal, and it is dangerous on account of the fact that none of th
hoisting plants in western Ontario are properly equipped for such work. There is n
doubt that the changes about to be made in the mining regulations will have a beneficia
effect.
LAKE OF THE WOODS REGION.
For the sake of convenience I will commence with the mines near Rat Portage, ani
proceed along the east shore of the Lake of the Woods to Whitefish bay and the countr]
immediately to east of that
There is quite a group of mines about seven or eight miles east of Rat Portage, an<
south of this working mines are sparsely scattered all down the eastern shore of the lak«
in Bald Indian, Big Stone, Andrew and Witch bays, and further south in Begina an<
Oamp bays.
None of the mines of the group near Rat Portage have been extensively developed si
far. In fact, none are more than prospects. During the past they have been worke<
interniittently, usually for only the short period of a few months at a time ; there are neye
more than three or four, or perhaps half a dozen, in operation at once. Some have beei
abandoned, others are temporarily closed down, and so forth. Among these mines then
has been the usual activity during the year. It appears that the future outlook hinge
to a large extent upon the sale of the Scramble mine, which has been so much talked o
within the past two years. A new era of development will certainly commence amon]
these mines if such a deal is consummated.
BULLION MINE.
There is a property consisting of location 263 P about three miles northeast of Ra
Portage, known as the Bullion mine, which has been worked for a few months during th<
summer. It is owned by the Gold Bullion Mining Company of Ontario, Limited ; heai
office, 808 Prudential Building, Buffalo, New York. A. E. Higgins was supennteo
dent of the mine ; only a small force was employed. The work consisted of test-pitting
I did not visit the property.
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 37
BAINT RIVBB GOLD MINING COHPANT.
Mr. James Weidman, secretary of the Rainy River Grold Mining Company, Limited,
with head office at Rat Portage, gave me some notes on properties of the company which
had been worked daring the year. The company owns a number of locations on different
parts of the Lake of the Woods. Operations have been confined to two properties near
&t Portage, viz., the Wimor mine and the Electro-Gold. The Wimor consists of loca-
tion 289 P, containing 79 acres, situated about six miles east of the town, with good road
connection. A shaft has been sunk 85 feet, and a little test-pitting done ; a force of six
Wim employed.
The Electro-Gold adjoins the Scramble mine, and is believed to be on an extension
of tlie same ore body. The property consists of the south half of the southwest quarter
of lot 13, Jafiray township. A 50 foot shaft has been sunk, and a variable force of from
six ^ ten men was employed.
SCRAMBLE MINE.
The Scramble mine has been examined with a view to purchase by an English
company, and it is hoped and expected that the deal will go through shortly. There is
VI immense ore body (low grade, of course) and only a wealthy company can afford to
iBatall a suitable plant for the profi table treatment of the same. Mr. Wm. Ai. Strong, manager
of tbe Sultana, is also manager of this mine. He spent a few months making a thorough
ozamination of the mine, and a little sinking and drifting was done in the diafts during
^hia time. I visited it on Feb. 9, but no work was going on, and the shafts contained
^ater. It was expected that operations would be resumed soon.
BLACKSTUROBON MINE.
The Black Sturgeon mine is situated on Black Sturgeon lake, about 10 miles north-
east of Rat Portage. It is connected with the town by a road which is 'fairly good with
the exception of the last two or three miles. The property consists of lot 11, con. 6,
^yoock township. The owners are F. W. Gilchrist and P. Oulligan, of Alpena, Mich.
I visited the mine on June 23 for the purpose of investigating an accident, in which
three men had been killed a few days previously, and while there I made a regular
inspection ; the mine has been closed down since the accident. There is an account of
this mine in the seventh report of the Bureau.
The present shaft is new work, which has been done since the property has been
acquired by the present owners. The shaft is 6^ by 11 feet in size, and is sunk on the
vein to a depth of 175 feet. It is vertical for a depth of 60 or 70 feet, then inclined
slightly down to within a short distance of the bottom, when it is again vertical. At a
depth of 93 feet a drift has been driven west 13 feet, and one east 43 feet. At a depth
of 170 feet a drift has been driven west 34 feet, one east 8 feet, and a crosscut south 40
feet.
The hoisting plant consists of a Lidgertv'ood duplex hoist with 7 by 10 inch cylin-
ders, I inch steel wire rope 562 feet long, half ton steel bucket aud pole skidway on
mclined part of shaft There is 100 feet of tramway and a half ton car.
The air compressing plant consists of a four drill IngersoU Sargeant compressor, a
leceiver 8 feet long by 36 inches in diameter, and three drills. The boiler is 50 h. p.,
locomotive style. The drainage pump is stationed at the first level. Buildings consist
of shaft house, engine and boiler house, blacksmith shop, office and boarding camps.
Just before closing the total force was 14 or 16, including 10 miners. George Thurber
was foreman, and P. Oulligan manager.
The mine is not in suitable condition in several respects. The shaft mouth is not
fenced, although trap doors are provided. The ladderway is suitably constructed as far
the first level ; below this there is only a hanging ladderway to within 20 or 30 feet of
the bottom, and it is not partitioned off from the hoisting compartment. The hoists brake
ii in nnsuitabie condition. The following instructions were left in the Inspector's Book :
1, Place a saitable guard rail around the shaft mouth. 2, Construct ladderway as required
by the Mines Act to within 30 feet of the bottom. Below the permanent ladderway sus-
pend a saitable ohain, or wooden ladder, so that miners caa aacciiid ai'ad dfia^seoA V^^^^^^i^Tk
38 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
the bottom and the surface without the use of the backet. 3, Do not allow riding in
the backet. Post ap a notice to this effect in a conspicaoas place in the shaft house.
4, I would recommend that the brake be tightened so that a bucket full of rock can be
held by the application of the brake alone, withoat the aid of the friction clutch.
TREA8UBK MINE.
On Feb. 8, 1900, 1 visited the Treasure mine, which is situated about seven miles
east of Rat Portage. It consists of locations 400 and 409 P, which contains 40 acres
each, and is owned by A. B. (Jpton of Dulath. Work has been going on intermittently,
during the past year or two. There is a shaft about 100 feet deep, with drifting and
crosscutting at the bottom, but this was full of water at the time of my visit A new
shaft has been commenced, about 100 feet northeast of this one ; it was 28 feet deep, and
is still being sunk. It is timbered for a depth of 17 feet. Alongside the shaft there is
an open cut on the vein 45 feet long, 17 feet deep and five feet wide. Comfortable
boaiding camps and other buildings are on the property. George Tennant is foreman and
contractor. Four miners are employed.
BAD MIME.
On Feb. 8, 1900, I visited the Bad mine, which is situated south of the railway
track, about 10 miles east of Rat Portage. The property has been bought by the Ballion
Mining Company of Ontario, Limited, and development work resumed after nearly a
year of idleness. There wm an old shaft on the property about 70 feet desp, and a tun-
nel driven in at the bottom of the hill, meeting the shaft ; the length of the latter is 112
feet. At the time of my visit the shaft had been sunk to a depth of 40 feet below the
tunnel, making the total depth from the surface 122 feet The vein had pinched out
where the shaft and the tunnel met, but had widened out to five or six feet at the
bottom. There was no ladders ay or skid way ; the bucket slid on the bare rock. Instruc-
tions were given to provide for these deficiencies. The sinking is being done by contract
by James Gordon. A force of six miners is employed.
SULTANA MINE.
For the past two or three years the report has been periodically circulated that the
Sultana mine was sold. For a considerable time extending up to the past year the pro-
perty belonged to John F. Caldwell of Winnipeg, Man., and it had always been considered
by the public in this vicinity a desirable thing that the mine should be in the hands of
an English company, in order that the output might be made public and the district
advertised in English mining circles through the medium of this property. Under the
private ownership the output of the mine was never published, and it was always more or
less of a mystery to all but those who were in the inner circle, or whose business it was to
know. Various rumora were in circulation, and varions conjectures were made. Some
were to the effect that Mr. Caldwell was not anxious to sell ; othera that he wanted, or
was offered, a very large sum, up in the millions ; and still other reports were directly to
the opposite effect. However, Mr. Caldwell has at length succeeded in disposing of the
mine to an English company, receiving in payment fully paid up sharen to the extent of
the whole of the pnrchase price.
The name of the new company is the Sultana Mine of Canada, Limited ; capital,
£275,000 in 275,000 shares of one pound each ; head office, London, England. The direc-
tors are the following :
Leonard Fawell, Esq., J. P., director Lake View Consols, Limited, chairman ; Sir
Gerald Fitz Gerald, K. C. M G., Deputy-Chairman Anglo-American Telegraph Co , Limi-
ted ; W. Rhodes, Esq., Director Mashonaland Agency, Limited ; Wilberforce Bryant Esq ,
Chairman, Messrs Bryant and May, Limited ; John F. Caldwell, Esq., Winnipeg, late
owner, 'Advisory Director in Canada ; Secretary, Hugh C. Rabbidge, 32 Poultry, £. C.
The company was formed and incorporated in July, 1899, and the objects of the com-
pany are to acquire, further develop and work the Sultana mine, and also any other mining
property acquired at any time, and to carry on any other business accessory thereto. A
detailed statement of the objects of the compa^ny is contained in the prospectus. The
1S99]
Mkies of Northwestern Ontario
39
Saltana mine was examined and reported on bj Wm. M. Strong, M. E., the General
ifinager in Oanada, and the oompany have been in possession since Aug. 12, 1899.
The mill was in operation up to Sept 1, treating ore which had been broken down
before the new owners took possession, and which therefore belonged to Mr. Oaldwell.
Since then it has only been run for a few days each month to d\»^Qa^ ol ^T^t«fic\>uY^Vt5s^
40 Bureau of Mines Report No.
development work. The new company have started in by doing ByBtematic ezploiti
without any actual mining of ore, and it will probably be some time before the mill
be in regular operation again.
Operations have been principally confined to the main shaft workings. On the <
sion of my last visit of inspection, Jan. 4, 1900, the shaft was 461 feet deep, with i
foot sump below this, and arrangements had been almost completed for the continue
of sinking by subsidiary hoistiv)g machinery, such as has been employed ever since
skip was installed. The following new work has been done underground since last re;
First Level, south : The drift has been driven an additional 58 feet, and the
stoped out overhead to a height of 35 feet, with a width of 8 or 10 feet, and this stope 8
doned. The crossci^, which extends from this level to the air shaft, has been continue
No. 2 air shaft, an old shaft which had been sunk several years ago on a vein behin*
mill, and distant 250 feet from the main shaft, following the course of the drif
Drifting has been carried beyond this shaft to a total distance of 597 feet from the :
shaft, and will be continued for some distance farther to strike a body of quartz whi
known to exist by surface showings.
At the place where the crosscut from the first level meets Na 1 air shaft a drift
been driven south a total distance of 264 feet from the air shaft, on the " Gagne "
and discontinued. Further on in the crosscut another drift, said to be 25 or 30
long, has been driven south from the prossout and abandoned, and the entranca boa
over to prevent accesss.
No. 2 air shaft has been sunk below the first level a distance of 12 feet, and wi
continued. The extension of this shaft below the level is considered an indepen
shaft, and is known as the *' Galena " shaft on account of the large amount of galena
was found in this vein at this point. A drift has been driven northeast a distance o
or 80 feet from the crosscut at this point, and abandoned.
Second Level, north : The north drift in this level has been driven a total distan
400 feet from the shaft, and discontinued for the present At a distance of 375 feet
the shaft in this drift a bunch of quartz about 10 feet wide was pissed through, am
drift widened at this point to ascertain the extent of the quartz body. It was exp<
that a large body of quartz would be struck in this drift, and further drifting may be
in the endeavour to find it ; a mere seam in the rock was followed. At the end of the
the nature of the rook could be seen on the freshly broken surface ; the structure
schistose and wavy, with small stringers of quartz and calcite traversing the face in
profusion as to constitute about 25 per cent, of the whole ; this material is said to i
from $1.00 to $1.50 per ton.
South : In the south drift the main workings have been described in previou
ports. There is a large stope extending up to the first level and down to the third,
fact with the exception of a little rock left for floors this stope extends to the sixth 1
A neatly constructed bridge has been built across this stope at the se
level and the tramway laid over same, and a drift has been driven from the south ei
the stope for a total distance of 590 feet from the main shaft. This drift is being
tinned to connect with a shaft now being sunk on the Grown Beef vein, a distance
little over 100 feet being still required to be driven before the connection is made. 1
IB no vein or seam to follow, and the transit is the only guide.
North of the main stope in this level an overhand stope has recently been mat
feet long, about 40 feet in height above the floor of the level and about 8 feet wide,
timbered over underneath. This and all other stoping was done previous to the tra
of the property.
Third Level : No work was going on in this level at the time of my inspection
some prospecting drifts had been run from the main stope south of the shaft, and a
stoping had been done also since last report One drift or crosscut has been run
under the lake from the east wall of the stope, a distance of 119 feet The rock i
end of this drift is similar in appearance to that at the end of the north drift in the »
level ; being full of small stringers of quartz and calcite, and possessing a wavy sohi
character ; it is said to assay from $1.00 to $1.50 per ton.
Another drift has been driven 30 feet northeaMt from the main stope, and ovei
toping in the drift carried up to a height of 50 feet with a length of about 9 feet i
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 41
width of the same. At the top the stope is broken through to the main stope. A third
drift has been driven 10 feet south from the main stope.
Fourth Level, north : The north drift in this level has been driven altogether 150
feet from the shaft, and discontinued. The south drift has been driven 155 feet altogether
tnd is being continued to meet the Crown Reef shaft, similarly to the second level.
Fifth Level : No* work was going on in this level at the time of inspection. The large
Btope south of the shaft which extends to the sixth level has been timbered over, provid-
ing a floor to the fif ^h. An opening has been left for ventilation and properly fenced.
Sixth Level : Work was suspended at the sixth level also. The north drift has been
driven 55 feet, and the south 60 feet. A winze connects with the seventh level at a dis-
tMice of 43 feet north of the shaft. The following stoping has been done in this level
nnce last report : North of shaft, length, 40 feet; height above roof of drift, 15 feet.
Soath of shaft, length, 50 feet ; height, raised to fifth level.
Seventh Level : The seventh level has been established at a depth of 461 feet, and
a large loading chamber provided, as at the preceding levels. The north drift is 7 by 7
feet in cross section^ has been driven 97 feet and is continued. Two branch drifts have
been driven east and west from the main drift, 10 feet and 5 feet respectively.
The south drift is 10 feet in width by 7 feet in height, 33 feet in length, and has
been discontinued. A cistern 16 feet square and 12 feet deep has been sunk at the south
end of this drift, and two pumps installed.
The skip road hss been extended to the seventh level. No other change has been
made in the hoisting plant.
On the Grown Beef, which is apparently a good vein, a shaft has been sunk in the
open cut, following the vein to a depth of 122 feet, and is being continued. Connection
ii being made with the levels from the main shaft, as stated before. The shafl on the vein
vill serve as an air shaft when completed, and all ore will be trammed to the main shaft
ftlong the underground levels ; a small hoist worked by compressed air has been installed.
A road has been constructed from the shaft to the main eurface workings. As additional
^^mpressed air has been required, the old straight line compressor previously used on the
property has been again installed in conjunction with the preaent duplex compressor, and
^ addition built to the engine room for it. A new machine shop has been built and
Pl^ovided with lathe, drill and other machinery. The company intend to ^ild a small
foundry so as to be able to make any small castings necessary, and they wul also make
4loes and dies. No change has been made in tho mill or the chlorination plant.
The following new buildings have been erected on the property : Machine shop,
(Manager's dwelling, mUl superintendent's dwelling, new sleeping camp, and three private
1 sellings for employees. ^
The mine captain is Albert Johnson ; mine foreman, Anton Anderson ; mill superin-
Qndent, Alex Ootter. The total force is 85, and the nuoaber of miners 30.
The Sultana has the best ladderway of any mine in the district. For a short distance
tom the surface the shaft is smaller than the main portion, but below this the cross section
fe 8 by 18 feet, and the ladderway is 8 by 8 feet. It is well cased off from the hoisting
^mpartment to the bottom of the shaft. A portion of the casing between the second
Bvel and the surface was blown off by the accidental explosion which occurred in the first
evel on Jan. 1, but this was to have been replaced immediately. Neatly constructed
Platforms or landings are provided at intervals of 15 or 20 feet all the way down. The
^ders are all heavily constructed, with iron rungs, and are set at convenient angles.
^e ladderway is convenient and safe for travelling up and down, and should last for
Dany years without repair.
The first and second levels north have been left in a dangerous condition as a result
>i the explosion mentioned above. The stuils covering the stopes have been blasted away,
QftTing both levels in a precarious condition. A special report of this accident was made
•o the Director of the Bureau of Mines. The Galena shaft is not fenced, and is hence in
b dlogerous condition ; the winze in the sixth level north is in the same condition. Powder
&as been found lying in open boxes in two or three instances underground, and other evi-
lences of carelessness in ^the disposal of it have been observed. Ventilation is satis-
factory. Drainage is secured by two pumps at the seventh level and one at the fourth.
Ihera is a oonsiderable flow of water from the seams in the seventh level, owing to the
Uose nature of the ground there.
4
42 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
The following instractionB were left in the Inspector's Book :
1, Repair casing between ladderway and hoisting compartment between the seoonc
level and the snrface.
2, If first and second levels north are to be used again, replace stall timbers, whid
were blown off by the explosion ; or if these levels are not to he nsed fence off the drift
to prevent access.
3, Provide a guard rail at Galena shaft.
4, Fence wicze north of shaft in sixth level.
In consequence of the accident of Jan. 1, the following additional instructions wer
left in regard to the handling of powder :
5, Keep all explosives and detonators underground in separate chests with lids, an
do not allow these materials to be left outside of the chests.
6, Keep all explosives, etc., at a safe distance from the shaft, or where any work ;
going on, or where men are in the habit of passing.
7, Hemove all loose sawdust and empty boxes from the proximity of explosives.
8, Keep powder-thaw cans thorougly clean.
9, Instruct all miners underground in the proper handling and thawing of dynamit
BURLBT MINK.
The Barley mine has been dosed down since June, 1899. R H. Flaherty resign
his position as manager in April, and was succeeded by P. W Webster, who filled tl
position until the mine was closed down. The shaft was allowed to fill with wati
Later on in the season it was pumped out again by J. Barley Smith and examined, a
again allowed to fill. Frank Hockley, who is managing Mr. Smith's business in £
Portage, gave me the following underground measurements of work done since last repoi
. Depth of shaft, 180 feet ; second level at depth of 150 feet ; crosscutting east and west
this level, about 20 feet altogether.
HAT ISLAND MINK.
Operations were resumed for about three months during the summer at the B
<iiand mine.9 [ did not visit the property, but got the following information from Fn
Hockley, who was superintending the work : The shaft is 103 feeb deep ; first level,
depth of 100 feet. A total amount of about 215 feet of drifting and crosscutting ]
been done at the level On an average, five miners were employed.
SCOTTY ISLAND MINE.
The Ottawa Gold Mining and Milling Company, Limited, have an option on JCl
a 44 acre location on Scotty island, and have been operating on the property since Ji
1899. The location is owned by Frank Gardiner and George Derry of Rat Portf
The company owns JES154, a water location of 96 acres adjoining JCl 00. The bou
ary between the locations is the shore line of the island. The vein has a strike of noi
east, and outcrops under water parallel and close to the shore. The formation is eit
chloritic or hydromicaceous schist. I visited the property on Nov. 26 and foun
vertical shaft 4 by 6 feet in size, sunk to a depth of 55 feet in the hanging wall, ab
30 or 40 feet from the vein. It was timbered and lagged for a depth of 18 feet,
shaft and engine house had been built, and a small daplex hoist with a verticfiil be
installed. U. A. Guess, assayer at the Eeewatin Redaction Works, is in charge of
work. The total force is 11, and the number of miners eight.
Mr. Guess informed me on Feb 6, 1900, that the shaft had reached a depth of
feet ; and at the depth of 60 feet a crosscut had been driven southeast 25 feet, pasi
through the vein at the end. A drift had been driven 30 feet east on the vein, ai
winre had been sunk in the crosscut 15 feet on the vein. .
BLACK JACK AND GOLD HILL PB0PBBTIK8.
Early in October the Black Jack and Gold Hill properties, situated in Big Si
h%y hud mentioned in previous reports of the Bureau, were acquired by the Brita:
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 43
CoDiolidated Gold MiniDg Oompany of Ontario, Limited ; head office, Temple Baildings,
Montreal ; president, Dr. Lovejoy ; secretary, Bannell Sawyer. The properties had not
been in operation for nearly two years previous to this. Mr. A. B. Upton, the former
owner of the Black Jack, had done some work in the shaft just previoos to the sale.
The manager of the mine is D. 0. T. Atkinson, and the foreman Wm. James. At the
time of my visit, Nov. 20, the total force was 15, inolnding a variable force of miners of
bom two to eight
Mining operations were confined to the Black Jack shaft The following are the
mesiarements of the old workings : Depth of shaft, aboat 1 10 feet (water in bottom).
Fint level, depth, 60 feet; crosscut north, 130 feet ; two drifts east in crosscut 12 feet
isd 16 feet long respectively ; drift east from shaft, 35 feet long and 7 by 7 feet in cross-
tedaon ; drift west 25 feet long, with same cross-section ; in east drift crosscuts have
been driven east and west 6 feet each.
New work : At a depth of 30 feet, stoping east and west from shaft ; length, 10 feet ;
baight, 15 feet ; width, 3 to 4 feet A rich pay streak occurs here, and stoping will be
«mlinaed to the first level. Second level : Depth, 100 feet A drift 4 by 7 feet in
oroes-seotion has been driven west 26 feet, and is being continued.
The ore body is a zone of green schist about 15 feet wide, impregnated with quartz
is anall stringers ; the strike is northeast. About 100 feet north of the shaft another
ore body or " vein " of a similar nature about 25 feet wide occurs, with a strike nearly
north and south, joining the former vein about 100 feet from the shaft The crosscutting
it the first level was done to reach this vein, and the drifting at the second level is for
tte purpose of reaching the junction.
The shaft had been left in poor condition by the previous operators, but a consider-
able amount of timbering has since been done. The walls are loose and require frequent
^entlon. A ladderway extends to the bottom, but is not in good condition. Instruc-
^ions were given to case it off from the hoisting compartment, and also to fence the shaft's
^outh. The pump is situated at the first level.
The machinery is all old. It consists of an Ingersoll duplex hoist with 6 by 8 inch
^linden and 36 inch drum, f inch steel wire cable, wooden kibble sliding on a pole skid-
^ay, and 18 h.p. locomotive boiler. Three sheaves are employed, the shaft house being
^ the top of a hill and the hoist at the bottom. The buildings consist of shaft house,
^^igine and boiler house, office, blacksmith shop and boarding camps, all of which had
t>eeii erected by the previous owners.
On the Gold Hill there is an old ten stamp mill, which has not been in operation
^or several years. It is being renovated and will be used to make mill tests, etc. On
fma. 22 Mr. Atkinson informed me that no work was going on at the time, and that the
^Id dumps on the property were being treated at the mill. The mill has been burned
(own since my visit.
T B I G G B MINK.
The Triggs mine, which is mentioned in last year's report, was visited on Sept. 2.
^me additional locations adjoining have been secured by the cpmpany, and the property
:^ow consists of the following : McA56, 129, 130. 134, 148, 189 and 190, aggregating
280 acres.
The main shaft, which is vertical, was 150 feet deep at the time of my visit farther
kinking being suspended pending tLe arrival of steam hoisting machinery. At a depth of
%0 feet a drift has b( en run 30 feet west and abandoned. The first level is 108 feet from
blie aurfaMse. A cro3Sjat 4 by 6^ feet in cross section has been driven north 55 feet, and
is being continued. Suitable timber sets are provided at intervals of every five feet in depth
in the shaft, with lagging where required. A neat and roomy manway has been con-
structed as far as t£e £st level, suitably cased off from the hoisting compartment and
(irovided with platforms. The man- holes in the platforms were unnecessarily large, and
inatrootionfl were left to have them reduced about one-half. Instructions were also left to
(Moride a guard rail across the hoisting compartment at the first level and round the
^haft mouUi. Water is removed by bucket ; a hand blower with pi^ extQnid\xi%^^^\i>^^
ehaft ia employed for ventilation ; blasting is done by battery -, diVV^m^Vj baxi^ '\!>[i^
Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
hoisting plant consiBts of a Oolorado whim, with hand brake applied at shaft month, §14
foot iron head frame, ^ inch steel wire cable and iron kibble. I have been informed sinee
that the steam hoisting plant has been installed.
On Mo A 130, one of the recently acquired locations adjoining on the west, a 5 by 8 foor
shaft had been snnk 67 feet by the previous owners, and work had not been resumed ix
it by the present company ; instructions were given to fence it. It is situated at a distanc
of 1,160 feet west of the main shaft on an extension of the same ore body, which is a
this point about 125 feet wide, and consists of trap broken up, and filled with quart
stringers. There is a 14 foot test pit about 50 feet southeast of this shaft, beside
other small pits at various places on the property.
There is said to be a 30 foot shaft on McA 138, sunk by the former owners, bat i
operations were not in progress there I did not visit the place.
Buildings consist of shaft and engine house, blacksmith shop, stables, office, boardin
camps, store house, dwelling house, and also boarding camps on the newly acquired loci
tions. The force consists of 13 men, including 6 miners. T. F. Fhilbrook is foreman an
J. H. Triggs manager.
WENDIOO MINE.
Mr. Matthew Hunter, late manager of the Sultana mine, gave me the following note
on a new property which he is opening up on Witch bay. Lake of the Woods : The properl
consists of three locations, MH208, 209 and 210, aud is situated south of lake La Bell
north of Witch bay ; it has been christened the " Wendigo,'' in keeping with the nan
of ** Witch " bay. The owners and operators are a syndicate of Canadians, among whoi
are Charles Gooderham, Wm. Mackenzie, Sir Richard Oartwright, Olarkson Jones as
others. The head office is 37 Yonge St., Toronto.
The formation on the property consists of a variety of schists. The ore body is
quartz vein 8 feet wide, and traceable for 375 feet. One shaft has been sunk 60 fee
and a second has been started. Drifting has been commenced in the first shait towar<
the second. Amalgamation tests of 100 lb. each have been made every 10 feet in dept
in the shaft, yielding an average of $16 per ton.;;! Work has been going on since Dec.
1899. Mr. Hunter is manager. A total force of 25 is employed, all miners except on
BKGINA MINE.
The Regina mine has been in operation intermittently duriog the year under tl
management of J. F. Mieville. In the latter part of October work was suspend
altogether and the shaft kept pumped out, awaiting examination with a view to the transi
of the property. The present mill, which has been described in last year's report, w
installed by H. A. Pringle, the former manager ; and lack of funds to provide a prop
mill was the reason for departing from the usual custom of employing gravity stamps ai
Frue vanners asd substituting Tremaine steam stamps, jigs and Berdan pa ns. An endear
was made to obtain a plant which would treat a considerable quantity of ore and could
installed at a minimum of expense. It is well known th&t Tremaine mills are mu
cheaper as regards first coist than gravity mills, and in the matter of capacity a Tremai
two-stamp mUl is claimed to be equal to a gravity battery of five stamps, crushing fr<
10 to 15 tons per 24 hours. But this capacity was not obtained at the Regina. Fr(
40 to 50 tons per 24 hours seemed to have been the best results that could be obtain
from the seven mills, or 14 stamps, which had been installed there. There was alwayi
considerable amount of trouble in keeping the batteries in adjustment and in regul
operation. But how much of this was due to the incompetence of the mill men and h(
much to the defects of the machinery, I am not in a position to say ; however there is :
doubt but Tremaine mills are much inferior to gravity stamps in a milPof this si
Tremaine mills, on account of their cheapness and portability, are more suitable i
prospecting purposes. Another thing, a large quantity of ^ fuel was required to Bupf
steam for the 14 cylinders. The Berdan pans were stopped, being considered useless. (
the whole the mill gave poor satisfaction, and it will in all probability be replaoed by
grmvity mill when a new company takes hold of the property.
1899]
Mines of Northwestern Ontario
45
The cyanide plant wib kept in operation nntil all the concentrates were treated. A
tnatment of abont four weeks duration at least is given, bat on account of the surplus
eapicity the length of treatment was usually extended to five or six weeks. A new
fnrnice has been built for roasting the cyanide slimes and retorting.
^
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The shaft is now 475 feet deep. No drifting has been done above the sixth level
tiob last annual report. The north drift in this level has been driven 380} feet altogether.
At the aevanth level, the north drift is 85 feet in length, and the south 120 feet. At a
<hpth of 452 feet a crosscut has been driven east 18 feet, cutting the vein, which at the
•mnth level dips into the hanging wall. At the bottom of the shaft th:^ ^\^\.V!lV«^^
hm been eatablLuied with croBs-cutting north 18 feet, passing tbxou^ \\)A ''i^vki «ax\ ^xAX«-
46 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
inij^ north and Boath on the latter, 35 feet altogether. Theie are the meaaurementa of Oct.
14, the date o nay last inspeotion. In the third level north, at a distance af 90 feet from
the bhaft, a w a«e has been sank 12 feet, revealing a good width of vein.
The following are the dimensions of the atopea in the levels where this work hia
been going on aince laat report. Fourth level, aoath : average length, aboot 50 feet ;
height, raiaed to third level Fifth level, aoath : length, 120 feet ; height, 36 feet above
roof of drift, and broken through to foorth level at a diatance of 95 feet from the ahafL
North : lenfi:th, 35 feet ; height, 18 feet above roof of drift. Sixth level, aoath : length
(average), 85 feet ; height raised to fifth, leaving pillar 12 feet in diameter in lower part
of stope for support. North: length, 135 feet; average height, about 5 feet above roof
of drift. Seventh level : raise commenced 20 feet south of shaft.
The vein in the lowest workings is wider than usual, and possesses good walls. At
the seventh level it is 7 feet wide at the shaft, although narrower in the drifts. At the
end of the crosscut, at a depth of 452 feet, the width is 6 feet ; imd at the 8th level, it
is 7 feet 8 inches, with good walls and selvage on hanging. At the ends of the drifts b
the eighth the vein is narrower, ranging from 4 to 6 feet. Mr. Mieville tells me that the
ore averages about seven dollars per ton. The mine looks very encouraging, therefore,
at the lower levels, the vein being much stronger than on surface ; and it is hoped that
the disposal of the property will be e£fected in the near future in order that it may be
given a fair test No change has been made in the hoisting* or drilling plants, or in the
mill. Last winter a tunnel was driven 30 feet south on a vein about 9CK) feet east of the
main vein, and discontinued.
At the time of my inspection of April 12 there was a total force of 50 men, including
16 or 18 miners. Drifting and stoplng were in progress, and the mill was running 10 hours
out of the 24. On June 20, the time of my aecond vi^it, the total force waa 20 with 4
minora. Sinking in the main shaft waa the only work being dona The mill had been
atopped on May 7. The mine was visited on* two more occasions^ Oct 14 and Nov. 25.
The mine was in satisfactory condition, with the following exceptions : The ladder way
b^ow the seventh level is not cased off from the hoisting compartment, or otherwise oon-
Btructed according to the Mines Act. Instructions were left to have this attended tp^ and
also to fence the winze in the third level south.
A fatal accident occurred in the shaft on June 1, and a special report on it
sent in to the Bureau*
STDRGEON LAKE REGION.
The Sturgeon Lake or Deer Lake country east of the Regina mine, or of Whitefisb
bay, is attracting a considerable amount of attention at present There are now fonx
properties upon which substantial development work is in progress, and a 15-Btamp mill
is being erected on one, the Oold Fanner. This will, according to present indications, prove
to be a region of large low-grade as well as small high grade propositions. There will
doubtlfss be a number of new properties opened up during the ooming season. The
Anglo- Oanadian Gold Estates, Limited, of London, Eug., which is one of the companiei
operating here, is a strong corporation, and will not hesitate to supply all necessary meaai
to prove the value of their properties. The Virginia mine is owned by a substantial com-
pany, and a stamp mill will probably be erected soon.
VIRGINIA OB LIZZIE MINE,
This property, which has been named the "Lizzie," but is better known as the
"Virginia" mine, was visited by me on Nov. 21. With the exception ok a short period
of suspension of work, active mining operations had been carried on since my previous
visit of about a year before. Work was principally confined to the main shaft, but the
following test-pits have been sunk on the vein also : (a) 600 feet south of main shiA :
pit, 12 feet deep, (b) 400 feet south of shaft ; pit, 9 feet deep, ^c) 150 feet north QE
shaft; pit, 9 feet deep. Good values are said to have been obtained from aH three.
m9 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 47
Ibe main shaft ham been sank to a depth of 198 feet, and is being oontmaed. The
mm section is 6 by 8 feet, and the dip 60^ east At a depth of 100 feet a drift has
been driven north 12 feet From the end of the drift a 3^ by 6^ foot orossoat has been
driven northwest 102 feet, and one sontheast 38 feet, making a total distance, including
tk width of the drift, of 144 feet As stated in last year's report, the formation here
eoBsisti of a band of fine-grained schist, apparently felsitic or sericitic, in which the vein
ii bedded. The crosscut was made to test the schist, 100 feet of which was passed
tbongh. The northwest end of the crosscut is in the granite, and the southeast wall of
the sehist is also believed to have been reached. Small stringers of quartz and decom-
posed belts occur in the schist at intervals ; the whole body is claimed to be ore. It
neembles the Olive and other properties on that belt of schist in the Lower Seine to a
eertsin extent. The formation extends for miles, and if it is found that the whole width
d the schist, or even a considerable portion, carries sufficient value to pay for treatment,
the amount of ore will be practically unlimited. The vein proper in the shaft consists of
•tringers of quartz mixed with the schist The second level will be established at a depth
of 2(K) feet, and another crosacut will be made there similar to the one at the first level
Ihe hoisting plant consists of the following : A Rand duplex hoist with 6 by 8 inch cylin-
jers, } inch steel wire cable, 20 h.p. locomotive boiler, two pole, iron-shod skidway, steel
hsohet, 30-inch sheave, and neat and substantial shaft house. The shaft has been tim-
b«ed for a depth of 20 feet. A suitable ladderway has been constructed to the first level,
Imt is not divided off from the hoisting compartment. Below the first level the ladderway
ii temporary and extends to within 20 feet of the bottom. Instructions were given to con-
Unct the ladderway suitably, and also to fence the shaft mouth. Ventilation is secured
bj means of a 10 by 12 inch wuoden boxing, which extends down the shaft and conducts
the exhaust steam from the pump at the first level, and also receives an up-current for
the removal of smoke, etc., by a jet of live steam at the bottom. A Cameron pump,
vith I^inoh suction, is stationed at the drift at the first level A 3 foot cistern has been
auk in ihe drift, and a dam 2 feet high constructed at the north end of the drift, so that
the whole crosscut serves as a reservoir. Blasting in the shaft is done by battery.
The following new buildings have been erected since last year's report : Shaft house,
Mgine and boiler house, dining camp, bam, ice house and manager's dwelling. The latter
k a large building and is neatly and artistically constructed ; in fact it is the finest log
hose in the district
8. H. Brookunier, the secretary-treasurer of the company, is general manager of the
nine, and James Baybum is agent The total force is 12, including 8 miners.
The company have secured the small steamer "Jenny Linn," with 40-foot keel, for
nnnbg on Sturgeon lake, over which a distance of 14 miles is traversed from the mine
to Dog- Paw rapids. The small naphtha launch runs on Whitefish lake, a distance of
i miles, completing the connection to the portage into Lake of the Woods. Facilities of
tttasport are thus greatly increased by this service. In the winter time a regular stage
"^ "^ > this and the other mines in this part of the district two or
passengers and the mail.
iffll nm from Rat Portage to i
three times a week, carrying p
NINA MINE.
About four or five miles north of the Virginia there is a property familiarly known as
ths " Seovil -Moore" property, of which considerable has been heard. It is now being worked
snder bond by the Great Granite Gold Mining and Development Company of Ontario,
limited, which is operating on Shoal lake, near the Mikado. The property consists of
JE8 93 and 110. S. H. Reynolds is manager of the mine, and it was from him
that I got this information. A shaft has been simk 60 feet and a tunnel is driven 24 feet.
Hie vebi is said to be very fine in appearance, and to be traceable for a long distance.
ANOLO-OANADIAN GOLD ESTATES.
In view of the failure of the On ario Gold Concessions, Limited, of London, Eng-
land, a eompany of first class English capitalists to discover anything of value on 100
aqiuie mileaof territory, which was supposed to be in the gold bearing foTm^\.vx^ sA
GtelariOi it was anticipated that capitalists from that oountrj -wotnY^ va.^Si^^ i^^ox^
48 Bureau of Mines Report [ No.
be less inclined to make ventares in this district, and the public here deplored the wi
of success of the company, fearing that a severe set back to the district would be the c
sequence. But instead of such being the case, the persistency of English capital has hi
demonstrated in the present move, in which <uiother effort is being made in the direct
of discovering gold by the prospecting of large, hitherto unexplored areas. The Onta
Gk)ld Concessions, Limited, under a certain agreement secured by special authority fr
the Government the sole right of prospecting, and buying any portion of two large are
aggregating 100 square miles, in parts of the district where no location had been appl
for or where no timber limits existed, and selected by reference to the Dominion geologi*
map without any practical knowledge of the country at the places chosen. Now a C4
siderable portion of our district is surveyed into and leased as timber limits, many
which are likely to be retained by lease for years to come. No power is given the lessees oi
the mineral rights of the limits, but the Department prohibits the entering of persons up
them for prospecting purposes, and will not recognize applications for mining locations up
them. And further, the bebt timber often or usually grows on the best goid-beari
formation. The reason for this is obvious : The hard and rounded Laurentian gran
will not hold the soil, and hence afford foundation for the growth of timber, as well as t
softer schistose Huronian formations. For this reason much of the country valuable frc
a mining standpoint is tied up. Mr. Alan Sallivan, who was manager of one of the bloc
of the Ontario Gold Concessions, Limited, recognized and had in view the above fac
and by considerable perseverance and expenditure of time succeeded in interesting pro
inent English mining men (not the same who were in the previous venture) in the schei
of prospecting these limits, or some of them, by securing permission from the lessees, tl
not being contrary to the law. Apparently with the consent of the lessees surveyc
may enter and survey, and the Governmeiit will patent or lease locations on timber bertl
The name of Mr. Sullivan's company is the Anglo- Canadian Gold Estates, Limite
capital, $305,000, or £61,000; offices, 9 and 10 Pancras Lane, Queen Victoria St., E.
London, England. The foUowing are the directors : J. Douglas Fletcher, Rosebauj
Bosshire, N. B. ; Thomas Greenwood, (Director Union Financial Syndicate, Limited
S. W. Paddon (Director the London & Westralian Mines & Finance Agency, Limited
W. Marshall Philip, M. E , Assoc. Mem. Inst C. E., The Anchorage, Enfield ; N.
Maitland Smith, Moorgate Court, Moorgate Place, E. C.
The company was formed purely for prospecting and development purposes. T
sum of $200,000 has been subscribed for working capital. This is to be employed cok
for bringing properties to a certain stage of development without installing any rega
mining machinery. When it is establiahed that a proposition has developed into a mil
a subbidiary company will be formed to take over the land, and additional capital will
subscribed.
Alan Sullivan, M. E., is manager in Canada. He went over to England in tl
winter of 1898-99 and remained there until the formation of the company was complete
and commenced work immediately upon his return. A suitable gang of prospectors wi
selected and operations were commenced in August, 1899, on timber berth No. 5 on De
mark lake, east of the Lake of the Woods, there being a number of timber limits in thi
section of the district, and some good finds have been made there. I visited the plai
where work is in progress on Nov. 22. It is reached by way of the route to the Virgin
mine, until within about two or three miles of that place, where a 4urn to the right i
east is made. The following route is then passed over : Two miles up a creek to Eo
lake, which is entered by a short portage of 50 yards ; 1^ miles across Eoss lake , a qua
ter mile portage over a good road into Denmark lake, and a 10-mile voyage on the lattc
The property is situated at the loot of the long bay extending southwest. A small stea
launch has been put on this lake by the company. A regular stage will run in the wint
time.
Two locations, FM131 and 132 containing 80 acres, have been surveyed. The fori
ation is a hard, dark-colored, fine-grained porphyry mixed with greenstone. On FMIS
there are two distinct quartz veins. One has a strike of north 30° east, and is traoeab
and stripped for about 1 50 feet, having a width of from a few inches to two feet. Tl
other vein has a strike of nearly east and west. It is traceable by stripping for aboi
iihe same diBtanoe aa the others and has a width of from a few inches to three feet.
1($99 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 49
A 5 by 8 foot shaft, with a dip of 70° northwest, has been sonk on the janotion of
the two vf ins to a depth of 60 feet, and is being continned. The east and west vein is
three feet wide at the surface, bat the hanging wall of the shaft is apparently the line of
faulting oi the vein, as it is not ezpof-ed farther down, nor does it occur on the other side
of the shaft even on the surface The first mentioned, or No. 1 vein, is only 8 or 9 inches
wide at the bDttom, and the valaes are eaid to be low. Bat Mr. Sallivan told me sub-
sequently that further sinking and crosscutting had exposed a fairly good-sized body of
quartz assaying from two to three ounces. Hoisting is done by windlass and bucket, a large
stone being employed as coanterpoisp, A steam hoisting plant is being brought in, and
machine drills operated by steam will also be installed. A ladderway extends to within
15 feet of the bottom of the shaf c A test pit seven feet deep has been sunk on the east
ind west vein at a distance of about 150 feet from the shaft.
On the other location, at a distance of 800 feet southwest of No. 1 shaft, a shaft has
been sunk to a depth of 50 feet on what is believed to be the same vein, which rans north-
east on the preceding location. But here the vein is much broken up, consisting of
itringers of quartz mixed with the porphyry. Some specimens containing visible gold
▼ere shown me, and I was told that much visible gold was foand along the surface of the
fsin. On the line between the locations a tunnel has been driven west 60 feet, on a
body of quartz mixed with country rock about 15 feet wide at the foot of a bluff about
100 feet high The quartz pinched out in the tunnel, and a crosscut 7^ feet long driven
west from the eikd of the tunnel did nob revdal any evidence of the continuation of the
Tein.
The total force is 25, including 13 miners. Alan Sallivan is manager, and H.
Patterson is foreman of the work.
A number of buildings, including boarding camps, private residence, offices, etc.,
bve been erected.
GOLD PANKKB MINE.
About four miles south of the Virginia mine on Stdrgeon lake thore is an island of
22 acres, which has been survejed into mining location MH230 and is the property of
tile Gold Fanner mine. It is owned by The Gold Fanner Mining Company of Ontario,
Ximited ; capital, $999,999 ; par value of shares, $1 ; head office, Rat Fortage, Ont. ;
I>reeident, M. Kyle ; secretary-treasurer, John Chaloner ; managing director, Richard Hall.
The company own other locations in the vicinity, bat this was the only one visited, and
the only one in operation at the time of my vi&it, although work had been done on one
or more of their other properties during the year.
The formation consists of a belt of fine-grained schist, similar to that of the Virginia
and parallel to it A shaft 8 by 12 feet in cross-section and 15 feet in depth was being
sunk at the time of my visit, Nov. 23. The vein is 8 feet wide, ei tending across the
whole width of the shaft. It consists of a zone of the schist, mixed with quartz stringers ;
about one half being qaartz. The dip is almost nil. The walls are well defined, but on
account of the schistose . nature 9f the formation other walls may be obtained, and per-
haps more quartz, by cross-cutting. Oxidized streaks extend through the vein, and the
schist is much altered in places. The whole vein is well mineralized ; it is said that
much visible gold is found in it. I was shown some splendid specimens that came from
the mine in the office of the company at Rat Fortaga
Between two and three hundred feet northeast of the shaft a test pit has been sunk
8 feet in the schist, where for a width of 8 feet the schist is mixed with qaartz, but to a
less extent than in the main shaft. This pit is not on the same line of strike as the shaft,
heing 50 feet or more to one side. It is possible that the whole body of schist, which is
probably ever 100 feet in width, will prove to be ore.
Six miners were employed at the time of my visit. Richard Hall, the managing
director of the company, is manager of the mine, and Fred. Goulet mine captain. Work
has been going on since the latter part of October, 1899. In March, 1900, Mr. Ohaloneri
the secretary, informed me that a 15 stamp mill was on the property in coarse of erection.
4x
50 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
CAMP BAY MINES.
Activity has increased in the Camp Bay locality daring the year. Some of tiie oM
mines have renewed operations, new prospects have been opened op, a stamp mill haa
been erected, and althongh work had been suspended at one mine the fa tare prospects
for this locality are enconraging.
COMBINED GOLD MINKS 00.
The property of the Oombined Gold Mines Company of Ontario, Limited, had alio
been closed down for some time, and operations were resamed this pist sammer. I raited
the place on Oct. 17 and Nov. 25. There are several veins here npqn which shafts have been
sank, bat the principal ore body is a flat-lying qaartz vein, which probably will avera|(e
between two and three feet in thickness, onderlying a capping of greenstone of aboat the
same thickness, althongh the qaartz is exposed at a namber of points. Test pits and
trenches have been made, revealing the thickness of the qaartz body at varioas points. It
is impoBsible withoat farther investigation to say what the extent of the ore body is ; it
may be several acres or more ; from one-half to diree-qaarters of an acre has been cleared
for miniog pnrposes. Aboat 1,300 tons have been blasted oat along a face of aboat 200
feet in length, where the deposit has been attacked for mining purposes. Test pits have
been made at other places, showing the vein to gradually dip into the trap on the west.
The company believed they had a sufficient quantity of ore in sight to warrant the erection
of the 10 stamp mill now on the property and jast completed. It is expected that the ore
will aversge between five and ten dollars per ton.
The mill is a Fraser and Chalmers, and has been erected under the superintendence
of D. v. McKillican, who represents that firm. The machinery consists of the following :
Two batteries of five stamps each, a Blake crasher with 7 by 10 inch opening, three-
compartment Brown's hydraulic sizer, three Frue vanners with six foot belts, two smooth
and one corrugated, a 40 h.p. Corliss engine and a return tubular boiler 14 feet long and
60 inches in diameter. The building, which is neatly constructed, is of the following
dimensions : Battery room 36 feet 8 inches by 42 feet, vanner room 36 feet 8 inches
by 22 feet, engine and boiler room 22 by 31 feet. It is situated on Gamp bay, on a con-
venient and well chosen site.
As the mine is about two miles back from the lake a railroad, called the ** Camp
Bay and Crow Lake Railroad " on account of its proximity to these two bodies of water
at either end of this length, has been constructed to convey the ore to the mill. There
is practically no up-grade in going towards the mill, and there are no steep grades in going
the other direction until close to the mine, which is situated on top of a hiU ; two switch-
backs with steep grading are necessitated. The track is of 4 feet 7 inches gaogey
the construction of which is interesting. Any person acquainted with the country in this
part of the Province will realize the difficulties and expense involved in the constraotion
of railroads therein. The country is principally a sucoeqjsion of rocky elevations separated
by muskegs or swamps and lakes, with only occasional areas covered with firm aoiL
llius there is involved continuous rock-cutting, grading, bridges, trestle work, curves, etc.,
and the muskeg always aiiords very poor foundation even with considerable filling or
grading. Now Uie body of ore on this property would not warrant the constraotion of an
expensive railroad for such a distance, so a cheap method of construction had to be em-
ployed. The road was made to follow the level groond, and hence the muskegs as far as
possible, so as to avoid rock cutting. Trestle work and cribbing have taken the place ci
filling. At the mill end, for a distance of about 200 yards, the track is supported on a
series of trusses set 16 feet apart. For the rest of the distance, where the elevation is
sufficient to require it, a cribwork about 6 feet in width and 6 to 1 2 feet in length, con-
sisting of logs from 6 to 8 inches in diameter, is built up at intervals of 16^ feet between
centres The elevation at the highest point is 1 1 feet. A heavy cross-piece is provided
on top, and on the ties rest heavy stringers 16^ feet in length, notched into the oroN-
pieces. The rails weigh 16 pounds to the foot, and are spiked directly to the stringers,
no cross-ties being employed. The whole affair, where the track is elevated, is shaky and
ingecnre. Where the road passes through the muskeg the timbers are laid on the bars
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 51
ground. Thii, m would be expected, is a very soft and yielding foundation, and a con-
tinnal sinking mnst alwaya reaait (except when the gronnd is frozen hard), as has proven
to be the case at a namber of points examined. The effect of the frost mnst also be
diaastrona The track yields under the train ; the cribwork and the soft muskeg forming
a springy combination. Experiment proved that the stringers were not sufficiently stiff,
and centre supports had to be provided all aloDg. The rails are too light for the engine,
and the spiking is not sufficiently stroDg, as spreading of the rails was observed in several
places. Crosa-ties should have been employed. The train consists of a nine-ton locomo-
tive^ and two cars which are supposed to carry three tons each. The road wai almost
completed at the time of my last visit, and was being used for hauling cord wood from
various points along it to the mill.
A dock has been built dose to the mill, where there is a good depth of water for
steamboats.
Am regular mining and milling had not commenced, the force was variable. At the
time of my visit of Oct. 17 seven miners were emplojed, and this will probably be the
number when regular work commences. W. H. Orocker is manager of the mine, A. Pat-
tenon is superintendent, and W. H. Rudd assayer and amalgamator.
BOULDKB MINE.
I visited the Boulder mine on Oct. 17 and found it closed down, with nobody there
but a caretaker. A neat and roomy shaft and hoist house was erected at the main shaft.
The hoist and the compressor were installed, and the surface arrangements were neat and
eonvenicnt. The shaft being full of water, I could not go underground.
GOLD SUN MINE.
Other properties have been and are in operation in this vicinity, but they were not
Tinted. I got some information from Mr. A. A. Atwater, manager of a property consisting
of locations JC81 and 97, and FM145, situated northwest of Crow lake, and owned by
the Gol 1 Sun Mining Company, Limited ; head office, Windsor, Out. Six miners were
employed all summer. Two tunnels, 45 and 70 feet long respectively and 600 feet apart,
had been driven to cut the same vein,, besides stripping and blasting along the surface.
BULLY BOT MINK.
Work on the Bully Boy mine was resumed on Nov. 12, 1899, after having been
nipeDded for over a year. It is under option by Geo. J. Ross of Rat Portage and A B.
Upton of Duluth. Mr. Ross is manager of the mine ; J. M. Jotes, formerly of the Regina,
■ mine captain. At the time of my visit, Nov. 25, the total force was nine, including
dz nlneii. No work was going on in the main shaft, as it was full of water and they
vera awaiting the arrival of pumping machinery. In the meantime a pit was being sunk
iBveral hundred yards north, on what is considered the same dike or vein. The pit was
12 feet deep at the time of my visit.
Mr. Ross, the manager, informed me on March 13 that the main shaft had been
punped out and sinking resumed. A depth of 1 15 feet had been reached. A steam hoist
hhntalled
TROJAN MINE.
I visited the Trojan mine on Nov. 24, and found operations in progress in No. 1 shaft
Oft the hill sida This shaft was 70 feet deep, when work was suspended nearly two years
pieviouflt and at the time of my inspection was 91 feet ; sinking is being continued. A
asw shaft house and blackimith shop and a hoist house have been erected ; and a small,
JsDckca duplex hoist with 25 h.p. locomotive boiler installed. The shaft is suitably
tunbered at the surface, but is not provided with guard rail at the mouth. The ladderway
is in poor condition, no division or platforms being provided ; the skid way is also insecure.
The attention of the captain was called to these defects, and instructions were given to
reoMdy them. A shaft house is being erected at No. 3 shaft on top of the hill, with a
view to commence work in a tew days. The total force of miners is 10 ; mine captain,
Jamea Year ; manager of mine, Geo. J. Ross.
52 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
I waa informed by Mr. Roes while in Rat Portage that the mine was being operated
under option by a syndicate consisting of the following : James F. Lswis^ Chica^i^o, president
of the Canadian Rand Drill Oc; S. W. Jenokes, president of the Jenckes Madiine Co.;
J. M. Jenckes, sec.-treas. of the Jenckes Machine Oo.; £. W. Gilman, general agent of
the company, and Geo. J. Ross of Rat Portage. Mr. Ross also informed me on March 13
that No. 3 shaft had been reopened, a depth of 100 feet reached, and 40 feet of driftbg
done in it.
SHOAL LAKE KEGION.
More activity has been displayed in the Shoal Lake or Bag Bay region than daring
any previous year. During the winter of 1898-99 diamond drilling was in progress oo
several properties, followed by development work in the spring. A number of new loou-
tione, including water locations, have been taken up, and now aU of Bag and Olytie bsyw
are surveyed. Altogether about a dozen properties in the vicinity of the Mikado have
been under development for the greater part of the summer and following winter, and m
new five-stamp mill has been erected on one.
MIKADO MINK.
A general change was made in the management of the Mikado mine on March 10,
1899. Theodore Breidenbach, who had been manager since the commencement of opera-
tions, left the employ of the company on that date, and N. 0. McMillan and F. 0. Pengilly
were appointed joint managers ; Mr. McMillan being business manager and Mr. Pengillj
superintendent of the mine and works. T. R. Deacon of Rat Portage was appointed
Canadian director of the company, and to a certain extent has general superintendence
over the afiairs of the mine. Although the management of the mine is thus distributed
among difierent heads, with no one person in absolute authority, matters progress quite
smooUily and satisfactorily. Joseph Hicks is day captain of the mine and James McKenzie
night captain. David John is battery and cyanide manager and assayer. There is a total
force of 70, including 25 miners.
No. 2 shaft has been closed down since March 10, and is full of water. The hoist
has been removed and the tramway to the mill pulled up. Operations may be resumed in
thb shaft in the spring of 1900, but not before. From the underground plan of this shaft
1 find tiiat no further sinking has been done in the shaft, or no work in the first level.
Bat additional drifting has been done in the second level ; the north drift is now 178 feel
in length, and the south drift 250 feet.
Operations have been confined exclusively to the main shaft and vein since the clojing
of No 2. Stripping and test-pitting have been done at various points for a distance of about
1000 feet south of the shaft on the main vein. The first test pit is about 700 feet from
the shaft, and 10 feet deep ; the second about 100 feet farther south, and 5 feet deep.
About 60 or 70 feet farther a costean has been made through the soil to bed rock, depth
8 feet, length 20 feet. About 150 feet farther the vein his been stripped for a few yards
and shows branchiog ; a test pit has been sunk 12 or 15 feet at this point. The continua-
tion of the vein is thus proven for a considerable distance south of the shaft, and although
surface showings are not remarkable they are encouraging, and a test drif c will likely be
run from one of the levels in the main shaft to prove the vein under the test pits.
The main shaft is 250 feet deep, no sinking having been done since last report, and
with the exception of drifting at the 240 foot level no work has been done north of the
shaft during the year. The north drift at this level has been driven 421 feet altogether
and abandoned, the entrance being boarded over. It had been the intention to continue
this d!rift to strike the contacc with the granite at some distance to the north, where there
was a probability of striking a good body of ore, but as this would involve nearly 1,000
feet more of drifting the attempt was given up. The workable portion of the Mikado
vein occurs in a chute which has a dip of about 30^ south, as described in the prevloua
report ; and as the chute lies nearly all to the south of the shaft the present opeimtioina
are now confined to that direction.
1899]
Mines of Northwestern Ontario
9»
53
No fiuriher drifting has been done in the first level since last report. The second
bfd has been driven south 587 feet altogether, and Tliscontinned. At a distance of 324
iBSt Mmth of the shaft in this level a winze has been sank throagh to the foorth, or 240
foot level. At a depth of 60 feet in this winze, or 180 feet from the surface, drifting has
A" 4 M
:;.\.- 1
1^
8
, carried soath 100 feet and north 162 feet, oonstitating the third level, which will
iTentiiallj be connected with the main shaft The fourth level has been driven south
W8 faet. The first and second levels are connected by a winze at a distance of 180 feet
I the shaft At a distance of 200 feet from the main ahaft in tbi^ io\a\&i\%'^ % xiKaA
54 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
has been made to connect with the third level. Some very cheap work in railing aixd
sinking was done here ; the winze^tfetween the 120 and 240 foot leveli was sank bj coqks-
tract at $13 per foot, and the np-raise jast mentioned was done tor $9 per toot. At «
distance of 319 feet south of the shaft, in the 240 foot level, a crosscut has been drivsD
west 62 feet and abandoned.
It had been believed at one time that the best part of the vein was at the sartaoe and
had been worked out, but the evidence of the fourth level does not substantiate this, and
as far as appearances go the good ore might extend to any depth. The ore chute is of
variable width and constitution. There are two walls which range from 2 or 3 to 10 or
12 feet apart These are more or less definite ; sometimes both are well defined, and aft
other places only one. The material between the' walls consists usually of quartz or ore
and barren rock, the latter occupying the centre and the quarts occurring as stringers oa
the walls, and sometimes in the centre. A considerable portion of the chute oonsisti
entirely of quartz between the walls. On account of the looseness of the walls all the
rock between has to be broken out, no matter how far apart and how much is barren, and
nearly all of this rock is sent to the surface as it would not be practicable to do sorting to
any extent down below. And although a very satisfactory output of bullion is obtained
monthly the manager, Mr. Pengilly, believes that it can be increased about 20 per cent,
by the aid of a sorting plant which will remove most of the barren or very low grade
rock. But this will be dealt with later.
The following stoping has been done since last report : Second level, first, or " Na
6" stope, length, 116 feet; height raised to first level; second, or **Na 5** stope,
length, 144 feet, height above roof of drift, 40 feet; third stope, length 40 feet, hei^t
above roof of drift, 10 feet. At a height of 30 feet above the level, in the winze that con-
nects with the level above, a drift has been driven connecting the first two stopes, in pre*
paration for removing the block of ore between by underhand stoping. , This block of ore
b about 50 feet in length. An underhand stope has also been made in this level with
the following dimensions: Length 125 feet, depth 12 feet, width about 3 feet. This
has been fiUed with broken rock and a tramway laid over it. Third level : North
drift, length of stope 56 feet, height above drift 34 feet. South drift, length of stope
70 feet height 36 feet. Fourth level : Length of stope 108 feet, average height 24
feet.
At the bottom level, where all the tramming is now being done, a distance of nearly
400 feet must be traversed to reach the shaft, as this much drifting through the barren part
of the vein was necessary to reach the ore chute at this level on account of the chute dipping
so flatly, and away from the shaft. There being only one tramway in the drift, it is with
considerable difficulty that sufficient ore can be got out to keep the mill supplied, as all
the ore in the upper level is sent to the fourth to be trammed to the shaft Another thing,
with the present vertical shaft each succeeding level requires a much greater amoont of
dead work to be done before reaching the ore, and this has become a serious question. So
a new principle is now to be put into practice in the working of the mine. An inclined
shaft, with a dip of 35^ south, will be provided that will follow the main ore chute. The
mouth of the shaft will be at the north end of the open cut west of the mill, ancl the shaft
will follow the stoped out portion of the vein as far as that goes. Thus there will be no
dead work with the exception of the shaft itself, provided the dip of the ore chute remains
regular, and even if it does vary a little the amount of dead work will be small compared
to the present method. The expense in constructing the incline from the surface to the
present lowest workings will not be great, as so much of the excavation is already dona
This will be a new principle in mining as far as this district is concerned, but wUl only
be applicable to cases such as the Mikado where there is a fla^•dipping ore chute, and the
rest of the vein is not workable. Had there been any idea ut the opening of the mine
that the ore occurred as it does no doubt the method now about to be employed would
have been originally adopted, and a great loss of time and money avoided. The preeent
shaft cannot be used much longer anyway without re-timbering, as the present timbering
is very poorly done and insecure. The new incline has been commenced in the 240 foot
level at a distance of 381 feet from the shaft A depth of 14 feet below the level was
reached on Dec. 1, the date of my last inspection. Work in the new incline will be oon-
fined to sinking at present, and eventually the shaft will be completed above this to the
sorfaoe, probably by the spring of 1 900. A chamber about 1 4 feet cube has been exomvated
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 55
in tlie le^el where ilie inoline hai been oommenoed for Uie insUillation of e Babsidiery
Ust.
A new steel wire houdng cable one incli in diameter and 500 feet in length has been
iutalled at the main shaft. An addition of 9 ftet has been made to the dry and hoist
koue, and the hoist has been moved 15 feet farther from tbe shaft There is a small
fingle-cylinder air hoist at the winze in the second level south. In sinking the winze .a
wire cable was employed to guide the bncket, iastead of a skidway.
Some minor dumges anii additions have been made to the mill and cyanide plant.
A new filake crasher with 8 by 10 inch jaw opening has replaced the old one. In addi-
tion to the elevator a centrifagal pamp has been provided for the elevation of the tailings
to the charging tanks of the cyanide works. The elevator will be kept for emergency.
Before the erection of the cyanide plant, the tailings from the mill being known to con-
tain a considerable quantity of gold were damned ap at the lake so as to be accessible in
ilie fntare. A tramway has been constructed from this tailings dump to the cyanide
bnilding, and a small hoist and tramcar employed for conveying the taiUngs to the latter
placey where they are dilated and mixed with the fresh tailings from the mill and sent up
to the charging vats. There is also 400 feet of tramway extending from the cyanide works
to the waste tialings dump at the lake, and one tramcar employed for conveying the
material.
An addition has been made to the mill bailding for the sorting plant, the machinery
of which had been ordered and was on its way at the time of my last visit. The Jenckes
Machine Co., of Sherbrooke, Qaebec, are eapplying the plant. The principle in the sorting
oonsists of first damping all ore on a grizzly. The fines go to the mill directly, and
what passes over the grizzly falls on a horizontal belt and is carried along towards a bin
at the end A man stands at the belt and rakes ofi* all barren pieces, i.e., pieces that
Qontain no quartz. As stated before, Mr. Pengilly expects to increase the ballion output
by about 20 per. cent, by this plant. At present the mine is paying handsomely, the out-
imt. about $12,000 a month, being well maintained. Mr. Pengilly deserves considerable
eredit for the energy and ability which he has brought to bear in securing such a satisfac-
tory state of affairs.
Prenous to the past year Pennsylvania coal was burned in all the boilers at the
mine. It was more expensive than wood, but more convenient. However wood has
been burned this year, and will continue to be henceforth. A wood conveyor 400 feet
long and capable of handling 10 cords per hour has been provided to take the wood from
the barges and dump it on shore. A 6 by 6 inch vertical engine supplies the power. At
the time of my last visit there were about 2,000 cords on hand, sufficient to last until the
reopening of navigation, all wood being brought to the property by boat. A 40-light
dynamo, with small vertical marine engine, is employed for lighting the mill and other
■arface works. A new dock with 50 feet of frontage has been built at a more convenient
landing place. The old one is still used for passengers, etc. A building 20 by 30 feet
in siae for a general store has recently been constructed. A new Northey duplex pump
hs« been instidled at the second level in the mine, where a cistem 10 by 30 feet in area
and 20 feet in depth has been excavated north of the crosscut from the main shaft. The
main pump is stationed at the fourth level.
Instructions were left as follows :
1, OarefuUy scale the walls in all winzes and other parts of the mine, where men are
^it to be passing through or working in. 2, Also, if the winzes are to be used for asuending
and descending of men, construct a suitable ladderway in each ; and if they are to be used
as ore- chutes, also construct a suitable division.
Daring previous winters, owing to the two connections with the surface, viz., the
main shaft and the stops or open-cut, the cold current of air naturally generated under
sooh conditions caused the formation of considerable ice in the shaft as there was always
more or leas water dripping down, and the mine was also made too cold for the men to
work in. So instructions had been left to cover the open cut over securely to shut off
tfao air entirely in the winter, leaving an air shaft which can be opened in the summer time
far Tentilation. Accordingly a row of stulls was placed at a depth of about 15 feet below
the surlaoe, and the spaoe above filled to the surface with broken rook. At one place
tiilinfpi was put in, and this was found to shut off all surface water entirely, whereas at
ether places the water leaked in all along. Owing to the sevecii^ ol ^^nxL^^T^VsL nX^
56 Bureau of Mines Report [No. 5
country it seems impossible to keep open two shafts which are connected nndergroTind,
as cold nndergronnd air carrcnts and the formation of ice in the ladder ways and drifts
are difficulties that always result However, an air sbalt is usually not required in the
winter time, and can be covered over. Suitable stulls are provided in all working stopw.
The ore is shot down on these, and mill-holes are carritd up through the broken on
for the discharge of it to the cars below.
Mr. Pengillj wrote me under date of Feb. 15 as follows : The incline winze, 8 by
7 feet, is down 1 10 feet and drifting is started. The vein at this depth is in the hanging
wall, thus giving us a better chance for drifting north, as the drifting will not interfere*
with the shaft. We intend to sink another 100 feet after this month. The reef is five
feet wide and gives good values. Everything indicates that the vein is widening with
depth. I have much pleasure in stating that the main shoot is widening to the soutL
The total depth of the mine to date is 300 feet vertically. Drifting : (Recent work)
Fourth level, south, 596 feet Fifth level, south, 4 feet.
The sorting; plant is now completed. The ore as it is raised from the mine is
trammed to the grizzly, the coarse ore falling into a bin capable of holding 40 tons. The
ore is then passed through an ore gate to a table which is made of flat iron boltrd to. a
sprocket chain that travels at the rate of 20 feet per minute. The ore is then conveyed
to a Dodge crusher with 7 by 10 inch opening. From there it falls into an elevator,
by which it is raised to a chute, allowing it to fall by gravity into the mill The whole
plant is worked by a 16 h.p. horizontal engine. The waste rock is picked by hand c ff the
table and conveyed to the waste dump. Water washing of the ore has not yet been adop-
ted, although thorough provision is made for its use. The plant is capable of sorting oat
50 tons per day if required ; it works very satisfactorily.
SIBDAB MINE.
The Toronto and Western Mines Development Company, Limited, has named ita
property, which adjoins the Mikado and consists of location 410D, the " Sirdari" and
location SI 82, which also belongs to this company and occupies the northern part of the
peninsula west of Bag bay, is known as ** Sirdar Point." The Sirdar is now owned by
The Sirdar Mining Oompany, a subsidiary company with the same personnel as the pre-
ceding company.
Theodore Breidenbach, formerly of the Mikado, is general manager of the Sirdar
properties, and O. R Smith is superintendent of the Sirdar mina At the time of my
last visit, Nov. 30, there was a total force at both properties of 41, of whom 14 were
miners.
The main shaft is 200 feet deep. At a depth of 100 feet a drift has been driven
south 17 feet and discontinued. At a depth of 200 feet a 5 by 7 foot drift has been
driven south 111 feet and is being continued. At a distance of 8 feet from the shaft in
this drift a 5 by 7 foot crosscut has been driven west 75 feet and is being continued.
The veins consist, as stated in previous reports, of a zone of altered granite 3 or 4
feet in width, which coincide with planes of faulting in the eruptive granite formation of
the Mikado peninsula. There is usually a small stringer of quartz in the plane of fault-
ing, and smidl stringers are also occasionally found in the altered zone or vein matter.
More or less pyrites is found in the latter and it is said to contain gold all through, but
I think it will make only a low grade ore. The quartz in the plane of faulting is often
very rich, considerable visible gold being sometimes found in it. There are several of
these veins ; the shaft and the main drift are on one, and the crosscut at the second level
is being driven to cut others parallel One of these has been passed through at a diataQce
of 40 feet from the ccmmencement of the crosscut.
A Northey pump is stationed in a chamber north of the shaft at the 200 foot leveL
The laddezway in the shaft is suitably constructed to within 60 or 70 feet of the bottom ;
below this it is only temporary, no divisions or platforms being provided. Instmotioiia
were left to remedy this defect. A suitable guard rail has been provided at the first
level, and also at the shafc mouth.
A one-half duplex Ingersoll compressor of three-drill capacity has been installed,
with three No. 3 drills. A new 40 h. p. locomotive boiler has been placed alongside of
and connected with the present 25 h. p. one ; an addition has been made to the boiler
room for this. A compressor room was also .built
18P9] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 57
On Oat. 23 I visited the mine and foand the hoiBt in a dangerons condition. The
bnke was nseless, the baoket being held by a wooden block inserted between the gear
wheels. Saoh a condition of afiairs was of conrse intolerable, and instructions were
given to have the brake replaced by odo suitable for the purpose. This had been done
(A the occasion of my next visit. It was also recommended that a bell rope 3-16 inch in
diameter be employed.
A dock with 150 feet of frontage has been constrncted on Bag bay. The company
owns the steamer Josie, which plies between the mine and Rat Portaga
8IDAR POINT.
At Sirdar Point a 5 by 9 foot vertical shaft has been sunk to a depth of 23 feet»
snd is being continued to strike an ore body which was located by the diamond drill at
a depth of 67 feet. The shaft is neatly and substantially timbered to a depth of 12 feet ;
hoiBting is done by derrick and horse-power hoist ; four miners are employed. The
diimond drill has been working all summer on different veins on this property with
reported good results, and is still in operation. Boarding camps and other necessary
Imildings, including a manager's dwelling, have been erected, and a dock constructed.
BULLION NO. 2 MINE.
Adjoining the Mikado and Sirdar properties is the Bullion No. 2 mine, consisting
of locations D233 and 389, reached by a half mile walk from the Mikado, and owned by
tiie Bullion Mining Company of Ontario, Limited. President, D. 0. Cameron, Pat Portage ;
niaager, R. Rogeis, Rat Portage ; head office, Rat Portage. Wm. Smaill is manager of
tKe mine and John Harvey is mine captain. The total force at the time of my last visit,
Deo. 1, was 20 ; nnmber of miners, four.
Both trap and granite are included in the formation. There are three veins which
exhibit distinct evidence of faulting, and are to a certain extent contact veins ; two form
a jonetion. All three are small but distinct. Felsite is associated with them to a certain
extent
Two shafts have been sunk 360 feet apart on different veins. No. 1 shaft Lb sunk
iihort distance from the junction. It has a cross-section of 5 by 7 feet, a dip of 70*
BorthweBt, and a depth of 75 feet. At a depth of 70 feet a drift has been driven south
OS the vein 22 feet. From the drift a crosscut has been driven west 53 feet, and from
the end of the crosscut a drift has been driven 22 feet on a stringer. Hoisting is done
by horse and whim, with bucket and pole skidway ; the head frame is 11 feet high.
No. 2 shaft has the same dip and cross-section as No. 1 ; the depth is 112 feet. At
i depth of 70 feet a drift has been driven south 10 feet on the vein. From the drift a
orosscnt has been driven west 50 teet, and from the end of the crosscut a drift has been
driven soath 15 feet A diamond drill was in operation at the bottom of the shaft,
boring east and. we«t from the vein. A Lidgerwood reversible duplex hoist with 24
Qioh dram and f inch steel wire cable has been installed. The bucket is damped anto-
tHaiioally at the surface. A neat head frame, 33 feet high, has been installed.
The drilling plant consiits of a three-drill Ingersoll straight line compressor, a 3 by
6 foot receiver, and two No. 3 drills. The boiler is of 50 h. p. locomotive style ; the
Engine and boiler house is 30 feet square. A short tramway and car are provided at the
^Urfftoe. The buildings consist of boarding and sleeping camps, storehouse, office, powder
llooeei engine and boiler house, blacksmith shop and stables. The timbering of the
4iafts at the surface is neatly and suitably done. A ladder has been constructed in each
^haft^ but no division or platforms are provided with the exception of a short distuice
Crom the snrface. Instructions were left to have this matter attended to, and also to
provide a suitable guard rail at the month of each shaft.
Shortly after my last inspection Charles Brent of Rat Portage succeeded Mr. Smaill
«■ manager.
IMPEBIAL MINE.
The Imperial mine, situated abcut a mile southeast of the Mikado, consists of lo-
cation D397y oontainjng 54 acrei. The regular landing is at th) east end of Helldiver
hay, firom which a road of a half mile in loDg^h extends to the mine. A two-mil^ lor^t^
58 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
trail oonnects the property ivith the Mikado. The owner is H. 0. Symmei of NiagaraM
Falls, Out. Operations have been in procuress since May 15, 1899. A. A. Hare is man
ager of the mine. The total force is 10, indnding eight miners.
The formation is trap. There are said to be five parallel veins within a distance o^
110 or 120 feet; these are simply zones of quartz and greenstone, mixed; the qoart^
occnrring in small stringers, and sometimes forming a definite vein.
A 5 by 8 foot shaft has been snnk on one vein to a depth of 70 feet. At a depth oK
65 feet crosscuts have been driven north and south 9 feet each way and are being oontin —
ued to cut the other veins. Hoisting is done by horse power, with a Colorado whim ; a^
backet is employed sliding on a pole skid way. The shaft is timbered for a depth of 23
feet ; a ladder way extends to the bottom, but is not divided off from the hoisting com-
partment or provided with platforms as required by the Mines Act. Instructions wer
given to have this done. The shaft mouth is suitably fenced.
There is an old shaft about 50 feet east of the main one, on the same vein. It is sud
to be 50 feet deep, but is full of water. A number of small test pits have also been i
on the property. The buildings consist of boarding camps, office, stables, shaft house^.
blacksmith shop and store housa
TUM-TUM MINK.
Two miners have been employed all summer doing exploratory work on the Indi
Joe vein on the Tum-Yum property. I visited the property on Nov. 30, and saw a test
shaft which had been sunk to a depth of 45 feet and discontinued. Another shaft
just commenced at a point where a small rich stringer of quartz was contained in th^
felsite. H. A. Guess is in charge of the work ; Wm. Gordon is foreman. Mr. Guess in- .
formed me on Feb. 6 that the force had been increased to five.
LOCATION M 11.
On Nov 30 I visited Mil, a location containing nearly 100 acres, and situated oi^
the northwest shore of Helldiver bay. It belongs to Silas Griffis of Rat Portage, an^=
has been bonded to J. B. Campbell of Montreal. T. B. Deacon of Rat Portage is super*
intending the sinking on two 50 foot shafts on the property. One shaf c is being sunl^
dose to the water on a 1 2 inch quartz vetn containing iron pyrites and pyrrhotite. Th^
walls are well defined and contain selvage. The country rook is altered trap ; next to tho
walls it is schistose. The depth of the shaft is 12 feet and the cross section 6 by 8 feet^
The other shaft is about half a mile north and is being snnk on a felsite dike which con-
tains a vein of quartz mixed with the felsite to a certain extent, and ranging in width
from 2 or 3 to 24 inches. This shaft m of the same depth and cross section. About 200
yards south of the preceding two costeans have been made across the dike, revealing a
large body of quartz and felsite, mixed and considerably altered ; copper and iron pyrites
occur. The force consists of four miners ; the work is done by contract.
•
TYCOON MINE.
The Tycoon mine is situated about three-quarters of a mile directly north of the
Mikado, and the property consists of three small islands, D219, 221 and 222, and water
lo.ation J ES54, circumscribing the islands. The owner is the Tycoon Mining and De-
velopment Company of Ontario, Limited ; head cffice, Eat Portage. President, James
Ojumee, M.P.P., Port Arthur ; secretary, M. Kyle, Rat Portaga
The formation of the islands is granite. There are no vein outcroppings, but the ex-
tension of the Mikado No. 2 vein is supposed to be en this property. Diamond drilling
had been going on during the summer and winter previous to the commencement of aink-
ing Several bores had been made ; and according to the report of Mr. T. Breidenbach,
who superintended the drilling, very satisfactory results were obtained.
A vertical shaft is being sunk on one of the islands, D219, to reach the ore body.
It is 5^ by 8§ feet in cross section, and at the time of my last visit, Dec. 1, was said to be
78 feet deep. Work was suspended awaiting the arrival of a steam hoisting plant ; ao
far windlass and bucket had been employed. A suitable ladderway has been constmoted ;
but it is not divided oft from the hoisting compartment. The shaft is timbered for a
depth of 17 feet; the shaft mouth is suitably fenced.
/
1S99 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 59
P. S. Griffin is manaicer of the mine, and J. Downey is foremAn. Baildmgs oondst
of bo&rding hoose, shaft and hoist hoase and blacksmith shop.
CROWN POINT MINK.
Daring the past summer operations have been carried on vigorously at the Crown
Point mine, which is aitnated on the point east of the narrows between Bag bay and
Clytie bay. The property consists of location D25S, containing 106 acres. It is owned
by the Crown Point Mining Company, Limited, with head office at 44 Canada Life, Mont-
real ; capitalization, $1 000,000 in one dollar shares. President, Robert Bickerdike,
Itfontreal ; vice-president and managing director, R. H. Ahn, Rat Portage ; secretary, E.
.A, Barton, Montreal
The formation of the property is eruptive granite and altered trap. There are two
olanes of ore bodies ; one consists of a large reef aboat 100 feet in width, sitaated at the
<oontact between the granite and the greenstone ; it is composed of altered granite and
^ireenstone mixed. The structure is almost felsitic in parts. Small stringers of quartz
€X9Ciir, and the deposit is more or less charged with pyrites. Stripping and blasting have
l)een done over the entire width at one point, and it is said that encouraging values were
obtained. A shaft 8 by 16 feet in cross section had been sunk to s depth of 23 feet at
^the time of my visit, Dec. 1, and was being continued. A derrick and a horse power
^whim were employed for hoisting.
The other ore bodies, or veins as they are called, consist of sheared zones in the
granite, similar to those of the Sirdar. Small stringers of quartz occur in the altered
material, and visible gold is said to be found in them.
The main vein has a strike of a few degrees south of eait. Two shafts are being
annk 200 feet apart on it. The main shaft is 8 by 16 feet in cross section, and is said to
be 70 feet deep, with a cross cut at the bottom, 15 feet east ; but it was full of water at
the time of my visit, as the steam hoisting plant was being installed. There are two
hoisting compartments and a ladder way. The shaft is neatly Ad substantially timbered
with square timber that is said to extend to a depth of 30 feet. The head frame is 35
feet high, suitably braced and neatly constructed. The engine-house is nearly completed,
the boiler and hoist being in place. The other shaft, known as the air shaft or " winz?/'
is east of the main shaft, and sufficiently elevated to insure proper ventilation when
underground connection is made. The cross section is 3| by 10 feet, with neat collar ;
the depth is 47 feet, and sinking is being contiaued with windlass and bucket There is
a plane of faulting crossing the main vein about 100 feet west of the main shaft, and
which is claimed to be an extension of the Mikado No. 2 vein. A test pit has been sunk
8' feet on it. A fi ve-stamp mill is being erected on the northwest side of the point at
a convenient situation with regard to the shafts. At the time of my visit all the machinery
was on the premises, the building was completed and the boiler-house in course of erection.
It is only intended as a test mill, as a plant of 100 stamps is in contemplation in the near
future. Buildings consist of : Mill building, hoist house, blacksmith shop, powder house,
boarding camps and private residence. There is a total force of 36, including 20 miners.
W, Sharp is mine captain.
Mr. Ahn informed me that his company had altogether 23 locations in different parts
of the district, and that for this property alone $15,000 had been arranged for as develop-
ment funds.
He is also manager of the Gold Reefs Company, Limited, with the same head office as
the preceding company. This company owns 26 locations in different parts of the district,
and are developing at two diffrent pUces; the Victory mine, consisting of locations
licA41 and S48, east of Witch bay, on which a shaft has been sunk 25 feet and is
being continued ; and Gold Reefs No. 2, consisting of three locations in Clytie bay. A
ahafc has been sunk 10 feet on this property.
OBEAT GRANITE PROPERTIES.
OperationB were continued during the year on the property of the Great Granite
Gold Minirg and Development Company of Ontario, Limiteid. As stated in last year's
report, this company owns 5,000 acres south of Echo bay, and prospecting operations
haye been in progress for about a year and a half on \t. T\i\a ^%a\> %xxmm^\V^^s^^TA
60 Bureau of Mines Report \ No. 5
northeast of the Crown Point mine were being prospected. The contact between
granite and the trap extends in a sonthwesterly direction through their property, occur
ring in a galley almost entirely hidden by swamp. Work has been principally confined-^^H
to prospecting this contact. Stripping and test-pitting have been done along the rides o^^S
the gnlley, where the lock was elevated and samples assayed wherever anything snggeativei^^
of an ore deposit was found. At the time of my visit, Oct. 12, a test pit had been co m
menced on the side of this gnlly where a stringer of quartz was exposed. It was of ^^
coarse inadvisable to make any serious attempt to get at the contact through the swampi_^
and the company intended to do any farther testing or prospecting with the diamond drill.
The superintendent of the work is S. H. Reynolds ; assayer, B. L. Thome. Sixi=
miners had been employed all season, but there were only three at the time of my virit. ^
The camps are on Clytie bay. These consist of tents on shore for the men, and a hou
boat which served as general boarding camp, dwelling for manager and assayer, ^
office and assay office. The houseboat is an innovation |for this parpose, and, although
a little more costly than roagh camps on shore, is more comfortable and can be mov
from place to place according as the scene of operations change. It can be reoomn
to parties who intend doing prospecting work on a small scale on almost any propert^^i^
on the Lake of the Woods, or oUier body of water which gives access to a number of ph)
perties. In case of the abandonment of the property the house-boat, being movable, ia^^
not a useless asset as fixed camps usually are.
OAMEBON ISLAND MINE.
After nearly a year of idleness, operations have been resumed at the Oameron !
mine since the latter part of the summer. The company has been reorganized, although
no change has been made in the namf . The present officers are : President^ Dr. Josepli ^^
Fowler, Buffalo; vice president, Thos. Milburn, Toronto; secretary, Harry Vais, Buf'*^9
falo ; treasarer, H. J. Brain ; head office, Toronto. The manager of the mine is A. D.-.^^ .
Lord, and the foreman Geo. Thurber. As mining operations had not commenced »t th^vae
time of my inspection, Oct. 11, the force consisted of only a few men employed in snrfao^^s^
work. A one-half duplex Ingersoll air-compressor of three drill capacity has been in
stalled, with three machine drills, a receiver and 40 feet of 3-inch conductor pipe. I^^
new 80 h.p. return tubular boiler has been placed along side of and connected with thm
previous one of 25 h.p. New frame buildings have been erected, consisting of the fol^
lowing : Engine- and boiler-house, 40 by 40 feet ; foreman's dwelling and office, oGuuMger'tf
dwelling and general office, assay office and carpenter shop. The Utter is provided with
a 6 h.p. engine for operating the machinery therein. An addition has been made to the
dock on the south ride of the iriand, giving it a frontage of 60 feet.
NOBA MINE.
On Oct 20 I visited the Nora mine, which consists of locations JES38, 41, 42 and
west half of 39 and J079 and 80, aggregating about 200 acres. It is situated in the
northern part of the Western peninsula, Lake of the Woods. The steamboat landing is
at the foot of a small bay on the south shore of Ptarmigan bay, atd about 15 miles from
Bat Portage. There is a good portage of about 200 yards into Fox lake, oyer whidi ik
canoe trip of 1^ miles must be made to the mine landing, which is connected with die
mine by a road 1^ miles in length. The property is owned by The Qold Leaf Mining
Company, Limited ; and the head office is 32 Ontario Ohambers, Ottawa. Prerident, Hon.
Dr. F. W. Borden; vice prerident, Hon. Senator Clemow ; sec- treasurer, A. Simpson;
managing director, A. T. Mohr, 812 Prudential Building, Buffalo, N. T. Robert Laird,
M.E., is manager of the mine, and Ed. Hamill is mine captain. The total force is 17, of
whom 10 are miners. The formation is trap. Large granite dikes, merging into porphyry
at the rides, occur at several places on the property. Stripping and test-pitting have been
done on some of these, whero veins or stringers of quartz occur. The main vein oooun in
a dike of felsite, or fine grained granite, which has a strike of north 70^ east. It is
traceable in this dike over adjoining locations in both directions, and it is said to extend
for miles.
On location JES38 a shaft with a dip of 79*" north has been sunk on the vein to
M depth oi 120 feet and is being continued. The cross section at the surface is 4 by 7
1
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 6i
£«ety and lower down 6 by 10 feet At a depth of 72 feet the vein appears to split ; one
branch bending to the north, with a dip of 45% and the other continuing straight. The
x».orth branch was followed for 25 feet by an incline, showing a good hanging wall with
^wlvage. The vein in this incline is well defined. The shaft had subsequently been con-
^dnaed on the other branch, maintaining the same dip as above. The width of the vein
'Vindergroand ranges from 1 to 4 feet. The first level is at a depth of 72 feet ; a 4 by 7
Coot dirift has be^ driven east 49 feet. The pump, a Northey, size 5 x 7 z 12, is stationed
wkt m depth of 90 feet, in a chamber at the entrance to the incline, and the latter is used
«M a datem.
The hoisting plant consists of double drum duplex Waterous hoist, 25 h. p., return
tabular boiler, steel wire cable, bucket, pole skidway and a head frame 30 feet high, sub-
stantially constmcted. There is 100 feet of tramway on the surface, with one iron self-
damping oar. Smoke and gases resulting from blasting are cleared out of the shaft by
live steam. The shaft timbering extends for a depth of 45 feet on the ends and hanging
^wall, and for 30 feet on the foot wall. The mouth of the shaft is properly fenced, and
prorided with inclined trap doors, which are closed when dumping. A ladderway has
"been constructed to the required depth, and is in suitable condition^ with the exception
-that it is not divided off from the hoisting compartment. Instructions were given to have
'this done. Blasting ip done by battery in the shaft and by fuse in the drif os. The fol-
lowing buildings are on the property : Oooking and sleeping camps, blacksmith shop,
engine house, 24 by 24 feet, powder house and dtable.
On the adjoining location to the east, whlnh does not belong to the company, a shaft
said to be 30 feet deep, but partly full of water, has been sunk on the vein or dike at a
distance of 600 ieet from the Nora shaft
MANITOU LAKE REGION
It seems strange that the Manitou country has not been more successful in securing
its share of the progress of the district in the past. It is not so accessible as the Lake of
the Woods, but is more so than some parts of the district which are going ahead favor-
ably. There is a regular steamboat service on Wabigoon and on Manitou lakes ; three
steamers on Wabigoon lake and two on the Manitou. There is also a stage (an ordinary
wagon) on the seven-mile portage. The road is usually in fairly good condition if the
season is not wet. Probably the fact that stamp mills are coming in will maike a differ-
ence, and give an impetus to mining in this region. Comparatively little work was going
on early in the summer, but later several new properties were put under development,
and prospects for a good future were much improved. There is a formation of felsitic
schist, which occurs in the green schist, and appears to extend all down the Manitou. It
is more or less filled with striugers of quartz in varying quantities, and in some places
quartz veins of fair size occur. Most of the working mines are in this formation, which
apparently carries gold all through, the richest portions being the places most heavily
impregnated with quartz. From all appearances the Manitou will prove to be a region
of large low-grade propositions.
OXFORD MINE.
The Oxford mine consists of locations SV 128, 129, 131 and 166, situated about a
mile west of Qold Rock on the Upper Manitou. The property is owned by Messrs. Thos.
Armstroog, Wm. Pinkerton and Wentworth Sharp ; and it is under operation by the
Oxford Miniug Oompany of Toronto, Limited, who get a certain interest for the expendi-
ture of a certain sum on development work. The president is Wm. Pinkerton ; secretary,
John F. Qray ; head office, 80 Bay street, Toronto. Thos. Armstrong is manager of the
mine ; total force, nine ; number of miners, four. The formation is green schist. The
ore body is a reef consisting of the schist filled with stringers of quartz. On SV129 a
■haft 6 by 8 feet in size has been sunk 77 feet in the centre of the reef, with crosscutting
at the bottom north and south 13 and 11 feet respectively. Date of last inspection, Oct.
6. Buildings consist of boarding camps, blacksmith shop and stables*
62 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
OBION MINI.
On Oct 8 I visited the Orion mine, on my retnm trip np the lakes. This property*
isfiitnatcd Bonthwest of Charlton lake, which is west of the narrows between the Upper
and Lower Maniton lakes. It con&ists of seven locations, HP357, HW88y 49, 50 and 51
and 0151 asd 460 ; owned by the Orion Gold Mining Oompany, Limited, of Rat Portage^
Ont., capital, $999,999, in one dollar shares ; head office. Rat Portage, Ont; branch offioe,
318 and 319 Germania Life Building, St. Paul, Minn. Geo. H. Follerton of Rat Portage
was president, and H. 0. Peterson of St. Paul secretary at the time of my inspectioo; bat
I was told by the president that the company was to be reorganized and the new officers
were not appointed at the time of writing. The ore body consists of a band of schist which
is more or less filled with stringers of quartz. In some places the schist is quite heavily
impregnated with quariz; theee are the richest portions. What is called the vein or pay
streak is a zone of the schist filled with quart z stringers. Thestiike of the schist is north-
east asd southwest. A (haft 6 by 10 feet in size, with a dip of 60° to 70° southeast^
has been sunk on the vein to a depth of 50 feet, and is being continued. The work is
being done under contract by Alex. Gordon,; three miners are employed. Newton Higbee,
the vice-president of the company, is manager of the mine. The only building is a board-
ing camp.
INDEPENDENCE MINE.
The Ic dependence mine, mentioned in last year's report as the '* Westerfield " mine
is the adjoining property to the Orion. Operations were suspended at the time of m^
visit, owing I believe to a lawsuit which had been pending for some time regarding th»
title to the property. No work had been done in shafts No. 1 and 2 since last year's
report. The main shaft, on No. 3, was also partially fall of water, preventing ingress.
But Mr. GordoD, who had been in charge previous to the suspension of operations, in-
formed me that a depth of 85 feet had been reached, and that a crosscut at the bottona
passed through a width of 38 feet of ore. The mice will likely be in operation again soon.
All the machinery for a 10 stamp mill was on the road between the rail way and the mine.
The greater part was at the mine landing, which is on the south shore of Little Maniton.
lake, from which point a good wagon road extends to the mine.
CLASS BEEF.
The Glass Reef property consists of locations HW391 and 594, containing 40 acres
each, situated on the mainland south of Beaverhead island on the Big Maniton laka It
is owned by Messrs. Geo. W. Glass, E. H. James and A. P. Buchannan, who are organiz-
ing into a company to be called the Glass Reef Gold Mining Company of Maniton Lake,
Limited, with a capital of $72^0,000 ; par value of shares, 50 cents.
The ore body is a large reef of fine grained schist, which weathers grayish white, and
in some places reddish brown, due to pyrites. Granite occut son the west side of the reef,
and trap on the ease. The reef contains stringers of quartz, and in some places quarts
veins, and is full of latent cracks and seams. A shaft 6 by 12 feet in size has been sunk
to a depth of 14 feet on the reef and is being continued. Hoisting was done by horse
power at the time of my visit, bat a steam hoist was on the way and will be insUlled at
once. An air compressor is also on the way. Oamps are being erected. The total foroe
is 14 ; number of mines, 12. Geo. W. Glass is manager and James McGillivray faremaiu
Date of inspection, Oct. 7.
ADJOINING LOCATIONS TO GLASS BEEF.
I walked over to HP267, an adjoining location, said to belong to V. Qaackenbusb,
and found the continuation of the reef, with an 8 foot test pit, in which sinking was in
progress. On HW595, another 40 acre location adjoiaing on the ^est, a teat pit had been
sunk 15 feet on a large out cropping of quartz, which has the appearance of a vein lying
inmost flat, and about 10 or 12 feet in thickness. The country rock is massive greenstone.
The location is owned by Messrs. Glass, McGillivray, Buchannan and James.
I
\9^ ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 63
BABKBBB MINE.
Barker Bros.' mine oonsiBts of location HW339, sitaated nortliwest of the Lowe
Manitoa lake. The landing ia near the npper end of the long bay which extends north
bm the sonthwestem part of the lake. The mine has not been in operation since early
in 1899| and there was only a caretaker on the property at the time of my visit The
formation ia greenstooa Small irregular veins of qnartz extend through the property.
A shaft had been sunk to a depth, said to be 62 feet, with drifting at the bottom and
OTorhand stoping, but it was full of water. At a short distance from the shaft an open
est had been made along the vein 100 feet long, 3 feet wide and about 4 feet deep.
Stripping and olasting had been done at other points also. The shaft is about a mile
from the lake, where a Tremaine two stamp mili has been erected, which was in operation
for some months during the winter previous to dosing. The other machinery consists of
a Gates crasher, a horizontal engine for the crusher and a return tubular boiler. A wagon
road has been constructed from the shaft to the mill. Boarding camps and other buildings
ksTo been erected.
' LOCATIONS BETOND BABKEBS* MINE.
About two miles beyond Barkers' mine is HW515, a location of 118 acres owned
by Messrs. D. C. Petrie, A. H. Oreighton and H. E Price. An open crosscut 8 feet
deep was being made through an outcropping of qaartz 24 feet wide in a formation of
greeastone. Other veins were observed on the property, on which a little work has been
done. A 2 foot vein of promising looking quartz was observed in a band of felsite schist.
Oanps were being erected on the property. The total force was nine ; number of miners,
liz.
CBACKEB JAOK MINE.
The Cracker Jack mine is situated on the south shore of the long arm (known a^ the
"SUnitoo Stretch") of the Lower Manitou lake, about 10 miles from the main body. It
ii owned by the Cracker Jack Gold Mining Company, Limited. Walter J. Keating of
Fort Francis was manager of the mine while it was in operation, which was for a few
HHmths during the summer. The formation is a fine grained schist, which weathers white
asd brown. The veins consist of zones impregnated with stringers of quartz. I walked
over the property alone, as no one was there at the time of my visit, Oct 7, and found
tvo shafts 40 and 45 feet deep on different veins. Mr. Keating informed me in writing
that a third had been sunk 19 feet.
NEW KLONDIKE REGION.
Comparatively little work has been going on in the New Klondike during the year.
Most of the property owners are either waiting to sell, or else waiting the results of devel-
opment work on properties in actual operation, before deciding upon tbe expenditure of
money upon their own.
Early in the year I visited NT20, a location about 12 miles north of Dyment, for
the purpose of investigating an accident which occurred there on March 28, 1899. A
▼ertioal shaft has been sunk 80 feet in the hanging wall of a large quartz vein. j^Work
was discontinued later on in the season.
A little prospecting work was done on several other properties in this region, bat
they were not visited. Thos. Hogan informed me that he sunk 17 ft et on location H W
434, belonging to him on Long lake. The vein looked very well, was of considerable
width and gave encouraging assays.
Two properties were being worked near Tache on tbe 0. P. B., but I did not visit
them. I was told a shaft had been sunk 80 feet on one of them.
GOLDEN WHALE MINE.
Monroe and Wa^sm's mine, HW416 in the New K'cndikf>, is now known as the
Golden Whale. This property has been in stecdy opOvV.ton dur'ng the year. Three
64 Bureau of Mines Report [ No.
sbaftB have been sunk, but only one was in operation at the time of my inspection, ]
17. I got the following measarements from the manager, in connection with No. 1
No. 2 sbatts, which were fall of water : No. 1 shaft, depth 105 feet ; crosscut at
torn, 15 feet southeast. No 2 shaft, 470 feet north east of No. 1, on a difierent \
depth, 105 feet ; at depth of 60 feet a crosscnt 5 feet northwest. No. 3 shuft is 200
southwest of No. 1 on the fame vein. The depth is 80 feet. At a depth of 75 feet t
is 29 feet of drifting in each direction along the vein, which ranges in width from 1 1
feet in the drifts. The ladderway consists of ladders suspended from the surface, witl
any division or platforms. Instructions were given to remedy these defects, and alsi
fence this and the other two shafts. The hoisting plant consists of a small steam h<
vertical boiler, wire cable, bucket and pole skidway. E^h shaft is provided with a i
able head frame.
There is an open cut on the main vein extending northeast from No. 3 sbaft f(
distance of about 500 feet, with an average depth of about 7 feat. Instructions ^
given to fence or fill the open cut. At a distance of half a mile from the shaft a mill
been erected on the bank of a small river and the following machinery installed :
Tremaine two-stamp mill, with apron plate and gyrating amalgam plate, a No. 1 G
crusher, Frue vanner with 6 foot belt, 35 h p. boiler, 16 h.p. engme and pump,
buildings on the property consist of mill building, temporary hoist house and blacksn
shop, store house, boarding camps, stables, manager's dwelling and two private dwellii
The manager of the mine is John M. Munroe ; mine contractor, Thos. Hogan ; nun
of miners, 10 ; total force, 21.
LOCATION SVlOS.
Two or three properties in the Like Mlnnietakie region north of Dinorwic h
been worked to a small extent during the summer. I did not visit this locality, but
some notes from parties operating there.
Location SV 105, known as the Sykes mine, is the most extensively worked prope
It was originally owned and operated by a syndicate from eastern Ontario, but
syndicate have formed into a company, the John Sykes Mining and Milling Compi
Limited ; capital, $500,000 in one dollar shares ; head office, McKinnon Building, Tore
President, John Sykes, Glen Williams, Ont. ; vice-president, John Sbilton ; secretary,
H. Wallbridge. Work has been going on at the mine since the winter of 1897-98.
was informed by G. H. Fanning, the manager, that the shaft had been suok to a dc
of 108 feet. At a depth of 57 feet a crosscut has been driven east 14 feet, and
west 21 fet^t. At the bottom of the shaft a crosscut has been driven east 42 fact
•one west 70 feet. The machinery for a 10 stamp mill is on the property, and parti
«et up. A total force cf 12, including 8 miners, was employed while the mine wa
operation. On Feb. 12 two miners were killed by an explosion in a test pit about
feet from the main shaft, and work was suspended with the probability of not b
resumed for some time.
OTHER MINNIKTAKIE PBOPERTIES.
Mr. D. W. Black of Dinorwic has been manager of several properties in the I
Minnietakie region during the year ; and he gave me the followlDg notes on them :
Location HW113 ; area, 40 acres*; situated on east shore of Pelican lake ; owi
a syndicate composed of Toronto capitalists. Work had been going on for 2\ mo
during the fell of 1899. Five miners were employed test-pitting. The Golden
Mining Company of New York sunk a 40 foot sbaft on a location on Teresa lake so
east of Minnietakie.
LOWER SEINE REGION.
Notwithstanding the disastrous effect upon the mining market of the uncerta
regarding the Golden Star, splendid progress has been made in this locality during
/ear. About a dozen properties have been under substantial development for the gre
»■.<..-;
1999]
Mines of Northwestern Ontario
65
rt o! the time, and in most oasee by genuine oompsniee who are not working for mere
ecnlative purposet. It appears that a more snbetantial class of men who have
FOLEY MINE
3M* 9^/f
jrAzrLi.: .:l^
-^ -^-j^
Scale : tK) feet=^l inch.
^oney to spend are now recogniziog the possibilities of the district, and are doing legiti-
^^(e development work accordingly.
5 31.
66 Bureau of Mines Report [ No.
FOLBT MINE.
There have been continual reports of the sale and the reopening of the Foley mizic
ever since its closing down of May 20, 1898. It has at last been sold, and hearing tbat
work was to be commenced I wrote to Mr. O. B. Robinson, the manager of the mine,
and received a letter from him under date of Feb. 13. The new company is th&
Canadian Mines Development Company, Limited ; head office, St. Stephen Chamber,
Telegraph Street, London, England. The force will not exceed 20 at present. Work
will be commenced in No. 5 shaft, sinking, drifting and croescntting to develop thu ore
body. Work was to have started in about 10 days from the date of the letter.
G O L I) B N STAB MINE.
The Golden Star mine has been the central figure among western Ontario mines
during the past year and for some time previous. The geology of this mine has been
sufficiently dealt with in previous reports, and hence need not be gone into her/^. Before
any work was done on the property there was little showing to encourage the expendi-
ture of money. It is said to have been condemned by several experts wno examined it
However Mr. Lewis A. Hal), a wealthy American mining man, owned a large number
of shares in the company, and supplied the capital to develop the property and erect a
mill. Rf suits were not very encouraging until after the first level was passed, which is
at a depth of 75 feet. Prospects brightened from then on, and the property looked well.
The shaft was sunk to a depth of 376 feet, and four levels established with an aggregate
of about 700 feet of drifting. These developments revealed a rich chute of ore about
100 feet in length and from 2 to 12 feet in widt^h, extending through all the workings
from the surface down. Systematic assay work showed where the best ore lay. A 10
stamp mill was erected, hoisting and tramming plants installed, and development work in
the mine suspended. The history of the mine and the company from this on is evidence
of the policy which the American owners had deliberated and sucoessfolly carried out.
Under the belief that the best ore h«d pinched out at the bottom, and that hence the end
of the mine was in sight, they proceeded to bull the price of the stock with a view to
unloading to the best advantage. Accordingly, development work in the mine was prac-
tically discontinued at this stage. The company had then to start with, a developed
mine, all the ore being blocked out but none stoped, a large dump of ore on the aarface
resulting from development work, a well-equipped mill and an economical tramway
between the mine and the mill. Expenses were cut down in every possible way, the
best ore taken from the mine and the dump, and thus a large bullion output secured at a
minimum of expense. When Mr. Hall advanced the original money to develop and
equip the mine an agreement was made by which he was to be repaid by the first products
of the mill. Instead of taking payment in this way Mr. Hall allowed the product to go
towards paying dividends, and was remunerated by receiviog additional stock, which was
increased from 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 shares, the increase going to Mr. Hall. Before
the stock was increased monthly dividends of 1 per cent, were declared until the stock
had risen to what was considered the maximum, which was a little over 80 cents, the par
value being one dollar. The stock fluctuated between 70 and 80 cents f^r some time,
and the largest shareholders were at this time unloading, as the mine had been gutt^ of
its best ore. Toronto capitalists bought in (the stock havinj;; been originally held almost
entirely in the United States) until they obtained a coatroUing interest. The head office
was then moved from Duluth to Toronto, and the company was reorganized. The officers at
present are as follows : President, Hon. S. C. Wood; S3creta ry, N. C. Neff ; treasurer,
H. H. Wood. As the mine had been despoiled of its best ore, and there was no develop-
ment work ahead, the company could not continue to pay dividends, so they bent their
energies towards developing the mine and placing it in condition for permanent work.
E. A. Kerr, the sapdriniendent of the mine, resigned, and R H. Flaherty, who has been
for several years connected with mining in western Oatario, was appointed manager in
July, 1899. Development work was delayed for some time after Mr. Flaherty's appoint-
ment, pending the arrival of auxilliary hoisting machinery for sinking in the main shaft.
However this arrived early in August, and from that time development work has been
pushed continuously. The following were the underground measurements at the time of
lojr }aat 'mapdciiom, Oct. 29 :
as
::3
3
/
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 67
fe6t.
Firstlevel North drift 107
South " 101
Second level North " 144
South " 131
Thirdlevel North " 149J
South " 46§
Fourthlevel North "' 207
South ** 14
Fifth level North " 39
South " 26
Sixthlevel North *• 86^
South ** 85i
The fifth level was driven at a depth of 357 feet and the sixth at a depth of 430 feet.
Winzes and upraises : At a distance of 100 feet north of the shaft a winze connects
the first and second levels. An inclined raise has been made from the end of the fifth
north to the fourth, breaking through to the latter level at a distance of 100 feet from the
shaft. At a distance of 50 feet south of the main shaft the stope from the first level has
been broken through to the surface, for.ning an air shaft.
Crobscuts : in the third level north, at a distance of 54 feet from the shaft, a crosscut
has been driven east nine feet and discontinued, and at a further distance of 46 feet
another has been driven west 5^ feet and discontinued also.
Stoping, first level, north : length of stope, 22 feet ; height above roof of drift
15 feet ; width, three feet. South : length of stope, 65 feet, leaving shaft pillar, 6 to 30
feet long ; height, raised to within several feet of surface ; width, 3 to 7 feet.
Second level, north : length of stope 40 feet, leaving shaft pillar four feet long ;
iieight, raised to within about 5 feet of first level ; at height of 52 feet above level the
*tope is broken through to shaft, with opening three feet square ; width of stope, 3 to 9
^aet. South : length of stope, 55 feet ; shaft pillar 4 feet long ; height, raised to first
level ; width, 3^ to 6^ feet. Third level, north : length of stope, 100 feet ; shaft pillar
^ to 30 feet long ; height, raised to second level ; width, 2 to 10 feet. South : no stop-
^^. Fourth level, north : length of stope, 80 feet ; shaft pillar, '^0 to 50 feet long ;
^«ight, raised to third level ; width, 2 to 4 feat. South : no stoping. Fifth level, north :
^^oping commenced in inclined raise. South : no stoping. At a distance of 300 feet
^^uth of the main shaft a test pit has been sunk 22 feet on a branch of the main vein.
^t was the intention of the manager to drift south from the second level to this pit, in the
^^pe of striking a valuable chute of ore. The vein pinches at the bottom of the shaft,
^tet widens again in the drifts at the sixth level. At the end of the south it is 2^ feet
'^vide, with walls rather indefinite. At the end cf the north it is 20 inches wide, with
^ood walls. Ihe drainage of the mine is effected by pumps at the fifth and third levels.
T^here is a consideiable quantity of water coming down the shaft, but most of it is caught
^t the third level No change has been made in the drilling and air compressing plant
*^Hie skip road has been completed to the fifth level, where a suitable timber pentice is
'provided, and a small auxiliary hoist installed for sinking. The dip of the shaft is prac-
^%ically uniform from the first level down. A new f inch crucible steel wire hoisting cable
^50 feet long has been installed.
Fifty feet of tramway connects the shaft with a new ore chute, which has been con-
^tracted at the loading terminal for the purpose of keeping the various grades of ore
separate. The tramway buckets are loaded from gates at the bottom of the chuta Ten
luckets are in use. No change has been made in the mill. As stated in the preceding
report, the mine had been left in poor condition by the old company, but under the new
management it is being improved with reasonable expedition. The ventilation in the
summer time was poor, but since the air shaft has been opened up and winze connection
made between all the levels (except the sixth) there has been an improvement in this
roBpeot. In the second, third and fourth levels drifts under stopes have been roofed over
wiUi suitable stulls and lagging. Instructions were left to do likewise in other parts of
the mine where work was in progress. 0«ring to irregularities in the shaft a straight
skip ro^ ooald not be constructed, and consequently the skip would sometimes leave the
track ; so instroctions were left to provide suitable back-timbers to prevent this. The
ladderway is aaitably constructed as far as the fifth level, with the exception that the
portion between the fourth and fifth levels has not been cased off from the hoisting com-
partment There was no ladderway below the fifth le^^l, lTi&\.t^Q,^\a\i^ ^^x^\^V\» \.^
"68 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
supply these deficienoes. Thn captain of the mine is £. J. O^Brien, and the mill sapei
intendent in Gkorge Yerry. At the time of my last visit there was a total foroe of 55,
including 24 miners.
I receiyed a letter from Mr. Flaherty nnder date of Jan. 4, from which I extract the
foUowioic : '* Begarding the measurements in the mine, I wonld state that the shaft u
now 480 fecft in depth, and we are about to open up the seventh level at the 500 foot
mark. The sixth level b driven to the north a distance of 71 feet, and to the south a dis
tance of 35 feet, making the opening, indudins the shaft, on the strike of the vein about 1 IC
feet. The fifth level to the south has been driven 43 feet, and the fourth to the nortl
has been driven 224 feet from the shaft. The shaft b completely equipped with ladder
way, divbion, etc., and we are now running the skip to the sixth leveL I would stat<
that all headings and the bottom of the sliaf t, so far as new development work shows, ar
in ore. I am handicapped for want of skilled miners, and cannot push the drifting on th>
difftrent levels as fast as I would wbh. The sinking b going on fairly well."
BANDOLPH MINK.
The Bandolph mine consbts of location ALU 5, a 40 acre location adjoining tb
€k>lden Star on the west. It b owned by the Eaodolph Gold Mining Company of Ontaric
Limited. The formation is an extension of the Golden Star and J041, being compose
chiefly of massive greenstones, felsite, etc., with conglomerate on the southern half of th
location. The vein is traceable about 500 feet, and varies in width from a few inches t
three or four feet. The main shaft is 6 by 8 feet in cross section, and was 95^ feet deei
on Oct. 29, the date of my last inspection. At a depth of 85 feet a drif c has been rui
east 21 1 feet and one west 34 feet. A No. 5 Cameron pump b stationed in the latte
drift, in which a 5 foot cbtern has been sunk. The shaft b timbered for a depth of 1
feet and a suitable ladderway constructed. A small duplex hoist has been installed, witi
suitable head frame and return tubular boiler. At a distance of 100 feet east of the shaf
a test pit has been sunk 3 feet, and 300 feet west of the shaft another has been sunk 1
feet. The buildings consbt of engine house and dry, blacksmith shop and boarding campc
Neil Berger b manager of the mine. The total force is 17 ; the number of miners 12.
ISABBLLA MINE.
Operations have been in progress since early in the summer on ALU 3, a 40 acr
location adjoining the Golden Star on the east, and known as the '^Randolph Farm/* a
there is an area of several acres on the location which b soil, covered and under cultiva
tion. The property has been bought by a company from Messrs. Berger and Randolpfa
The formation is similar to that of J041. The vein b a well defined quariz body, from !
to 10 feet wide, and traceable for five or six hundred feet, with a strike of north 15 or 2<
degrees west. Over 200 feet of the vein has been stripped. The quariz b blubh whit
in color, and contains copper pyrites, galena and zinc blende. Values are said to be en
couraging. At one point a test pit has been sunk to a depth of 10 feet, showing 3( fee
of vein with good walls quite free from the vein matter. At a dbtance of 300 feet north
west of this pit a 6 by 8 foot shaft has been sunk to a depth of 52 feet (and b beiog con
tinned) on the junction between thb vein and another. There is 6 by 8 feet of vein o]
surface, with well defined walls. The work is in charge of Neil Berger, who has a fore
of three miners and one surface man.
DECCA MINE.
The Decca mine has been in steady operation during the year. Daniel Morrison i
now manager. The total force is 12, of whom six are miners. No. 2 shaft was fullo
water on each visit, and has not been in operation since early in the year. It b said t
to be 110 feet deep, with drifts started in both directions along the vein at a depth o
100 feet.
Work has been confined entirely to No. 1 shaft since the closing of No. 2. The veu
here b much smaller, averaging probably a little over a foot, but quite rich. Much vie
ibie gold is found in it. The quartz is variable in color and is mostly dark, containinj
galena, zinc blende and copper and iron pyrites. The depth of shaft was 210 feet onOo
1899]
Mines of Northwestern Ontario
69
27, the date of lait inspeotion. At a depth of 100 feet a drift has been ran 25 feet sonth-
€Ut along the vein, and a 15 foot oistem snnk in it. The pump, a No. 5 Cameron, ia
GOLDEN STAR MINE
LONGITUDINAL SECTION.
Scale : 105=1 inoh.
itationed here, and work dlBoontinned at this leyel, it being used entirely ai a pampini(
itation. At a depth of 200 feet the second level has been established^ ^itVi dt\lv>v^%<^\^>
70 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
menced along the vein. The first half of an Ingersoll duplex compreBsion has been in-
stalled, with a 4 by 10 foot receiver and three No. 3 drills. Hobting is done by a lid-
gerwood duplex hoist, f inch steel wire rope and bucket, sliding on pole skidway, and
dnmpirg by mechanbm similar to that of the Manhattan, described farther on. Hie
boiler is a 65 h.p., return tubular. The ladderway is suitably constructed as far as the
fiist level. Below this suspended ladders are employed. Several broken rungs were
found. Instructions were left to construct the ladderway according to the Mines Act
and replace broken rungs. A suitable guard rail has been provided at the shaft month.
The brake on the hoist was found to be improperly adjusted, so that a bucket of rock
could not be held by kt. Instructions were left to remedy this defect. The buildings
on the property consist of two shaft houses, boiler and hoist house, 32 by 40 feet, two
blacksmith shops, office and boarding camp.
LUOKT COON MINK.
The Lucky Coon is one of the oldest properties in the Lower Seine country. Some
years bad elapsed since it had been in operation aome time previous to the present re
sumption of activities. It was originally owned by A M. Robertson, the present mana-
ger, and others. At the time of its former operation it was under option by a company.
A five stamp mill was erected and several shafts sunk on the different veins, the ore from
which was being treated. But a disagreement arose between the owners and the operat-
ors, and as a result work was suspended and remained so until early in the summer of
1899, when the present company, the Lucky Ooon Grold Mining Company, bought the
property, and have been operating it since. The head office of the company b Keystone
Block, West Superior, Wb ; capital, $1,000,000 in one dollar shares. President, J. 8.
Hillyer ; first vice-president, Geo. H. Hillyer ; second vice-president, W. J. Keating, Fort
Francb, Out; secretary-treasurer, Carroll Corson, Dnluth The property consbts of
location 655 P, containing 147 acres, and situated about 2^ miles north of Mine Centre,
on the Government road.
The formation consbts of protogine,* and contains a number of well defined quartz
fissure veins. Four shafts and several test pits have been sunk on the different veins.
No. 1 shaft b said to be 50 feet, but has not been in operation since the re-opening
of the mine. No 3 shaft b said to be 24 feet deep, but has not been in operation since
the re-opening. No. 5 shaft b said to be 78 feet deep, but on the occasions of my vbits
of inspection it was temporarily closed down, and contained water to within 35 or 40 feet of
the surface. The dip is nearly vertical, and the cross section 5 by 7 feet. A ladderway
has been properly constructs d and cased off from the hobting compartment as far as the
water level. Timbering extends for a depth of 21 feet. A suitable guard railing has
been provided at the shaft mouth.
No, 2 shaft id 4 by 6 feet in cross section, and 108 feet deep. It is sunk on the
vein, which has a nearly vertical dip. Drifting has been commenced at a depth of 100
feet. The shaft is timbered for a depth of 5 feet, and lagged for a depth of about 22 feet
below this. A suitable guard railing is provided at the mouth, and a proper ladderway
has been constructed. The hoisting plant consists of a small Ingersoll duplex hoist, f
inch steel wire cable, steel bucket, pole skidway and 30 h.p. locomotive boiler. An
iron self-dumping car and short tramway are provided on the surface.
The vein on which No. 2 shaft is sunk is of considerable width and well defined.
There are parallel veins on both aides ; one about 100 feet northwest, and one about 200
feet southeast, both of which can be economically reached by crosscutting from Na 2
shaft.
The buildings on the property consist of two hoist houses, two blacksmith shops,
boarding and sleeping camps, old mill building and several other old log structures.
There was only a small force of seven altogether, of whom three were miners, work-
ing all summer. At the time of my last visit, Oct. 28, work was suspended altogether,
and had been so since August.
MANHATTAN MINK.
The Manhattan mine consists of location K231, adjoining the Decca, and b dbtant
about 1| miles north of Mine Centre on the Government road. It is owned by the Man-
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 71
hattui Gold Mininf( Oompany of Canada, Limited, with head office at Montreal. Frank
Peterson of New York bonght the property for the above oompany from Bash Winning,
and Mr. Peterson is now manager. Operations were commenced in the latter part of
1898, and, with one or two intermissions, have been going on steadily since. A total
force of seyen b employed, not including the manager. Thore are four miners, working
day and night shifta The formation is protogine, and the vein is a quartz body of con-
nderable width at the point where the shaft is sunk. The shaft had reached a depth
of 170 feet on Oct 28, the date of my last visit, and has a dip of 82^ northwest. At a
depth of 100 feet a crosscut has been driven northwest 40 feet, crossing the vein and
paasbg through about 16 feet of quartz altogether. The shaft was supposed to have
been sunk on the foot wall of the vein, but was in reality sunk in the wall, which consists
of country rock mixed with quartz A considerable quantity of the quartz is white and
glassy in appearance, but some very nice looking ore containiog galena, zinc blende and
other minerals is encountered in the shaft Visible gold is found also. It is the inten-
tion of the company to sink to a depth of 200 feet, and then drift and crosscut. Pro-
bably another shaft will be sunk farther up the hill, at a more convenient location for
regular mining operations, when the vein has been shown up well by the present work-
ups. Machine drills operated by steam are employed, the exhaust steam being conduct-
ed by a 12 by 12 inch wooden pipe to the surfaca The hoisting plant consists of a
imall duplex hoist, horizontal boiler, steel wire cable, steel bucket and pole skidway.
The bead frame b neat and secure. The dumping mechanism is economical and conven-
ient The bucket is provided with two horns six inches in length, one on each side near
the bottom. Next to the chute the skids are spread, allowing the bucket to fall between
80 that the horns slide on the skids. When the required height is reached the engineer
at the hoist by pulling a lever throws out a couple of pins, which catch the horns of the
backet as the latter is lowered, and the bucket thus turns over and dumps into the
chate, underneath which is the tram car.
The ladderway at the time of my last visit consisted of ladders saspended for a
<iistance of 50 or 60 feet, with no means of reaching a greater depth other than by the
bocket Ladders were, however, being constructed at the time for the completion of the
Itdderway. J.nstructionB were left to consthruct the ladder way according to the Mines
Act before Nov. 10, 1899. The mouth of the shaft, both hoisting compartment and lad-
denray, were neatly fenced, and the mine in other respects was in a suitable condition,
fioildings consist of a sh%ft house, hoist house, blacksmith shop, office, manager's dwell-
Uig and boarding camps.
GOLDEN C R K 8 C K N 1 M I N R.
Work has been resumed on the AD2 property, now called the Golden Crescent
^ine, since the spring of 1899, after having been suspended for more than a year. The
property consists of locations AD2, 3 and 4, and is owned by the Golden Crescent Min-
lUig and Exploration Oompany of Ontario, Limited, with head quarters at Duluth, Minn.;
^^pital $1,000,000 in one dollar shares. Presidenc, H. M. Bradely, Duluth ; vice-presi-
dent, J. 6, Kelil ; secretary, Geo. H. Claypool ; treasarer, Chas. F. Leland. The mana-
ger of the mine is W. G. La Rue; foremau, Thos. Poller. Total force, 10; number of
miners 6, working three eight-hour shifts.
Work has been principally confined to the shaft in the Gem tunnel, but a little has
\een done at a couple of other places since the new company has taken hold. The test
pit on the Contact vein on AD4 has been sunk to a depth of 34 1 feet. The Moose
tunnel has been driven a few feet more, making its present length 153^ feet, but it has
been discontinued again.
The main shaft, or the shaft in the Gem tunnel mentioned above, is 112 feet deep
and is being continued. The cross section is 4 1 by 9 feet wide, inside the timber. The
tunnel is passed through at a depth of 28 feet. At a depth of 78 feet a pump chamber
has been provided, with a No. 5 Cameron vertical pump. At a depth of 88 feet a drift
has been run east along the vein 24 feet and one west 10 feet. The shaft is timbered
from the surface to the roof of the tunnel, and cased in where it passes through the latter,
leaving openings for passage from shaft to tunnel and guard rails across. A suitable
ladderwmy has been constructed, but is not cased off below the tunnel. Instructions were
left to have this done. The shaft mouth has been provided with a suitable ^uatdtailvcv\.
72 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
Some large insecure masaes of rock at the month of the tunnel had been propped tip
with light timbers ; these were blasted down. The hoisting machinery consists of a small
duplex hoist 400 feet of ^ inch steel wire cable, 800 pound steel bucket, looomotiye
boiler 16^ feet long by 42 inches diameter, pole skidway and head frame 16 feet
high. The buildings on the propeity consist of engin«) and boiler house, blacksmith shop,
office^ boarding camps, etc.
FKBGUSON MINK.
Mr, John Angove, a Oomish mining engineer, made an examination of the Ferguson
mine for the present owners, yiz , the Seine Elver (Ont.) Gold Mining Company, Limit-
ed, with head office, 1 GasUe Gourt, London, R , England. Several weeks were spent
by the engineer on the property, and all the shafts, five in number, were pumped out
and sampled. The testing of Uie samples was all done by panning. If the report is
satisfactory it is expected that the mine will be re-opened. All shafts and test pits have
been fenced according to instructions.
OLIVE M I K B .
A change has been made in the management of the Olive mine since last report. N.
B. Hall, an energetic and capable mining engineer, has succeeded W. A. Preston, who held
this position since the commencement of operations. Mr. Preston is still managing direc-
tor of the company, but his duties in connection with the pi^ospecting and developing of
other properties owned by the Preston Gold Mining Gompany, the parent of the Olive
Gold Gompany which owns this mine, preclude his holding a position which should oooupy
a man's time completely. The installation of additional milling machinery has led to
variations in the number of men employed. Tuere has been an average of about 50
throughout the year, including from 12 to 22 miners.
The main shaft is 251 feet deep. First level : West drift, 181 feet 10 inches ; east
drift, driven to connect wit^ drift from B shaft, a total distance of 329 feet ; drift east of
B shaft, 199 feet, making a total length of drifting at the first level of 705 feet, including
length of shafts ; cross section of drifts from B shait, 6 by 7 feet, other drifts, 4 by 6 feet,
and 5 by 7 feet.
Second level : East drift, 186 feet ; west drift, 88 feet
Third level : Depth, 245 feet ; east dri!t, 31 feet ; west drift, 147 feet 4 inches ;
crosscut south from shaft, 76^ feet with cross section 4^ by 6( feet ; crosscut, or chamber,
north of shaft ; length, 14 feet ; width, 10 feet ; height, 7 feet.
The following stoping has been done : First level, east of main shaft : All ore has
been sloped out between the main and air shaft, a distasoe of 60 feet, leaving a small pil-
lar at each, and the stoped out space has been filled to the surface wiUi broken rock, sup-
ported on stuUs along the roof of the drift. The stops has been carried east of the air
shaft, but this work has been mentioned in last year's report West of main shaft : Length
of stope, 89 feet ; height above drift, 18 feet ; width* 3 to 4 feet Third level, west of
shaft : Length of stope, 13 feet ; height above drift, 21 feet ; width, 3^ feet No change
has been made in the hoisting plant of the main shaft. B shaft has been provided with a
steam hoisting plant, consisting of a small doplex hoist, | inch steel wire cable, bucket,
pole skidway and head frame 22 feet high. One of the old mill boilers has been placed
alongside of the original hoist boiler to supply the additional power required. Two hun-
dred feet of tramway have been constructed from B shaft to the main tramway, extend-
ing from the main shaft to the mill
The main shaft is in a satisfactory condition. The ladderway has been suitably
constructed to the third level. Instructions were left to provide a ladderway in B shaft
according to the requirements of the Mines Act, and also a guard rail at the shaft mouth.
An addition of three batteries of five stamps each is being made to the present mill,
giving a total of 25 stamps At the time of my last inspection, Oct 28, the buildiog ad-
dition was completed, the ore bins constructed and the mortars set in place. All the
machinery was on the premises. A new 50 h p. boiler has been installed and connected
with two others.
The increase in the milling capacity is not necessarily being made in aocordanoe with
the amount oi developement work in the mine, but more as a result of a further know*
1899]
Mines of Northwestern Ontario
73
ledge of the oie body. The Olive ore body hu been anffioiently described in former re-
ports without going into detail here. It is well known as a small bat persistent and rich
quarts vein in a belt of schist several hundred feet in width. The schist varies in rich-
ness in difierent places ; the best values are obtained next to the vein and where the
schist contains small quartz stringers, which occur more or less reticulated. A certain
74 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
amount of the aohist has always been milled along with the vem matter. The company
intend with the increased mUling capacity to mine and mill from 5 to 7 feet of the schist
along with the vein matter. Owing to the great expense of getting in machinery farther
additions to the mill will not be made until the new railway, which will ran within a few
handred yards of the mine, is constracted. The mill may then be increased to any extent
from 100 stamps upwards, and the greater part if not all of the body of schist treated.
The Preston company bought two diamond drills early in the season for exploratory work
on their properties. One of these was employed at the bottom of the main shaft of the
Olive mine, testing the body of schist. Bore holes made north and south showed a width
of 430 feet of schist, or ore, which is of course low grade ; but from what I coald learn
it can be profitably treated by a large mill. A new two-storey office, 24 by 30 feet in size,
has been built, besides a private dwelling for the engineer, and one for the manager is to
be built soon.
I received a letter from Mr. Hall under date of Jan. 19, 1900, as follows : '' I beg
to submit the following information relative to the Olive mine : Depth of A shaft,
245 feet; B shaft, 65 feet. Drifting done in A shaft: First level, west, 181 feet
10 inches ; east, 127 feet. Second level: west, 106 feet; east, 178 feet 2 inches. Third
level : west, 96 feet 11 inches ; east, 74 feet. Drifting in B shaft : west, 202 feet ; east,
199 feet. Length of drift connecting A and B shafts^ 329 feet. Stoping : East drift, B
shaft, 50 by 25 feet ; west drift, 20 by 12 feet. In A shaft: First level, west drift, 35
by 36 feet : Second level, west drift, 4 by 20 feet ; east drift, 20 by 6 feet : Third level,
west, raise 45 feet. These measurements are up to Dec. 31.
" We started the 25 stamps on the 22ad of November, and have been running stead-
ily since, with the exception of a few days when we were changing the crusher from the
mill to the shaft, where we have an ore bin of 500 tons capacity, crusher and elevator,
which works very nicely. Our new tram, 900 feet long, works like a charm. We have
no trouble in hoisting, crushing and tramming 60 to 75 tons per day. We also have the
new office, sleeping camp, assayer's house and shaft house completed, and considerable
repairing done."
On G69, one of the Olive mine locations on the south, a 6 by 7 foot shaft has been
sunk to a depth of 65 feet, with 27 feet of cross-cutting. The oze body consists of altered
green schist, heavily charged with pyrites, and impregnated more or less with quartz.
*
HWKDE DOT MINE.
The Swede Boy mine consists of location £237, with an area of 43 acres, situated
about four miles east of the Olive, or eight miles north of Mine Oentre, on the south shore
of Little Turtle Iske. It can be reached from Mine Centre by land, but the easiest method
is to take the road to the Golden Star, or the Olive landing on the south side of Bad Ver-
milion, cross Bad Vermilion to the Swede Boy landing on the north side of the lake, and
walk a portsge of a mile in length, which leads to the mine. The property is owned by
the Headlight Gold Mining Company of Ontario, Limited ; head office, Doluth^ Minn.,
capital of company, $1000,000 in one dollar shares. President, J. P. Kossman, Duluth;
vice-president, Geo. V. Burgess, Duluth ; secretary- treasurer, A. £. McManus, Duluth.
The manager of the mine is John McLeod. A force of 10 or 1 2, including from 4 to 8
miners, has been employed all summer. I visited the property on Aug. 11, and on Oct. 28.
The formation is a dark green schist with a strike of about east and west. There
are two veins about 100 feet apart, and running parallel with the strike of the schists.
The south vein is exposed in a test pit several hundred feet southeast of the main shaft.
There is 8 or 10 feet of almost pure quartz, which possesses a schistose structure.
This is the best showing of the vein, which is exposed very little. The north vein, on
which the shaft is sunk, is exposed in several plsces by blasting and stiipping. It reveals
a width of 4 or 5 feet, and consists of quartz and schist mixed, and well mineralized.
The schist between the veins, and probably even beyond them, contains mineralized and
quartz impregnated zones, and possibly a considerable quantity of the rock will prove pay
ore. Close to the shore of the lake, and at a convenient elevation for dumping, a shaft
6 by 7 feet in cross section has been sunk to a depth of 105 feet, and is being continued.
It is vertical to the first level, a depth of 75 feet, and has a dip of 70^ north below this.
Another vein has been struck at the level, and is being followed. At the level a crosscut
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 75
has been driven Bonth 75} feet, and is being continiied to cnt the other vein. A crosacnt
has also been driven north 16} feet and is discontinued. A drift has been driven east
from the shaft 10} feet and one west 6 feet. For hoisting, a small duplex hoist, | inch
steel wire cable and 500 lb. steel bucket are employed. Steam is furnished by an 18 h.p.
upright boiler. A pump is stationed above the level for drainage. A " Buffalo " blower,
operated by belt from hoist^ with six inch canvas tubing extending down shafts and into
drifts, is employed for ventilation. It was observed to be the practice to have men
lowered in the bucket to carry the end of the tubing into the crosscut to clear out the
smoke and gases after blasting ; and this being a dangerous practice it was recommended
to employ iron piping instead of canvas, which could be extended permanently down the
shaft and into drifts and crosscuts a sufficient distance to work effectually, without the
necessity of men endangering themselves by going down in the smoke. A ladderway, pro-
vided with platforms at suitable intervals, has been constructed as far as the first level.
Instructions were left to have it cased off from the hoisting compartment, and also to
have the ladders extend from 3} to 4 feet above the man-holes in the platforms. Instruc-
tions were also left to place a guard rail all around the shaft mouth and one around the
hoistbg compartment at the first level. The buildings on the property consist of hoist-
hoose, office, manager's dwelling and boarding camps.
A L I C R A . MINE.
The Alice A. mine has been in operation for the greater part of the year. In the
fall of 1898 a Tremaine mill was installed for test purposes ; the machinery consisting of
one two-stamp Tremaine mill, Gates feeder, No. 7, Gates crusher, Frue vanner, with six
foot plain belt, two small upright engines for crusher and for vanner, and two upright
boilers. From 150 to 200 tons of ore, taken partly from the main shaft and partly from
test pits at various places on the property, were treated The conclusion has been reached
that a large percentage of the schist, which constitutes the principal portion of the forma-
tion on this property, can be profitably treated by a plant having a capacity of 200 or
more tons per day. But by taking only the richest ore a much smaller plant would pro-
bably be profitable. Mr. Hillyer, the president of the company, has spent a considerable
portion of his time in England endeavoring to arrange a sale of the property on such
terms that a large mill will be erected and the present company retain an interest in the
property. At the time of my last inspection, Aug. 9, the main shaft was 95 feet deep.
At a depth of 60 feet a crosscut had been driven north 35 feet. This shaft is only for
teit purposes ; sinking will be continued, with croescutting in both directions across the
ore body at certain interval", until a satisfactory knowledge of the ore body has been ob-
tained. The regular mining, when the large mill is installed, will be open work. A small
doplex hoist has b3en installed, and also a four-drill Ingersoll straight line compressor,
and machine drills. The boiler is locomotive style, and 35 h p. The boiler and engine
boose is 26 by 30 feet in size, and neatly constructed. The company has put a saw mill
with a capacity of 10,000 feet per day on the property. The manager of the mine is T.
G. Prideaux. A total force of about 14 were employed. When visiting that section of
the district in the latter part of October I learned from Mr. Prideaux that operations at
the mine were suspended for a while.
COLD B U «. AND K M M A A H B O T T LOCATIONS.
An occasion was taken advantage of while at the Alice A. to walk over the Gold
Bag and Emma Abbott locations, adjoining the Alice A. on the west and east respectively.
The Gold Bug location is P660, containing 80 acres, and is owned by the Gold Bug
Siining Company, Limited,; capital, $1,200,000. President, W. J. Keating, Fort Francis,
Ont ; vice-president, Hugh Steele; secretary and treasurer, OarroU Oorson, Daluth.
Offices, Mbe Centre, Ont , and Keystone Block, West Saperior, Wis. The Emma Abbott
location is K2I5, consisting of 40 acres, and owned by the Emma Abbott Gold Mining
Oompany with head office at West Superior, Wis.; capital, $1,000,000. President, Henry
Olay Clark, Chicago; vice-president, Hugh Steele, Duluth ; secretary, John S. Dodge,
Minneapolis ; treasurer, Lee J. Moss, West Superior.
The formation in each case is felsite schist, cat by large greenstone dikes, similar
to Uie Alice A. Parts of the locations are swamp and bush cohered) but s^ ^o\!k&vl^'t^V\.^
76 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
area is on high ground, which is largely almost bare rook, wiih a little moss, eta, and a
light growth of timber. The schist is filled with* small stringers of quartz from a frao-
tion of an inch upwards, and in some places quartz veins 2 feet or more in width are ex-
posed. In two or three of these veins there were large quantities of galena, copper and
iron pyrites, etc. Test pits have been sunk on the quartz exposures in several places. On
the whole the properties are very promising looking as prospects.
OTHER PB0PBBTIB8.
The Eice and Thorbus property above Sturgeon Falls has not been in operation
during the year, although Mr. Bice informed me last summer that he expected to have
work resumed in the fall It was examined by T. E. Deacon of Eat Portage for the
company. Several other properties in the Lower Seine locality have been in operation
more or less during the summer, but were not visited by me. At Oalm lake, above
Sturgeon Falls, some properties have been worked, but I did not visit this locality either.
UPPER SEINE REGION.
The condition of the mining industry in the Sawbill and Island Falls country is
aboat the sama A number of new properties have been opened up and on some of the
old ones work has been suspended. The prospector has extended his field of operations
both northward and southward, and has been followed by the miner. Considering ths
inaccessibility of most of the properties in this locality, it would hardly be expected tha^
mining would be carried on to the extent to which it is. The new railway will, hoir
ever, help matters in this respect to a considerable extent.
DCLDTH MINING CO. OF ONTABIO., LIMITED.
While on my way to the SawUll I travelled on the stage with Messrs. XJpham an^
Howenstein of the Dulnth Mining Company of Ontario, Limited, who were operating oca
several locations a few miles north of SawbilL I did not visit the properties, but g(^
the following information from the above mentioned persons : On ES20 a shaft ha^
been sunk 30 feet, and on AL303 a shaft had been sunk 46 feet on a large reef similiu :
to the Hammond Reef. Ten men, including six miners, were employed all ssmmer, an^
work will be continued all winter.
HAMMOND BBEF MINE.
The property of the Hammond Reef consists of nine locations, and was originally
divided between two companies, viz ; the Hammond Oold Eeef Mining Company^:
Limited, which owned two locations 337 and 338X, and the Folger- Hammond Gk>ld Bee/
Mines Company, Limited, which owned the remaining seven locations, 316 to 322X.
Both companies were composed largely of the same people. Developments showed that
the installation of a large mill was necessary for the profitable treatment of the ore ; an<f
besides, there was a water power to be developed at considerable expense. Consequently,
according to the dictates of mutual interest and advantage, the two companies amalgamated
under the name of the Hammond Eeef Coniolidated Mining Company, Limited, with a
capital of $5,000,000 in one dollar shares. I visited the mine on May 30 and found the
machinery for 30 additional stamps on the premises, the foundations of the mill being pre-
pared, and work on the water power in progress. No mining work was being done. On
Oct. 2 I made my second and last visit and noted the following state of affairs : New
work on 316X ; about a quarter of an acre of the reef had been stripped and about 800
tons of ore from the large pit piled up on the surface, a waiting treatment. Instmotions
were given to keep the walls of the pit carefully scaled.
All the machinery was on the premises for the mill, crusher, aerial tramway and th
electric power plant. The mill building was oomplAted all bat ths roof, which was bein
put on The size of the building is 35 by 100 feet, and height 65 feet. The new mill x
1899]
Mines of Northwestern Ontario
77
1 addition to the old 10 stamp mill ; ao that the total namber of stamps b now 40.
lie new stamps were in place, and the mill was withia a month of completion at the
CO
me o imy last visit. The crusher house was under construction. It is situated close to
le pit| about 800 feet from the mill. The crusher is a Blake, with a capacity of 200
HUB pei 24 hours. A Bleichert aerial tramway will convey the ore from the crusher to
78 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
the mill. The discharge terniinal is 70 feet above the loading terminal. Six bnokets
with a capacity of 600 lb. each will be employed. The cable for loading buckets is one
inch in diameter, and for empties ^ inch. The traction cable is } inch. Only one
standard will be provided between the terminals. The ore will be raised from the pit to
the crusher by a power cable derrick. The water power is on the creek which rans from
Clearwater lake into Sawbill, and is aboat two miles from the mill. Three dams have been
constructed, incladinga small dam at Olearwater lake, 90 feet long, 10 feet wide and about
10 feet high at the centre. It is built of crib work with broken stone filling, provided
with a broken stone retaining wall and planked and sealed with earth in front. A gate
is provided in the centre. Further down the creek there is a large dam to provide the
head. It is about 150 feet long, 14 feet wide and about 18 feet high. The construction
is similar to the preceding. The flume dam alongside is 65 feet long and constructed of
framed timber with broken stone filling and earth seal, and finme gate in the centre.
The flume is a round wooden tube constructed of two inch planks with iron hoops six
feet apart. It is 700 feet long and five feet in diameter. Owing to natural obstacles it
has a bend of 90^ close to the dam, and another bend of a more obtuse angle about 400
feet farther down. The head is 50 feet. Two turbines aggregating 325 hp. have been
installed. The generator, which furnishes 225 h.p., is not yet in place. The
generator base is a solid piece of metal and weighs &Ye tons. Its trans-
portation from Bonheur to the head of Sawbill lake, a distance of 30 miles, was a serious
problem owing to the very bad condition of the roads. A special waggon built to order
with six inch tires was employed. The length of the transmission wire from the dam to
the mill is 11,659 feet. Where it passes overland a clearing 40 feet wide is made along
the route. The lake is crossed at the narrowest point, where there are several islandls
that are utilized. About 800 feet of water altogether is crossed. The wire is supported
on poles for the entire distance. Three stone-fiUed cribs have been constructed to support
the poles where the lake is crossed. There are two motors, one of 100 h.p. for the mill
and one of 25 h p. for the crusher. Neither were installed. About 200 yards of new
road has been constructed in the vicinity of the mill, and about a mile of road oonnecfcing
Sawbill and Olearwater lakes. A new pumping stati^ has been provided at the lake.
The pump is a Snow duplex. A conduit extends 275 feet out into the lake, owing to
shallow water near the shore. Two lines of piping 2 and 2^ inches in diameter extend
to the mill. Wm. Tedford is manager of the mine. The total force is 40, of whom 8 aie
miners.
8 A W IJ I L L MINE.
I visited the Sawbill mine on two occasions during the year ; the first time on May
30, when I inspected the main shaft workings, and the second occasion on Oct. 2, when
the shaft was full of water. The option under which the mine was being worked by a
syndicate had expired just previous to the time of my second visit, and all the men were
discharged. Oaptain J. P. Williams, the manager, the engineer and one or two others
were still there. The mine will probably be closed down until the company is reorgan-
ized. Sinking, drifting and stoping had been carried on in the main shaft, and test-
pitting on the surface ; and the mill was in operation intermitteatly making mill tests from
various parts of the mine, underground and on the surface. On Sept. 20, 1898, while drilling
at the bottom of the shaft, then 230 feet deep, water was struck which flowed out of the
drill hole with great force, and continued so for months, flooding the lower part of the
shaft and preventing sinking. Additional pumps were installed to keep the water down
as much as possible. A drift was then driven along the vein at a depth of 220 feet, and
a winze sunk at the end so that the water could be tapped and the pumps installed there
so as to enable sinking to be continued in the shaft. The difficulty was finally overcome,
and when the next or third level was established, at a depth of 243 feet, the gpround wai
found to be quite loose and fissured. The captain informed me of the remarkable fact
that a large fissure 6 or 8 inches in width extended horizontally along the level with a
dip to the west when the level was first opened, but this fissure gradually dosed as a
result of the movement or settling of the country rock. When I examined it in May
the seam corresponding to the closed fissure was plainly evident, and the ground was quite
loose and broken up. I made a tracing of the longitudinal section of the undergroimd
workings at the time of my last visit, and got the following measurements from it :
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 79
Depth of Bhaft, 245 feet. Firat leyel, north drift, 190 feet ; south drift 208 feet. Sec-
ond level, north drift, 138 feet ; south drift, 132 feet. Sab-level, depth, 220 feet ; south
drift, 30 feet ; winze or cistern at end, depth, 9 feet. Third level, depth, 243 feet j north
drift, 30 feet ; south drift, 85 feet ; cistern in south drift, 8 feet deep ; winza in north
drift, 14 feet from shaft, 50 feet deep ; making total depth of lowest workings 293 feet.
Stoping : First level, north drift, iirdt stope, length, 80 feet ; average height above
drift, 23 feet. Second stope, length, 20 feet ; a7erage heighc, 3 feet. South drift, first
stope, length, 65 feet ; average height, 20 feet. Second stope, length, 28 feet ; height, 7
feet Second level, north drift, length of stope, 87 feet ; average height, 20 feet. South
drift, length of stope, 80 feet; average height, 17 feet. The folio w'ing test-pitting has
been done on the vein, north aad sou h of the shaft. At a distance of 800 feet north of
the shaft an open crofiscut has been made about 80 feet in length, from which 1000 tons
hu been blasted out. At one end of the open cut a pit has been sunk 20 feet, and at
the other end a pit 14 feet. A sheared zone with a line of faulting extends along the
open cut and through both pits. Stringers of quartz occur in the sheared zone. A mill
mn of 40 or 50 tons was made from this opening. At a distance of several hundred feet
•oath of the main shaf s the vein has been stripped for 70 or 80 feet. Several test-pits
have been sunk on outcroppings of what appears to be an extension of the Hammond
Reef, directly east of the southern limit of the Siiwbill vein. One pit is 20 feet deep,
another 8 feet and another 4 feet. No change has baen made in the machinery aoout
the mine or mill. Instructions were left in the Inspector's Book to fence all test -pits,
and ftlso to examine and scale certain specified places in the main shaft.
HOY MINE.
Work has been going on intermittently at the Boy mine during the year. On the
occasion of my vbit, Oct. 1, the total force was 12, of whom 4 were miners ; but 8
mmers had been employed all summer. The manager is Roy Sweeney, and the mine
captain John Ohapman.
The shaft is 105 feet deep, with a dip of 50^ to 60° north. At a depth of 50 feet a
drift has been driven west 10 feet. At a depth of 100 feet a drift has been driven west
71 feet At the end a crosscut has been driven north 17^ feet, and one south 9 feet.
At the same level a drift has been driven east from the shaft 55^ feet, and at the end
acroasont north 7 feet and south 21 feet. The size of all drifts and crosscuts is 4 by
^ feet. The vein is quite strong in the shaft and drifts ; at the end of the east drift
there is 14 feet of qaartz The shaft is timbered for a depth of 13 feet and provided
with suitable platforms at the levels. A ladderway extends to the bottom of the shift,
hit is not divided off from the skipway and U in po)r condi'iioQ. A Northey pump is
.stationed at a depth of 90 feet. Yeatilation is secured by live steam, which is conducted
into the workings by an iron pipe. The hoisting plant consists of a smUl single cylinder
hdst with 12 inch drum, -j- iuch steel wire cable, wooden bucket, four pole skid way and
head frame 18 feet high, constructed of 6 by 6 inch timbers. A new 50 h.p. return
tabular boiler has arrived and will be placed alongside the present one, which is of 10
Lp. A saw mill with a capacity of 12,000 feet per day has been put upon the property
by the ownersof the mine. The following instructions were lefc in the laspector's B)ok :
1, Replace ladders above first le^al by others with more securely fastened rungs. 2, Oase
ofTladderway from hoisting compirtm<)nt, and proviie landings at suitable distances
aparc. 3, Provide a suitable guard rail at shaft mouth and at manhole on surf ao. 4,
Keep walls of shaft carefully scaled. 5, Provide boiler with water tube.
PETTIGREW'S MINE.
W. D. Pettigrew of Winnipeg has been operating for the past two years in the Is-
land Fails reckon. One of his properties consists of four 40 acre locations, viz., BG24,
25, 36 aad 37, situated on King's lake about 14 miles up the Seine river measured along
the winter road. The place can be reached by a slightly longer route by canoe, the last
two milea being a foot trail. At the time of my visit, Sept. 30, the property was being
worked under option by the Seine River Syndicate Mining Company, consisting of
Sooteh capitaliBta. The formation is altered granite. A ridge of the granite more alter-
ed than the formation in general, due doubtless to the fact of its having been a zone of
80 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
diBtnibance, extends throogh the property with a strike of northoMt. The ridge zone or
reef is about 100 feet in width, and has more or leas well defined boundaries. A qaartz
vein several feet in width on surface but much larger underground occurs on the foot
wall, and the hanging wall is marked by loose, faulted ground and stringers of quartz.
The dip is about 45° northwest. The whole reef contains stringers of quartz to a great
er or less degree in different parts. In general nature it is somewhat similar to the
Hammond Reef. The quartz, where it occurs, is white, similar to that of the Sawbill,
and contains coarse pyrite, copper sulphide and galena ; native copper is also found in it.
On BQ24 a shaft 5 by 10 feet in size has been sunk vertically to a depth of 108 feet.
It was commenced in the banging wall and the rf ef was struck at a depth of about 50
feet. At a depth of 100 feet a crosscut 5 by 7 feet in cross section has been driven
southeast through the reef to the foot wall, a distance of 64 feet. On the foot wall side
25 feet of quartz is passed through. At the end of the crosscut 14 feet of drifting has
been done in the quartz. The hoisting plant consists of a 16 h. p. duplex hoist, | inch
steel wire cable, 36 inch sheave, steel bucket and head frame 16 feet high, neatly framed
of 8 by 8 inch square timbers. A tramway and car is provided down below, and the
same on lurface. Drainage is secured by a Worthington pump of 40 gallons per minute
capacity. A No. 5 Oameron sinking pump is, also on the property, but has not yet been
installed and is used for pumping water from a well to the tank for the boiler. Venti-
lation is secured by a blower on surface operated by the crusher engine. Six inch canvas
tubing extends down the shaft and into the workings. Suitable timbering has been pro-
vided for a depth of 15 feet from the surface ; and at a depth of 48 feet, where the shaft
passes through the hanging wall of the reef, there is another 15 feet of timbering. A _
ladderway has been constructed with suitable platforms ; but is only divided off from the^n
hoisting compartment for a portion of the distance, a guard rail having been provided at=
each platform instead. There is a trap door at the shaft mouth, but no guard railing
On the boutheast side of the reef there is a test shaft which is said to be 26 feet deep^^
but is partially filled with water and not fenced. Blasting and lest pitting have bee r.
done at other places also along the strike of the foot wall. A mill has been installed fo^^
test purposes, but so far has only been operated for a short time during the winter prev -
ious to my visit. The machinery consists of a Tremaine steam two-stamp mill, Gate^^
feeder, Blake crusher, 25 h. p. crusher engine and 40 h. p. locomotive boiler.
The following buildings are on the property : Dining and sleeping camps, ftffie < ^
store house, stables, powder house, blacksmith shop, ho'st and boiler house 18 by 20 fee^^C;,
and mill building same size. The manager of the mine is W. D. Pettigrew ; superintei 1-
dent, Jas. Huston ; total force, 16 ; number of miners, six. The following instructioc^BS
were left in the Inspector's Book : 1, Case off manway from hoisting compartment. ^^,
Provide suitable guard rail at shaft mouth. 8, Fence 26 foot test pit south of shaft.
LOCATION AL28 2.
Operations had been resumed on AL282 a short time previous to my visit, Oct. ~IM»
after having been suspended for the greater part of the year. The manager is Jam^^s
Hammond ; superintendent, Adolph Lequyer ; total force, 31 ; number of miners, 10. li^o
sinking has been done since last report, but is just commenced. The shaft is 141 fe^^
deep. At the first level, which is 96 feet from the surface, the northeast drift is 70 fe^^
long, and the southwest drift 78 feet. The vein is a well defined quartz body in a baxB.<^
or dike of altered schistose greenstone about 6 feet in width. The country of this pr^:''
perty, and in fact of all the Island Falls region, is altered granite. The greenstone ditc^
material is quite soft, and well defined walls exist between it and the granite. The vols'
has also well defined walls, and ranges in width from 1 to 3 Oi* 4 feet. A ladderway h^*
been constructed to the bottom of the shaft, but is not casec/ off from the hoisting coku-
partment ; nor is it provided in the vertical part of the shaft with suitable platfbrnii'*
Instructions were given to remedy these defects, and also to consttuct a platform at tb^
first level and to provide a guard rail at the shaft mouth. A new 50 h, p. return tubu-
lar boiler has been installed, and also a new Williams mine pump.
OTHER PR0PERITIE8 IN THE ISLAND FALLS RKOION.
Two or three other properties were being worked in the Island Falls vicinity, bat
not to any great extent ; and as they were out of the way, and it was getting Ute in the
I
'.'4. K««'Autiii K««liirtioii Work-,. |>.
:.^^»»'
t?5. Mill and Shnft Uouw of Reipua Gold Mine, p. 41.
-JC. Mill of (ViiiiliiiiMl (;(>lil Mine. (.'aiii)i lt;i,\ . {•. :>(i.
View ot imriiuii ot Kulnjad iioiii Mint- !..• Mill :il C.iiui* fiai (fumljiiu'd Ctold Minin;; Co.). ]\ 5u.
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 81
seMon, I did not visit them. However I got some notes from J. S. Steele on work ^one
on properties up there which he was interested in and of which he was manager. The
Clearwater Gold Mining Oompany, which owns the Big Six mine mentioned in last year's
report, owns several locations in this region. Mr. Steele is manager of the company's
properties and gave me the following information : On BG43 a shaft had been sunk
113 feet and discontinued. On BG45 a shaft had been sank 55 feet and is being con-
tinued. A steam hoist has been installed. A number of test-pits have been sunk on
the same property from 5 to 15 feet in depth. The ore body is a large quartz vein
associated with a band or dike of green schist, and the formation is altered granite. With
regard to the Big Six mine on Eye lake, south of Clearwater lake, I did not visit the
place this year, as Mr. Steele, the manager, informed me that there was not sufficient
going on to warrant the expenditure of time so late in the season. Hegave me the following
notes on recent progress on the property : Depth of main shaft, 100 feet ; depth of first
level, 80 feet; drifting north, 70 feet ; south, 30 feet ; crosscut, 10 feet south of shaft ;
direction, west ; length, l8 feet. The steam hoist has been installed, and also a three
drill air-compressor with three machine drills. Some test-pitting has also been done
since last year's report. The saw mill is in operation and a planer installed. The Ham-
mond Reef and other properties are supplied with lumber from this mill, as the company
has a timber* limit in connection with its mining property. New camps have been
built on the property.
RUST AND WEADOOK PROPERTIES.
On Oct. 3 Mr. Steele took me down by canoe to location 325X, a 40-acre location
owned by himself and two others, Mr. Ezra Rust and Geo. W. Weadock, both of Saginaw,
Diich. The property is situated on Jack's lake, about 12 miles or three or hours
travelling by canoe south of Sawbill. The route is by way of Moose lake and two other
small lakes between it and Jack's lake, with short portages between. The formation is
Stored granite. A band or dike of greenstone extends through the same with a strike of
xiortheast. Other dikes of the same rocks, also containing veins, occur close to the main
<^e. It is a general rule, as far as I have been able to observe, that all quartz veins in
"^his altered granite formation are in or are associated with these greenstone dikes. It is
"Well known Uiat in the greenstone formation in other parts of the district the quartz veins
MB a rule are associated with felsite — generally ocouring in dikes of felsite.
^This is more particularly true in the case of massive greenstone. In green schist many *
l>edded or lenticular veins occur without the felsite. In the case of the altered granite
we have the antithesis. In one case we have the quartz vein associated with or in fine
grained siliceous dikes in a formation of basic rock or greenstone ; and in the other, or
the present case, quartz veins in or associated with fine grained basic or greenstone
dikes in siliceouB or granitic formation. The greenstone is usually schistose, especially
next to the vein. Sometimes the whole dike is schistose, but it is the schistosity due to
shearing and pressure, for wherever this feature occurs there is always distinct evidence of
faulting, and the granite next to the schistose portion of the greenstone is more or
Icsi schUitoBe, sometimes very markedly so. So that there is no doubt but all the bands
of greenstone in this formation were originally massive, and of course of eruptive origin,
and formed lines of weakness for the faulting, etc., of the country. These movements
would, by shearing, grinding, etc., open up and otherwise render the zone of rock adjacent
to the plane of faulting, or the dike, susceptible to vein- forming agencies.
The ore body or reef, loosely called a ** vein" on this property, is an interesting deposit.
At the north end of the outcrop an open cut 28 feet long, 5 feet wide and 5 feet deep,
has been made across same. The reef here is about 20 feet in width. On one side there
is A quartz vein with definite walls, from 6 to 24 inches in width, carrying large quantities
of gfdena, zinc blende, pyrite, copper pyrites, and also visible gold. On the other side
there is about 3^ feet of a poorer grade of quartz with indefinite walls. The material be-
tween consists of siliceous schistose matter, filled with small interlaminated plates or lenses
of quartz and is the metamorphosed greenstone. A short distance south of the open
cat a shaft 6 by 8 feet in size has been sunk to a depth of 45 feet on what is believed to
be the wall of the reef, but as the granite next the reef is schistose and both the schistose
granite and the greenstone are altered and impregnated with quartz, the walls of the reef
or dike are randered indefinite. The reef matter as seen in the shaft is mostly quartz,
6m
82 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
whiah has displaced what was originally the greenstone. The schistose straoture is as
pronounced as eyer,bnt what is left of the greenstone exists as mere leaves or platesof diloritic
matter between the lenses of qaartz. Visible gold is found in the shaft. Thereof is
mostly on elevated fi;roand and well exposed. A few hundred feet south of the shaft it
is cut by a narrow ravine which evidently represents a line of fitulting. Between the
shaft and the ravine the sheared or schistose character of the reef and granite adjoining
is more pronounced than north of the shaft. South of the ravine the reef can be traced
for a considerable distance, it is said for miles; but here the characteristics of the original
dike do not seem to have been so much eliminated by shearing and alteration. Test-pit-
ting and stripping have been done along the reef at intervals.
Another greenstone dike appears to branch off from the main one, and contains a
quartz vein several feet in width but not traceable very far, nor very promisinnc looking.
There is a total force of 9 on the property, including 7 miners. Mr. Steele is manager
of the work. The only building is a boarding camp. A temporary blacksmith's shop and
a powder house have been erected, but others will be built soon.
The same parties own locations 682, 683, 684 and 685X, above Island Falls. I did
not visit these properties, but was informed by Mr. Steele that a shaft had been sunk 52
feet on the line between 682 and 683X, with 24 feet of crosscutting at the^bottom show-
ing 24 feet of quartz.
LAKE SUPERIOR REGION.
Some exploration work was carried on in the Lake Superior region last year, but
mining operations were not active.
■ HPRESS MINB.
The Empress mine, which had been shut down for nearly two years, was re-opened J
in the spring of 1899 and work continued for the remainder of the year, when I was a
told it was again closed down. I visited the property on May 16 and Sept 25. A report ^
of the old workings is contained in the seventh report of the Bureau. Recent operations i
have been directed towards sinking a winze in No. 1 drift in the tunnel, and also doing a.^
little further drifting and crosscutting in the tunnel level.
The winze is sunk from the end of No. 1 drift, which has been enlarged to provide a^
chamber for hoisting operations. The size of the winze is 5^ by 7§ feet, and Uie depth.^
was 81 feet at the time of my last visit. It is sunk vertically into the ore body, which is^
over 100 feet wide. At a depth of 51 feet drifts 7 by 7 feet in cross section have been^
driven east and west 4 feet and 12j^ feet respectively. The ore body consists of pyiiti
ferous hornblende schist containing stringers, bunches and veins of quartz. A vein of '
quartz 3 to 3^ feet wide was passed through in the winze, where the drifting commenced
A considerable" quantity of zinc blende was struck in the west drift ; this is the first oc —
currence of this mineral so far known in the mine.
The second or No. 2 drift east in the tunnel has been driven to a total length oF
103 feet, and a chamber at the end 8 feet high and 14 feet wide excavated for a diamond,
drill station. The third drift west has been driven a total distance of 108 feet. At ai
distance of 96 feet from the tunnel in this drifc a crosscut has been driven north 22 foet
and one south 42 feet. Machine drills operated by compressed air are employed. A
small duplex hoist operated by compressed air is installed at the winzs. Ventilation is
secured by aspirator pipes, six inches in diameter, conducted from the workings to the
mouth of the tunnel. Live steam is employed. No change has been made in the mill.
It was being cleaned up for operation at the time of my last visit A manager's dwelling
and a new blacksmith shop have been built. The manager of the mine is Jas. 0. Beebe ;
foreman, T. F. Waters ; number of miners, four ; total force, 14. The following instruc-
tions were left in the Inspector's Book : 1, Oonstruct a ladder way in the winz9 according
to the Mines Act, with division and platforms at suitable intervals. 2, Provide a trap
door at least six inches thick at the level in the winze.
1899 J
Mines of Northwestern Ontario
83
C B a A M A .1 O It MINE.
I Tinted the Ursa Migor mine on Sept 25 and found that the shaft had been snnk
> a depth of 117 feet, and neatly timbered for a depth of 80 feet. The hoisting plant
Q
Co
UJ
'i
f
f? r
1
, :C
of » small duplex] hoist, 32 h.p. locomotive boiler, wire cable and backet.
. pump station has been provided at a depth of 110 feet, but the pamp was not instal-
84 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
led. An addition has been made to the shaft house for a hoist and boiler room. Tl
saperintendent of the mine was R. M. Chapman ; total force, 14 ; number of miners,
Instructions were given to construct the ladderway according to the Mines Act, and also
provide a guard rail at the shaft mouth. On Dec. 1 received a letter from Captain J. !
Williams, late manai<er of the Sawbill, who had just been appointed manager in pla<
of Mr. Chapman. He stated that the instructions regarding the ladderway etc., ha
been carried out.
WEST END SILVER if I N E.
Some of the old silver mines in the Lake Superior region have been worked durit
the year, but the most successful work has been carried on in only one of them, which
known as the West End mina This mine has been in continuous operation, mining, millii
and shipping during the year. I visited the property on May 10 and on Feb. 20 of the yei
following. At the time of my second visit I found that the mill had been shut down since tl
beginning of the preceding month on account of the lack of water supply owing to H
cold weather ; but it will be started again when the thaw comes. The water is syphone
through a long pipe from a lake on the top of the mountain. At present only the ric
ore is being shipped, while the mill rock is being piled in the stope underground unt
the mill is ready for operation again. The following; are the underground measurements up 1
the date of my last visit : No. 1 shaft, depth, 150 feet, approximately (water in bottom
First level, depth, 53 feet ; west drift, A4 feet ; east drift, connected with No. 2 shaf
Second level, depths 70 feet ; west drift, 102 feet ; east drift, 14 feet. Third level, deptl
88 feet ; west drift, 50 feet. Stoping : West of shaft, above second level, length, 5
feet ; height above floor of level, 35' feet. East of shaft, above first level, length, 90 feet
height above floor of level, 13 to 25 feet
No. 2 shaft, depth, about 155 feet (about 35 feet of sinking done since last report
First level — see last report. Second level ; west drift, connected with No. 1 riiafi
Third level ; west drift, 444 feet. Fourth level ; depth, 132^ feet ; west drift, 355 feet
east drift, 5 feet. Stoping : West of shaft, above third leveJ, length, 410 feet ; averag
height above floor of level, 58 feet. Below third level (underhand). No. 1 stope, lengtl
38 feet; depth, 35 feet No. 2 stope, length, 40 feet; depth, 13 feet No. 3 stopt
length, 25 feet ; depth, 5 feet. Above fourth level ; length, 85 feet ; height above floo
11 to 23 feet Stulls for supporting the broken are, with chutes at intervals of 12 fee
are under all stopes. At present, and until the mill starts, the ore from the lower leve
is hoisted to the second, where a chute has been provided in the shaft to load the oars i
the level. The ore is dumped into the stope below the second level and will be remove
from the chutes in the third. Drainage is secured by four pumps in the mine ; a Camoro
No. 7 and a Dean at the fourth level in No. 2 shaft ; and a Northey and a Cameroi
each No. 7, at the second level in No. 1 shaft A Copeland and Bacon duplex boii
with 8 by 12 inch cylinders and 36 inch drum has been installed at No. 1 shaft Tl
cable is f inch in diameter, steel wire, and 400 feet long. A bucket is employed an
a pole skidway constructed. The boiler is 35 h. p. locomotive style. A new tramwa
on trestle work about 350 feet long has been laid from No. 1 shaft to the mill. A ne'
wood chute about 250 feet in length has been constructed south of the mill from the to
of the mountain, but is not used at present as the wood supply is pretty well exhanste
from that source and is being obtained now between the mine and the railway tracl
The force at present is somewhat reduced owing to the mill not being in operation ; th
total is 30, of whom 1 6 are miners. No change has been made in the management
PORCUPINE SILVER MINE.
The Porcupine mine is owned by the syndicate which is operating the West En
mine. It consists of location 96T, containing 160 acres, and is situated 28 miles froi
Port Arthur on the colonization ro€ul, and two miles south of the P.A.D. and W. railwa
with which it is connected by a road. This is an old property which had been som<
what extensively worked, but had been idle for several years previous to the receo
reopening. Acccunts of it will be found in the early reports of the Bureau. There ar
several old tunnels and shafts on the property. Eecent operations, which have extende
over a period of about a year, have been confined to driving a prospecting tunnel into th
1899 ] Mines of Northwestern Ontario 85
foot of the monntain to reach the jancdon of two yeins, I visited the property on May
11, when the tunnel was in 96 feet. This part was all in loose earth and was timbered
and lagged for the entire distance. Ihe solid rock (slate) had jost been reached. A
force of three miners was employed, with Tcyp Davis as mine captain. While at the
West End mine I learned that this tannel had reached a length of 200 fset, where the
▼dn was struck, and 50 feet of drifting done on the vein. There is 100 feet of stoping
groand above the drift.
BABBIT MOUNTAIN SILVER. MINE.
The Rabbit Mountain mine is situated about 25 miles southwest of Port Arthur.
Tlie road to the mine leaves Stanley on the P. A. D. and W. Ry. The property had been
extensively worked years ago when in the possession of A. M. Hay of Rat Portage.
The shaft was 240 feet deep and there were four levels with an aggregate of about 1^000
feet of drifting and croascutting. The property was boaght in Deo., 1898 by the Domin-
ion Gold Mining and Reduction Company, Limited, of London, Eng.» and work resumed.
I visited the mine on May 8. The shaft was then 300 feet deep, with drifting in pro-
gress at the bottom or fifth level. The main vein has a strike of north 25^ east, and is
■id to be traceable for a great distance. A large diabase dike meets the vein on the east,
bat does not cross it ; evidently the vein is on the plane of faulting of the dike. The
ikaft is sunk on the vein where the dike meets it, and the best ore occurs in the dike, or
close to it. The latter is found in the first four levels, but not yet in the fifth, and
the drifting there is being done with a view to reaching it.
The Rabbit Mountain Junior vein is about 400 feet west of the main vein, and dips
towards the latter at an angle of 45^. It is calculated that the veins would meet at a
depth of 400 or 500 feet. It is the intention, somo time in the future, to continue the
main shaft to the junction with the hope of finding good ore. There is an old shaft
vhich is said so be 90 feet deep on the Junior vein, but was full of water at the time of
my visit The main shaft is not in safe condition. There is a ladderway extending to
tb bottom, but it is not cased ofi from the hoisting compartment nor provided with plat-
forms. The hoisting compartment is not fenced off at the various levels. Instructions
vers given to fulfil these requirements if the mine continued in operation. The hoisting
Qschinery is in satisfactory condition. It consists of a 60 or 65 h. p. duplex double
dram hoist, with grooved drums 48 inches in diameter, 1,000 feet of ^ inch steel wire
cftble and steel bucket of 1,500 lb. capacity. There is a 10 drill IngersoU compressor,
four drills and a receiver 4 feet in diameter by 1 1 feet in length. The compressor was
oot in use at the time of my visit. The boiler is a return tubular of 100 h.p. capacity.
There is an old mill on the property which has not been in operation since the mine was
worked years ago, but it could be put into working condition without great expense.
The machinery consists of a Blake crasher, TuUoch feeder, five stamp battery, two Frue
▼imwra with four foot belts, settling pits and buddies. Tho mine was closed down a few
diyi after my visit.
BLAKE AND HOSTON COT PER MINEg
On May 13 I drove out to a reputed native copper deposit in Blake township, about
30 miles south west of Port Arthur. It is known as the Blake and Boston copper mine,
vid was being operated by George T. Marks of Port Arthur. The only evidence of ore
oouisted of two outcroppings about 100 feet apart on the face of a hill. Bat a little
blasting and excavating proved that they were only large '* float " boulders, 10 or 12 feet
in diameter, of amygdaloidal trap, portions of which were rich in native copper. From
their angular appearance it must be inferred that their origin is not very far distant, but
the country in Uiis vicinity is so deeply covered with drift that it would be a difficult
matter to find the ore in place. The formation as. exposed on the face of the hill is
coarse trap similar to that of the south shore of lake Superior. «*« Richard Sandoe was
manager of the mine, and four miners were employed. [! "i'''^^
PBITCnlARn HARBOR C O'P.P * b'[M.I N E..
On March 22, 1900, Frank Uockley of | Rat Portage gave m9 some notes on the
Pritdiard Harbor copper mine, in which he is interested. It is situated on the south
86 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
shore of Black bay, about 10 miles in a straight line from the railway, or 40 miles by
boat from Port Arthur. The property consists of locations 201, 206, 207 and 208McA,
aggregating 168 acres. It is owned by the Pritchard Harbor Oopper B£ining and Develop*
ment Company, Limited ; head office, Rat^Portage. President, W. McLeod ; vice-presi-
dent, Dr. W. J. Chapman ; secretary-treasurer, Frank Hockley ; engineer, J. A. Mc Aree.
Work had been going on for about 4^ months with a force of 6 miners, but was suspen-
ded about the middle of March until navigation opened as the expense of getting in sup-
plies is too great in the winter time. The work done consists of two tunnels, 20 and 22
feet long, and a shaft 31 feet deep. The ore is amygdaloidal trap, containing native cop-
per. I saw some specimens in Mr. Hockley's office which were said to have come from
there. They showed a considerable percentage of native copper.
TIP-TOP COPPER MINE.
There is a copper deposit about 30 miles southwest of Savanne, which I have heard is
likely to be of some importance. I have not yet visited the place, but on Feb. 20, 1900,
I get some notes from F. A. Folger, who is interested in the property and was just on his
way to it ; it is called the Tip-Top mina There are four locations, E61, 62, 63 and 64.
It is owned by the Folger Bros, of Kingston, James Hammond and others. The ore is
copper pyrites, and there is said to be a great quantity of it. T^o shafts are being sunk
about 700 feet apart on the vein. Work was going on at the time I met Mr. Foliar.
ZKNITH ZING MINI
There are indications of the development of a zinc mining industry on the north
shore of lake Superior, in the vicinity of Rossport. One mine has been idiipping during
the last two winters, and test-pitting is being done on another property. I am told that
proept>cting operations are to be commenced on a third property immediately.
The Zenith mine consists of location 30T, which has an area of 160 acres, and is
situated 13 miles north of the railway. The road to the mine leaves the railway 6ve
miles east of Rossport, at a point where a siding known as " Zinc Siding*' has been con-
structed for the shipment of ore. Winston, a fli^ station 1^ miles east of the siding, is
the nearest point where the regular train stops. The road to the mine is only a winter
road, as 12 small lakes are crossed. This is representative of the country in all direc-
tions in this vicinity. It is extremely rough, and the shores of the lakes are aU steep.
It would be practically impossible to construct a summer road for any such distance.
There is a continual rise from the railroad to the mine, making a total of 1,200 feet I am
told. There are some long and steep hills on the road, but the slope is downward towards
the railway in all instances where the hills are of any consequenoe, so that no great
difficulty is experienced in this respect in the haulage of ore. Shipping can of course
only be done in the winter. In the summer the same route is passed over to reach the
mine, but on account of the number of lakes to be crossed the trip is made by canoe.
The portages are all well cut out, and the time required to make the trip in the summer is
about six hours. The mine is owned by the Grand Calumet Mining Company, Limited, head
office, 37 Trust Building, Ottawa. President, W. J. Poupore; vice-president, P. W. Resse-
man ; secretary-treasurer, E. L. Leetham ; managing director, H. J. Beemer. The poet office
address of the mine is Rossport, C.P.R. The superintendent of the mine is J. E. Hooli-
han ; foreman, James Whalen ; foreman of cobbing table, Frank McPhee. Total force,
including teamsters, cobbers, etc., eighteen.
I visited the property on February 21st, 1900. The snow being deep, I could not
examine the vein, and as no mining wae going on at the time the shafts were full of
snow. The formation is coarse trap. I was told that there are two veins, one of which
can be traced for a long distance. Three shafts had been sunk ; No. 1, on the junction
of the veins, 35 feet deep ; No. 2, 40 feet deep ; and No. 3, 12 feet. There was also a
smaU open cut from which about 100 tons of ore had been taken. This is all the mining
work that has been done on the property.
It appears that although the vein is continuous on the surface, and presents a good
showing at places, the ore does not extend to any depth, although the depth is variable
at different pointa along the vein. The conae(\uence ot t\i\a l& that the mining will oon-
1899 I Mines of Northwestern Ontario 87
nst of making a series of open cuta or pits along the vein. I do not know to what extent
this rule appUes ; it may be very local. The ore of the Zenith is pare zinc blende, dark in
color. In Uie vein it is mixed with a certain proportion of country rock which is separ-
ated by cobbing. When I was at the mine the only work going on was cobbing and
shipping of ore which had been mined during the previous summer and spring. The ore
was conveyed to a roughly but substantially constructed platform, kno^n as a '* cobbing
tabla" It is there broken by sledges into pieces the size of a hen's egg. A double pur-
pose is served by this process ; .the barren rock is all removed, leaving pure zinc blende,
and the ore is rendered more convenient for shipping. It is packed in canvas bags con-
taining 125 pounds each. Five teams are employed in hauling the ore to the railroad, a
distance of 13 miles. Each team makes one complete trip per day and takes from 2^ to
3 tons per load. Thus the cost of transportation from the mine to the railway
amounts to about two dollars per ton, which is not a serious matter for ore that is so
valuable as this. It is not at all probable that the cost will ever be reduced unless it is
found there are very great quantities of ore, as the cost of building any ^ind of a railroad
through such a country would be prohibitory. This property was originally discovered
and taken up by the McKellar Bros, of Fort William about 20 years ago, but was not
worked with a view to shipping ore until the winter of 1898-99. It was then owned by
H. J. Beemer, the managing director of the present company. Mining and shipping were
oarried on from Jan. 16 as lonn: as the roads were good, and after that mining was con-
tlniied for a few weeks. The present company bought the property from Mr. Beemer
and is endeavoring to sell again, as it intends to work a zinc-lead property on Oalumet
island in the Ottawa river. If the company do not sell mining operations will be con-
tinued daring the coming summer. The buildings at the mine consist of boarding camps
lor the accommodation of 40 men, office, stables and powder house, and stables and camp
at the railway. Machinery consisting of boiler, hoist and two steam drills was brought
in last winter bat never installed. Instructions were given to fence all shafts.
G K S 1 C ZINC MINE.
The Gesic mine is about two miles south of the Zenith, on the same road. There are
ten locations, aggregating 400 acres. The owners are W. A. Johnson, 0. Palmer and J.
Hare of Toronto, who are forming a stock company to take the property over ; F. W.
Eaaton u manager of the mine. I visited the property on Feb. 22 while returning from
the Zenithi and found operations in progress on location £879. A test shaft with a
dip of 6G^ or 60*" north had been sunk 23 feet on the vein and was being continued. The
formation is trap ; the vein is said to be traceable over several locations, with a strike of
east and west. At the surface of the pit there is very little mineralization ; in fact the
vein appears to consist of only a sheared zone of country rock. But at the bottom of the
shaft zinc blende is making its appearance in promising quantities. A force of tour
miners waa employed. Work had been going on since the latter part of Nov., 1899.
I understand that a discovery of zinc has been made at Mazokama on the C.P.R.
west of Roesport, and that prospecting operations have commenced.
IRON ORE LOCATIONS.
Prospecting operations on iron locations are being conducted at several points east
and west of Port Arthur, but I have not visited any of these places.
In September last a trip was made on the P. A. D. & W. railway to a location a
few miles from Gun flint, where it was reported a very valuable iron deposit had been
discovered, but on examination it proved to be too much mixed with greenstone to be
of any value. Appearances however were encouraging, and possibly valuable deposits
will be found in the vicinity.
Mr. A. M. Wiley of Port Arthur informed me that he and his brothers own 1400
acres of land containing valuable deposits of iron ore about 12 miles up the Pic river,
near Peninsula harbor. The ore is said to outcrop on the banks of the river. It is free
from titanium, and contains only a very small percentage of sulphur and phosphorus.
Diamond drilling will be done on the property immediately.
88 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
A tunnel ia being driven through a mountain of iron ore on the Atikokan, which is
famous for its iron depoeits. I have not yet visited the place.
It is reported that prospecting operation9 are to be commenced immediately on a^
property about 30 miles east of Port Arthur.
On the Mattawin river, west of Port Arthur, the Government diamond drill is ati^^
work on a number of large deposits.
It is altogether likely that prospecting for iron will be carried on vigorously darin|^
the coming summer.
REDUCTION WORKS.
Reduction works for the treatment of gold ores are in operation in the vicinity of
Rat Portage, but are doing only a limited amount of work.
BAT POBTAOB BEDUOTION WOBKH.
The Rat Portage Reduction Works were held under option by A. B. Upton of
Duluth for a short period, but have reverted to the owners. The works have been
recently engaged in treating a lot of 215 tons of ore from the Wendigo mine, and are
open for business.
NORMAN R B D U O T I O N WORKS.
The Norman Reduction Works, which were beiog erected by the Canadian Gold
Extraction Company, Limited, under the superintendence of R. H. Ahn, were never
completed.
KEBWATIN SEDUCTION WOBKH.
The Keewatin Reduction Works have only been in operation about one-third of the
time during the year, but the assay and testing departments have been kept fairly busy
always. The summer is much the busier season. Most of the ore comes by water from
the Lake of the Woods mines, but a reasonable proportion comes by rail. No change
has been made in the plant. The jigs have been completed eind work satisfactorily.
There are two of these, with three compartments each. The first compartment has about
^ inch stroke and the other two decrease in succession. Iron pyrites is used for bedding.
Lately the operations of the works have been directed towards doing test work in
cyaniding and concentration of ores. This work is done chiefly on ores from British
Columbia and from the Sudbury region. The testing ia for the purpose of ascertaining
tha proper kind of plant to install. A small jig, a plane table, etc., have been installed
for concentration testing, and a series of small vats for cyaniding. Chlorination testing
can also be done in the laboratory. During the summer a total force of eight is employed,
includiog the manager, W. J. Craig, the assayer, H. A. Guess, and the mill superinten-
dent. The last mentioned position is vacant at present.
MINES OF EASTERN ONTARIO
By Courtenay De Kalb, Inspector
The past year has witnessed a great increase of aotivity in the mineral industry of
Ontario, and the prospects for the fatnre are very enconraging. Doubtless some of the
^w operation! will prove to be ephemeral, bat in the main there is a substantial improve-
ment in the situation. Some of the properties which appear to be in danger of sospen-
^n have been brought into their present state of embarrassment through incompetent
Humagement. It is most unfortunate that the difficult operations of development should
>o often be entrusted to men whose knowledge of mining is totally inadequate for under-
taking such responsibilities. As I pointed out last year, there is a very general tendency
to incur unwarrantable expenses in the equipment of mines in Ontario which are but
little more than prospects. The progress of the industry in the Province would be
enhanced by greater caution and economy in the initial stages in mining work.
The growth of the iron industry continues to be retarded by the efforts to produce
ore to meet expenses before a sufficient amount of development has been done to render
economical and steady operations possible. The same criticism will apply to most of the
gold properties in the e&stem district. The stone industry is apparently less flourishing
than in former years, but is decidedly better than in 1898. Many new quarries are now
being opened, and extensive operations are projected at the Forks of the Oredit. There
is also increased activity in the cement industry. New plants are being erected and old
ones are being enlarged, while additional companies are baing projected.
The mining methods pursued in the Provinse are very generally faulty, ai was
pointed out in my last reprrt. A most efficient remedy would consist in establishing a
system of licensing foremen, upon suitable demonstration of fitness. Not only would
this soon result in more economical mining and in a general improvement of the condition
of the mineral industry, but it would also lessen the number of accidents, which are
becoming exceedingly frequent as a result of both ignorance and carelessness. The adop-
tion of such a system would be in the interest not only of the owners of mining proper-
ties, but of the miners themselves.
GOLD MINES.
The greatest activity in gold mining in the eastern district of Ontaiio during the
year 1899 w&s in the counties of Hastings and Frontenac, although prospecting has been
carried on in many places in the western part of the district, and one mine (the Ophir),
which had lain idle for a number of years, has been reopened and is now undergoing
farther development. Properly speaking, all the gold mines in the district are in a state
of development, so that their operations are more or less tentative. A considerable
number of the companies and syndicates interested have adopted the policy of erecting
ten-stamp mills and milling the output of ore obtained in the process of development, so
that they appear as producing mines. This policy has proven a wise one in a few in-
stances, but in others it has been adopted, in imitation of the procedure of welladmiuis-
tered properties, when there was insufficient millable ore in sight to warrant the expenditure
for such a plant The tendency is very general to undertake production before enough
development has been done to insure permanent operations, f^nd the consequent irregu-
larity of working seems to discourage capital and to raise a prejudice against gold mining
in this district. It is to be hoped that in future more systematic and thorough develop-
ment of the properties will be prosecuted before milling plants are erected, so that when
production is begun it may be continued without interruption.
OPHIR MINE.
The Ophir mine was operated for a short period beginning in 1892. A twenty-stamp
mill was erected and a pumping plant was established on the shore of lake Ickta, about
200 yards distant, for supplying water to the mill. The water-supply system has been
[89]
90 Bureau of Mines Re)^ort [ No. 5
dismantled, bat the mill has been preserved in good condition. It stands 411 ft. w. s. w.
from the tunnel entrance to the mine, this being originally began as a drift minp. The
mill foundations measure 58 ft. by 81 ft, with a wing 37 ft. by 46 ft. for the power plant.
The battery floor is 37 ft. by 58 ft., above which stands the rock breaker. The power
plant consists of two 60 h.p. boilers and a 75 h.p. Reynolds-Oorliss engine. A gravity
tramway leads from the mine to the mill. The hoisting plant in use at the mine was a
16 h p. duplex hoist, taking steam from a 12 h.p. upright boiler. Diameter of drum, 18
in. ; cable, ^ in. in diameter. This stands 60 ft. s. w. of the shaft. The other surface
accessories are a blacksmith shop, office, boarding and lodging houses, at varying distances
pouth of the mine. The dynamite magazine was located 400 ft. from the mine and 150
ft. from the buildings. Instructions were given to remove this magazine to a distance
not less than 600 ft. from the buildings, roads, or other places where workmen might
habitually congregate or pasp, which has been done according to advices received from
the manager. The gravity tramway has also been repaired and made secure, in accord-
ance with instructiona
The mine as it existed at the date of my visit (Sept 2, 1899) consisted of a large
irregular stope at a very flat angle (averaging about 45^), inaiequately sustained by
pillars left near the surface, and by stulls of such small diameter, and so poorly set, as to
offer but little resistance. The luuiging wall was exceedingly d[angerous, and roof- falls
were common. The size of the stope was approximately 50 ft x 150 ft, with a winze
near the middle, and an incline at the s. w. end, now used as a sump and purop station.
Sinking was in progress in the winze, which was being deepened from an original depth
of 14 ft.
About 50 ft. 8. e. from the mouth of this stope is an old shaft, 78 ft. deep, which
was being timbered preparatory to sinking.
The plan proposed for safely working this mine, approved after a few modifications
which aro incorporated herewith, is as follows : — Sink the shaft to a depth of 100 ft,
and drift on the vein from that point, under the old workings. Then to upraii^ into
the old workings for air, but to make no other opening into the old stope. In order to
prevent danger to the new workings below from the collapse of the roof in the open
chamber or stope above, cribs are to be built about one third of the distance from the
bottom of the stope to sustain the hanging wall, which wall is then to be shot down, sort-
ing out any ore therefrom and filling the waste into the lower part of the old stope bet-
ween and below the cribs.
The owner of this property is Mr. Peter McArthur of Toronto. It is being operated
on a working bond by a syndicate consisting of Messrs. E. L. Sawyer and E. Strachan
Oox of Toronto, under the management of Mr. F. A. Fenton of Bruce Mines, with Mr.
H. F. Downing as superintendent of mines. The number of workmen employed was 9
below ground and 6 on the surface. The location of the property is the south half of the
north half, and the north half of the south half of lot 12, concession 3 of Gkdbraith,
district of Algoma. The region is one of considerable geological disturbanoa^ with many
dikes of basic intrusives, apparently belonging to the same period of volcanic activity as
that which resulted in the conditions leading to deposits of copper ores between this
point and lake Huron at Bruce Mines. The Ophir deposit is associated with a dike of
highly basic intrusive rock, with which, for a short distance at least, it is in direct con-
tact The ore deposit itself consists of quartz associated with chlorite schist, with diorite
on the footwall. Further investigation of the geology of the deposit .was impossible in
the short time at my disposal. 1
DELOBO MINES.
The Deloro mines, owned by the Canadian Gold Fields, Limited, have made nota-
ble progress within the past year, both in the establishment of a successful plant for meld
extraction and arsenic recovery and in underground development In detsdl, the exten-
sion of underground workings is as follows : — Gatling shaft deepened from 192 ft to 341
ft, the depths to the levels being, from the surface to 1st level 70 ft, to 2nd level, 133
ft, to 3rd level, 233 ft, to 4th level, 333 ft. The Tuttle shaft has been deepened 5 ft
to 127 ft A number of new shafts have been sunk for development of the deposit as
follows -.—Keswick D. situated 1250 ft n. 8"" 50' e. from Gatling shaft, inclination 52^
depili 50 ft 6 in,; Keswick E, situated 1740 ft. s. 8^ w. from Gatlmg shaft, vertical.
1899 ] Mines of Eastern Ontario 91
depth 29 ft. 6 in.; Keswick F, sitaaied 1320 ft 8. 2^ e. from Gfttling shaft, inclination
10^, depth 50 ft; Hawkeye No. I, sitaated 1265 ft n. 3"" 30' w. from GUling shaft,
inclination 32^, depth 165 ft.; Hawkeye No. 2, situated 1320 ft n. 2"" w. from Gatling
mhtlt, inclination 55*". depth 42 ft. 6 in.; Gatling west crosscat — Vein shaft, situated
200 ft n. 72^ w. from Gatling shaft, inclination 60'', depth 53 ft.; Gayline
ahaft^ situated 360 ft s. 23"" 30' w. from Gatling shaft, inclination 82'', depth 47 ft
The changes in levels have been, in GatUng level No. 3 south, 257 ft. advance ; in Gat-
ling level No. 4 south, 33 ft 6 in. advance. Gatling crosscut west has been continued
106 ft, giving a total length of 356 ft.; Tuttle crosscut has been advanced from 40 ft to
94 ft Gatling west crosscut level has been carried north 88 ft and south 112 ft A
raiae is being driven in this level to connect with Gatling west crosscut Vein shaft.
Additional work has been done in the air drift and in the Tuttle crosscut level. The
■iae of the stopes at present is approximately as follows : — 1st level, south of Tuttle
shaft length 80 ft, height 21 ft; north from same shaft, length 80 ft, height 40 ft A
rib or pillar has been left in the north end of the stope 15 ft. above the level, 45 ft. by
80 ft South of Gatling shaft, beginning beyond the shaft pillar (18 ft. from shaft), is a
large stope 310 ft. long and varying from 10 to 50 ft high, which is now more than a
thM full of stowage, sent down from the surface. North of Gatling shaft beyond the
shaft pillar is another stope, 55 ft. long and from 10 to 25 ft. high. The 2nd level stopes
are : South from Tuttle shaft, beginning 8 ft. from shaft, length 60 ft, height 48 ft.,
with a 10 ft X 10 ft. pillar at mid-distance ; south from Gatling shaft, length 390 ft,
height 63 ft., one-third filled with waste rock, and sustained by two waste pillars, one at
the north end 60 ft z 20 ft.,and another at mid-distance 20 ft by 25 ft., and by 8 smaller
pillars. The 3rd level stopes are * south from Gatling shaft, beginning 70 ft from shaft,
length 170 ft, height from 5 to 15 ft, working; in 5 ft. cuts. The character of the walls
18 aach that bat little timbering is required. In the older upper portions of the mine,
were the rock was weakened by atmospheric agencies, the stopes are being systematically
filled with waste rook, and such timber as remains is being drawn and the walls secured
by rook-filling. The shaft timbers and skipway in Gatling shaft have been carried down
to the 3rd level.
The new mfll, which was described in my last report, has been in operation since
Jaanary, 1 899. Meantime the old mill has undergone extensive repairs, and has been
oonverted into a works for arsenic recovery only. The concentrates after treatment by
biomo-oyaniding are dried, and then roasted in a revolving cylinder roaster. The fumes
are condensed in a series of brick chambers with vertical baffle-walls. A new set of
vertical gaivanized-iron condensers of cylindrical form is being erected at the n. w.
corner of the arsenic works. The fumes are collected from the condensing chambers and
refined by re-roasting in a special form of reverberatory furnace, the fumes being condens-
ed in a second set of brick chambers. Separate, securely sealed rooms are set apart res-
pectively for bolting the arsenic and for packing. The arsenic is paoked in kegs by the
aid of an automatic jumper, and all kegs are plainly labelled and cleaned for shipment.
A double wash-room is provided for the workmen, one part for clean clothes and the
other for the clothing to be worn in the works. No arsenic fumes were observed in any
part of the plant, and due precautions were observed to protect the employees. Antidotes
are maintained constantly available in case of poisoning, and at least one man on each
shift is fully instructed in their use. A physician is always at call by telephone. Owing
to the tentative character of the operations at this mine in the past, no objections had
been made to the present site of the explosives magazine, which is in dangerous proxi-
mity to the mine and suHface plant. Instructions have now been given, however, to build
a new magazine, of lighter construction than the old stone one, at a distance of at least
400 ft from any works or roadway, properly guarded by a mound or other protective rise
of ground, to be completed by June 1, 1900. Instructions were also given to pro-
vide hydrogen peroxide and hypodermic sy rinses for use in case of poisoning in the cyanide
works. The manager of the mine is Mr. P. Kirkegaard.
THE ATLAS ABSENIO 00., LTD.
This company was incorporated in 1899, under the above title, with the following
proriaioiial directors : W. A. Hungerford, Deloro, Out., IL. 3 . Ooe^ C^. ^«^ti\Xxsi!l ^sgl\ "^ .
93 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
Prescott, of Cleveland, Ohio. The property consiats of a tract known as ** The Gatling
Five Acres," surrounded on all sides by the lands of the Canadian Gold Fields, Ltd., aboat
one mile from Marmora station on the Central Ontario By. The underground workings
consist of two shafts. Shaft No. 1 is located 250 ft. s. s. w. of the mill, and has a deptii
of 85 ft. At a depth of 78 ft. the first level has been driven, extending n. e. 120 ft. and
B. w. 100 ft. Stoping has been commenced in the northeast drift. Shaft No. 2 is 100
ft. s. e. of the mill and is 60 ft. deep. This at present is not workiog.
At shaft No. 1 a skeleton head frame 25 ft. high has been erected. Hoisting s
done in a skip, using a f in. cable, wound on an 18 in. drum on a portable hoist. The
hoist and vertical boiler are all on one bed-frame, and are housed in a temporary shed ad-
jacent to the head-frama The mill contains ten stamps, one 7 x 10 in. Blake crusher,
a Frue vanner, and a Wilfiey table. This plant was installed by the Wm. Hamilcon
Mfg. Co. of Peterboro, Ont, A 3-rail inclined plane tramway brings the ore from the
mine to the mill, a distance of 170 ft , with a total lift of 40 ft The dynamite magazine
is located 400 ft. e. s. e. from the mill behind a low eminence. Instructions were given
as to proper cleanliness in the dynamite magazine, as to the proper use of the dynamite
hot water thawer, and as to proper protection by guard rail around shaft-mouth.
THE BBLliONT MINE.
Since the last inspection this property has been purchased by the Cordova Explora-
tion Company, Ltd., of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. The rights acquired are 300
acres in fee simple in Belmont township, Peterboro county; 125 acres of mineral rights
only in Marmora township, Hastings county, contiguous ; and 160 acres, including a
valuable waterpower on Deer river, at the outlet of Deer lake, 2 miles n. w. of the
mine. Since the acquisition of this property, after prolonged testing by the Cordova Ex-
ploration Co., extensive preparations have been made for permanent operations at this
mine, and it is proposed to erect a large air compressor plant at the Deer river falls,
where an effective head of 90 ft. is available, the air to be piped to the mine for use in
all situations where power is required. A large electric plant is part of the projected im-
provement, and it is probable that current will be transmitted to Deloro for electric light-
ing at that plant.
In the scheme for underground work ten shafts are enumerated, of which No. 4 and
5 are closed, 8 and 9 are located but not sunk, and No. 1, 2, 8, 6, 7 and 10 are being
operated. Shaft No. 1 has been deepened from 135 ft. to 250 ft., and is still sinking.
The manager, Mr. D. G. Kerr, has adopted the plan, new in Ontario but common in the
large mining centres of the West and South, of carrying the timbers and skip way close
down to the bottom of the shaft, and using telescope rails for the remaining 6 to 10 ft, so
as to hoist from the bottom while sinking, In blasting he uses the side cut, shooting to
the foot wall, with 4 unkejing shots, with a line of least resistance of 3 ft. 3 in., and
3 sticks of 50 per cent, dynamite to each hole. Including key and following shots, 25
holes 1:^ in. diameter are employed for each 3 ft. 3 in. cut, the cross-section of the shaft
being 16 ft. x 9 ft. The work is so skilfully done that no injury has ever been sustained
by the timbers or skipway. The work of sinking has been greatly cheapened and facilitat-
ed since the introduction of this system. It is doubtful if a better example of scientific
blasting has ever been seen in Ontario.
Shafc No. 2 has been deepened from 35 to 95 ft., and connected by levels with shaft
No. 3. The latter has been carried down from 40 to 185 ft. Shaft No. 6 (new) has
reached a depth of 85 ft. It is located 750 ft. n. e. from shaft No. 1, and has an inclina-
tion of 75^ to the s. w. The cross-section is 12 ft. x 8 ft. It is single compartment with
a man way. The hoisting works consist of a head-frame, 12 ft. x 14 ft. at base, and 20 ft.
high to the sheave block.
Shaft No. 7 (new) is 425 feet north of shaft No. 1. It is vertical, 80 ft. deep, cross-
section 16 ft. X 9 ft. The hoisting works consist of a closed head-frame 17 ft. x 35 ft. at
base and 35 ft. high. It is provided with a 30 h.p. double drum hoisting engine, actuat-
ed by compressed air piped from the central air compressor plant.
tr Shaft No. 10 (new) is 560 ft. east of shaft No. 1. It is inclined 75^ to the south, is
35 ft. deep, and has a cross section of 14 ft. x 10 ft. Hoisting is still being done by wind-
lass.
i899 Mines of Eastern Ontario 93
The new levels are as follows : In shaft No. 1, at a depth of 200 ft., east drift 50
ft, west drift 50 ft. A pump station has been established near the shaft on this level,
over a large sump 15 ft. deep, with a cross section of 15 f b. x 9 ft. The pump is a
^orthey dnplex direct acting, with a capacity of 250 gallons per minute. The motive
fTOwer is compressed air at 85 lb. pressure. From shaft No. 2 the 50 ft. level extends
260 ft. n. w., and 110 ft. s. e. to shaf: No. 3. The 90 ft. level extends 260 ft. n. w.,
eand 110 ft. s. e. to shaft No- 3. From shaft No. 3, in addition to the 50 ft. and 90 ft.
levels from shaft No. 2, is a level at 185 ft. extending 250 ft n. w., with an upraise.
iBtarted at a distance of 110 ft. from the shaft to connect with shaft No. 2 above. From
shaft No. 7 at a depth of 75 feet., is a level drifting n. w. 20 ft. and s. e. 65 ft.
A new shaft house has been erected over shaft No. 3, having foundations 18 ft. x
35 fty and a height of 30 ft. A 30 h. p. double drum hoisting engine is
l)eing installed, which will use compressed air as a motive power. The tramway
from the mill to shaft No. 1 has been extended to No. 7 shaft, and will be continued
mround to shafts No. 6, 2, 3, 5 and 10 in the order named. The old mill adjacent to the
No. 1 shaft house has been made over into a machine shop, and above this, on the same
level as the shaft mouth, is a new blacksmith shop. The air compressor plant installed
l>y the Band Drill Oo. is located 400 ft. e. n. e. from the mill, on lower ground than the
other works, insuring perfect drainage of leading pipes. The building is of wood, 40 ft. x
60 ft, with boiler room attached The compressor is of the latest model, cross compound,
both steam and air. The indicators showed high pressure steam, 1 25 lb., low pressure steam,
25 lb., high pressure air 85 lb , and low pressure air 20 lb. Steam is derived from 2
return tubular, 70 nominal h.p. boilers, using water from the coolers and fitted wiCh
electric damper regulators.
The explosives mgazixie is located 600 ft. south of shafts No. 2 and 8, and 450 ft.
east of the air compressor plant. Protective mounds insure reasonable safety. It is well
constructed of wood with steel shingled sides, the expediency of using which is, however,
questionable. The practice of storing caps and fuse in the same bailding was objected to
in this case as in all others.
The only addition to the milling plant consists of a Ftaser and Chalmers ball pulveriz-
ing barrel for regrinding the stamp-mill tailings for re- amalgamation. A new carpenter
shop has been erected 300 ft. s. e. of shaft No. 1, consisting of a 2 storey building, 24
ft. X 40 ft. on the foundations. A residence for the staff and a new office eind warehouse
have been erected also. Instructions were given to board off all manways from hoisting
compartments in shafts, and to put up the signal code at all landing stations and in engine
rooms.
BOBRTHMINE.
This mine has come into prominence within the year as a producer of bullion, and
development work is being actively prosecuted. Its prospects were for a time seriously
crippled by an unfortunate experiment with a new process for the treatment of its ores,
but a mill has now been erected which is claimed to be successful, and which proves that
the ore presents no difficulties which are not well understood by teohnical men. The
property is situated in Clarendon township (lot 28, 7th concession), in Frontenac county,
about 12 miles west of Clarendon station on the Kingston and Pembroke Ry. The cor-
poration is known as the Boerth Mining Company of Ontario, Ltd., with its head office
in Windsor, Ont. The president is Henry J. Boerth, vice-pres. Abraham Marymount,
and sec. and treas. Alex. J. Groesbeck, all of Detroit, Mich. The manager was 0. 0.
Groesbeck (since superseded). The ore extracted has been chiefly by surface stripping
and open cut work. One development shaft has been sunk to one side of the main lode,
following an off-shoot of the vein. This is known as the Hattie B. shaft, and has an
inclination of 65'' to the s. w. Its depth was 120 ft, with % cross section of 8 ft. x 11
ft. At a depth of 75 ft. a level has been opened out, drifting south 28 ft. and north 25
ft. Hoisting is done with a barrel on a skidway. A ladderway is provided, without
sollars, and not boarded oft. The shaft house is 20 ft square on the base and 32 ft. high.
The hoisting engine house is 40 feet south of the shaft. A derrick hoist is used, with 6
in. X 8 in. cylinders, taking steam from a 15 h. p. marine boiler. The Uncle Sam shaft
18 located 160 ft. south of the Hattie B. shaft This was full of water, but was said to
be 35 ft. deep. Its cross section is 7 ft. x 14 ft. The mill is located 1700 ft. east of the
94 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
Hattie B. shaft. It was farniahed by the Jenokes Machine Oo. of Sherbrooke, Que., and
contains one 7 in. x 10 in. Blake crasher, 10 stamps of 900 lb. each, with Ohallenge
feeders, and 2 Wilfley tables. In an adjacent stmctare is the power planti consisting of
a 30 h. p. engine and a 35 h. p. boiler. Dynamite is stored in a magazine 800 ft
distant from the nearest baildings or workings. Thawing is done in a horizjntal tabular
thawer (Ontario Powder Go's model) in a separate bailding 100 ft. from the boiler hooae
and 150 it. from the mine month. Other baildings are an office, two lodging hoosee,
blacksmith shop, and stable. Instractions were given as to complying with the regola-
tions of the Ontario Mines Act concerning manway and protection of shaft month by
gaard railings.
COPPER AND NICKEL MINES.
The past year has shown bat little increase in the exploration for copper, judging
from the circumstance that almost no prospecting has been reported from regions where
ontcropping capriferous veins are known to exist, as, for example, in the belt north of
Thessalon and Brace Mines where only one lode has been exploited, and in the eastern
portion of the Province where a nnmber of oatcrops have locally attracted attention, bat
have not led to any development work save in the vicinity of Ooe HilL This is some-
what surprising in view of the prevailing high prices for copper. The inactivity in the
east has been offset by a marked revival of prospect and development work in the Sad-
bary copper-nickel district. The amount of ore placed in sight by these works has, how-
ever, not yet attained any very considerable proportions. - One property suffered coUapse
from a hasty and ill-considered experiment with a new process, and In two cases the
Canadian Oopper Company also committed the error of erecting expensive plant on new
prospects which sabseqaently proved to offer no basis for permanent operations. The
tendency in the copper-nickel district to undertake the installation of expensive plant in
advance of a proper development of the mines is quite as noticeable as in the case of the
gold mines of the Province.
BBUCE MINB8.
At the time of my visit (Sept. 1, 1899) definite advices as to the expected change of
ownership of this group of mines had not been received. The resident manager was Mr.
George H. Trethewey. The mines described in my former leport were still kept anwatered,
and all instructions to insure safety had bten scrupulously followed. The old Oopper fiay
mine, the scene of a serious disaster from a roof collapse many years ago, had been pumped
out and was carefully inspected throughout. This mine, entered by the Bray shaft, is on a
northwest extension of the Wellington vein, 350 ft. from the nearest shaft of the gronp
previously described. This portion of the property, embracing 6400 acres, has been pur-
chased by the Lake Huron Copper Syndicate, Ltd., of No. 31-33 Palmerston Buildings,
Old Broad St., London, E. C, Jijngland. The shaft is 429 ft. deep, single compartment
with manway, through which also pass the old Oomish pump rods and pump column, and
the new pump column. The timbers, as might be expected in a mine containing copper
pyrites, full of water, are well preserved. The ladderway is also sound.
There were 5 levels in the mine, drifting n.w. and s.e. from the shaft Those to
the n.w. led into a series of stopes, which were largely filled at the time of the oollapse
of the mine. The Ist level has been practically obliterated. The 2nd level, n.w. drift,
is inaccessible on account of the debris. The s.e. drift leads into a series of old stopee,
one running nearly east and west, the other, known as the '*Fire Lode," running
nearly n.n.w. The east and west crossstope is continuous down to the 4th level, having
only one floor- arch in place. Portions of the old level-floors on stuUs still remain, and
are in a dangerous condition. A drift continues westward beyond the stope a little
above the 3rd level, and a winze at the east end leads down to a drift on the 5th level
There is also a connection between this stope and the Fire Lode stope. The 3rd level
opens s.e. into the above-mentioned stope, and is filled with debris toward the n.w, in
the caved portion of the mine. On this level is a pumping station, with a 9^x10^x5'
iS99 ] Mines of Eastern Ontario 95
duplex direot-actiiig pump, made by Smith of ToroDto. On the 4th level the ii.w. drift
and itope is more open to inspection, and on the 5th level it is possible to pass around
the caved material for a distance of 243 feet. The depth to this level is 360 feet. The
ihift below is full of water. A 10''zl0''z5'' pump, is stationed on this level. Toward
tl» s.e. the drift is open 75 ft. to the old samp, which \b directly under the winze from
tke 4th level Beyond this point the drift is inaccessible. The walls throu^bout show
no ligns of weakness, nor any tendency to scale. The accident causing the loss of this
nine was due to the falling in of the roof, or cap rock, between the Ist level stope and
tlie surface. The thickness of this cap-rock averaged 30 ft, with a spsm of about 40 ft.
Across the stope. The slip occurred along a seam between the lode and the hanging wall.
Is Farious places throughout the Welliuffton lode true slickensiding is observable on
the hanging wall, and this constituted a line of weakness. The grooving is nearly hori-
zontal, indicating a shear fault, which has been occasioned by the intrusion of a dike of
baste eruptive rock that has distorted the country rock over a large area, causing
lateral movement along joint planes and opening up fissures on the joint planes crossing
those along which movement occurred. The quartz vein-matter has been deposited along
these opened joint planes, forming a complicated network of veins and veinlets. The
ttmctare of the rocks surrounding the more important veins or lodes has coasaquently
been weakened originally, but the vein filling is for the most part so closely adherent to
the impinging rocks as to re-cement the walls, rendering them sound. This is particularly
true as to the cross veinlets, but is not true o£» those walls which were slickensided.
Hanoe the weight of the cap rock was sustained almost entirely by the grooving in the
walls, and as this plane of division between the vein-capping and the hanging wall was
^ft^liitttH in the same direction as the open stope beneath it was only a question of time
when it must have given away. The case is instructive as showing the importance of a
careful inspection of fissure and joint planes in cap rock and floor-arches which in cir-
cumstancee like this involve greater peril than stripping of the vein to the surface. The
effect of the slip was to break through all floor-arches and stulls below to the 5th level,
and only the narrowing of the stope between the 4th and 5th levels prevented the free
fall of debris to the bottom. This acsident, according to tradition, was unattended by
loai of life, as the slip fortunately occurred between shifts, at a time when no employes
happened to be in «the mine.
KOCK LAKE ^IINI
The Rock Lake mine is situated about 12 miles north of Bruce Mines, the holdings
of the company comprising the n. half of lot 2, concession G of Plummer, the n. half of
lot 3, same concession, s. half each of lots 2 and 6, and all of lots 3, 4 and 5, concession
1 of Cofi&n, district of Algoma. The corporation has the title the Rock Like Mining
Co., Ltd., with the following officers : President, M. Wile, BsSaIo, N.Y., secy., L. 0.
Holden, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., treas., B. C. Ooryell, Ohesaning, Mich., gen. mgr.,
Arthur 8. Burrows, Bruce Mines, Ont. The mine captain was Joseph Nullon and the
number of workmen was 43 (Sept. 2, 1899). The ore consists of chalcopyrite, dissemin-
ated through a quartz gangue with hackly fracture, occurring in diorite, with a wall rock
of altered diorite, having a resemblance to slaty structure. The trend of the lode is
approximately w.n.w., bearing in the direction of a dike of dark eruptive rock apparently
hot little lees acid than the diorite, through which it was intruded. The dike is from
150 to 200 ft. in width, and contains a very large proportion of diorite inclusions. The
distance from the mines to the dike is about 1,200 ft. There is doubtless some genetic
relation betwean this dike and the copper-bearing lode, which, however, time did not
permit of my working out There appeared to be a very cloie resemblance between the
geological setting of this deposit and of those occurring at Bruce Mines. The under-
groui^ workings consist of the folio wicg : A shaft 500 feet s.w. of the public road on lot
2, oonoeaion 1 of Ooffiu. The shaft is vertical, 9 ft. x 16 ft. in cross section, with 2
compartments 5 f t. x 7 ft. in the clear, and a manway 4 f t x 7 ft. in the clear. Depth
of shaft 168 ft At a depth of 103 ft. a crossdut of 6 ft has been driven to the vein, on
wUoh drifting has been done 48 ft. southeast and 49 ft northwest. A tunnel has been
driven on the other side of the ridge, 80 rods ae. from the shaft, on lot 2, concession 6
of Plummer. The tunnel is 7 f t. x 7 ft in cross section and 170 ft long. In addition
96 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
there are nnmercuB trenches and open outs on other parts of the lode. The sarfa
plant consists of a shaft house 18 ft. x 20 ft. base and 25 ft. high. Hoisting is do
with kibble, to which on my recommendation a croeshead was added. A trestle exten
200 ft from the shaft house to the d.ump. The power house ifi located 150 ft. n.e. fro
the shaft The structure is 40 ft. x 50 ft on the foundations and contains 2 rooms, 0:
for boUers, with 2 return tubular 80 h.p. boilers, the other containing a duplex hoistu
engine with 24-in. drum, winding a f-in. cable and a 10-drill duplex Band air compreesc
Other buildings are a boarding house, lodging house and stable. The main djnami
magazine is a wooden building at the mouth of the ttinnel, this tunnel being nc
abandoned. A small shed 400 ft s.w. of the shaft is used for the day's supply of dynamii
' Instructions were given to post up the signal code and to prohibit men from beii
raised or lowered in the kibble.
The Grand Portage mine, north of Thessalon, was closed down and. hence was r
visited.
COPPER CLIFF MINE.
This and the following seven mines are properties of the Canadian Oopper Com par
The new work done at the Oopper Cliff since last inspection is as follows : The shi
has been sunk to the 12th level and 35 ft below. Distance from 11th to 12 th level
ft on the incline of the shaft. Present depth of shaft, 886 ft, 10 in., being an increa
of 76 ft A drift has been started in a westerly direction from the shaft, which w
meet thd winze formerly sunk from the 11th level. The drift is now 39 ft long. (
the 11th level the n.w. drift has been extended from 42 to 70 ft, suid the s.e. drift h
been lengthened from 100 to 111 ft. Ten feet from the old stope on the n.w. drift, u
new stope 23 ft. high, 50 ft. long and 15 ft wide. Sixty-five feet from the old sto
on the s.e. drift is another new stope, 56 ft high, 46 ft loag and 27 ft wide.
On the 10th level, s.e. drift, is a new stope 51 ft. long, widening from 13 ft. to
ft, with a height of 34 ft. No further changes have been made io the mine since li
inspectioii. Instructions given wero to bar off the 8 th level crosscut ; prohibit the ase
abandoned workings for the personal convenience of the men, providing suitable sanits
arrangements near enough to their place of work to be available ; block up the timl
under the 8th level sollar mora securely, and post up signal code below ground.
EVANS MINE.
This mine has been stripped down to the 5th level, with the exception of a small i
of ore constituting part of the old pillar between the 4th and 5th levels, which it ^
expected would be romoved within the next 8 weeks, (after Sept 6, 1899). In all otb
respects the mine and plant remain unchanged. No guides had been provided for t
cross-head down to the bottom as required by a previous order. In view of the sm
amount of work remaining to be done before the abandonment of this mine, and becav
the danger of accident from oEcillations of the kibble has been lessened by the remo^
of the old floor arches, permission was granted to continue hoisting by the present meth
until the aforesaid rib shall have been removed. But further hoisting by this meth
without installing such guides was forbidden, in case additional exploratory work mig
be undertaken at this mine. It was also required that in the event of further wo
being done here after the removal of the aforesaid rib the ladderway shall be altered
that no ladder shall be more than 34 ft. long, with suitable landings at the foot of ea<
ladder.
MCA RT HUB NO. 1 MINE.
The original McArthur No. 1 shaft has been abandoned, but the new workiu
adjacent, known as Southeast extension, have been advanced. An open pit with :
major axis parallel with the strike of the lode, has been sunk 127 ft. deep, 75 ft Ion
and varying from 8 to 30 ft wide. The west or hanging wall needs frequent and cai
ful " scaling." An open cut of irregular* shape and 20 ft. deep has been driven abo
100 ft. souUi of the open pit. Hoisting from the first pit is done by derrick and kibbl
damping into small pockets by the side of the tramway track. A small dynamite mag
z/ne 13 located 1 00 ft. west of the tramway, just s.e. of the old McArthur No. 1 aha:
■--v-..i^- ^^gg^^:^ rv^.^^^e>-*%sSc^- -^
Shnft niti\ r.->'.v«-r ]fi-ni»jr of Kfw-k Ijtkc Ci.iumt Mim-. ]». •».'.,
31. Kuttd tu Uotk I-»kk« Coppci^Vl'uiC, v* ^i.
..^^n
— - ^
31'. Quarrv Island Gold Mine, nvar Sultana Mine.
33. Qtiarry)|lifland Gold Mine, ohowin^; width of vein.
i899 ] Mines of Eastern Ontario 97
It was required that this be removed to a distance of 300 ft. from the track, unless the
maximum quantity ever stored there at ond time should not exceed 50 lb. of dynamite.
The dry-house n.w. of the old McArthur No. 1 shaft has been completed and put in use.
M C A R T H U R NO. 2 MINK.
A two-compartment incline skip way has been carried down to what is called 2nd
level, 100 fc. from the surface. This incline is to be abandoned and a shaft will be sunk
behind it in the foot wall. The angle of the present incline is 60 \ The mine consists
almost wholly of an open pit of very irregular shape, with two main openings separated
by a rib, part of which constitutes a pillar supporting the roof of the remnant of a stope.
The larger open pit measures 200 ft. x 100 ft., and the smaller 39 ft. x 35 ft. The
pillar is 29 ft. x 20 ft. There is also a smaller pillar 9 ft. in diameter supporting the
roof of the stope. Beside tho larger pillar is temporarily installed a duplex direct-acting
pump. All requirements as to indicator in engine room, fencing around open pits and
location of magazine have been complied with. Owing to the slight incline of the skip-
way between the mine mouth and the '* rock house," causing insufficient tension on the
hoisting cable, it was required that safety catches be provided at once to prevent the fikip
escaping in case of breakage of cable, and it was also required to provide a detaching hook
to prevent over- winding.
CLARA B S L L MINES.
Mine A is distant about 3 miles n.w. from the Oopper Oliff mine. The standard
guage railroad has been extended from McArthur shaft No. 2 to these mines. The mine
A consists of an open cut 40 ft. wide with a face 25 ft. high. Some work has also been
done in an open cut above the lower one, but is not now being continued. Drilling is done
by steam drills, deriving power from a small upright boiler temporarily set up near by. A
power plant and hoisting works are being erected east of the mine, consisting of an engine
room 28 ft. x 36 ft., m boiler room 22 ft. x 50 ft., containing two 100 h.p. boilers, and
an air compressor room in which the compretsor has not yet been installed. A rock
house of the type commonly in use at the mines of this company was to be erected.
Mine B consbted of an open cut 40 ft. wide with a 20 ft. face, 1,200 ft. n.w. of
mine A. The railroad extends to this point. A boarding house has been provided a
little further toward the w.n.w. rn the shore of Olara Bell lake.
T H K M A C I) O N ALT) M I N E.
This mine is situated by the side of the railroad, 800 ft. 8.e. of Olara Bell A mine.
It consists of an open cut 50 ft. wide, with a face 16 ft. high. A power plant is being
erected, consisting of an engine room 26 ft. x 30 ft., and a boiler room 22 ft. x 40 ft.
The engine room contains a hoisting engine, duplex, 8 in. x 12 in. cylinders, and a 36 in.
drum ; one 35 h.p. engine for rock house, and an air compressor, duplex, with 16 in. stroke,
steam cylinders 10 and 16 in , and air cylinders 14 and 19 in., respectively. The boiler
room contains one tubular boiler 60 in. x 14 ft., 70 h.p., and one of 54 in. x 12 it., 50 h.p.
The rock house will be 26 ft x 41 ft. on the foundations and 35 ft. 8 in. high, to contain
one 10 in. X 15 in. Blake crusher, and a screening and picking table plant. The maga-
zine is located 500 ft. n.w. from the mine, with a rise of ground between it and the
workings.
H T B I E MINK.
The changes in this mine since last inspBction are those resulting from extension of
the so-called stopes, which are really chambers, resulting from the extraction of wide ore
masses. These are as follows : 2nd level stope, length 124 ft. (an increase of 40 ft),
width 45 ft., height 75 ft. (an increase of 15 it.). 3rd level stope, length 108 ft (an in-
crease of 30 ft), width 80 ft, height 70 ft. 4th level stope, length 100 ft (an increase
(f^49 ft ), width 43 ft , height 75 it. (an increase of 15 ft ). So far as could be seen the
walls were not unsafe, but inspection of their condition in stoping chambers of such size
was not easy. The requirements made for safety to miners have been attended to pro-
perly, and the mine is kf pt in good condition, well ventilated and drained. The main
7 M
gS Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
explosives ma/^azine is well located 600 ft. from the workings and bnildingSy bat the
small magazbe was so placed as to endanger the rock house and the upper stc^e of the
mine in case of c xplosion. It was ordered to b^e removed 300 ft beyond a small rise of
ground. The system of ore winning in use here not being in steps or benches,but by irregular
cutting back of a face of irregular shape and considerable height, leaves no convenient
means for access to the upper part of the workings, so that men handling drills and
carrying tools to and fro are in more or less danger of accident. It was accordingly
ordered that in such situations ropes should be provided to assist workmen in ascending
and descendiug.
SIX ANM) BIX &I IN E.
Stripping of deposits, preparatory to mininsr, has been commenced w.n.w. from the
Stobie mine, at a distance therefrom of nearly 2 miles. Two pits have been begun and
at the most ivesterly point a small trestle has been built 40 ft. long'to a dump. A rail-
road is projected from the Stobie mine to these new workings.
SMKLTKII PLANTS OF THK C O l" T K U t O il P A N Y .
The additions to the old smelter plant consist of two double coke sheds on
the east side of the works. Each shed is 196 ft. long by 40 ft. wide, built in
pairs back to back, with a trestle for a standard guage railroad between each pair. The
structures are wholly ot wood. A 40 ft. x 30 ft. boiler room for two boilers is being
erected west of the assay office. A melting furnace for an iron foundry has been tem-
porarily installed in the melting room of the bessemerizlng plant. A new smelter is
being erected about 300 feet s.e. from Mc Arthur No. 2 rock house, on the brow of the
hill, with ample dumping grounds for slag in the valley or draw in front. The dimen-
sions of the new smelter building are 65 ft. by 127 ft. with room for 4 blast furnaces.
The coke sheds are built into this building on the north side. The blower house ia to be
a detached structure, east of the furnace house, 30 ft. x 50 ft. with room for two No. 7
Conner sville blowers, each blower driven by a 40 h.p. horizontal engine. The boUer
house for the new smelter will be 30 ft. x 49 ft., for two 90. h.p. boilers.
A new water supply has been provided for the smelters by increasing the
htdght of water in Olara Bell lake by means of a 6 ft. dam. The original area
of the lake has thus been increased from 50 to 78 acres, and provision has been
made for draining the level down 6 ft. through a canal 800 ft. long. This will oischarge
the impounded waters into Macdonald lake, the present siurce of supply.
New roast yards have been started with 8 roast-heaps along the n.w. aide of
the railroad track from the Copper Oliff to the McArthur No. 1 mine, at a distance of
about 800 ft. from the Copper Cliff rock house. The same precautions are taken here
against accident as at the old roast yards.
THK GREAT LAKSS COPPKK CO
This company has been organized with its head office at 60 State St, Boston, Mass.,
and the following persons as officers : John McKinley, President and gen. mgr., Horace
Williston, sec'y., and C. M. Boss, supt. The properties are located on lots 5 and 6,
concession 2 of Blezard, district of Nipiasing, and lots 9 and 10, concessions 3 and 4 of
Triil, district of Algoma. The company also owds 2,300 acres in the township of
Davis, district of Nipisfiiog. The mines lie near the middle of lob 5, con. 2 of Blezard,
1 mile s w. of the company's smelting plant. The workings consist of an open cut 10 ft.
deep and 60 ft. long, of irregular width, averaging about 10 ft. Fifceen feet s.8.w. of
this is a shaft 53 ft. deep, 7 f t x 8 ft. cross section, cribbed 12 ft. to solid rock. Thirty
feet from the top the shaft changes from the vertical to an inclined position. At the
bottom is a drift north 10 ft. Hoisting has been done by windlass. Trenching and
some open cut work has been done for a distance of a few hundred feet toward the p.b.w.,
and at intervals between the shaft and the soielter trenching and stripping have revealed
other outcrops of ore. A diamond drill hole has been bored near the shaft to a depth of
125 ft.
1899 ] Mines of Eastern Ontario 99
The smelting works were bailt from original designs by Anton Graf of Vienna.
The f amace honse is 40 ft. x 36 ft., and contains two batteries of five farnaoes each, the
capacity of each farnace being 1,500 lb. of ore. The operation was to be discontinuous,
each charge being i«f parately emelted. The famaces were to be fired by gas, using a small
quantity of charcoal in the charge. It was expected to be able to produce high grade
matte at one operation from un-roasted ores. The g\8 was derived from a small plant in
a 12 ft. X 12 ft. building situated a few feet to one side of the furnace house, the gas
being produced from some of the more volatile distillates from crude petroleum. This
part of the process, however, was secret. The gasometer in the gas house had a capacity
of 120 cu. ft. The power plant was in a room adjacent to the furnace room, and con-
tained one 50 h.p. upright boiler, one 25 h p. and one 30 h.p. engine, one Kaowles'
steam pump, 8 iu. x 9 in. x 6 in , one Davidson'*^ air pump, 6 in. x 8 in. x 12 in., and
two Sturtevant exhausters and blowers, 14 in. in diameter. From these last were tun-
nels leading to the furnaces. Thirty feet east of the engine room wjis a tank house, 26
ft. X 28 ft. Other buildings are a rock house 300 ft. s w. from the smelter, to contain a
Gates rock-breaker plant, and a boardiag house midway between the mine and smelter.
Dynamite was kept in a locked box 500 ft. from the boarding housa
THE tiKKTRTDK MINK.
This mine was being developed by the Lake Superior Power Oo. of Sault Ste. Marie,
Out., as a source of nickel ore for a new process to be inaugurated at Sault Ste. Marie.
The superintendent of the mine was Thomas Travers of Sudbury. The mines are located
five miles from Naughton on the " Soo " branch of the C. P. R , on the south half of lots
3, 4 and 5, concession 1 of Oreighton, district of Algoma. The Gertrude shaft is on lot
3. It is vertical, 8 ft. x 12 ft. in cross section, and 52 ft. deep, cribbed to a depth of 31
ft. At the bottom is a drift 34 ft south. Hoisting is done by kibble with f in. cable,
running over a sheave on a square head frame. The power plant was located to one side
of the shaft, and consisted of a temporary frame structure containing a 12 h.p. upright
boiler, and a duplex hoist, with drums 14 in. in diameter. Six test pits of small dimen-
sions have been sunk on outcroppings of ore, on lots 4 and 5 to westward of the Ger-
trude shaft. A diamond drill plant was working at the time of my visit (Sept. 8, 1899)
30 ft. north of the shaft. Dynamite was stored 200 ft. s.e. from the shdic and 120 ft.
from the blacksmith shop in a log house, which was not locked. This was ordered to be
removed to a place of safety, in accordance with the mining regulations, and to be kept
securely locked. It was permitted to keep one day's supply in the existing magazine.
The boarding house was 500 ft. west of the Gertrude shaft. A blacksmith shop and a
stable were located about 200 ft. n.w. from the shaft.
The properties owned by Dr. Ludwig Mond, farther to the west of the G^ertrude
mine, were not undergoing development at the time of my visit to this district. The only
exploration in progress at that time was by diamond drill borings.
C UEir. II TON MINK.
This property, also known as the Stobie Falls mine, is situated on lot 10, conces-
sion 6 of Creighton, district of Algoma, opposite the Stobie Falls on the Vermilion river.
It is owned by Robert G. Leckie and R. M. Thompaou. The outcrop of the vein is at the
water's edge, the vein dipping avay from the river. A vertical bhaft has been sunk 40
ft. from the river to a depth of 115 ft., with a cross section of 6 ft. x 8 ft. It is a single
compartment shaft, with a man way. Cribbing has been carried down 30 ft. to solid rock.
At the bottom is a crosscut 20 ft. s.s.w., which has not yet intersect(d the ore-body.
Hoisting is done by kibble «irith a | in. cable. The shaft house is 18 ft. x 36 ft., with a
boiler room adjacent. A duplex derrick hoisting engine is used, having 5| in. x 8 in.
cylinders. In the same room is a 3-drill IngersoU air compressor. The boiler room con-
tains two boilers of the locomotive type, ma^e by the Waterous Engine Works, Brant-
ford, each rated at 50 h.p. Pumping from the mine was done by a 12 in. x 8 in. x 4 in.
Northey duplex pump. Dynamite was stored 40 ft. from the shaft house. It was
ordered to be removed to a distance of 600 ft.
1899 ] Mines of Eastern Ontario loi
Additional prospecting for copper is going on throaghont this region, where the outlook
f not unfavorable f jr the development of workable mines. The moat important of the
lev discoverit s, which cs^me under my notice was the McQaade property near Sans Souci,
there bornite occurs massive and impregnated through an amphibole schist
IRON FURNACES.
There are at present two iron furnaces in blast in Ontario, one nraking coke iron
knd one making charcoal iron. A third furnace for charcoal iron will soon be in blast at
Midland, and a foorth is projected at Kingston, which will use coke. In spite of the
aconragement which has been offered to utiliza Ontario iron ores, practically all the pig
ion produced is from ores imported from the lake Superior region. The difficulty would
ippear to be a lack of either courage, or of information as to proper mining methods, result-
Dg in an effort to produce ore before the muies have been properly developed. In oonse-
[aence the output is uncertain, and the ores coming almost wholly from near the surface
UPB of uncertain iron- content. Many of the Ontario ores, especially in the eastern district,
fkere slone they have been exploited to any extent, contain a considerable amount of
ron pyrites, requiring careful sorting before shipment. At the Coe Hill mines, and also
t other mines farther east, large quantities of ore have been thrown on the dump which
' is claimed could ba concentrated by the improved systems of magnetic separation and
roaght up to smelting grade. There would seem to be warrant for believing that if the
igh grade ores were sorted out, and the sulphurous ores crushed and concentrated, there
"6 mines in the Province which could be operated on a fairly large scale. But even with
lis in view, extensive development work needs to be done at practically every iron looa-
on in Ontario. A large output is promised from the disco 7eries in Michipicoton mining
/vision, but these have not yet been rendered available. The magnetite deposits along the
De of the Kingston and Pembroke Railway have received considerable attention, and fitful
lipments are made from that district ; but here again the development has not been
>ne which will enable any f arnace to depend upon them for its ore supply. Moreover,
hen used unmixed with hematites these ores, on account of their great density, do not
^ace with sufficient rapidity in the furnace, causing serious difficulty. An attempt is
sing made to weaken the structure of these ores b/ roiksting, so as to enable them to be
led in larger quantities. This experiment, which is beins; tried at Hamilton, will be of
'eat interest.
II A 31 I LT ON KUBNAOE.
The present campaign of the Hamilton blast furnace commenced on June 19, 1897,
3d will continue until the spring of 1 900, which is indication of good technical control,
is worthy of mention that the technical adviser at this plant was trained in Ontario (at
Q Kingston School of Mining). The furnace is 75 ft. high, IG ft. in diameter at the
>>he8, 10 ft. at the crucible, and the same diameter at the throat. The blast is heated
a plant of 3 modified Whitwell stoves, 60 ft. high and 19 ft. in diameter. The tem-
ratnre of the blast is 1300^ F. The power house contains 12 boilers, 8 in consttnt
e, each of 250 b.p., heated by waste gases. The two blowing engines are rated at
CiO h p. each, the blowing cylinders 5 ft. by 7 f(^ The stock sheds have a capacity
50,000 tons of ore and stone, and the coke sheds have a storage capacity of 2000 tons.
iQ cast house measures 48 x 150 feet, casting being done every four hours, 25 tons of
ital at^ cast. A new furnace is to be built promptly, and ground has been broken
r a steel plant, which will contain a basic and an acid open hearth converter, of the
illiain tilting type, of 15 tons capacity each. The ore used at Hamilton comes almost
clusively from the Mesabi range, the stock on hand showing the following com-
sition : —
Moisture 12 to 14 pep cent.
Iron 62 per cent.
Silica :t •' ••
Alnmina 1.5 to 2 per cent.
Lime(OaO) 02r)
Mi^eiia(MgO) 0.25
PhoephoruH 07
Sulphur ^.^«Sb
loo Bureauof Mines Report [ No. 5
About three -eighths of a mile east of this mine was a small prospect tunnel in coppeiaHri
ore, 35 ft. long. In this deposit the copper pyrites occurred in a oalcite gangae* qaite a^^ «
variance with its usual association in this region. This prospect was owned by Froderiui^Hfl
Hamilton and others of Sudbury.
THE TAHKY S O U N T> C O T I' « R M I N I N C TO., LTD.
The cf&ces of this company are in Parry Sound, and in St. Paul, Minn. The boardE:^ -i
of directors consists of Frank Johnson, Robert Forbes, Otto Moreson, Wm. Fanlke, an(~
S. F. Pierce, all of St. Paul. The company has acquired the M'Gown mine in Fole;^
township, and the Wilcox mine 14 miles s. s w. from Parry Sound. The workings al
the M'Gown mine consist of a pit, a vertical shaft and an inclined shaft. The pit is oi
the shore of M'Gown lake, and is 40 ft. x 25 ft., and 20 ft. deep. A considerable quantit^^^^
of bornite sufficiently rich for smelting has been selected and corded up beside the workings. .^^
The vertical shaft is located 400 ft. n. n. w. from the pit This was in process oT ^^f
sinking and had reached a depth of 54 ft, with a cross section of 10 ft z 11 ft Timber^^=^
had been set to a depth of 26 ft , using 8 in. x 8 in. timbers, dividing the shaft into c* ^
compartment:, two for hoisting being 4 ft 6 in. square inside, and two for manway anc=29
pump column respectively, being 3 ft. 6 in. x 4 ft 6 in. Hoisting was done by kibbl^^
with I in. cable,running over a 20 in. sheave, mounted on a gallows frame 20 ft. high. Th^
hoisting engine was a small duplex machine with 12 in. drum set in an open shed 30 ft
from the shaft. Steam was taken from a 20 h.p locomotive boiler in the same ahed.
The inclined shaft was 400 ft. w. of the main shaft, having an inclination of 25^ from
the horizontal, leaning w. 10^ n. Its depth is 100 ft Hoisting is done by oar on a
single track, operated by a windlass. The dynamite magazine is 1000 ft n of the main
shaft. The da;y's supply is kept in a store house at the mouth of the inclined shaft. A
blacksmith shop is located 75 ft. south of tbe main shaft The compxny has pnroliased
and was erecting a gold mill 60 ft from the west shore of M'Gown lake. The plant is a
regulation lOstamp mill, with Frue vanners, supplied by Fraser and Ohalmera of Chicago.
The building is 63 ft. square, with a wing for the vanners. The power is supplied by a
60 b.p. return tubular boiler, and a 60 h.p. en2;ine.
Southwest of the mill was a well equipped assay office, and a boarding house. Forty
men were working at the time of my visit, (Sept 11, 1899).
The Wilcox mine had not passed beyond the stage of a mere prospect, insufficient
underground work having been done to admit of measuring up any ore bodies. A shaft had
been sunk 38 ft, with a 9 ft x 11 ft cross section, hoisting by derrick and horse. The
ores occur in a shear zone, in garnetiferous schist, with disseminated chalcopyrite and other
sulphides said to carry some nickel. On the shore of the sound was a boarding oamp,
and at a distsoice of 500 ft. was a dynamite magazine.
The properties acquired by this company embrace the following : The M'Gown
group, lots 24, 25, 26, snd 27, concession 1, lots 22, and 23, coucession 2, lot 16, oooces-
ston A, in McDougall township, lots 146 and J 47, concession A, and lots 142, 143, 144, 146,
and A, oncession B, of Foley, district of Patry Sound. The Wilcox groups consist of south
half of lots 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, concession 4, and lots 15, 16, and 17, concession 5, of
Oowper. The Messagamashine group, lot 23, concession 8, and lot 23, concession 9, of
Hardy. The M'Gown mine is on lot 146, concession B of Foley, the inclined shaft on
lot A concession B of Foley, snd the Wilcox mine on lot 22, concession 4 of Oowper.
THK TIATTIK » K L L MTNK.
A local company in Parry Sound has been organized under the title of the Hattie
Bell Oopper, Gold, and Nickel Mining Co., with James B. Mitchell as manager. The mine,
sometimes called the Lafex mine, is located on lot 35, concession A of Foley, diatriot
of Parry Sound. A vertical shaft has been sunk 65 ft., with a cross section of 6 ft x 8 ft
At thp bottom is a drift 10 ft west Hoisting is done with derrick and horse, nsisg a
wooden kibble. There was no manway, men being lowered and raised in the backet
Dynamite was also kept carelesslj, exposed to the weather, near the shaft The installa-
tion of a ladderway in the shaft, and the provision of a magazine or waterproof looker
for dynamite were ordered.
r
1899 1 Mines of Eastern Ontario loi
I
Addibional prospecting for copper is going on throaghont thia region, where the outlook
Xs not unfavorable f jr the development of workable mines. The most important of the
xiew discoverits, which cs^me under my notice was the McQiiade property near Sans Sonoi,
^^here bornite occurs massive and impregnated through an amphibole schist.
IRON FURNACES.
There are at present two iron furnaces in blast in Ontario, one nraking coke iron
and one making charcoal iron. A third furnace for charcoal iron will soon be in blast at
Midland, and a fourth is projected at Kingston, which will use coke. In spite of the
encouragement which has been offered to utiliza Ontario iron ores, practically all the pig
iron produced is from ores imported from the lake Superior region. The difficulty would
appear to be a lack of either courage, or of information as to proper mining methods, result-
ing in an effort to produce ore before the mines have been properly developed. In conse-
quence the output is uncertain, and the ores coming almost wholly from near the surface
are of uncertain iron- content. Many of the Ontario ores, especially in the eastern district,
where slone they have been exploited to any extent, contain a considerable amount of
iron pyrites, requiring careful sorting befora shipment. At the Coe Hill mines, and also
at other mines farther east, large quantities of ore have been thrown on the dump which
it is claimed could be concentrated by the improved systems of magnetic separation and
brought up to smelting grade. There would seem to be warrant for believing that if the
high grade ores were sorted out, and the sulphurous ores crushed and concentrated, there
are mines in the Province which could be operated on a fairly large scale. But even with
thia in view, extensive development work needs to be done at practically every iron loca-
tion in Ontario. A large output is promised from the disco 7eries in Michipicoton mining
division, but these have not yet been rendered available. The magnetite deposits along the
line of the Kingston and Pembroke Railway have received considerable attention, and fitful
shipments are made from that district ; but here again the development has not been
done which will enable any furnace to depend upon them for its ore supply. Moreover,
when used unmixed with hematites these ores, on account of their great density, do not
reduce with sufficient rapidity in the furnace, causing serious difficulty. An attempt is
being made to weaken the structure of these ores b/ ro siting, so as to enable them to be
used in larger quantities. This experiment, which is beins; tried at Hamilton, will be of
great interest.
HAMILTON FCRNACE.
The present campaign o! the Hamilton blast furnace commenced on June 19, 1897,
and will continue until the spring of 1900, which is indication of good technical control.
It is worthy of mention that the technical adviser at this plant was trained in Ontario (at
the Kingston School of Mining). The furnace is 75 ft. high, IG ft. in diameter at the
boshes, 10 ft. at the crucible, and the same diameter at the throat. The blast is heated
in a plant of 3 modified Whit well stoves, 60 ft. high and 19 ft. in diameter. The tem-
perature of the blast is 1300^ F. The power house contains 12 boilers, 8 in constsnt
use, each of 250 h.p., heated by waste gases. The two blowing engines are rated at
1200 h p. each, the blowing cylinders 5 ft. by 7 h. The stock sheds have a capacity
of 50,000 tons of ore and stone, and the coke sheds have a storage capacity of 2000 tons.
The cast house measures 48 x 150 feet, casting being done every four hours, 25 tons of
metal at^ cast. A new furnace is to be built promptly, and ground has been broken
for a steel plant, which will contain a basic and an acid open hearth converter, of the
Williain tilting type, of 15 tons capacity each. The ore used at Hamilton comes almost
exclusively from the Mesabi range, the stock on hand showing the following com-
position : —
Moisture 12 to 14 per cent.
Iron 62 per cent.
Snica 3** **
Alamina 1.5 to 2 per cent.
Lime(OaO) 2.5
Mugneiia (MgO) 0.26
Phosphoms 07 *'
Sulphur Q.Vi^^
loa Bureau of Mines Report [ 1
OosnellBville coke is used, coming by all rail. Considerable difficulty has been
enced in obtaining a high grade coke, with a aniform percentage of ash. This
due to the present excessive demand for coke, causing the coke- makers to pay lesa
t3 the quality supplied than would be the case in dull times when competiti
keener.
DESERONTO FURNACE.
The Rathbun Co. of Deseronto put their new charcoal furnace into blast on J
25, 1899, since which time it has been in successful operation, making a high g
iron, some of which has found a market in England. Tue furnace is 61 ft. hi§
6 in. at the boshes, 7 ft. at the tuyeres, with a crucible 5 ft. 11 in. deep. A
vertical blowing engine is used, the blast being heated in a U-tube stove. T
employed come from the lake Superior district, only small quantities of Canadi
having oeen experimented with. The company's charcoal plant is of great i
Both kiln burning and retorting are practised. There are 17 beehive kilns of re<
28 ft. in diameter and 20 ft high. A tunnel in the bottom leads the vapors to the
which convey them to the copper tube condensers in the by-product plant. Ef
holds 40 cords of wood, and bums three days. It is then allowed ten days 1
Imperfectly charred wood constitutes 10 to 12 per cent, of the product, and 5 pi
* of breeze is made. The retort plant contains 50 steel retorts, 50 in. in diamete
ft. long, fiet in fire brick, cased ortside with common brick. The charge for eac
coiisists of f cord of wood, which is retorted in 24 hours. Each pair of retorts ha
arate heating chamber. There is no imperfectly charred wood, but the percei
breeze is about the same as in the kiln-charring. This is mixed with tar condense
the vapors, and is used for heating the retorts in codj unction with the gases, whic
passing through condensers at the back of the retort block are trapped and led bs
the heating chambers. The charcoal is drawn into st^el cars and smothered do^
steel coders. For the operation of this plant a total force of 18 men is employee
by-product plant is of the ordinary sort, producing 400 gallons of wood alcohol
tons of acetate of lime per diem of 24 hours.
THK MIOLAMI) KURNACK.
The Canadian Iron Furnace Company, Limited, ot Montreal, has acquired p
on the north side of Midland harbor, consisting of an 80 acre strip having a h
water frontage. The municipality of Midland has granted the company a h
$50,000, and exemption from all but nominal taxation on $25,000 for 10 years,
was actively in progress, preparing for construction, in September. The plans
for a 75 fc. furnace, 13^ ft. at the boshes, 7^ ft. in diameter at the crucible ; !
well stoves, 60 ft. high ; 2 vertical blowing engines 5 ft. stroke, steam cylinder 3
diameter, and air cylinder 84 in. in diameter. A wharf 400 ft. long is to be bui
18 ft. of water alongside, and stock sheds as a continuation of this whaif. A by-
charcoal plant is to be erected with 60 circular kilns 30 ft. in diameter each. Th<
available are mostly beach, maple and *' iron- wood." It is estimated that the
hardwoods on the dock at Midland will be $1.25 per cord, and of soft woods $1
cord. The company is hoping to secure its iron ore sapply from Michi
but it is in any caee very favorably located for a cheap supply of the best ores
world for a high grade pig iron. Among other advantages which the compan;
out is that Midland is as favorably located so far as the Lower St. Lawrenoe
concerned as Hamilton, for all transportation by rail, the length of haul from Mic
Montreal being practically the same as from Hamilton.
1 HON MIX !•:>..
The development of the iron mining industry can not be said to have been
tor/. The causes have been indicated in my remarks on the iron smelting l
The thorough deveiopment of one good mine wou\d %v7Q «>tl impetus to all the otl
1899 1 Mines of Eastern Ontario io3
mnit be laid that the owners of iron mines in eastern Ontario have been unfortunate in
the aeleotion of managers, many of whom have proven nneqaal to the problems presented
for their solation. Bat for this, the mine owners themselves are to blame. The failures
made have led the mine owners to resort to the system of leasing to operators under a
sort of tribute system, attended with its usual eviR In a region where mining has not
developed to large proportions the tribute system is certain to lead to a mere gouging
oat of ore, with no regard to systematic work, which would leave the mine in condition
for future economical production. The net result of the methods pursued has been to
discredit the iron mines of the eastern district, which is most unfortunate. The geological
ocourence of some of these deposits at least is such as to warrant the belief Uiat well-
directed operations would put ore-bodies in sight which could be profitably mined.
THE HKDFOTlh MINK.
This mine, which is situated near the Zanesville P. O., has been intermittently
worked, shipping small quantities of ore during the year. The old pit has been deepened
to 35 ft , and a new ioclined shaft has been sunk 64 ft., with a cross section of 15 it. x 20 ft.
One pump was working, and a new and larger one was being set up. A derrick hoisting-
engine, with 8 in. X 10 in. cylinders was being used, taking steam from a 20 h. p. upright
boiler. New plant had been ordered, which was expected to be installed during the
autumn. There was a good surface showing of magnetite, mixed with some hornblende
and calcite, and a new discovery had been made near by of phosphatic iron ore, for which
a market could be obtained if a sufficiently large deposit could be placed in sight to
insure a steady supply. Systematic development at the Bedford mine is certainly
warranted by surface indications.
COB HILL MINES.
Experiments are being conducted at the Edison concentrating works at Ogden, N.J.,
and also at Dunbar, Pa., with ores from these mines, under the supervision of Mr. G. A.
Longnecker of Mechanicsburg, Pa., and of Mr. John Morris of Dillsburg, Pa., in the hope
of being able to utilize the Ooe Hill ores. At the time of my visit (Nov. 4, '99), it was
reported that the outlook for solving thii problem was very favorable.
CALA nO(J I K >l INKS.
New development has been going on two miles by read east of Calabogie station on
the Kingston and Pembroke Ry. The mines are eituated on the east half of lot 16, con-
cession 9 of Bagot, Renfrew county. This work has been in pros;ress eince April, 1899,
under lease by the Hamilton Steel and Iron Co. from the owners, Boyd Oaldwell & Oo.
of Lanark. The main working called the T. B pit was 30 ft. deep, 30 ft. in diameter at
the top, and 15 ft. in diameter at the bottom. Hoisting was done by a derrick with a
40-ft. mast and 45-ft boom, using an iron bucket of 1,200 lb. capacity for ore, and a
wooden "flat" of 2,400 lb. capacity for vaste rock. The engine house was 75 ft east
of the pit, containing a 1 2 h. p. boiler and engine with a single drum, winding a ^ in.
steel cable. Drilling was done with one Mack and one Ingersoll Sergeant drii], using
steam, and the pit was kept nnwatered by a 4 in. x 6 in. x 8 in. Oameron pump. Two
other openings had been made, but were not then working (Dec. 8, 1899), known
respectively as the Jeannette open cut, 200 yards west of thoT. B. pit, and the Tommy R
pit, 700 yards west of the T. B. pit. Dynamite was stored in a log house half a mile west
of the workings. Fulminates were kept in a store house near the camp. Thawing was
done with a horizontal tubular thawor, in a small building near the mine, where the
day's supply of explosives was kept. Other buildings were a boarding house, lodging
houses, a blacksmith shop, carpenter shop and stable, located approximately 225 yards
west of the T. B. pit. Instructions were given as to providing a manway. and signal
system at the T. B. pit.
TUB CALABOlJIK M 1 N I N (J CO.
This corporation, with offices at Perth, had sank a pit 60 ft. deep, 200 ft. east of
the T. B. pit, which was abandoned, and full ot water at tVi^ t\m& ol m^ nSsks^i,
I04 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
T }f E K O B E K T S V I L L B MINKS.
These mines had been working at infrequent intervals. In the Lizzie mine drilling
with two drillers had jast been commenced on Dec. 9, 1899. In the interval since my
last visit another hole bad been broken throagh from the upper to the lower stope, 20 ft.
west of the skipwaj. During the summer the lower stope had been pumped out bj the
Hamilton Steel and Iron Co., but had been allowed to refill with water. The Ferguson
pit had been deepened to 35 ft., on a 35^ angle. The pit had been widened out to 25 ft. in
the winning of ore. The surface plant remained unchanged. This property was being
operated .on lease from H. A. Ferguson of Kingston to F. W. Schwendiman and Thomas
Barnes. The dynamite magazine had been removed, according to previous instructions,
to a point 400 ft. south of the Ferguson mine.
E g U 1 r A IJ L K MINK.
A company has been formed to work certain deposits of iron ore occuring in the
vicinity of Dog lake, in Storrington township, Frontenac county. Operations at the
time of my visit (Oct. 19, 1899) were confined to an outcrop in Potsdam sandstone on
lot 20, concession 10 of Storrington. The workbgs consisted of an open cut into the
hill, ^ith a working face 31 ft. 6 in. high, and having a length of 39 ft. and a width
of 32 feet. On the top of the hill 25 ft. south of the open cut was a pit'15 ft. deep.
Seventy-five tons of ore had been piled up ready for shipment. Transportation from
this point can be accomplished by barges running from Dog lake to the Ridean canal.
The dock is. situated 300 ft. from the open cut, having 18 ft of water alongside. No
permanent plant or buildings had been installed.
Prospecting was in progress at many other points in this locality, the most advanced
of which was on the Ennis fdirm on lot 14, concession 9 of Storringcon, where an open
cut had been drivrn 18 ft. with a width of 20 ft., having a breast 10 ft. high.
WlLUrU MINE.
One of the best developed iron properties in Ontario is that known as the Wilbur mine,
about two miles from Lavant. It is situated on the line of the Kingston and Pembroke
Ry., from which a siding a half mile long has been built. There are four pits in all» located
as follows: No. 1, on lot 4, concession 12 of Levant, Lanark Co. ; No. 2, ditto; No. 3,
on lot 4, concession 13 oi Lavant; No. 4, ditto. The owner is Mr. William Oaldwell, of
Toronto. The mine is being developed by a force of 18 men, under the superintendence
of Samuel Jackson. In the process of development which has been carried on in No.
3 and 4 pits 5000 tons of ore have been extracted, with an estimated iron content of 58
per cent.
The several pits are located along the outcrop of a magnetite deposit, with crystalline
limestone on the footwall, and gneissoid and schistose rocks on the hanging side. The
latter show some intrusions of felsitic dikes. Between both the foot and hanging walla
of the deposit are bands of amphibole schist. The magnetite contains some calcite, but is
remarkably free from silica and pyrite.
Pits No. 1 and 2 were worked in times past, but are now abandoned. Preparations
however are being made to pump out pit No. 2 and continue development there. The
largest amount of work recently done has baen confined to pit No. 3. An open pit, 300
ft. long, was originally made, averaging about 20 ft. in depth. At about mid-distance in
this an inclined shaft was carried down at an angle of 38^ to a depth of 90 ft, with a
cross-section of 15 ft. x 12 ft. extending toward the s. s. a At this depth a drift was
run 70 ft. straight ahead, which then turned eastward 105 ft. to a stope of irregular
shape, 30 ft. by 40 ft From this stope an old drift 230 ft. long connects with the aban-
doned workings of the old pit No. 1. An inclined upraise has been driven from the
stope to the bottom of the open pit, which is to serve in future as the main shaft Thirty
feet west of the stope is another drift, southwards from the east and west drift, extending
56 fc. in ore. There is also a ''break-through" from the bottom of the present shaft to
the old stope, a distance of 90 ft., thus leaving a block of ore 70 ft by 100 ft (average)
snd 25 fc, high. At the bottom of the shaft is a direct acung duplex pump, V xb'' x. 6*,
i899 ] Mines of Eastern Ontario 105
bnilt by A. R. Williams & Co., Toronto. In the old drift eastward, 100 ft. from the
itope, is another duplex pump A tramway extends from the b3ttom of the shaf c aroand
to the ftope. Pit No. 4, 400 fs w. s. w. from No. 3, was opened in the same manner,
with ac inclined shaft 8. s. e , on an angle of 30^, with a depth of 96 ft. This at present
ii not working. The main power house is situated 200 ft. e. n. e. from shaft No. 3. It
it 40 ft. X 37 ft , with a woodshed 12 ft. x 1 2 ft. lb contains a 60 h.p. return tubular
boiler, a 3-drill air compressor, built by the Morris Machine and Iron Co., Dover, N. J.,
i 6 ft. X 3 ft. receiver, carrying an air pressure of 60 lb., and a double- cylinder, single-
dram hoisting engine, built by Barber & Co., Allentown, Pa. This winds a 1 in. cable,
rDnning over idlers to the shaft* mouth, where it turns at right angles into the shaft.
An oil house 9 ft. x 8 ft. is located 100 ft. e. n. e. of the engine house. A dry
house, well provided with all conveniences, is situated 35 ft. s. w. from the engine house,
ind 95 ft farther on is a blacksmith shop, 24 ft x 16 ft. A small hoisting engine in a
12 ft X 12 ft frame building is located 40 ft n. n. w. from the mouth of shaft No. 4.
Steam is piped to this from the main power house. The dynamite magazine, storing one
ton of dynamite, is located on the side of a hill 500 ft w. n. w. from the power house.
It is built of logs, surrounded by a dry- wall of stone. A thawing house was situated 120
h. w, n. w. from shaft No. 3, heated by a stove No thawer was used. The dwelling
houses begin at a distance of 700 ft. w. n. w. from the engine house. A Sullivan diamond
drill was set up 600 ft south of pit No. 3. One hole had been bored previously between
this point and the pit. The depth of hole at the new location was 45 ft The outlook
for a permanent industry here is encouraging. Recommendations were made as to the
proper care of dynamite, and a brake was ordered to be attached to the hoisting engine
in the main power house.
NATUUAL GAS.
The natural gas producing area of Ontario is at present limited to the counties o
Essex and Welland. In Essex county the producing horizon is confined to the Clinton
limestone, which is reached at depths of from 950 ft to 1000 ft. from the surface. The
wells in this district vary from 965 ft. to 1033 ft. in depth. The rock dips toward the
north at the rate of about 75 ft to the mile. It is assumed that the rocks from which
gas is now obtained constitute the northern slope of an anticlinal fold, whose axis passes
somewhere near Pelee island in lake Erie, a well on that island reaching the gas rock at
a depth of 700 ft. Accordingly the desirable locations for wells on the mainland are as
near to the lake shore as possible. Less than a mile inland the wells become practically
unproduotive, or at best have but a short productive life, speedily becoming drowned out
by an influx of salt water. It is now proposed to make borings on Pelee Point, so as
to tap the gas rock as near the anticlinsl axis as possible. While it is true that the
yield ia more satisfactory the farther south the wells are located, there appear to be
areas, even in the zone which is worked, which are less productive than others, or which
fail to yield gas at all. This seems to be due to the character of the rock, which varies
considerably in porosity at different points. There are thuF distinct reservoirs of gas,
determined by the amount of porosity. The largest flow of gas is naturally obtained
from such reservoirs, but on the other hand these suffer exhaustion sooner than those
where the gas rock is relatively more dense. The salt water having risen into this por-
ous rock is rather slowly expelled, as gas again accumulates by flowing in from the adjacent
territory, bo that recovery is tardy, and never permanent. A "drowned" well, after
being shut off for a period, may again yield gas for a short time, but usually it will flow
gu for only a few hours at most, when it will begin to spout water. The influx of
water takes place as soon as the gas pressure becomes reduced to about 100 lb. per
•qnare inch, though in some wells a reduction of pressure to 200 lb. admits the water.
In the earlier days of the field the <* rock pressure," that is, the pressure of the ga9.
Wis 400 lb. per square inch. It has now been reduced to 350 lb., and is slowly but
QOnstantly lowering. In exhausted or ** drowned " wells the salt water rises to within
75 ft of the snrfaca
io6 Bureau of Mines Report [ No.
In Welland county the gas-yielding horizons are the Medina sandstone and
Olinton limestone, most of the wells drawing from the Medina formation. The di;
the rocks here is 30 ft. to the mile toward the southeast, bat there is no anticline toi
which the gas may accumulate. The wellti vary from 850 ft. to 1100 ft. in depth,
this district no difficulty is experienced by an influx of water, but the pressure is dec
ing. Ten years ago the " rock pressure " was 430 lb. per square inch, which has :
been reduced to 173 lb, and in some parts of the field to 125 lb. "Shootbg"
wells seems to produce an increased flow of gas in very few instances, although this p
tice has been resorted to with some advantage in a few wells owned by the Essex Stanc
Oil and Gas Co. in Essex county.
The composition of the gas shows some differences in the eastern and western fi(
those in Welland county generally containing appreciable quantities of nitrogen, ani
one well at least a considerable amount of hydrogen sulphide. An analysis of the
from the Point Abino well, made by Prof. Francis C. Phillips of Allegheny, Pa., she
the following composition : —
Hydrogen sulphide 0.74 per cent.
Nitrogen 2.69 "
Carbon dioxide trace.
Hydrocarbons of the parafline seried 96.57 "
100.00
The percentage composition of these paraffines by weight was : —
Hydrogen 24.10 per cent.
Carbon 76.90 "
100.00
This gas was found at a depth of .550 ft. below the surface.
The amount of moisture requiring elimina-
tion from the gas is much less in the Welland
than in the Essex field. No drifts are used in "^'"■"r.-".
Welland county, but at intervals the accumuia- -.-- ^
tion of water in sags on the gas line is drawn off.
In Essex county a form of drip, differiug in
some respects from those commonly employed in >
gas fields, has been designed and put in operation ^
by Mr. Harrison Smith, field superintendent for ^
the Natural Gas and Oil Company of Ontario, /^ ,
Ltd. This is shown in the accompany iug c^^.] ^ ^ '
diagram. The gas main, A, is led through ' - •— '
a drum-head, H, concentrically into an 8-inch
yertical pipe, C. The pipe is carried to a depth of 6 ft. below the post line,
then turns at n>ht angles, being continued 24 ft., terminating in a reducer w
2^ inch gate valve for drawing off the water which accumulates in the horizontal po
of the drip tube. The gas main. A, terminates 4 ft. from the drum head, and th<
floors up through the 8 inch pipe and issues through a 4-inch main, B. In expai
as it passes from the 3-inch main into the 8-inch pipe, the gas parts with most <
moisture, which falls into the horizontal portion of the large pipe.
Drilling in the gas fields is done almost exclusively by the American system,
ropes instead of with rigid rods. The rod system is more rapid to shallow depths, I
slower and more expeusive when depths exceed 600 ft
In Welland county considerable gas is employed for burning lime, but most o
gas is exported, both from this and from the Essex field. By an Order in Council the e
tation of gas from Essex county is to be restricted after three years from Angus
1898, to that required for consumption in the city of Detroit, and during these
^ears It Is limited to three billion cubic feet per oinnum.
-J^si
io6 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
In Welland ooanty the gas-yielding horizoni are the Medina sandstone and tbe
Olinton limestone, most of the wells drawing from the Medina formation. The dip of
the rocks here is 30 ft. to the mile toward the southeast, but there is no anticline towud
which the gas may accumulate. The welLs vary from 850 ft. to 1100 ft. in depth. In
this district do difficulty is experienced by an influx of water, but the pressure is declin-
ing. Ten years ago the " rock pressure " was 430 lb. per square inch, which has now
been reduced to 173 lb, and in some parts of the field to 125 lb. " Shooting " the
wells seems to produce an increased flow of gas in very few instances, although this pnc-
tice has been resorted to with some advantage in a few wells owned by the Essex Staudird
Oil and Gas Co. in Essex county.
The composition of the gas shows some differences in the eastern and western fields,
those in Welland county generally containing appreciable quantities of nitrogen, and m
one well at least a considerable amount of hydrogen sulphide. An analysis of the gu
from the Point Abino well, made by Prof. Francis G. Phillips of Allegheny, Pa., showed
the following composition : —
Hydrogen salphide 0.74 per cent.
Nitrogen 2.69 "
Carbon dioxide trace.
Hydrocarbons of the parafiine oeries 96.57 "
100.00
The percentage composition of these paraffines by weight was : —
Hydrogen 24.10 per cent.
Carbon 76.90
100.00
This gas was found at a depth of 550 ft. below the surface.
The amount of moisture requiring elimina- ____ ^ . .
tion from the gas is much less in the Welland f' ^
than in the Essex field. No drifts are used in g .... ^ . ^..^ ,!
Welland county, but at intervals the accumula- ...^ .,.. -_j^
tion of water in sags on the gas line is drawn off. ' ~].^^
In Essex county a form of drip, differiog in '^.; ' '
some respects from those commonly employed in > r~ ;' '
gas fields, has been designed and put in operation ;, ° r^^
by Mr. Harrison Smith, field superintendent for ^ r '-^'-^
the Natural Gas and Oil Company of Ontario, ^!^^ , ._.\ _^'ri,V./
Ltd. This is shown in the accompanying c^il; •» /? ' y
diagram. The gas main. A, is led through :r ;. — — — :": ,
a drum-head, H, concentrically into an 8-inch i
vertical pipe, C. The pipe C is carried to a depth of 6 ft. below the post Ime, ^^
then turns at right angles, being continued 24 ft., terminatiDg in a reducer with
2^ inch gate valve for drawing off the water which accumulates in the horiiontal porti^
of the drip tube. The gas main, A, terminates 4 ft. from the drum head, and Uie i^
flo^s up through the 8 inch pipe and issues through a 4-inch main, B. In expandip/^
as it passes from the 3-inch main into the 8-inch pipe, the gas parts with most of i^
moisture, which falls into the horizontal portion of the large pipe.
Drilling in the gas fields is done almost exclmively by the American system, wi*^
ropes instead of with rigid rods. The rod system is more rapid to shallow depths, but ^
slower and more expensive when depths exceed 600 ft. ^
In Welland county considerable gas is employed for burning lime, but moat of tl**
gas is exported, boih from this and from the Essex field. By an Order in Oonncil the exp^^f"
tation of gas from Essex county is to be restricted after three years from August 1»*»
i898, to that required for consumption in the city of Detroit, and during the«ethr«^
yeajra it ia limited to three billion cubic leel p^t ^niLum.
J , ■ [m
\\iC^ CnV^ .X^ ^""^^
1899 I Mines of Eastern Ontario 107
PETROLEUM.
The report of the Bureau of Mines for 1898 gives the situation in regard to
petroleum production so fully that practioallj nothing remains to be said on this point.
In the Petrolia district 45,000 to 50,000 barrels per month are being pumped, and thd
new Samia township field along the London Road was pumping 2,000 barrels per month
at the time of mj visit in September, 1899. Drilling was still actively going on in the-
old districts, and torpedoing was giving good results in increasing the flow in many old
wells. The shallow depth 0! the wells in this field admits of drilling a great number of
holes over a small area, without entailing prohibitive expenses. The average depth of
wells is from 465 ft. to 480 ft. The well-drilling conti*actors undertake to drill a well
for 475 ft. to 500 ft for $125, furnishing their own fuel, water, labor and conductor pipe.
The hole is drilled with a diameter of 6^ in. through the watery strata, and is then con-
tinued, after casing has been put in, with a diameter of 4| in. for the dry hole. The
contractor puts in the casing, which is furnished by the owner of the well. He also
leaves the derrick and machinery from 24 to 48 hours after the well is drilled, for testing.
During this time the well is torpedoed, from 8 to 25 quarts of nitroglycerine being
used for this purpose. The derricks are very substantially built, 50 ft. in height, suid
are transported from place to place on trucks. The engine house is similarly built tor
removal on trucks. The rigid rod system is employed entirely for drilling by this method.
The contractor puts in the pump before leaving, and s ^ts up a three-pole derrick over the
well for hardling the pumps and piping.
Deep drilling in the Petrolia district was contemplated, in which case wells would be
drilled about 3,000 ft. to the Trenton limestone, seeking either oil or gas. As a pre-
liminary to the carrying out of this plan, the question of a franchise for supplying the
town with gas was to be submitted to the people. Deep drilling was also to be under-
taken at Inwood by a private corporation, consisting of parties connected with the
Standard Oil Co., which company has bonded all the land in that vicinity.
The pumping system which has been developed in these oil fields differs in some
interesting particulars from that in vogue in Pennsylvania. A good example of the
system is that in operation by J. L. Englehart A: Co., at Petrolia, where one central power
plant pumps from 233 wells scattered over an area of 400 acres (see Plan). It is a balsuiced
system, half ot the dead load of rods and mechanism in the field being lifted while the
other half is descending, so that the power required is only that for overcoming inertia
and friction, plus the weight of the oil lifted at each stroke. Counterweights are thus
superseded, reducing the mass of material to be moved, giving in consequence a higher
efi&ciency for the horsepower expended. In the case of the Englehart plant, four engines
coupled in pairs, each of 40 indicated horsepower, serve the entire group of 233 wells.
These two pairs of engines are connected to two main or ** master" wheels, which, in
addition to direct connections to pumps, operate 22 secondary or <* lozeA" wheels, control-
ing two jerker rods each. These wheels are large discs set horizontally, cast with four
lugs at the ends of two diameters at right angles to each other. Each lug carries two
wrist pins for connecting the jerker rods. The wheels hava a reciprocating motion
imparted to them, swinging through an arc long enough to give the jerker rods the neces-
sary forward and backward motion to produce the proper length of stroke at the pump3,
whi3h is communicated to them in the ordinary way by walking-beam or triangle-arm
connections. The jerker rods are of wood with spliced joints, suspended from posts by
pin-connected hangers of iron, these rods, in conjunction with the pump rods, serving as
the counterbalance in the system. The pump rods are of gas pipe, J inch pipe being used
with a 1^ inch pump, and ^ inch pipe with a 1| inch pump, their average length being
475 it. At the Hillier farm, eight miles east from Samia, there are two systems of
pumps, of 84 and 26 wells respectively, pumping from a depth of 480 ft. The wheels
used here, instead of being cast, are made of two discs of i\r in. boiler iron bolted parallel
to each other with two inch spaces between. The lugs are then riveted at their proper
plskces on the circumference of the wheels. This field has been opened but one year, and
gives excellent promise.
io8 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
CEMENT.
During the year I visited three of the works in the Province where Portland cemei
is manufactured. The localities where these industries flourish are in the vicinity <
Owen Sound, and to the northward of Napanee in the eastern district. Hydraulic cemex
is made in the vicinity of St. Catharines, near Hamilton, and at Limehouse, but thef
works were not visited.
T 11 K O W K N S O I y 1) l* O K T L A N J » C K M E N T (.' O M V A N Y, L I I\
The officers of this company are : John Lucas, president, J. E. Murphy, vice pree
dent, R. P. Butchart, general mfanager, George S. Kilboum, secretary and treasure
and W. H. Pearson, director. The works are located at Shallow lake, 9 miles froi
Owen Sound. The raw materials, marl and clay, are here found together, the clay undei
lying the marl, the deposit constituting the bed of Shallow lake, which overflows th
entire area in the spring time, but dwindles to a small size later iu the season. Tb
material is dug by a steam excavator and loaded directly upon cars, running on temp(
rary tracks leading to the inclined place by which they are elevated 40 feet for dumpin
upon the stock pile. The cars are drawn by animal power to the foot of the incline
where they are hitched to a cable connected with a winding engine, which oarrief them t*
the U p. There are two winding engines with 3 ft. drums and duplex 7 in. x 9 in. cylic
ders. The details of the process of cement making in these works are not given to th
public, but in general it may be said that the wet system is employed. After grindiuj
and mixing, the pulp is standardized and then pumped to the drying chambers, and thenc
transferred to the kilns for burning. At present the '< slurry," or burnt cement, ia passe
through crushers and then ground in tube mills with Baltic quartz pebbles. Krupp bal
mills are being installed for intermediate comminution between the crushers and tub
mills. The power plant consists of 4 boilers of 150 h. p. each, two made by Cowan am
Oo. of Gait, and two by the John Doty Engine Co. of Toronto ; one Reynolds Corlis
compound condensing engine, 500 h. p., one Brown engbe, 300 L p., and one high spee<
30 h. p. engine for dtiviog a 10 k. w. dynamo
The company has acquired other property in the vicinity, on which new works wil
be erected with larger capacity than those now operating.
THE (JKOBC, IAN HAY PORTLAND CHMENT CO., LTD.
This company has lately been organized, and was erecting a large plant on the s. i
side of the bay in the municipality of Owen Sound. The works lie between the track
of the C. P. R. and the water. A slip is being provided which will have 18 ft. of wate
by the wharf. The personnel of the company is as follows : Presdent, M. Kennedy, vioc
president, H. B. Harrison, sec. and treas., J. W. Maitland, A. G. McKay and S. Lloyc
directorp. The capital stock is $95,000, of which 985,000 is paid up. The marl is to b
obtained from Williams lake, 13 miles distant on the 0. P. R , near Holland Oente
station. Its analysis shows :
Lime carbonate 95 to 97 per cent.
Alumioa and iron oxide .S8 *•
Insoluble residue 3 15 **
1)8.53
The clay is found on the opposite side of the bay, where 7^ acres have been acquire
with a bank averaging 23 ft. in depth. The analysis of the clay is :
Loss of ignition 12.16 per cent
Silica 51.52
Alumina and iron oxide 23 18 **
Lime(CaO) 10. yj
07.78
The principal buildings already erected are the main building 200 ft. x 60 ft, the dr
house 140 ft. X 100 ft, and the storage house 300 ft. x 60 ft The process will be a
/oJJowe:
1899 J Mines of Eastern Ontario I09
The raw materials, in the proportion of 1 of clay to 4 of marl, will be mixed for 15
minates in a battery of 3 mixers or wet puis of the Ohilean-mill type, except that the
pan revolves beneath the rollers. The rollers are 48 in. long and 14 ins. in diameter,
tbe pan having a diameter of 9 ft. and a depth ot 16 in. In the bottom of the pans are
renewable liners. The pulp is discharged to a conveyor which carries it to a horizontal
pQf( mill, where it is stiffened by the addition of unround cement-brick. This prepares it
for pressing in an ordinary brick machine. The bricks are stacked on iron *' pallets "
and set in a skeleton steel car which is ran into the drying oven. The Gammer direct-
beat hot air system is employed, this part of the plant being installed by the F. D.
Cnmmer and Son Co. of Oleveland, Ohio. After drying, the cars are taken to an ele-
vitor which lifts them to the charging floor of the kilns. The barning plant consists of
4 Aalborg kilnf, each 100 ft. high, 20 ft. m diameter at the bottom, 4^ ft. at the throat
and 15 feet at the top of the hopper. From the kilns the barnt bricks are carried by
a conveyor to two Jenisch and Loehnert's ball mills, supplied by F. L. Smidth and Oo. of
Willoaghby, Ohio. The material is here reduced to No. 24 brass- wire mesh. The pal-
▼erizing is done in a Davidsen's tabe mill, 24 ft. long by 5 feet in diameter, using Baltic
qosrtz pebbles. In this mill the cement is ground to pass a No, 100 mesh screen. The
power plant consists of 3 return tubular boilers, 14 ft. x 5 ft. 6 ins., 100 h. p. each, and
a 350 h. p. compound condensing engine made by the Goldie & McOulloch Co. of Oalt.
Tests ncade on cement produced from the materials to be used in this plant show the
following strength :
Briqnettee, 2 dayu old 190 lb. per e(i. in.
4 *• 440
5 " 525
G •• G40
18 " ♦iTS
,50 * 750
NAPANXR MILLS PEMKNT WORKS.
The Rathbun Oo. of Deseronto is operating a large cement works at Napanee Mills,
under the supf rintendence of F. G. 6. Allen. The raw materials, both marl and clay,
oome from Marlbank, a station 15 miles farther north on the Bay of Qainte Railroad.
The system of manafacfcure pursued here is substantially the same as that which will be
put in operation by the Georgian Bay Portland Cement works at Owen Sound. The
mixing of the pulp is accomplished in two drag- mixers 25 ft. in diameter, with 4 plows each,
attached by chains to revolving arms. From this the pulp passes through a tube mill
with ^ inch steel balls. It is then standardized, and part passes to a revolving dryer
and part to a pug mill, where the dried *' slurry " is reunited with it to stiffen it for press-
ing in the brick machine. The bricks are then dried in a Cummer dryer, burnt in kilns
and ground to No. 20 mesh in a Smidth Ball Mill, and subsequently to No. 100 mesh
in a tube mill ^ith Baltic quartz pebbles. The revolving dryer mentioned above is a
cylinder fitted with angle plates projecting on the inside to carry the pulp up and cause
it to fall tbrough the current of hot air passing through the cylinder. Two types of
Idlns are used, the burning plant consisting of 2 Aalborg kilns and 2 batteries of Dietsch
kilns, built in pairs, back to back. In the latter the bricks fed in at an upper vertical stack
paaa down to an inclined bench or offset in the furnace, and thence into a lower verti-
cal shaft where the burning is finished at a high temperature. These works produce
two brands of cement known as " Star " and " Ensign " respectively. The capacity of the
plant is something over 100,000 barrels per annum.
STUNK <2UARRrES.
A number of quarries were visited during the year, some of which were of peculiar
interest from the methods employed in working out the stona No effort has been
made to visit all the quarries in operation, owing in part to their large number, and in
part to the circumstance that many of them are not working continuously, so that trips
no Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
to them are made fraitlessly. There is very little danger of aerioiui acoidenti at the great
majority of quariies, the operations being of so simple a character, and the quantities
of explosives kept on hand being nsoally so small.
THE OWEN 800 ND STONE CO., LTD.
This corporation has the following officers : Pres't., H. B. Smith, sec. and treas.,
S. J. Parker, and manager, P. W. Sabiston. The chief qaarry is known as the Mono,
situated in Mono township, DafferinCo., 4 miles northeast of Orange ville on a spar of
the P.B. The product is a very compact, iight gray sandstone, and is extensively quar-
ried for bridge and building stone. There are five benches, varying from 4 ft. to 7 ft. in
thickness. Only one bench is now being worked, this having a thickness of 6 ft. The
workable stone is overlaid by 15 tt, of thin-bedded limestone and 15 ft. of soil. The
sandstone itself presents some remarkable examples of cross-bedding, which interferes
somewhat with the systematic development of the benches. In spite of these difficulties
the qaarry is well laid out and operated. Three derricks, with 60 ft. masta are used,
operated by horsepower. At one time an inclined plane was used for hoisting the stone
to a sawing and planing plant, but this has now been abandoned and the dressing works
are dismantled. The only other buildings are a blacksmith shop and an office, in one
part of the latter being kept a small supply of powder.
N OTTAWA QUARRY.
The same character of stone as that found in the Mono quarry ii being worked oat
in a small quarry \ mile to the southeast, by the owner, Isaac Nicholson. There is less
superjacent limestone and soil at this quarry, and the stone is of a high quality. It is
expected to open this out shortly on a larger scale. There were two derricks set, having
masts 45 and 55 ft, and booms 40 and 45 ft reepectively. The buildings consist of a
blacksmith shop and an office, in which is kept the supply of explosives, consisting of
one keg of powder. The quarry is on lot 6, concession 1 of Mono.
smkktom's quarry.
In the vicinity of Ingle wood are a number of quarries, of which Smeeton's is the
only one now working. This is situated 1^ mile s. w. of Inglewood. The benches oper-
ated consist of brownstone, 2 ft. thick, underlaid by gray sandstone from 2 to 3 ft thick,
each opened about 500 ft. in length. Three horsepower derricks were being used, ftnd
drainage was effected by a duplex steam pump. The magazine was located 800 ft from
the workings. Two car loads of curbing per diem were l^ing shipped at the time of my
visit. Sept 19, 1899.
A visit was also made to Thomas Murray's quarry, 1^ mile northwest of Inglewood,
but it was found to be abandoned. A tramway extends from Inglewood to this qaarry.
I). ROBERTSON AND CO'jS. QUARRY.
One and a half miles east of the Forks of the Oredit in Caledon township is the
quarry of D. Robertson & Co of Toronto. There are 4 benches working, yielding both
gray and brown stone, the brown strata lying above the gray. Three derricks were set
up, and a force of from 20 to 30 men were employed. The shipments amount to about
12 carloads of curbing a week. The stone is sent in trams down a 3 rail incline, 500
ft long, to the siding on the railroad track (O.P.B ) at the bottom of the hill below
the quarry. The cable makes 3 laps around a drum 5 ft in diameter, the cable ends
being attached to cars. The drum is provided with band friction brakes. The fore-
man in charge is F. A. Lumby.
THK CREDIT K0UK8 MINING AND MANUFACTURING CO.
The above company, with offices in Toronto, is operating a number of quarries
at the Forks of the Oredit, and has been operating lime kilns at the same point
These are now closed, and work at the quarries was nearly suspended at the time
1899] Mines of Eastern Ontario in
of my vidt on Sept. 19, 1899. PreparationB, however, were being made for exten-
m quftrrying. "nie qnarries are located on both Bides of the deep gorge tlirough
which flows the Credit river, and are situated high up on the hillsides. An aerial
tnmway was in process of construction to convey stone from quarry No. 5 on the
hill north of the village to the station on the O.P.R. (Toronto, Orangeville and Elora
Div.). The operations of this company are of peculiar interest from the circumstance
that for many years a portion of the stone extracted has been obtained by mining.
The method of mining resembles that in use for coal, although the workings are of
comparatively small extent. Two entries are driven into the face of the hill about 150
ft. apart. At a distance of from 25 to 40 ft., varying according to the strength of
the rock, these entries are connected by a cross-drift. The winning of rock then com-
mences. The brown sandstone constitutes the bottom bench. The upper bench is lime-
stone, and between these two is an intermediate bench of shale, which forms the " bear-
ing-in " bench. Af tor its removal the limestone is shot down, and then the brownstone
is extracted in the ordinary way. The working face is 160 ft. wide, and protection
against roof -falls is afforded by temporary stulls The culls, or waste, is thrown back
between gob-walls, so that the gob (locally called '*dirt") advances close enough to the
working face to prevent collapse of the roof. Au entry is kept open on each side of the
gob, 80 that cars can enter through one and return to the surface by the other. It will
be seen that by this system the cost of quarrying is little, if any, greater than in
ordinary open quarries, and is very much less than in those where much stripping of sur-
face debris is required The officers of the company are, Pres'c, Robt. Oarroll, vice-
pres't , J. B. Yick, sec., treas. and mgr., F. Beharriel, all of Toronto.
During the summer another small mine, extracting brownstone, was operated by
W. Sharp, but this was closed in September.
SALT.
During the year a careful inspection of the salt industry was made, and subse-
quently analyses of samples of salt and brine have been conducted under my snper-
viflion by Mr. J. W. Wells at the Provincial Assay Office, Belleville. The results of
my investigations, and of the analyses and experiments made at B3lleville, will be given
later in a separate report. The salt works visited were the following : — The Coleman
Salt Oa, Seaforth; R. & J. Ransford's Stapleton Salt Works, Clinton; North Ameri-
can Chemical Co., Qoderich ; The Goderich Salt Works, of Peter McEwen, Goderich ;
The Gray, Young and Sparling Co*, Wingham ; The Ontario Peoples Salt Oo., Kincar-
dine; John Fox and King Hodgins Salt Works, Park Hill; The Sarnia Salt Oo.,
Samia ; and The Windsor Salt Works, Windsor.
PEAT.
An inspection was also begun of the peat industry in Ontario, and numerous locali-
ties were visited. Tests of the peat are also being made at the Provincial Assay Office,
Belleville, and the results of investigations in the field and the laboratory will be made
the subject of a special report. The Oanadian Peat Fuel Co., of Toronto, has given a
strorg impetus to this industry, which promises to become one of great importance to the
Province.
MICHIPICOTON MINING DIVISION
By D. Q. Boyd, Inspewtor
I have the honor to present to you herewith the third annual report on the Hichi-
picoton Mining Division. During the pasc season the dia'.rict haa made steady advances
in many directions. More development work has been entered upon, and, in the majority
of cases, is proving very satisfactory. Mining machinery has been set up, of which the
following may ba mentioned, — A one stamp mill complete, on Olaim No. 84, the pro-
perty of the Hornblende Mining Company, and on the Minto mine, the property of the
Wawa Gold Mining Oompany, a pumping and hoisting plant.
Post offices have been established at Wawa, Michipicoton River and Michipicoton
Harbor (the lake terminus of the Algoma Central Railway). The Government road haa
been built between Little Gros Gap on lake Superior and Wawa village, and several
good tote roads have been made by the miners to the various camps. In prosecuting
work upon Helen claim, situated about one mile north of Wawa lake, an extensive body
of brown hematite ore was uncovered, attention being thus drawn to this locality. The
iron-bearing formation was traced a long distance, and numerous claims have been staked
upon it.
Information reaching the Department that large bodies of valuable iron ore had been
discovered in this Division, the Government resolved upon a temporary withdrawal from
sale of these iron-bearing lands, pending an investigation with a view of aaoertaining the
extent of the ore deposits and obtaining other desirable information. This was pursuant
to the provisions of an Order in CouncS, dated 10th July, 1899.
Dr. Coleman and Professor Willmott were appointed to make this investigation, and
their summiary report is given in the 8th Report of the Bureau of Mines, pp. 254 258.
The withdrawal of the iron lands accounts for the large number of licensees who have
not any claims registered, as they located claims in the iron-bearing lands in expectation
of obtaining the claims staked when the lands are placed in the market again.
The Algoma Central Railway began construction of a railroad from Little Gros Gap
to the Helen mine above mentioned, a distance of 12 miles. Ore docks will be built in
the harbor, and it is expected that iron ore will be shipped continuously during the com-
ing season.
The office at Michipicoton was opened for the transaction of business in one of the
Hudson's Bay Company's buildings (the same one as occupied in 1898) on May 16, and con-
tinued open until November 14. During this period there were 187 miners' licenses
issued, and 181 notices of mining claims filed.
The total number of licenses issued, including renewals for the year, was 262, 65
being iseued from Toronto. The total number of claims staked and rfgistered was 215,
of which number 33 were registered at Toronto while the office at Michipiooton was
closed during the winter months. The amount of money forwarded to the Treasury
Departnent from the office at Michipicoton was $3,014, and the amount received at
Toronto was $1,965, making a total of $4,979. Of this amount, $2,520 was received
for miner's licenses, $1,059 fees for additional mining claims, $315 fees for tranafera of
claims, and the balance $1,085 was paid in on account of patent fees at tlie rate of
$2 per acre by licensees who have fulfilled all the conditions required and desire to
obtain a patent fer their property.
Claims numbers 155, 156, 451 and 468 were visited by me on the 12th October.
These claims are situated south of Wawa lake, and about five miles east of Miohipiooton
river, with which they are connected by a good tote road. The claims are being
developed by the Edey Gold Mining Company of Ottawa, Limited, with Mr. R. W.
Edey as manager, and John Wallace of Sault Sta Marie as foreman. Work was com-
menced in the early part of spring and continued all season.
On claim 155 a shaft 7' x 8' x 25' deep has been sunk on the Blackinton vein, (so
called after the discoverer), having a course of northwest and southeast, whioh has been
traced through claims 155, 156, 451 and 319. The vein on this claim has been stripped
n several places, and varies from two to eigbt feet wide on the surface.
[112]
34. Tunnel and Shaft of Stella (Jold Mine.
35. Tunnel of Gold Sun Mine, Crow Lake, p. 51.
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40. Power Plant of the Ent^lehart Puinpinif SyBtein at Petrolea, lookin;^ south from " A " on Plan of Puniplnif Rijf , p. l'>7.
41. Power Plwit of the Englehart Pumpinfc System at Petrolea, lookin(( north from "A" on Plan of Pumping R^Stx V- ^^«
i'2. Towiir^riaiit •»! the Knirl«*lj;irl ruiii]iiiiir S\>riin .it l'«-tri>l«-;t.J<>'ikm.: s<mili iium • W .m |'l;ui nf l'iiiin>im IJiu^. p. U»i
M. Power Plant of the Kiiffleh.irt Pumpiii? .S\«iren) iit Pet ml fa. 1<Hikiiit; "ontl: fri>iii "('" on I'lun ••! l'Mni]iiiik'^ Rij:. p. 1«i7
1^99 ] Michipicoton Mining Division 113
W On daim " LyU," Na 451, on ^e veiii hftving f^ ooume nearly north andioathy two
^ flkaha li»Te been sunk fteven by eight feet; one 23 feet deep, the other 11 feet deep.
Sendee the above mentioned shaics, the Edey Company have done considerable work in
stripping and sinking test pits. A combined sleeping and cooking camp 18 by 20 feet,
Uacksmith shop and workhonse have been bnUt
On claim 447, situated three miles east of Michipicoton river, the same company
Biave also snnk a shaft 7' x 8' x 57' deep, timbered down to a depth of 12 feet, and also
Bttve erected camps.
Claims Na dl to 36, 502 and 503 were visited by me on October 19th. These
claims are sitnated north of the Wawa lake, and were paTchased by A. C. Ely of Chicago
Irom A. Goetz. The work was combined on these claims and performed on claims 69
and 502. Mr. J. B Van Evera of Marquette, Michigan, was manager, and he had with
liim as captain Mr. W. 0. XJren. I'hese claims are situated on the iron range and the
work done was exploratory.
On claim 69 a shaft 8' x 10' x 21' deep was sunk in the country rock on the south
side of Boyer lake, at the foot of a large hill.
On Claim 502 a trench 300 feet long, two feet wide, wa<s dug down to the solid rock
across the iron formation, and a test pit 5' x 7' x 6' deep was also sunk.
On R733 (surveyed) a pit 8' x 6' x 16' deep was sunk, and a tunnel 7' x 6' x 24"^
ioug was driveo, both being in the country rock, and a trench 800 feet long and tliree
feet wide was dug across the iron formation
Close to the line between claims 68 and 502 a trench 100 fest long and three feet
^ide was dug, and a pit 5' x 7' x 6' deep was suok.
None of these operations disclosed the presence of any ore body. The properties
^« being thoroughly tested by a diamond drill during the winter.
Claim No. 68 "Helen Iron Mine'\ was visited on 19th October. This property
^k%a been described by Dr. Coleman, see Bureau of Mines Report for 1899, pp. 254-255.
^t is owned and managed by Mr. E. V. Clergue, who has Mr. T. Williams as captain.
The development consisted in stripping off tbe earth, moss, trees, etc., which covered
'^lie deposit, sinking nine pits 7' x 3' from 4' to 24' deep, and determining the extent of
'^lie deposit On the southern boundary a tunnel 6j^' x 4' x 45' long, has been driven.
On the point in Boyer lake, where the bulk of the ore is, two open cuts have been
^^lade, one on the north side 100 feet long, 20 feet wide and 25 feet face, and on the south
^Kide 100 feet long, 40 feet wide and 30 feet face. A drift has been started in the ore on
1^ level with Boyer lake, 7^' x 5' x 24' long. The camps used during the summer were
\>nilt for temporary occupation.
Claim ** Lincoln,'' No. 415, was visited on 25th October. This claim is owned by An-
^3rew Brown of &ault Ste. Marie, who has charge of the work. The vein is a contact
^3ne between the two formations. Tts course is northwest and southeast, dipping 45
degrees to the north. The average width of the vein on the surface is 4 feet; it is well
^nineralized with iron and copper pyrites with frequent showings of free gold. One shaft
^' X 8' X 35' deep has been sunk, and 400' southeast of the same vein another shaft 6' x
^' X 20' deep.
An eating and cook camp 16' x 30', sleeping camp 15' x 20' and blacksmith shop
liave been built. A contract for 100 feet of additional sinking in pit No. 1 has been let
^ Messrs. Brown and J. B. Johnston, which will be done this winter. The property is
under an option for sale to a company composed of Bowling Green, Ohio, parties.
Claim *'Peru", No 315, situated on tbe same vein was visited on the same day.
The vein has been traced across the claim and stripped in several places. A pit 6' x 7
z 13' deep has been sunk. This claim is owned by Mr. R. Rush of Echo bay, who had
his brother, Mr. W. Rush, developing his claim.
Claims 300, 494 and 564 were visited on 13th October. These claims.are part of a
group which are owned and operated by the Guelph Mining Company, Limited. Mr. Wm.
HusBon is in charge On claim 300, on a vein 4 feet wide, with a course of about east
snd weat| a pit 6' z 8' has been sunk 14 feet deep. On claim 494, a pit 6' x 7' x 27' deep
has been mtnk on a vein which has been traced through ihrae claims on a course of
114 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
northeast and soathwest, wdll iniQe:*ali2el wich iron and copper pyrites. On claim 564,
a pit 6' X 8' X 30' deep has been sunk on a rein which has been traced for 20 chains,
and which varies from 4 to 6 feet wide, with a conrse of northwest and soatheast ; it
dips to the northeast and is well mineralized.
*< Gananoqne," claim No. 128, is owned by the Gananoqne Gk>ld Mining Cbmpany*
Limited, with Joshua Legge in charge. A tnnnel at the foot of a hill has been driven 5
feet wide and 14 feet high, a distance of 34 feet, following the coarse of the vein. Half
way np the hill another tunnel has been driven 7' x 8', 22' into the country rock to try
and catch the vein. A large amount of work was done in clearing off the overhanging
rocks above the tunnel at the foot of the hill.
Claim No. 480, is owned by the Corona Mining Company, Limited, with Mr. W . H.
Wylie as manager. On a large vein with a strike of west-northwest and east-southeasty
which has been traced from Wawa creek across to Michipicoton river, the vein matter
is about 180 feet wide, consistiag of a mixture of quartz and slate. A shaft 6' x 8' x 23'
deep has been sonk all in qa%rtz, which is heavily mineralized with iron and copper py-
rites, with traces of mispickel and zinc blende. A camp 16' x 28', and blaoksmiUi shops
have been built. On the same vein, on claim 634, situated on Wawa creek, a tunnel
was driven 13 feet. Claim " Cora," No. 26, is owned by H. W. Eveuden, and worked by
the Johnston brothers of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. On a vein, course nearly north and
south, dipping 43 degrees to the cast, two shafts have been sunk, the southerly one beinit
8' X 10' X 32' deep. The other is 100 feet north, and is 9' x 12' x 16' deep. A camp and
blacksmith shop have been built. This claim was visited October 30.
On claim 84, visited October 30, and owned by The Hornblende Mining Company,
Limited, a shaft 7' x 7' x 22' deep has been sunk. A stamp mill has been erected,
and the following machinery installed, — 15 h. p. engine, 16 h. p. upright boiler, small
Blake crusher, Nisien's ore feeder, Nissen's gravity stamp, 1,300 pounds, with a capacity
of from 6 to 7 tons per day of 24 hours. The special feature about the mill is tliat it
has a circular mortar. The mill building is 16 by 27 feet. At the time of my visit
all the machinery was up and connected, but had not been in operation. Sleeping
and cooking camps were built, and the office and manager's house were being erected.
Mr. P. N. Nissen is manager.
On claim 52, which is owned by the same company, a shaft 6' x 8' x 32' dtfep has
been sunk. It was the intention of the company to put in another mill as soon as poss-
ible.
At Mackey's Point, T 103, at the time of my visit on October 30, the pits were full
of water. The following particulars were given to me by Mr. J. J. Mackey. A shaft 8'
X 10' X 40' deep has been sunk, and at the 40 foot level a crosscut 6' x 8' x 30' long has
been run. Another small pit is down 6' x 8' x 14'. Cook and sleeping camps have been
built.
Claims 92, 93, 94 and 95, the Minto mines, owned by the Wawa Gk>ld Mining Com-
pany, Limited, were visited on October 30. Work was mostly preparatory for mining
on a large scale. A working shaft was suck on the edge of a small lake, 6' x 11' x 42'
deep. This has been timbered to a depth of 25 feet, with an excellent collar. The fol-
lowing buildings were erected, — cook and diniug camp and root house, 24 by 36 feet,
store-house, 16 by 20 feet, sleeping camp, 1} stories, 16 by 30 feet, office l^ stories, 20 by
20 feer, shaft-house and dry- house, 18 by 30 feet, blacksmith house, 14 by 16 feet, stables,
17 by 27 feet and engine house 14 by 16 feei The following machinery was installed, —
18 h. p. engine with hoisting attachment and upright boiler ; also Northey pump with a
capacity of 150 gallons per minute.
On the JubUee claim No. 75, the shaft was sunk to a depth of 103 feet during the
winter. The work was suspended all through the summer.
Other properties were visited, but the work done was not of sufficient importance to
be noted h4re.
Appended is a list of Hceasees, place of residence, number of license, aud number of
claim (if any). Where not otherwi^a iadicited the licensees are reiidaata of O^t^rio.
Olaima marked with an asterisk {*) are in diB\[tute.
18901
Michipicoton Mining: Division
"5
List or Lioirbkes.
Name.
Aben,J
Allui,J
AUaOpJ.O
Andne, O
Andrie, Bin. 6 ..
AxiiiBtroiiff, £[....
ArmttroDR, H....
Amufferanir, L. O .
BMon, B. T......
BMtoii,S
Bwtlett.E. T ...
BMildry, W.J....
BMiidro,6
BMker, O
Beabe,W.D
B«inMe»J
BlMkiDton, A. B.
Bole,&P
Baoamult, J
BowoeD, J. L . . . .
Bowie»N
Boyd, J.F
Bojd,W.8
Bojrwy B
BrooD, Annie....
Brooke, T. H ....
Brotharton, 6. H
Bfowiif A. V • . . . •
Brown, Jane
BrjMi,H. J
Bnrl^, T. 8
Bi»li» C
Both, Jr.,
Both, iflora
OAmeron, A . . .
Ohitty, A. H .
CUrl^ £. D ..
Glergae, B. J . .
Clergae, E. V.
Retidence.
ClergQe,F. H
Olergne, Frsnoes
Clargoe, Gertmde
Cicrgne, Grace
Olergne, Helen
Clergne, J. H
Oo^rane.R. B
Conlon, J. A
Corona Mining Co.. Limited.
Cory.E. N
Coognlin, R
Colbert, D.8
Dayidaont J. ..
Derry, P. A ...
Dion, MaryL .
Donovan, U. A
Donglae, E. A..
Dooglan, E. v..
Donglaa, J
Dooglan, P . . . .
Douglat, W. P .
Downey, L .. .
Dowrie, R
Dreany, A
Drew, T. F . . . .
DriTor, J ......
Toronto
8. S. Marie
Hamilton
Michipicoton River.
Iron Mountain, Mich .
Montreal ,
Chicago, III
8. S. Marie
Montreal
Wawa
Wawa
Michipicoton River.
Pleasantville, Penn.
Gnel^h
Michipicoton River.
Cleveland, O
Wawa
S.S. Marie
Wawa
Thewalon
8. S. Marie
Michipicoton River.
Port Arthur.
S.S. Marie..
Miwanabie ,
S. S. Marie
Hamilton ...
White River.
S. S. Marie..
Guelph
8. S. Marie..
S. S.Marie
Bangor, Maine .
Marquette, Mich
Thorold
Almonte
Pennville, Indiana .
Michipicoton River.
Wawa
Ottawa
8. S. Marie.
Wawa
Michipicoton River ,
Philadelphia, Penn ,
a. 8. Marie
Hawi k.G.B
Philadelphia, Penn
Chanleau
Guelph
North Bay
Wawa •.
S. S.Marie
Licenie
No.
628
618
564
678
666
606
600
460
600
648
617
677
686
670
608
626
6S7
601
666
687
691
471
683
641
619
518
682
669
544
669
487
681
562
663
626
686
672
606
648 <^
662
708
699
698
697
606
666
587
546|
679
646
489
677
666
480
485
610
700
637
580
702
563
458
h8l
7ft5
56T
Claimi.
278, 373, 676.
684, 686, 686.
608.
633,688.
613, 687.
642, 662.
656, 627, 694.
377, 661.
258.
360,426.
571.
687.
113, 416, 696, 697.
686.
650, 676, 69a
682.
273,*642.
607.
200.
68, 70, 71, 190, 191, 610, 611,1612
513, 614, 616, 516, 684, 685, 600,
667, 700.
671, 703.
618,680.
434, 480, 822, 417, 617, 638, 644,
662.
867.
606, 658, 659.
276, 628, 629, 646.
129, 647, 616, 666.
416. 538, 639.
608, 672.
668.
676, 602.
678.
469, 492, 683.
702
3»0, 5«», ^^,
ii6
Bureau of Mines Report
[No.
List or JjiOENSEEa,^0<nUinued,
Name.
Drommond, H. A
Dmm, C.B
Dyoie, J. G
Dyde, Margie
Eoclevlda ,
Edey Gold Mg. Co., Limited.
Edey,li.O
Edey, R. W
Ely, A. C .^ ,
Emmenoo, J. T ,
Ennidcillen Mg. Co., Limited
Eveoden, H. W
Everett, H. L
Flanagan, J...
Fee,G
Fleming, 8. E.
Ganaooqne Gold Mg. Uo. .
« Ganley, Jas
Granley. Joe
Gandette, G
Gtommell, L. J
(}eorgi, J
Gilmore, D. B
Gilmore, S. M
Gilmore, W
Godon,T
Goetz A
Goetz, G
Goetz, Johanna
Goetz, Mary ...
Goetz, Mrs. P
Goetz, Bath
Gravell, A
G. N. M. E. ftD.Co.,(Ltd.)
Grover, M. B
Gndph Mg. & Dev. Co.
SsrlTi.^:.^.:::::.:::
Hall,C
Hamilton, H. C
Hamlin,F
HamweU, A. M
Harriaon, W. L
Harvey, A
Harvey. J
Hasaard, A
Holbrook, B
Holbrook, Leila J
Holding, R
HoUiday, W
Hopkins, Anna J
Hopkins, H. J
Hornblende Gold Mg. Co.,
Limited
Hant,J
Hnsaon, W
Irving, T.C
Irving, jr., T. C
Residence.
Johnston, A
Johnston, T.
Jelley, J . . . .
Kimball, Hattie.
Kimbaa, Wm . . .
Kitely,H
Toronto
Patenon, N. J
Miohipiooton River.
License
No.
S. S. Marie, Mich
Ottawa ,
Miohipiooton River.
Chicago, 111
Port Arthur
8. S. Marie
Campement D'Ours.
Philadelphia, Penn .
Wawa
North Bay .
S. S. Mane.
Gananoque .
8. 8. Marie
Perth
Michipicoton River.
Toledo
Missanabie
8. 8. Marie, Mich.
Detour, Mich
41
8. 8. Marie, Mich.
8. 8. Marie, Ont !
Toronto
Wawa
Guelph
Berlin ....
8. 8. Marie.
Chicago, 111
8. 8. Marie
New York (city)....
Chapleau
Hamilton
Toronto
Wawa
Watford
Kingston
Port Arthur
Pleasantville, Penn
Buffalo, N.Y
Toronto ...
Rydal Bank.
Gnelph
Toronto ,
Michipicoton Harbor ,
Pembroke .
8. 8. Marie.
Webbwood
Michipicoton River .
Toronto
484
668
498
7J1
488
678
676
636
6d6
630
462
634
468
670
619
496
642
621
467
610
513
668
614
647
611
672
461
671
618
612
661
491
479
706
569
666
708
666
6f«
667
628
694
472
664
688
477
608
607
679
486
625
671
662
668
641
629
686
Claims.
612.
490, 648.
628.
701.
46L
156, 694, 666, 678.
468, 476, 447, 695, 664, 674.
31, 82, S3, 34, 36, 36, 69, 602,
669, 670.
26,27.
460, 464, 466, 471.
682.
128, 264, 269.
681,630.
299,683.
637.
276.
199.466.
332.
354.
681.
881.
38, 76, 108 (i int. in each) 449,
202, 300, 494, 495, 668, 664,
601, 621, 706, 620.
292.
609.
530.
693.
570.
72,97.
99.
84, 52, 487, 493, 504, 505, 629,
49L, 509, 626.
202, 517.
168, 169 (i int. in each) 590.
541.
I
497
646
418, 634.
661.
462.
I«»]
Michipicoton Mining: Division
"7
List of hicmxBtJa.— Continued,
Nftnie.
f Ubelle, J
I<aodi Oorpor*n of Mioh'n.,
Dited...
Limil
liQghtOD, M . . .
Uqzoo, A
WS
Jawlor, J
Uvlor.J. H ..
",F
H....
.^^ J
^wia, jr., A. E
i*wi»,F. I ....
f«ewis, W. H ..
-Unoolii, J. C...
^Caokey, J.E
*C»ekej, J. J
k^l^Mjkoy.R. E
^Jiidg^t
^^ftleolm^W
^^Anitoa Mineral Co.
^Sartin, H. G
l^uwell,0. F
^eitfl,F
Merrick, W.
Miller, R. J
Mitchell, J
MitcheUtMaryE ...
MoniMrrmt, N. 8
^fioran,P
^formn^Mn. F
^f oris, J
Sforris, Zoie
aftiirr»y,3^ H
Sftumky, W. F
ISiflCne, W
3Aol>oag»U, L
IMoDaagtJl, W. H...
31eOill^ray> W
:ai«Gr»th,M
'SIoHardy, J. A
3ioK»y, Annie
OieKeehao, H. H ...
^feLean, A
3fGLeod,D
Mc&CicbM], A. F ...
liQBA6,P. J
NewtoD, 6. J
Noel, J
0*Brien, W ..,
0*Hmik J. 0..
Oibome, C. S ,
Pitfkee, Mrs. A. W.
Parr, Mn.S
Pattee,O.I
Fellow, H
Perry, W. F
mie,R
Fininif C
Pol,B
PolfJceephiiie
PoltFhnoee
Vtm&wtJit O
Residence.
Qaigiv. O. B .
License
No.
Michipicoton River..
Toronto
8. S. Marie
Gnelph
Salem, Oregon
8. S. Marie
Michipicoton River..
Gananoque
Milford, Penn
Philadelphia, Penn ! !
Detour, Mich
Bowling Green, Ohio
Wawa
North Bay
ThomesKoad
CoUingwood
Niagara
Wawa
St. Thomas
Michipicoton River..
Flushmg, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
St. Thomas
Gnelph
Clevdand, Ohio
8. S. Marie, Mich...
Hamilton
Morrisonville, 111 . . .
8. S. Marie, Ont
Cleveland, Ohio
Wawa
White River
it
otuwa . ...!!!!!*.*!
Michipicoton River..
Gnelph
8.8. Marie
Cleveland, Ohio
Wawa
Gnelph
Toronto
Detour, Mich
Guelph
Missanabie
S. 8. Marie
Duluth
8. S. Marie, Mich....
St. Catharines
Battle Creek, Mich ..
Michipicoton Harbor
Chapleau
Wawa
S. 8. Marie
(t
Bangor. Maine
(«
8.8. Marie....*.!!!!!
Bowling Green, Ohio
604
645
676
457
602
511
652
490
644
6:^9
6a'5
5S2
701
538
543
631
657
669
466
503
654
636
581
528
617
603
530
501
520
6>2
622
623
473
673
493
597
592
627
690
674
709
459
576
593
469
527
516
539
566
463
615
640
483
589
668
560
549
692
481
664
696
707
492
6ao
Claims.
536,550.
1 int. in 38 &.75, ^ in 103, 406, 660
573, 698, 624, 641.
I int. in 38 & 75, j\ in 108, 681,687
523, 678.
521, 160.
178, 427.
430.
818, 819.
680.
666.
648, 558, 559,:640.
634, 648, 661,'689.
647.
663, 610.
325, 695.
672.
564, 611.
520, 665, 622.
567.
618, 543.*
574, 576.
156, 592, 597.
615, 686.
847. 456.
817, 681. 532.
298.
437.
524, 527.
699.
601.
661,632.
196,579.
ii8
Bureau of Mines Report
[N,
List of lAOKmEEB,— Concluded.
Name.
Residenoe.
Rftlph,M I Dolutb, Minn
fiead, 6
Bog«n,6. H
Bognrs, J. W
Both, r
RoBMlL A. L
Tivmh/k
Sayer, J
SMdti, Mn. W. W
Sooit, J
SeneoA Gold, Cooper &Niokel
Oo., Limitod
SOJUIOUTy W^. lim •m^»m»
Simmons, N
Simpton, N
S1octed«,E
SleemMh G
8nuurt,T.K
Smith, R. H
Snell, W.M
Snider, E. B. W
Steeee. R. C
Stewart, J
Stone, R
Superior Gold Sc Oopper Co
SntherlMid, J. G
Swift, H.8
Talbot, H. £....
Talbot, K.H...
Teare, J. H
Thibanlt, N
Thompeon, D. 8.
Thompson, F. ...
Thompson, R . . .
Towers, T, A. P.
Townley, W. B.
Travers, R
TremUey, Jos...
Van Evera, J. R
Vaniiokle, W. B.
Walker, J. W
WalUee, J
Ward, A
Ward,L. M
Ward, Myrtle
Ward, Venia, A...
Ward, W
Warren, 8
Washington, 8. F .
Wheeler, C. P
Wick,H
wkrht, J
Wilde, J. A
Wiley, F. 8
Wiley, H. A
Willing, F.J
Wilson, W. J
Wilson, W. J
WorthinRton,O.P.
Wylie, W. H
Yonnkin, F .
Michipicoton River.
Ottawa
S.8.Marie,Bilch...
Cleveland, Ohio....
Port Arthur
8. 8.Marie,0nt ...
Garden River.
Ooderidi ....
Mipigon
Welland ....
Chioaffo, HI .
8.8. Marie.
Gnelph.
Wawa
8.8. Marie, Mich..
8t. Jacobs
Tonngstown, Ohio
Pembroke
8. 8. Marie
Toronto
8. aMarie
Dulnth
Dayton, Ohio.
8. 8. Marie...'
Hamilton ..
8. 8. Marie
Toronto ....
8.8. Marie..
Toledo, Ohio
Maranette, Mich
loen
Ljmd
Creemore
8.8. Marie
Botona, Iowa
Wawa
Fleasantville, Penn.
8. 8. Marie
Hamilton
Chicago, ni
Cleveland, Ohio ,
8. 8. Marie
Port Arthur
8. S. Marie, Mich...
Michipicoton River
8. S. Marie
Niagara
Jackson, Mich
License
No.
536
668
676
640
678
606
478
690
482
668
684
609
494
704
660
476
470
474
649
706
464
642
691
647
688
661
607
G16
605
588
555
693
694
621
616
624
648
604
499
509
622
674
650
661
476
495
690
512
598
465
684
561
584
583
633
557
614
695
Claims.
628.
658,707.
593,656.
336,640.
908.
526.
467, 458, 459.
519.
704, 706.
507.
691, 692.
600.
168, 169 (i int. in each.) 5
461.
577, 619, 625, 646.
387.
603.
664.
614, 636.
49.
301.
552.
549,596.
98, 378, 556, 568.
460.
546.
28li 391, 569.
•544.
499, 501.
102.
444.
586, 649, 698.
387.
ARE THERE DIAMONDS IN ONTARIO ?
By Archibald Blue.
In thia last decade of the centary it has been dawniog npon oarselves, and more
alowlj upon other people, that Ontario is a mineral country. In former times oar own
people were led to beliere that they most depend on the resources of the field and the
tbrest for livehhood, and there was no lack of proofs that for the farmer and the Inmber-
Btn oar Psouince.was an ideal land for large possibilities. 1 am sure there was not in
the whole of America another country of eq lal extent where there grew trees of such
girth and height as in the tracts lying between the river St. Lawrence and the Ottawa,
between lake Ontario and Georgian bay, and between lake Erie and lake Huron.
Within the lifetime of one man that great forest has been cat away, and in its place
are fertile fields, producing sustenance for two millions of people, and mnch for export
besides Moreover, the farmer of today is a manufacturer as well as the producer c f raw
I materials. He is not now content with growing wheat, oats and hay, as the pioneer was,
and depending on his surplus of these crops for the profits of his industry. He converts
' fUnn and grain into beef, pork and matton, poultry and eggs, batter, cheese and wool ;
and so earns a second series of profits, saves on freight, and keeps up the ferti4ty of his
adl Mixed farming and intensive farming go together, and althouah larger resolta are
posrible, it is gratifying to know that, as compared with any other Province or State on
tbe continent, Ontario is easily first. This is one thing Established by eighteen yearly
reports of the Bureau of Industries, and if that Bureau had done nothing else it would
bave justified its raison d'etre, its right to be. There has been given to our people a
mson for settled confide nee in the lands they till and the country they occupy ; and, in
•0 far as these convictions go, we have the assurance of a stable population. In the New
Ontario of the north there remain^) a region of much greater magnitude to occupy and
possess, and in its resoarces of soil and timber another two millions of people may find
^pport and occupation But if to soil and timber be added its unopened stores of min-
erals contained within an area of 100,000 square miles, and if the manufacturing idea
^^kes possession alike of miner, woodman and husbandman, one can only say that we
^lave the domain for a great Kingdom.
Taking the Old and the New Ontario together, there is a mineral bearing belt that
Extends 1000 miles, from the river St. Lawrence to the Manitoba boundary. It is the back-
lione of the world, and has borne the stress and strain of unnumbered cataclysms. It is a
^^u>antain built country, where the mountains have been cut down to hills, and the hills
^o plains. The thickness of some of the older formations is measured in miles, and they
Kiteve been twisted, folded, fractured, crumpled daring the long ages of secular cooling
i^ato more forms than fancy can conceive or pen describe. There are great areas of
i. jineous as well as sedimentary rocks, and almost everywhere throughout the wide country
^re to be seen conspicuous evidences of disturbance, deformation, degradation and recon-
^itmction. It is just the character of country in which a keen prospector for minerals
"^rould expect to find them in quantity and variety, and during this decade he has been
awarded with discoveries from one end of the belt to the other. Nickel and copper, iron
^and gold, graphite and mica, may be said to occar abundantly. Oorundum also is now
^proven to exist in a tract of 400 or 500 square miles in extent, and where corundum is
"^e may hope to find the gem forms of it, sapphire and ruby. There is, however, one
'Snineral of the first rank of utility which we have not. Our Province emerged too early
'irom the sea, and has stayed too persistently out of it, to favor the coal measures. We
Ittve neither anthracite coal nor bituminous. But may it be possible that in the bounty
of Nature's compensations we have the pure carbon element in its gem form, the
<Bamond t Are there diamonds in Ontario 1
Interest and curiosity in this question have been aroused by papers published during
the past year in two Americafi magazines of good repute as scientific authorities. In the
Journal of Oeology for May- June Professor William Herbert Hobbs of the University
of Wisconsin has dealt with it in an article entitled the Diamond Field of the Great
I«Jkea; and ii| Appleton's Popular Science Monthly for November the same writer
[1191
I20 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
discassed it in an article on Emigrant Diamonds in America. He had alao written upoB
it in 1894 in the American Qeologiat, and has referred to it in other publicationi.
Briefer notices have appeared at intervals in official reports and scientific records daring
a period of more than thirty years of isolated discoveries of diamonds in earth beds, rock
debris and drift deposits in the Atlantic, Pacific and Northern States, and mention mij
first be made of these as having precedence in the order of tima
DISCOVERIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
There are newspaper accounts of the finding of diamonds in Virginia and Noril
Carolina nearly fifty years ago ; bat the most anihentic reports are in a p%per by Di
Genth on the Minerals of North Carolina, published in the Journal of the FranUi
Institute, November and December, 1871. The suggestive statement is there made thi
the diamonds were discovered in debris of old gneissoid rocks, in which graphite is alwaj
found. George F. Kunz of New York, who is an expert on precious stones, gave in th
volume of Mineral Resources of the United States for 1883-4 accounts of a number of di
ooveries of diamonds in California, which usually were fbund in gold nines when cleanin
up sluices or while washing off the bed rock, though in a few instances they were pickc
up on the surface. Fragments of diamonds had also been noticed in the tailings froi
quartz mills, being the remains of stones which had been broken under the stamps. I
one locality they were found in the gray cemented gravel underlying a stratum of m
oalled lava or compact ash ; but usually the gravel was mixed with lava, ashes or othe
volcanic matter, which gives a hint of the source of the stones. The paper of Mr. Kui
gives the first official notice of the finding of a diamond eight years before (in 1876), 1
Eagle, Waukesha county, Wisconsin, it having been thrown oat with a bucket of gravi
by a well-digger from a depth of 60 feet. This was the first Wisconsin diamond, and
weighed 15 carats, but was slightly off color. " Having carefully examined a quantity <
the gravel sent to different persons," Mr. Kunz wrote, " I have failed to find aoythin
but the regular debris from glacial drift." One of the best methods of prospecting a ne
distiict for diamonds, in his judgment, is to familiarize the searchers with the lustre i
real stones, for which purpose small imperfect crystals sold at $5 to $10 will auffio
<' Several thousand searchers thus prepared would soon ascertain whether diamoni
really existed, and the crystal would also serve for testing the hardness of the stone 1
well as the lustre."
Prof. Hobbs has given a careful account of discoveries of diamonds in glacial dri
since the finding in 1876 of the stone of 15 carats at Eagle, Wi8Consin« mentioned h
Mr. Kunz, to the finding of one weighing 6 carats of purest water at Milford, Ohio, i
1897. A tenant fiurmer's wife kept the Eagle stone seven years as a curious thing, ao
without faith in the old-word "keep a thing seven years and turn it over," she sold it i
a Milwaukee man in the jewelry business for one dollar. The jeweler submitted it to s
expert, and was told that it was a diamond. Then the woman offered to repurchase
for $1.10, and being met with a refusal, she brought suit to recover its full valua Tl
case was finally carried to the Supreme Court of the State, where a decision was giv«
in favor of the jeweler on the ground that he, no less than the woman in whose well
had been found, and who had kept it as a curious thing seven years, had been ignorai
of the value of the gem when he bought for a dollar. That stone has been purchased I
Tiffany & Co. of New York, and is stUl uncut in the Tiffany collection. Another of ti
interesting incidents in the story of the Esbgle stone is, that the discovery of it led to tl
booming of the property for diamond minea In 1886 another stone was found by
fikrmer of Kohlsville, Wisconsin, while ploughing in his field, and it is still owned by li
widow. The weight is 21^ carats. In the years 1887, 1888 and 1889 the gravel bed
Plum creek in Wisconsin was prospected for gold, and ten or more diamonds were fooi
weighing from ^ carat to 2 carats each, besides a number of microscopic size. They we
associated in the water-worn gravel with garnets, gold and platinum. Some were ooU
leas, some bluish and others yellowish. Late in 1893 a wldte diamond weighing nearly
carats was brought to Prof. Uobbs by a farmer of Oregon,' 12 miles south of Madiao
The farmer's little son had found it while playing in a clay bank. It was this disoovei
that awakened the Professor's interest in the subject of diamonds, and to it wa s
Indebted for a number of valuable papers from his pen. Another diamond, reported
i^ ] Are there Diamonds in Ontario? i2i
bfebeen fonnd at Barlisgton, WisconBin, came into notice in 1893, bat no pardcalara
of it have been hamed. In 1894 a atone weighing almost 11 carats was found in the
gbidal drift at Dowagiac, Michigan, on the Michigan Oentral Railway, between Niles and
Kalamazoa The next leported find was in 1896, by a German farmer at Saakville,
Wiiconsio, bat it had been in his possession 15 or 16 years. It was a white diamond of
6} carata The latest discovery mentioned by Prof. Hobbs was the one at the town of
Milford, near Cincinnati. ** No less than seventeen identified diamonds/' he writea in
the Joomal of Geology, " varying in weight from ^ carat to 2 carats, have been discov-
ered in the region of the Great Lakes of North America. That a considerable namber
of others have been foand, which have not been reported because they have escaped
Identification, hardly admits of reasonable doabt when it is borne in mind that three of
the stones found (including the two of largest size) remained in the hands of the farming
population without their nature being discovered for periods of eight and one half, seven,
•nd over fifteen years respectively. If it were possible to visit all the houses in the lake
region," the Professor goes on to say, <* I have no doubt that many diamonds would be
dieoovered in the little collections of pebbles and local curios which accumulate on the
ikelves of country farm houses " We have all seen these little collections of ** lucky
stones," as they are often called — or at least all of us who have visited at or lived in
ooontry homes — and to help in distinguishing diamonds from other stones (for we in
Ontario are also in a morainic region) the following extract from Prof. Hobbs' paper in
Appleton's Monthly may prove useful :
" Diamonds never appear in thoroughly rounded forms like ordinary pebbles, for
tkey are too hard to be in the least degree worn by contact with their neighbors in the
gravel bed. Diamonds always show, moreover, distinct forms of crystals. They are
never in the least degree like crystals of quarts, which are, however, the onoB most fre-
qoenily con^unded with them. Most of the Wisconsin diamonds have either twelve or
forty-eight faces. Crystals of most minerals are bounded by plane surfaces — that is to
siy, th^ faces are flat — the diamond, however, is enclosed by distinctly curving surfaces.
Ihe one property of the diamond, however, which makes it easy of determination is its
extraordinary hardness — greater than that of any other mineral Pat in simple language,
the hardness of a substance may be described as its power to scratch other substances
▼hen drawn across them under pressure. To compare the hardness of two substances,
▼e ahould draw a sharp point of one across a surface of the other under a pressure of the
fingers, and note whether a permanent scratch is left The harder substances will always
scratch the softer, and if boUi have the same hardness they may be made to mutually
somtch each other. Since diamond, sapphire and ruby are the only minerals which are
harder than emery, they are the only ones which when drawn across a rough emery sur-
face, will not receive a scratch. Any stone which will not take a scratch from emery is
ft gem stone, and of sufficient interest to be referred to a competent mineralogist."
All of the dieunonds described in Prof. Hobbs' papers were obtained from deposits of
glacial drift, except those found in the bed of Plum creek, which is in the near vicinity
of glacial deposits. The localities of the discoveries are distributed over an area of 600
miles in length by 200 in breadth, and six or eight of them lie within an area of 200
milea sqoare, with its centre near Milwaukee. Another important point is, that nearly
sU the localities are upon or near to kettle moraines. But before going on to deal with
the probable source of the diamonds of these moraines, the question of origin will be con-
iiderod.
ORIGIN or DIAMONDS.
In the view of Dana and other authorities, the diamond has probably proceeded like
mineral coal and oil from the slow decomposition of vegetable material, or from anknal
matters which afford the requisite carbon. But it must have been formed under like
omditiona of heat as those which produced the metamorphism of argillaceous and siren-
aceoQS shales, and their auriferous qaartz veins, as it is found exclusively in gold regions
or im the ssuids derived from gold-bearing rocks. The schists that were altered at the
time may have previously been shales impregnated with petroleum, bitamen or other
oarbonaoeooa substances. In the humid oxydations of oarburetted hydrogen, D^na says,
the hydrogen is oxydfzed, part of the osurbon becomes carbonic add, and the rest remains
133 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
as caibon and may form crystallized diamond, just as snlphur is formed from hydrosal-
phoretted emanatione. It has be observed, however, that the diamond crystal often
contains microscopic cavities so nnmerons in some stones as to render them nearly blaok,
and under polarized light it shows t-videnoe of compression, " as if from pressure in the
included gas when the diamond was crystallized." In Brazil and the ITrals the stone
generally cccurs in regions having a laminated, granular, friable quartz rock called itaoo-
lumite, while in South Africa it is found in place in a matrix commonly known as blue
ground.
DIAMONDS IN SOUTH AFBIOA.
Hie first diamond workings in South Africa were commenced about a third of a cen-
tury ago, in the gravel beds of the Orange and Vaal rivers, and in 1870 the dry dig-
gins^s where the town of Kimberly now stands were discovered. Within a radius of 3^
miles four mines began to be workei under conditions unlike those of any other known
locality. What were at first supposed to be alluvial deposits were shown by the work-
ings to be the vents or pipes of extinct volcanoes. The smallest of the four, known as
De Beers mine, has a surface area of 22 acres, while the largest, known as Du Toits Pan,
has an area of 45 acrep. Operations were at first carried on by excavations of the dia-
mond-beating material, which for some distance from the surface was a soft yellowiah
earth that crumbled readUy when exposed. At 100 feet it became darker and harder,
acquiring a slate blue or dark green color, and resembled some varieties of serpentine.
It is greasy t9 the touch, like serpentine, and is full of fragments of slate and other
rocks. When exposed to the sun for some time it is readily crushed, and the diamonds
are extracted by washing. In the De Beers mine two years ago the lowest workings
had reached a depth of 1,500 feet, the method of mining adopted being tcisink a shaft
through the country rock and drive levels into the vent for stoping. In this way facili-
ties have been aflbrded for a study of the geology of tiie Kimberley mines, but the scien-
tists have not yet reached a stage of agreement upon all points. The shalea wliich form
the country rock underlie the district ft r many miles in every direction from the mines.
In the opinion of some authorities the carbon for the diamond was supplied by these
shales. The material of the neck, according to Prof Oarvill Lewis, is a dsork-green heavy
rock resembling a dense serpentine, in which one sees glistening platea of brown biotite,
small deep red garnets, large dark-green crystals or grains of olivine and bronzite, and a
large number of angular fragments of altered black shale, so abundant as to give the rock
a brecciated appearance. Olivine, he says, forms the most abundant constituent in the
rock, placing it among the peridocitee. There is also a large proportion of caldte, and
among other constituents are pyroxene minerals, titanic iron, mica, apatite, talc, chaloe-
dony, garnets and zeolites. In his second paper on the subject, read at the meeting of
the British Association in 1887, Prof. Lewis said that explorations of the preceding few
years had placed it beyond question that the serpentine rock called '* blue ground " was
in reality the matrix of the dismond. '* Recent investigations," he wrote, " seem to
place it beyond question that diamonds are as much a part of the Kimberly rocks as
biotite, garnet, titanic and chromic iron and perovskite, and that, like these minerals,
they may be considered as a rock ingredient. The fact that they continue jast as abun-
dant, if not more so, the deeper the mines are explored ; that they are never found in, or
especially associated with, the foreign inclusions of gneiss, granite or sandstone ; that
they are distributed abundantly through all parts of the rock ; and that in each of the
four principal mines the diamonds have distinctive features of color, lustre and shape,
are, with the microscopical evidence of the eruptive character of the rock, strong reasons
for holding that the diamonds now lie in their original matrix "^
On the other hand Prof. Bonney, the Geologist of University College, London, and
himself the editor of Prof. Lewis' papers, affirms in a paper read before the Boyal Society
last year that the blue grouDd is not the birthplace of the diamond, any more than i[
the olivine, garnets, pyroxenes and other minerals which it incorporates. A study of
^ Papers and Notes on the Oenesis and Matrix of the Diamond by the late Henry OarviU Lewia of
Philadelphia, edited from his unpublished MSS. by Prof. T. G. Bonney, p. 44.
i899 ] Are there Diamonds in Ontario? 133
«» ■ ., — . — «
■peeimeni of edogite from the Newlanda minea' has convinced him that the diamond is
«■ mndi a constituent of that rock as zircon may be of granite or syenita His position
la that neither the diamond was formed by the action of molten rock on carbonaoeons
material, nor produced in place by the action of steam or hot water in a sabseqaent
■olfatario stage of the volcano, but that it was formed like the garnets and pyroxenes *' in
■ome deep-seated holocrystalline mass which had not been Ecattered by explosion."
The oonatitnenta of the blue ground, Prof. Bonney says, are chiefly waterwom pebbles of
crjatalline and sedimentary rocks, aud probably have been supplied from the conglomer-
atOi which onderlies the Kim^eiley or Karoo shales, and is supposed to be of Permian or
Fermio-carboniferons aga " If this deposit has supplied the boulders, the date of the
genesis of the diamond is carried back at the very least to Palsdszoic ages, and possibly
to a still earlier era in the earth's history." This is as far as the EngliiSi professor goes.
He does not suggest that the diamond was always diamond, nor that it is anything else
than pure orystaliz^d carbon. And he does not gainsay the utility of volcanic force as
an sigeBoy in the distribution of diamonds, even if, through the dynamics of heat and
preaniMy it had no lot or part in their genesis. It was the Kimberly volcanoes, or
othen like them, which brought to the earth's surface the dUmouds first discovered in
South Afrba, in the lower valleys of the Vaal Hnd Orange rivers.
Seientlfio theories are full of interest, especially when they are founded upon observed
faots ; bnt although diamonds are said to have been produced in the laboratories of two or
thiee men, no eye has witnessed the operation of the process in the alembics of Nature.
We can gather and collate data, however, and in the clear light of facts and couditions we
may reason our way to sane, if not to positive conclusions. And having, as I think,
bailfe up a good working hypothesis, I come back to the question,
ABE THERE DIAMONDS IN ONTARIO?
It has been conclusively shown that there are diamonds in the glacial drif 6 of Wis-
consin, Michigan and Ohio, for they have been found there. It has been conclusively
established, also, that during the ice age the materials of the drift were borne down into
those States from the highlands of Ontario, for many of the stones, pebbles and gravels,
oonstitating the drift are iaentical in composition and structure with varieties of ice-
phned oountry rock which abound in regions northward of the Qreat Lakes. From
Ungava territory east of Hudson bay and Keewatin territory west of it two great
mantleB of ice, moving south and southwest, shoved before them and carried with them
all the disintegrated rocks, clays, sands, gravels and boulders of every size. Whatever
was looee on the face of the earrh, those ice sheets gathered up in their huge folds, to be
broken and csushed and pulverized, and to be dumped off as one would unload a cart,
loores or maybe hundreds of miles from the parent rock. The terminal moraiue which
marks the southerly limit of the ice field has been clearly traced across the States of
Few York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin ; but there are
many moraines of recession whose positions are not so well known. One of the most
important of these lies almost at our own door, known as the Oak Ridges in some Fections
of it, and in others as the Pine Ridges. It extends across the counties of York,
Ontario^ Durham and Northumberland, but our geologists have hardly looked at it yet.
Mention is made of it here merely to point out t^t it is very largely composed of
naterials derived from the rocks nearest to it — from the Hudson River, XJtica, Trenton
lad Black River formations. There are, of course, many fragments of crystalline rocks
from the older formations, but as far as I have observed the great body of the moraine
has been built up with the debris of local rocks. The moranic ridires acound Rochester,
in New York State, are composed largely of material from the Medina sandstones and
3 At these mines in West GriquaUnd the workmen occassionally come across well rounded and
boolder-like masses, some of which are a foot in diameter, of crystalline rock studded with garnets, and
the specimens studied by P*«f. Bonney were from these mines. One of them which contained a number
of imbedded diamonds is described as a coarse grained rock, apparently composed of two green-colored
whuBtwlM, one darker than the other (but possibly only different states of the same mineral) and of ridi
rcsm-pink oolored garnets, varying in size from a hemp seed to a pea, with slightly irregular distribution.
Tottisg aaide the ofiamonds, the rock in its unaltered condition is a crystalline mixture of chrome-diopeide
snd giiiiet, with a few small enclosures of olivine, being a variety of eclogite and of igneous origin. "Take
■WSJ the alkali from a magma with the chemical composition of a diorite, and the result would be gpamets
a plaoe of felspar, i,e, an eclogite."
124 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
ahales ; and the terminal moraine in Pennsylvania consifta ohieflj of rock and earth »
carried down fiom formations which outcrop either in the northern counties of that State
or from southern and central New York. There are, of course, many boulders and
pebbles of Archsean formations, and I do not doubt that a good percentage are of
Canadian origin. I have noticed, indeed, that when an American geologist comes upon
a boulder of granite, or gneiss, or quartzite, he calls it a " Canadian." The &ot 11
obvious, however, that glacial drift is not in the mass borne very long distances ; and it
would require good evidence to sustain the opinion of Prof. Hobbs that the mondnei of
Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin in which diamonds have been found are constmoted oat
of materials carried upon ice or shoved forward by it a distance of 700 miles from the
tableland of XJngava ^
We have not been looking for diamonds in Ontario, although Dr. Lawson and Dr.
Coleman some time ago suggested the probabUity that they might be found in the Baby
Lake region. In his report on the geology of that region Dr. Lawson wrote : *< The
occurrence of bosses of serpentine suggests the possibility of diamonds, and some enter-
prising prospector may yet be rewarded for a close examination of the vicinity of the I
serpentine rocks indicated on the map, or of others that may be discovered* particularly
if they be found near the carbonaceous schists that sometimes occur in the Keewatin.^* '
In these Eeewatin rocks Dr. Lawson found evidence at several points of extinct
volcanoes, one or two of which were of immense siza Dr. Coleman alluded to the matter
in the Fourth Report of the Bureau of Mines, and in the Seventh Report he referred to
the widespread occurrence of slates in the Keewatin, some of which have a graphitic look.
He mentions one sample analyzed by Dr. Adams which gave 7.44 per cent, of earbon.
But it will be said that these localities are too far west to supply drift material even for
Wisconsin, as the direction of ice movement there was southwest. A locality in which
conditions equally favorable are presented is the north shore of lake Superior^ around
Thunder cape, where there is a thickness of not less than 1,000 feet of Animikie slate,
cut through by numerous dikes of dioiite, with intrusive sheets of the same material
which Lawson has shown to be laccolite dlls. Logan counted thirteen of these dikes
parallel to each other in a width of two mUes, one of which has a thickness of 200 feet,
and referring to the chert layers at Thunder bay in the report for 1846-7 he wrote:
« Some of the chert bands appear to be made up of a multitude of minute^ irregular,
closely aggregated sub-globular forms, floating as it were in the siliceous matrix, and
anthracite appears to be present in some of these, leading to the supposition that the
color of the black chert, even where the sub-globular forms are not detected, may be
owing to the presence of carbon." Another interesting fact is mentioned by Madarlane^
who found plumbago with copper, iron and magnetic pyrites on P)ritic island, and that
frequently large patches of the veinstone of Silver Islet were impregnated with graphite.*
In conditions like these, where carbonaceous slates have been subjected to the infla-
ence of molten rock in the forms of dikes and sills under great pressure, I think we
ought to look for diamonds and expect to find them. The likelihood is not less in a large
dike than in a volcano neck, if one of the theories on the origin of diamonds is true ; and
we have been treated to too many surprises by new discoveries within the last ten years
in Ontario to be deterred or dismayed by the man who says a diamond has never yet
been found in a dike or a sill in a formation of carbonaceous slate. But there are niimO'
rous other localities in northern Ontario besides the region of Thunder Cape, where iia*
like circumstances diamonds might possibly occur. I mention only one, the townahip oC
Balfour near Sudbury, where a vein of anthradtic carbon was discovered four yean ag^
in a formation of fissile slate. Analyses made by Dr. Ellis showed the vein matter t(^
give 7.42 per cent, of fixed carbon and the slate 6.8 per cent Samples of slate from th9
same region recently analysed gave as high as 13 per cent of carbon.
3 OwiDgr to their extreme hardness dlMnondi would be aflfeoted in very slight degree by wew and I
of glacial action \ bat as the ice was constantly losing part of its load, especially upon the ioothem slope nM
ranges of rooks, it is hitfdly conceivable that stones the size of diamonds would be carried the long di i t a ao i^
of 700 miles.
< Report on the Geology of the Rainy Lake Region, by Andrew C. Lawson, p. 180 IT. Geo. Bar.
Report, 1887.
• The Canadian Naturalist, vol iv, New Series, pp. 461-46S.
NI YEN'S BASE LINE, 1899
By William A. Parks
Che 120fch mile poflt of the Nipissing-AlKoma boandary is sitaated some dietanoe
of the height of land, in the vicinity of Night Hawk lake. In the aammer of 1899,
inder Niven, 0. L. S , was despatched ander the authority of the Commissioner of
a Lands to mn a base line from this point dae west, a distance of aboat 1 20 miles,
ssanabie lake. Under inatrnctions from Archibald Blae, Director of the Bareau of
I, I accompanied this survey to report on the geological and topographical features
B region, as well as its soil, timber, water powers, drainafi^ and various minor fea-
By taking advantage of the numerous water courses, crossing the country north
louth, a considerable area was explored, and by following the Indian canoe routes
!en the rivers valuable geographical knowledge was obtained. In vie ir of the very
rect maps now existing, a more accurate description of these cross routes should prove
tat value.
Accompanied by Mr. H. S. Michie of Fergus, who acted as my assistant during the
ler, the party arrived at Matagama Station on the 0. P. R , early in the morning of
bh day of June. From this point we proceeded by an excellent canoe route to Fort
igami, and thence to our starting point, the 120th mile post on the Nipissing-Algoma
lary. A description of the territory traversed by this route will form the first divi-
>f the report proper.
rhe line ended a short distance west of Missanabie lake, and I was able to report in
ito on Sept. 21. On the map accompanying this description I am able to vouch for
xuracy of the plans described in the text ; some other routes are shown, which I
'e to be substantially correct, but which I have not been able to verify by personal
ration.
ROUTE TO FORT MATTAGAMI.
Che canoe route leaves the railway a short distance east of Mattagama station, on the
side of the track. It is represented by a small creek, about ten feet wide, flowing
»ximately parallel to the railway, in a northwest direction, and expanding in places
shallow marshes. This stream crosses to the north of the line, about a mile west of
igama, and passes into the Spanish river. At this point are seen Laurentian outcrops,
Bented by pink and gray granites with included fragments, the whole fading imper-
)ly into gneiss. One half mUe up the Spanish river is a small rapid over gneiss,
a short portage on the easterly side. A mile above is a small rapid, requiring no
ga On proceeding a short distance above this point a lake-like expansion is seen,
a waterfall visible straight ahead. The route, however, does not follow the river in
lirection, which leads to Biscotasing, but turns off to the right, and at a distance of
or four mUes down stream arrives at a gorge in pink granite, passed by a short port-
>n the east side. Twenty chains lower occurs a haavy fall, with a somewhat longer
^e on the right hand side. Below the portage we cross the river, and keeping the
bore again start up stream. This alternation of up and down stream is at first very
sing, and almost inexplicable. It is owing to the existence of a large island in the
sh river, and to the fact tbat this stream is composed of two branches.
3n both sides of the river below the last mentioned portage an interesting series of
mtian rocks is exposed. First is seen a highly hornblendic granite with numerous
and concretions, followed by undoubted gneiss which is capped by a fine pink erup-
almost destitute of any ferro magnesian constituent A simUar eruptive occurs on
ft side of the river, rising into hills of some height; it is much mixed with gneiss,
hows many varieties, varying from a binary granite to a coarse highly hornblendic
pie of the same rock.
9*rom Mattagami to this point the usual timber of this northern country has been in
ace ; chiefly spruce, poplar, birch and tamarao. Here however, and for some distance
) north, areas of pine occur, and large stretches indicate having once been ooFered
Jiat timber, though now presenting only scrub and fire-aw^^it tot%aVA«
[12B1
126 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
After tnrniDg to the ]eft around the point below the last portage, we asoend a river-
like Btretoh with a conple of rapids, after which for 25 miles we follow a eeries of narrow
lakep, in a direction almost due north. The npper Spanish riirer pine area may be aaid
to more or less continuously surround theee lakes. Some timber has been out on these
ranges, but I am told that the venture did not prove a financial success. As far as I was
able to observe, both here and at other points in the region, the timber is undeisize, a
two-foot tree being the maximum, with the average considerably lower.
The rock throughout this stretch is gneiss, in places very granitic ; the soenery on
the whole is bold, hills of 100 to 200 feet being frequently visible from the water. The
soil is scanty and mostly represented by sand. From the last of this series of lakes the
route follows a small and very swift creek for about two miles to a lake of a mile in
length, also due north. Here we cross a 10 chain portage 20^ w. of n. to a little lake of
beautifully clear water, indicating our proximity to the height of land. The roek on bolh
oreek and lake is chiefly gneiss, but exposures of porphyritic granite are seen, as well as a
dike of diorite, 100 yards wide, striking b. and w., and crossing the creek valley near its
upper end.
The last mentioned lake as well as the one below it ushers us into an area of burnt
sandy territory, which continues, with some interruptions, a long distance to the north and
west. A little to the left of the end of the last portage on &e small olear-water lakey
another canoe route connects with this one ; this route leads to Bisootasing, and is gener-
ally used by Indians travelling light ; but, as it necessitates some long portages, it is not
suitable for heavy freighting, ^ter crossing this lake, we make another 20-ohain port-
age into a lake about a mile long, from the jBxtreme northern end of which a portage two
miles in length, 30^ e. of n., brings us to Kapismapenaceke lake. This portage traverses
coarse sand and gravel, all burnt, but young pitch pine bid fair to again clothe the region
in green.
Some exposures of gray and pink porphyritic gneiss are seen on this portage ; the
average strike points to a general east and west arrangement of the rocks. In the viohii^
of Kapismapenaceke lake, outcrops of rock are not frequent, the surfaoe oonaiflting
exclusively of coarse sand and gravel, from which the old forest has been entirely removed
by fire ; some few red pine on the islands point to the previous condition of the country.
From the northern end of this lake a route leads to Mesumekenda lake and thence to
Kenogaming. The trail to Mattagami turns off to the right as shown on the nmpi and
descends a small creek with some rapids to Muskegogama lake (Swampy lake).
Just before entering the lake a belt of rocks is encountered, striking N. 30* w., and
presenting examples of diorite and diorite schbts.
Muskegogama lake is in all about five miles long, and is for the most part surrounded
by green bush. The river out bears the same name, and is interrupted a short distance
down by a fairly heavy rapid, making necessary a short portage (3 chains) on the right
hand side. The rock here is diorite. Twenty chains more of river brings us to another
rapids and a ten- chain portage, also on the easterly side. The rock here may be either
granite or gneiss, and is crossed n.e. and b.w. by veins of a finegrained eruptive^ probably^
diabase. From here to the next portage is about two miles, the lower jMurt of which is.
swampy, while the upper part shows granite and gneiss crossed by numerous dikes of
diorite. This portage is made to avoid a long series of rapids, and is about one and three —
quarters of a mile in length, over sandy soil well covered with small timber, pitch pinflP»
predominatbg. This trail enteis at the southern end of Minniesinaqua lake (Wooded^
Islands). We follow this lake for 25 or 30 miles, making a turn at right angles about^
half way down. It has green shores for the most part, but only an occasional pine. Oia^
entering the lake we encounter a dark green massive diorite, which soon gives plaoe U^
various Hnronian schists, which alternate with granites and other rocks, all much oontortecl-
and sltered. True pink gneiss occurs at the point where the Iske turns to the east, moA
although gneiss occurs in places on the south arm, Huronian schists and diorites, togetheic
with more or less crashed granites and felsites, form the main country rocks. A Bhor€>
description of these rocks follows : —
Dioiites : Dark and light green, the latter entirely altered under the mioroacopav
showing little but kaolin and a fibrous ic distinct derivative of hornblende.
ScbiBtB : Light gray and olive colored rather hard examples, showing little but fine
quartz under the instrument. Also a daik ^Teen w\i\lQ ai^oVX.^ Naxl^ty*
1899 ] Niven'^s Base Line, 1899 127
r^lZII^Qraiiitea : Pink and red, more or low crashed, showing strained qnartz, altered
orthodase, and with the original mica converted into magnetite and indistinct p oiacte.
Felsitei : Fine grained, and weathering: qaite white.
Passing down the Minniesinaqaa river we run a small rapid, and two miles below
another. Jnst beyond this we make a 60 ch. portage on the east side, over gneiss and
sand (Fishing rapid portage). Below the portage is scne roagh water to run, and almost
immediately we enter the Mattagami river, or, as it called by the Indians, Na pow qaa-zl
river.
From the junction of the two streams to Fort Mattagami is about five miles, the
latter half of which is lake. -Green shores are continuous, and the soil deep, only a few
exposures of gneiss being seen. The post is beautifully situated on the point dividing
the two southern arms of the lake. This is an old and important location of the Hudson's
Bay Oo., and although the present buildings are comparatively new the post has been in
existence for 200 years.
To the east of the post a long bay of 10 miles stretches almost due south. Its shores
for the most part are rocky and well timbered, but no pine is seen. The northern end
presents exposures of gneiss and bands of mica schist and felsite, while to the south a
more granitic aspect is apparent in the rocks. Towards the extreme south end the granite
beoomes very coarse and porphyritic, and is followed on the easterly side by gray and
green spotted micaceous schists ; also seiicitic chists mixed with granite and felsite. Below
these exposures are bands of intensely crushed and sheared granites, followed by a high
hill praaenting Huronian schists and a pronounced volcanic coaglomerate, with bombs of
granite varying from two feet in diameter to microscopic dimensioup. A.11 these rocks
strike nearly east and west. From the peak of the bay a mile and a half portage over a
•sndy and hilly country brings us to a small lake of clear water, forming the first step on
Uie lonte to Na powqua zi lake and river. On the east side of the bay, about half way
from the post, a stream enters in a narrow inlet. This is the head of an old canoe route
to Mataohewan, and thence to Temiscaming ; owing to extensive windfalls in the spring
of 1899 this route has been rendered practically impassable. Indians now making the
loarney go by the Gull lake, or winter road.
The northern branch of Mattagami lake is about 20 milfs long, and seldom
exceeds a half mile in width, while the average is even less than that. Many high rocky
hills approach the shore line ; these bluffs are composed of granite or gneiss, perhaps bothj
inst-nsibly merging i^to each other. No other rocks were seen on the stretch.
Kenogamissee portage, of a half mile on the west side, connects this lake with Keno-
gamissee lake (Long lake), which stretches 25 miles to the north and is in nearly all
respects similar to Mattagami lake. The rocks, however, show a little more variety. At
the portage the water rushes over a bed of gneiss, but a dike of diorite runs along the
west shore ; another such dike infringes on the lake, about six miles down, and is perhaps
aocoontable for the narrows at that point Six miles below this we find crushed granite
anti mica and hornblende schists, with fine pink granite and felsite. These rocks are fol-
lowed to the north by soft Huronian mica schists striking b. 10^ n., and dipping 30^ from
the vertical to the northwest This narrow belt is not continuous, but gives place to the
Ubual granitic gneisp, which however is occasionally interrupted by intrusive granites and
greenstones to the loot of the lake.
The Mattagami river breaks out of the foot of Kenogamissee lake through a gorge in
which the water is extremely rough, rendering necessary a mile portage on the east side.
On this trail are seen soft schists with quartz, striking n.w. and b.b , and dipping almost
vertically. Below the portage the traveller is advised to crops immediately to the west
side, and run fairly close to that shore into the bay below. In this bay a strong eddy
runs up the east side, whence the name of the rapids and portage, Wawiatan (Edd}).
On the shores of both these long lakes some few pines, both red and white, were
noted, where the country had not been burned, but I doubt if the size of the timber or its
abundance would ever warrant a camp for its removal.
Pine may be said to be practically absent from the country north of the Wawiatan
poitage. For seven or eight miles the river proceeds with rather a stiff current to the
Omeemee (Pigeon) rai^ids. Here a portage is required only in very low water ; in high
water cothing but a stiong current is obaerved. On this stretch we pass the mouths of
two considerable streams, the Grassy river on the ri^ht aud ^Vai^i^K» o^^vmaX**^ xXi^'^^x.^-
126 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
After tarning to the ]eft around the point below the last portage, we asoend a rivflr ]
like atretoh with a couple of rapids, after which for 25 miles we follow a series of nanow '.
lakes, in a direction almost due north. The upper Spanish riirer pine area may be nid
to more or less continuously surround these lakes. Some timber has been cut on then
ranges, but I am told that the venture did not prove a financial success. As far as I wm
able to observe, both here and at other points in the region, the timber is undersixe^ a
two-foot tree being the maximum, with the average considerably lower.
The rock throughout this stretch is gneiss, in places very granitic ; the scenery on
the whole is bold, hills of 100 to 200 feet being frequently visible from the water. The
soil is scanty and mostly represented by sand. From the last of this series of lakes the
route follows a small and very swift creek for about two miles to a lake of a mile in
length, also due north. Here we cross a 10 chain portage 20^ w. of n. to a little lake ol
beautifully clear water, indicating our proximity to the height of land. The roek on botk
oreek and lake is chiefly gneiss, but exposures of porphyritic granite are seen, as well as a
dike of diorite, 100 yards wide, striking b. and w., and crossing the creek valley near iU
upper end.
The last mentioned lake as well as the one below it ushers us into an area of biiiiifc
sandy territory, which continues, with some interruptions, a long distance to the north and
west. A little to the left of the end of the last portage on &e small clear-water laks^
another canoe route connects with this one ; this route leads to Biscotasing, and is gBuat'
ally used by Indians travelling light ; but, as it necessitates some long portages, it is nol
suitable for heavy freighting. After crossing this lake, we make another 2()-ohain port-
age into a lake about a mile long, from the jBxtreme northern end of which a portage two
miles in length, 30^ e. of n., brings us to Kapismapenaceke lake. This portage tiaioisia
ooarse sand and gravel, all burnt, but young pitch pine bid fair to again clothe the region
in green.
Some exposures of gray and pink porphyritic gneiss are seen on this portage; the.
average strike points to a general east and west arrangement of the rocks. In the viofaiilf
of Kapismapenaceke lake, outcrops of rock are not frequent, the surfaoe oonaistiM|
exclusively of coarse sand and gravel, from which the old forest has been entirely remom
by fire ; some few red pine on the islands point to the previous condition of the oountiy.
From the northern end of this lake a route leads to Mesumekenda lake and thenoe ta
Kenogaming. The trail to Mattagami turns off to the right as shown on the map, and
deacends a amall oreek with some rapids to Muskegogama lake (Swampy lake).
Just before entering the lake a belt of rocks is encountered, striking H. SO* w., and
presenting examples of diorite and diorite schists.
Muskegogama lake is in all about five miles long, and is for the most part surroondBl
by green bush. The river out bears the same name, and is interrupted a short diatanas
down by a fairly heavy rapid, making necessary a short portage (3 chains) on the rUht
hand side. The rock here is diorite. Twenty chains more of river brings ua to anottar
rapids and a ten- chain portage, also on the easterly side. The rook here may be etthpr
sranite or gneiss, and is crossed n.e. and b.w. by veins of a finegrained eruptive^ ptohablj
diabase. From here to the next portage is about two miles, the lower part of nUioh tt
swampy, while the upper part shows granite and gneiss crossed by nnmeroiiu dikaa of
diorite. Thb portage ia made to avoid a long series of tApid^, and is about quo and tlufC
quarters of a mile in length, over sandy soil well covered with small timber, pitch pli?^
predominating. This trail enteis at the southern end of Miniiiaaiiiatiaa lake (Woo<ii^>
Islands). We follow this lake for 25 or 30 miles, making a torn at right angles al'
half way down. It has green shores for the most parr, bat only an occasioDal pine,
entering the lake we encounter a dark green maBaive diorite. which goon gtTOS plfa^c
various Huronian schists, which alternate with granitee and other rocks, all mueh 1
and altered. True pink gneips occurs at the point wbere the like turns
although gneiss occurs in places on the south arra^ Huronian aohfaia and
with more or less crushed granites and felsites, form the
description of these rocks follows : —
Dioiites : Dark and light green, the latter entir
showing little but kaolin and a fibrous in distinct deriv
Sctiists : Light gray and olive colored rather h<
guartz under the instrument. Also a datk green wb
ne. ^
I pl&L^ra
aoat' nB
1^ #
i899
:;UGranites: ?.!.£: b- •«. -
)rthocla8e, and win ui- ?r.ruk* z
Felaitea: F.l* r*» •-:•••- «•-
PasaiDs; dc»*i "-i:- J'— :.*.:i
nother. Just .fr?:.: :_i w -_^
and < Fiahiag ra:.: : •• *?
aimed iitely wr ti:*" ti- .-l:-.^i.
iver.
From the li/ : ?i r n- -r
itter half of wr-.L :e l, -- --».
xpcaurea of ffLt-^w •••:-. — -.
he two aouthtri. fc'-z - :.• .«i
Jay Oo., and bta:*-;-: :l- :-t-i
xiatence for -.•. •-*■-
To th*f -*t: :■: : ■ -. >-
or the mofct p*— b-- ' - ^«
)refi»ints expos --t;? - ri- .? *. .
nore graniti: fcE;**-:* .■ :.: jt--: .
)ecoaiea very jo.-r- ol : t. ■
jprren apott^a z... •».- .. - i •
Lheae expc sires t-- ■•.l^ : .i.*._
hill present iLg Hu-^ij^: r :
granite v^rjiij I-:-- -^ -
Btrike nearly *»p: «.:.: »—:
sandy and hiV* .xil:-- -:.! .
the roote to I* vv .-_. ^j ^
from the p^a:. a r.r-»L •?: -
to MatachewikL c,l. :>f.
of lti99 th> roc;* L;. -- «t-^--
journey go "r.y i- .. **,
The L.orti*f-: -j;. __.
eiceeda a La.f u .• .; «:
hills approb'.i *-ii- si.- ..
ins^nKiVjIy Zi-rg-L: :- . -- .
KenoL'au.ii»e«- ..-i^
gamifsaee .»e* Iv... ^
reapecta ein. *fc* ■. . _ ^^ .
the portagf- i^* »*>- -^..
west ahor* h^ziv.it^ . .. _
acconntab> fo* .if ^— ■
an^ mica a:^s l'jti .«:. ■ ^
lowed to th*: iiv • » ^-^
the vertichl •: ;^ ^-^^ .
u*>ual graniii'. izi-*. •^— _
greenstonee it :«. -
The Mb:w««. - -
which the t**-- . ^y^
On this trai ar..,s:.;
vertically, j^ar .>
tide, and :
'Si
ia8 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
ti-ohap-i-ka. The shores of the Grassy shoir oontiaaoas sands hills as far as o bam rsd.
The carrent is very swift, and bat feir portages are reqaired to reach Peter Long's laka
The lower four or five miles of the Taiatichapika river are almost continaons rapids ; to
avoid these a portage above the Wawiatan rapids connects the river with Kenogamissso
lake. This portage forms the head of a route to Kenogaming and the Gtonnd Hog rirer.
For the plan of this route as shown on the map I am indebted to Mr. Jos. Moore of Fori
Mattagaml This river drains Great Pike, Misquamable (Red Sucker) and Tatatichap-
ika lakes. Owing to a thick covering of sand exposures of rook are not frequent on the
river ; where seen, however, they indicate a osntinuoiis Huronian area. At the Pigeon
rapids hard schists of a light olive green color are mixed with some softer kinds, coa-
tainiQg quartz, aa auay of which resulted in a strong trace of gold, possibly twj doUin
per ton.
The line at 16 m. 20 ch. crosses the Mattagami four or five miles below
mee raj^ids. Some distance above the line at a point where the river curves to the wssl^
a portage leads into Water-hen lake. This trail ascends a river bank of some heiight» sad
then follows a level sandy country with small pitch pine to the lake. Around and beyond
this lake the country is low and somewhat swampy. The line passes dose to the norlk
em end of the lake, and at about this point leaves the larger spruce and popis
timber, and enters an area of tamarack and spruce scrub. Expeditions in varioiu dbeSK
tions revealed an essentially similar country, with burnt areas and windfall for
distance.
From the line to Southeast Bend brook is three or four miles. Just below this 1
is the head of the first portage to Night Hawk lake, which will be described later. Below
this point the liver cDUtinues north for four miles, and then turns sharp to the west tor
about five miles, bringing us to a series of heavy rapids. The traveller should keep the
west shore and run into a creek entering just above the rapids ; here a 15 oh. portage
enables him to pass. A small island breaks this rapid, and it may be run to the left of
the island in light canoes. A mile of swift water brings us to the second portage, also
on the west side and about 15 ch. long. Care is reqaired below this portage, as Uiere is
some bad water to run near the west shora It is advisable to keep well out on nearing
the end of an island seen in the river, and then cross to the east side below it ; here will
he found the third and last portage, the sandy portage proper, known to the Indians as
Kiskeqvamo. The series of rocks presented at these rapids is as follows : Hard gray
schists at first portage. Below, a coarse gray, somewhat schistose rock, composed of
quarts, felspar and pearly mica, apparently an altered quartz diorite or porphyrite. At
Uie top of the second portage : Hard schists and some softer varieties with streaks of
quartz, all striking n. 60^ w. At the foot of the portage a dike of massive green diorite
strikes n. 20° w.
At the last portage we find fine grained gray quartz schists, with some pyrite and
streaks of quartz ; an assay from here gave traces of gold.
On all three portages the soil is sand, but below we commence to encounter Ae
clay belt. Some small clay areas have already been seen, bat clay now begins tor th^
first time to constitute the main soil. It is interrupted by some sand at various places
as far as the Kamiskotaia Sagaigan river, where it seems to become continuous. Below
this stream the Mattagami is about four chains wide, with gentle current for ten or
twelve miles, beyond which it was not explored. The shores here are continuoualy low,
and show clay soil with poplar, birch and spruce, and only occasional exposures of Huron-
ian schists and massive diorites.
BOUTK TO KAMISKOTAIA LAKE. ,
The Kamiskotaia river enters the Mattagami on the west side, about six miles below^
the three sandy portages. It ia about 40 ft wide at its mouth, but its navigability im
interrupted by rapids. Only a short distance up we portage on the south side, and jns^
beyond are forced to carry on the north side to avoid a heavy fall. A halt mile alK>T9
this fall is another rapid ; jast below it we enter a creek on the south side, and make 9^
60 ch. portage to another stream, also a tributary of this rWer. On this portage ooonntf
a peculiar hard schistose rock, striking a litUe south of east. It presents various shaded
^//yiiiir and ^freen, and weathers out with white dots, owing to a decomposed felspar
4-1, Indinii ClnldifU at Ftut Maltatfaiiii, i». 12o.
4.'). Thrcf iJt'Mv rat ions at Kort Matta(;aiin. p. r2.'>
ia8 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
ti-chap-i-ka. The shores of the Grassy shoir oontiaaoas sands hills as tar as obMrred
The carrent is very swift, and bat few portages are reqaired to reach Peter Long's laka
The lower four or five miles of the Tatatiohapika riyer are almost oontinnons rapids ; to
avoid these a portage above the Wawiatan rapids connects the river with Kenogaminso
lake. This portage forms the head of a route to Kenogaming and the Gtonnd Hog river.
For the plan of this route as shown on the map I am indebted to Mr. Jos. Moore of Fori
MattagamL This river drains Great Pike, Misquamabie (Red Sucker) and Tatatioliap-
ika lakes. Owing to a thick covering of sand exposures of rock are not frequent on the
river ; where seen, however, they indicate a cDntinuoas Huronian area. At the Pigeon
rapids hard schists of a light olive green color are mixed m^ith some softer kinlst oon-
tainiug quartz, an a»ay of which resulted in a strong trace of gold, possibly tW3 doUsn
per ton.
The line at 16 m. 20 ch. crosses the Mattagami four or five miles below
mee rapids. Some distance above the line at a point where the river curves to the wesli
a portage leads into Water-hen lake. This trail ascends a river bank of some height^ sad
then follows a level sandy country with small pitch pine to the lake. Around and bejond
this lake the country b low and somewhat swampy. The line passes dose to the north-
em end of the lake, and at about this point leaves the larger spruce and po^ai
timber, and enters an area of tamarack and spruce scrub. Expeditions in variom dbe^
tions revealed an essentially similar country, with burnt areas and windfall for
distance.
From the line to Southeast Bend brook is three or four miles. Just below this 1
is the head of the first portage to Night Hawk lake, which will be described later. Below
this point the liver CDutinues north for four miles, and then turns sharp to the west tor
about five miles, bringing us to a series of heavy rapids. The traveller should keep the
west shore and run into a creek entering just above the rapids ; here a 15 oh. portage
enables him to pass. A small island breaks this rapid, and it may be run to the left of
the island in light canoes. A mile of swift water brings us to the second portage, also
on the west side and about 15 ch. long. Care is req^iired below this portage, as there is
some bad water to run near the west shora It is advisable to keep well out on nearing
the end of an island seen in the river, and then cross to the east side below it ; here wiS
he found the third and last portage, the sandy portage proper, known to the Indians as
Kiskequamo. The series of rocks presented at these rapids is as follows : Hard gray
schists at first portage. Below, a coarse gray, somewhat schistose rock, composed of
quarts, felspar and pearly mica, apparently an altered qoartz diorite or porphyrite. At
the top of the second portage : Hard schiiBts and some softer varieties with streaks of
quartz, all striking n. 60^ w. At the foot of the portage a dike of massive green diorite
strikes n. 20° w.
At the last portage we find fine grained gray quartz schists, with some pyrite and
streaks of quartz ; an assay from here gave traces of gold.
On all three portages the soil is sand, but below we commence to encounter Ae
clay belt. Some small clay areas have already been seen, but clay now begins for th»
first time to constitute the main soil. It is interrupted by some sand at various places
as far as the Kamiskotaia Sagaigan river, where it seems to become continuous. Below
this stream the Mattagami is about four chains wide, with gentle current for ten or
twelve miles, beyond which it was not explored. The shores here are continuously low,
and show clay soil with poplar, birch and spruce, and only occasional exposures of Huron-
ian schists and massive diorites.
BOUTK TO KAMISKOTAIA LAKE. ^
The Kamiskotaia river enters the Mattagami on the west side, about six miles below^
the three sandy portages. It ia about 40 ft wide at its mouth, but its navigpkbility iiP-
interrupted by rapids. Only a short distance up we portage on the south side, and jns^
beyond are forced to carry on the north side to avoid a heavy fall. A half mile abover
this fall is another rapid ; just below it we enter a creek on the south side, and make 9^
60 ch. portage to another stream, also a tributary of this r^'ver. On this portage oooor^
a peculiar hard schistose rock, striking a litUe south of east. It presents various sliaJini^
^//yioir and ^freen, and weathers out with white dots, owing to a decomposed febpar*
44. Indian Children at Foi-t MattA^irtinii, i>. 1*25.
45. Three Generations at Fort MattaKanii, p. 125
10. Canoeinjf near Hei^^ht of Laiui in Al^^oiua DiMtrict.
47. Packinir Supplies in Northern Al|foma3
1999 ] Niven's BAsm Une, I899 ^S9
ioroecopioally it shows a Tory fine grained ■tniottire, and oontisti prinoipallj of quartz
id a fine tarbid decompoeed ingredient. TUs rock rnna np into a hill of owisiderable
light, from the rammit of which several such conical hills are visible, particularly to
e north and west, giving a characteristic appearance to this region. From the end of
is portage, we ascend the creek through a low and swampy country for about a mile
id a half, and make a portage about north to a second stream which flows out of
smlskotaia lake. On this stream are seen massive green diorites and fine grained gray
d green schists, the latter probably altered diorites
Kamiskotaia lake is a fine body of water of from two to three miles in diameter, and
ntaining several rocky islands. The took at the head of the river is a hard massive
een to black rock, resembling diorite, but it contains a large amount of quartz. Under
B microscope it shows decomposed plagioclase crystals and blebs of quanz, all imbedded
a fine grabied matrix, consisting largely of quartz with minute grains of a dark altera-
m. product. It is probably an altered quartz diorite.
BOUTE TO NIGHT HAWK LAKB.
The first portage to Night Hawk lake leaves the Mattagami river, as above indicated
ar the Southeast iitend brook ; it runs due east about one and three-quarter miles. After
sending a slight elevation, the trail leads through a rather wet country, well timbered
th good sized spruce and poplar. For about a mile it then mounts a little higher, and
ntinues for the rest of its length over dry sandy soil, with pitch pine. A very small
ke succeeds, and then a short portage north to a larger lake about one and a half miles
length. This lake presents some bold blufis on the easterly side, mostly diorites, with
bes of pyrite and streaks of quartz, but on the westerly shore fine gray schists with
rrite and soft whitish examples, all striking n.b. andsw. The route does not lead
rough the lake, but follows the east shore around a point and a* small island to the next
irtage of 20 ch. s.b. The next lake is shallow, and rock outcrops occur only at the eastern
kd near the portage, which is one and three-quarter miles long, about east and very
ugh. Fairly heavy timber occurs here, poplar and spruce and some ce iar of good size.
From west to east the following series of rocks is presented : A soft schist, weatheiing
isty, fine and resembling qa^rtzlte across the planes, but pearly on the partings.
A green and purple schist, the matrix so fine grained as to resist any resolution into
nstituents, spotted with white porphyritic dots of decomposed felspar. Light green
tered diorite and diorite schists. Soft and rusty schists, as at western end. Quartz
cnrs at various places, an assay showed decided traces of gold.
The portage ends on a small and crooked creek, crossed by several old beaver dams,
'e descend this stream a mile and a half, and make a two miles portage into Porcupine
ke. Some ruck occurs on this trail, and it is worthy of note that we here enter the clay
ea of Night Hawk lake.
Porcupine lake has already been described in the Report of the Bureau of Mines for
198. Access to Night Hawk lake may be effected either by the two portages indicated
by the river, which is easily navigable, only one short portage being required to pass a
rmanent log jam.
The line, starting from the 120th post on the boundary, continues for only a short
stance in the clay area of Night Hawk lake. It then enters a rou^h hilly and rocky
antry.
Thb region of Huronian outcrop is first met at two and a qiarter miles, and continues
th some interruptions to about the sixth mile post. Although a little clay was seen,
e white sand is the prevailing soil west of the rough countrf.
Sc;veral expeditions were made through this region, and an interesting series of rocks
icovered.
The more southerly aspect of the ridge consists of a fine grained, somewhat crushed,
suite, bounded on the north by sericitic schists, striking n. 10° b. This is toUowed by
peculiar streaked, fine grained quartzite rock for ttn chains. This rock is well mineral-
wl, and several assays showed varying traces of gold.
To the north of this is more of the soft sericitic schists followed- by hard gray schists,
lis aeries is repeated in practically the same order by a second ridge norih of the former
e«
9h.
im9 ] Niven's Bitec Une, I899 «»y
HicroBOopioally it ahowB a Tery finegrained stniotnre, and coniliti prliiol|iaUy i>f i^m^iI/
and a fine torbid decompoeed ingredient. Thii rock rune up into a hill of mmMu^mh^u
height, from the rammit of which several snch conical hills are vislbli*, iiarituuWIy t/
the north atd west, giving a characteristic appearance to this region. Kroiii ilm 4;ii4 i^f
this portage, we ascend the creek tbrongh a low and swampy country for at*oul a miIJu
and a half, and make a portage about north to a second stream whiuh Hows oiii. of
Kamiskotaia lake. On this stream are seen massive green diorites and lino graiuiMl nr$.^
and green schists, the latter probably altered diorites
Kamiskotaia lake is a fine body of water of from two to three miles in diaiiint^r, i^nti
containing several rocky islands. The took at the head of the river is a hard iiiMMtvi^
green to black rock, resembling diorite, but it contains a large amount of (luarl/. ilndm
the microscope it shows decomposed plagioclase crystals and blebs of quanx, all iiiibi tUitui
in a fine grained matrix, consisting largely of quartz with minute grains of a durk Mlioia
tion product. It b probably an altered quartz diorite.
BOUTE TO NIGHT HAWK LAKB.
The first portage to Night Hawk lake leaves the Mattagaml river, as above indfoalt^il
near the Southeast Bend brook ; it runs due east about one and three-quarter miles. A f tttr
ascending a slight elevation, the trail leads through a rather wet country, well tiinbntril
with good sized spruce and poplar. For about a mile it then mounts a little higher, mimI
continues for the rest of its length over dry sandy soil, with pitch pina A very Huiall
lake succeeds, and then a short portage north to a larger lake about one and a half niilns
in length. Thb lake presents some bold blufis on the easterly side, mostly diorites, with
cubes of pyrite and streaks of quartz, but on the westerly shore fine gray schists with
pyrite and soft whitish examples, all striking n.e. and s w. The route does not lead
through the lake, but follows the east shore around a point and a small island to the next
portage of 20 oh. 8.E. The next lake is shallow, and rock outcrops occur only at the eastern
end near the portage, which is one and three-quarter miles long, about east and very
rough. Fairly heavy timber occurs here, poplar and spruce and some ce lar of good size.
From west to east the following series of rocks is presented : A soft sohist, weathering
maty, fine and resembling qa^zlte across the planes, but pearly on the partings.
A green and purple schist, the matrix so fine grained as to resist any resolution into
oonstituents, spotted with white porphyritic dots of decomposed felspar. Light green
altered diorite and diorite schists. Soft and rusty schists, as at western end. Quartz
occnrs at various places, an assay showed decided traces of gold.
The portage ends on a small and crooked creek, crossed by several old beaver dams.
We descend this stream a mile and a half, and make a two miles portage into Poroupioa
lake. Some ruck occurs on this trail, and it is worthy of note that we here enter the clay
area of Night Hawk lake.
Porcupme lake has already been described in the Report of the Bureau of Mines for
1898. Access to Night dawk lake may be effected either by the two portages indioatad
or by the river, which is easily navigable, only one short portage being required to pa« a
permanent log jam.
The line, starting from the 120th post on the boundary, continues for only a short
distance in the clay area of Night Hawk lake. It then enters a rou^h hilly and nd^
oonntry.
This region of Huronian outcrop is first met at two and a q larter miles, and contisM
with some interruptions to about the sixth mile post. Although a little cJaj was mm.
fine white sand is the prevailing soil west of the rough countrf.
Several expeditions were made through this region, and an interesting aeries of fs«
diEGOvered.
The more southerly aspect of the ridge consists of a fine grained, sofcf L> js*i
granite, bounded on the north by sericiUc schists, sti iking N. 10^ B. Thb k vilcM^ '^
a peculiar streaked, Une grained quartzite rock for ttn chaina ThU iwk is weJU «»»
iaid, and several assays showed varying traces of gold.
To the no ii fcott y ^ Wu Zt ^^^ ■•'ioitic schist^ followedW^^ _ ij^
Thia aeriea ' ^ "^ "^ ^^^^^ ^ ««» order by a second ridpi^^ J^|^
one.
9
IJO Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
Two miles farther west a cross-out of this oonntrj showed* at the north a soft
weathering serioitic schist, followed by massive diorite. Beyond this oooors a felspathio
schist, with pearly mica, containing stoeaks of qoartdte and weathering very fermginoas.
This is followed by alternating bandisi of qaartz and qaartsite, yielding as high as one dollar
per ton of gold on assay.
Sixty chains fiom the lake a second ridge of pink qoartsite is seen to contain bands
of tme qnartz. Towards its soath flank this belt becomes very fermginoos, with crystals
of both hematite and magnetite.
The last rock seen was a succession of soft and hard schis'ts, all striking east and west
and dipping north at a high angle.
This region is certainly worth thorough prospecting.
On the south bay of Night Hawk lake only a few exposures of Huronian schists and
diorites are visible. Passing south in the vicinity of the old boundary liney on Starvation
creek, heavy clay soil and luxuriant vegetation weie encountered. "Diis creek is said to
form part of a route to the Grassy river, pasaing close to Mt Sinclair. Owing to almost
continuous jams of driftwood it was found impossible to navigate the stream, and the
attempt to explore the Grassy river had to be abandoned.
There are several canoe routes between the Mattagami and Ground Hog rivers.
One by way of Opishingquaquaya and Wawayeshatching lakes is shown on iSbe map.
This was sketched from information obtained at Fort Mattagami The best used road,
however, is that about to be described. It starts in the southwest angle of Minniesina-
qua lake, from which point a choice of two routes is offered for a short dbtance. Close to
the high rocks a small creek enters the lake, which may be ascended to a little pond,
above which two half mile portages bring us to Windegoaquinzing (Cannibal) lake, which
discharges at its northern end into the same river, which enters Minniesinaqna lake close
to the north of the creek.
This stream is about a chain wide, and varies much in depth. On the whole, the
current is swift and the water clear. The country consists entirely of sand, as shown by
the sand and shingle in the river bed. The timber shows some fair sized spruce and a
few red pine, while poplar and birch are oommon as elsewhere.
Three portages are necessary, one about a mile up past a log jam, and two others at
the upper end, near Windegoaquinzing lake. From this point the stream holds in a west
and southwest direction for about three miles to Macaming (Sore) lake. The only
rocks seen on the river were granite and gneiss of Laurentian age, hnd the same rocks
crop out on Macaming lake, rising into high hills at the southern extremity of the lake.
The route lies straight through the lake in a southwest direction for over three miles.
The river enters at the end over a ridge of gneiss six or seven feet high. There is a port-
age of ten chains on the easterly side. Twenty chains above is another rapid, and a short
portage on the westerly side over granite. Considerable pitch pine occurs here, and con-
tinues to Mesumekenda or Great Beaver lake. On this lake, which is of considerable
size, outcrops of granite and gneiss are common. The green bush, almost continuous from
Minniesinaqna lake, here begins to give place to an extensive burnt tract.
Through this lake lies the route to Kenogaming, as already indicated. The portages
as shown on the map are about correct in sequence, but it is very likely that their posi-
tion is incorrect as well as the outline and bearing of the lakes. This chain of lakes is
copied from old maps, with some corrections. From information obtained from Indians,
these lakes are very much larger than indicated, and therefore the route must be much
more crooked in order to allow larger lakes in the same distance. A reliable man gives
the route from Mesumekenda to Kenogaming thus :
Creek — lake, five miles— creek — lake, six miles, Ka-na-ma-co-sen ce-ha — two short
portages — lake, twelve miles, Ka sas-way-way-che-wung — creek with two portages — lake,
1 5 miles long (b & w) route crosses it. Atekepemeska — portage — ^lake, one mile — ^port-
age — lake, 60 ch. — portage, 40 ch. — lake, two miles — portage, mile and a half — Keno-
gaming lake. The same Indian informed me that around Atekepemeska lake, was a fine
belt of large red pine twenty miles by six in extent
The portage out of Mesumekenda is at the end of a bay opposite the entrance.
On this bay are seen examples of very coarse granite, traversed by bands of hard barren
quartz. The portage crosses similar rock for about 30 ch., all burnt and the trail hard to
Mlow.
1W9] Niven'8 Base Line, 1899 i3i
The ihoraB of the next lake, Kapemiohekama (Oroa) lake, are almost destitute of green
The route lies straight across, and then ascends a small stream, with a rw^ to
a little laka Across this lake we enter the creek again, and make a short portage on the
ri|(^t-hand side to Shangemeqoagama (Sandy Beach) lake.
As indicated in its name, tlds body of water is surrounded by sand ; the country is
mndi lower, with black spruce scrub, and the water has the white appearance seen near
the watersheds.
FhMring through this lake we enter the creek again, ascend a rapid, and trayeise a
small lake to a second stretch of creek, with three small rapids, showing red hornblende
granita
This brings us to Machegamiching, or Little Branch lake, showing marshy shores at
first, but high hills of gneiss at the southerly end. A hall mile portage over rough burnt
■ad, filled with boulders, leads out o! this lake to the next, but it is so badly blocked
that preference is given to the river, which necessitates four short portages.
Matastagan (After dross Land) lake is decidedly marshy, and is constricted in the
oiddle, where an easy rapid occurs.
The portage out of this lake is very hard to find, in fact no clear trail exists. It is
advisable to keep the west shore, after passing the small rapid above mentioned, and after
paasbg a marshy stretch, run in through the reeds, south o! the point bounding the
narsh on the ncvth. Here we portage 25 ch. k. w. over semi-burnt country, to a marsh
•ad ereek, which after making another portage over sand and boulders brings us to a
aaall lake, the head of the Mattagami waters.
A two-mile portage over barren burnt sand with boulders and bare Laurentian
gneiss gives access to Rice lake, called in Indian Kanagnshka or Itch lake^ probably on
aoooant of the irritating effect of the lice husks.
Bice lake may also be reached by foUowing up the nver from Matastagan on which
are six short portsges, to a lake with rocky barren shores. A short portage out of this
kke leads to a fine sheet of water, Pebonishewening (Winter Staying Place).
This lake is five miles long by three in width, and is entirely surrounded by burnt
coantry, except the northern end, which enters a green belt of some permanence. An
expedition north revealed a somewhat roush country, wet in places, but clothed with
large spruce and poplar in ferruginous sandy soil. A portage out of this lake near its
northern end leads into a small lake, which enters Rice lake by a creek at its northern
end*
The first described route is the one usually travelled, and the route through Rice
lake is best understood from the map. All the northern part of Bice lake is greea, and
the rock gneiss and hornblende schist with pink felsitea.
The river out of Rice lake is a chain wide, and contains a considerable volume of
water. The navigation is as below : —
One mile, rapid.
Sixty chains, rapid.
One mile, rapid, and portage on north.
* Half mile, rapid, and portage on north.
One mile, rapids.
Half mile, lake.
On this stream are seen outcrops of granite with inclusions of dark hornblende
schist, the whole much resembling an igneous breccia. Burnt areas again occur towards
the mouth of the river, where it enters Sagetowwashka lake through a marsh, whence
the name meaning '* River coming out among Rushes.'' On entering the Uke a long
point will be seen on the opposite shore, about a mile distant. The course lies to the
soath of this, where we enter a def p bay, from the end of which the river rushes out by
a series of heavy falls. On the easterly shore of this lake massive green diorites were
observed, while the western side shows red hornblende granite^ soft white schists and
green schists of a harder nature. It is evident that a contact with Huronian reeks
oeoars here^ and that the first indication of the change was seen on the river above.
Sagetowwashka lake also forms part of the direct route from Bisect asing, to Flying
Fost^ For the map connecting this point with the railway I am indebted to Messrs.
De Morsel and Silvester of Sudbury.
153 Bareau of Mines Repoft [ No. 5
Betireen 8agetoirira«hka and Matagaming lakes there it a fall of about 150 ft in
all, which is effected by eight rapids or falls, six of which reqnire a portage. The first
leaves a small bay south of the head of the river and passes the first series, where the
river falls 50 ft. over dark green and mottled 8<ihists. A mile and a-half below is the
second portage, on the left side and about five chains long. The river falls ten ft. over
dark green schists splashed with quartz. A mile below this portage the Woman river
enters on the south side, and another half mile brings us to the third portage, also on the
same side, and passing a fall of ten feet over syenitic rocks, green schists with pjrrite and
cruihed granite.
A quarter of a mUe of calm water leads to a rapid which is easily run, and the same
distance below it is a series of falls where the river drops 40 ft., and a portage of 25 cL
is provided on the north side. The rocks are various kinds of Huronian schists. I
noticed here some evidence of the presence of prospectors, but I saw no rock of a very
propitious appearance. Twenty chains down is a rapid to be run, and a half mile lower
a succession of falls, makiog a descent of fuUy fifty feet. This obstruction is passed by
two portages on the southerly side, the first of 10 ch. into a small creek, and the second
of 20 ch. out of it into the head of Matagaming lake. All along this stream the country
is very rough and is covered by an old brut^, groirn up with young poplar ; the soil is
Band throughout, aod at the last two portages rises into hills of considerable height.
Magnificent locations for water power are afforded by the heavy desoents in short dis-
tances. The rocks, as already stated, consist of various Huronian schists, all striking east
and west' and dippiog at high angles.
For about seven miles Matagaming lake is narrow and river-like, traversing an
exceedingly rough Huronian area of high barren hills, consisting of various schists
traversed by and interlaminated with some large belts of coarse, almost porphyridc
hornblende granite. Towards the lower part of this stretch sandy hills soften the extreme
mggedness of the scenery, and bear signs of having been once clothed with white and red
pine. The burnt barren condition of the country would afford every facility lor
systematic prospecting, and the general appearance of the rocks is not unfavorable, as the
contacts of the granite masses are quite likely to prove auriferous. I regret that the
necessity of connecting with Mr. Niven on the Ground Hog river rendered it impossible
to make overland trips at this point.
A short distance beyond where the lake begins to widen, the big Northeast bay
enters through a narrow channel. In this vicinity are hard gray dioriuc schists and
light green varieties, while soft sericite schists crop out on the east shore about a mile
below. From here to the end of the lake is about four miles. The river does not fiow
out at the extreme end, but at the west side about half a mile from the end. Hard schists
arp the characteristic rocks at this end of the lake, all striking east and west and dipping
70° to the north. The lake at this end is well timbered, with the exception of some
burnt areas on the easterly shore. The river flows n. 30^ e. about three miles and
averages three chains in width. The current is gentle, but gives place to a strong rapid,
easily ruo, however, just where the river enters Ground Hog lake. It is covered by a
recent bru:^, said to have originated near Chapieau, which again approaches the river
below Ground Hog lake. Immediately on entering the lake, we approach Flying Post,
an important station of the H B. Co , in charge of Mr. McLeod.
Rock exposures are not common on the lake, but sofc friable schists striking east
and west occur a mile down the river. Three and a-half miles down is the head of the
canoe route to the Pisbkanogama river, and less than a mile below is a heavy rapid which
can be run by experieuced men. B.:)low, the river turns sharp to the east, and on straight-
ening out to the Dorth plungr^s down a still worse rapid, Kaskemene Pow-wa-tic. The
rocks here are soft white schists, which would mika excellent whetstones. For five
miles the current is fair, and the stream then passes through a narrow gorge in green
diorite, and just below falls 10 or 12 ft., Me-ke-se wasan rapids. A portage of five chains
b necessary on the west side. At the foot of this portage six different schists are visible,
as well as the dike of diorite to the existence of which the rapids may be due.
About two miles down very hard schists with pyrite^ as well as massive green
diorite, occur at another rapid to be run, at the foot of which a 25 ch. portage on the west
side is necessary to pass the Ostaudigististagui falls. A massive diorite, K. 20^ wl, OQcnrs
here mt the toot of the portikge ; above, the rocks are Lnurentiau. I believ6 the actual
1M9] Niv9n*5 Base Line, 1899 133
oonUet to ooonr above both these rapids. A mile farther is nearly half a mile of heav^y
xapids, which can be run by large canoes only ; a port if<e exists on the west side. A
mile snd a- half more brings as to Sa-ha-wa-che-wan rapids. This also oakn ba ran, bat
Imt small canoes a portage is necessary on the west side.
A course of two miles, after passins; the month of a large stream, the Stargeon river,
brings OS to the Ki kf nda Onegam (Kettle Ports ge), which is 25 cb. long, and on the
SMtside. Ea-sirg-ge-ke-che-wan (Young Pine) rapids, with a poitage of ten chains on
the west, ocean two miles below the Kettle Portage, and is sacceeded, at a distance of a
mile and ahalf, by the Eagas te-wa-taog-ga sing rapid, with a short portage over a sandy
bill en the east side. Three miles of clear navigation throagh a somewhat lower coantry
briaga the voyageor to the Wa-be-gash-ic rapid, which can be ran. A little more than
two miles leads to a small grassy island on the east side, where the line crosses at 44
milea and 51 chains. Jnst below the line is the Ghick-a-wab-skang rapids.
From these remarks on the navigation of the Ground Hog river it will be seen that
it is Tory difficnlt and dangeroa& Below the line it is said to be still worse, with long
beavj rapids. These consecrations deterred me from attempting any farther exploration
with my small canoe. No one shoald make the trip down this river withoat the services
of a first-class canoeman, and one well acquainted with the region.
Two miles east of the river the line croeses Wa-wa-yeskat ching lake. The coantry
between is low and wet, with windfall and bral^. A portage connects the lake and river
ft short distanee soath of the line. The lake shores are mostly low, and consist of clay,
whiflih eontinnes ten miles to the east.
Hie whole region to Mattagami river is low and level, with only occasional rook
a g po a nr e s. Mr. Niven reports the last Haronisn rock to the east of the Kamiskotaia
ilwer at 27^ miles.
While ascending the Groand Hog river on July 24 namerons fragments of wood
Hid floatinc debris indicated a storm to the soath, and on arriving at Fljing Post Mr.
MeLsod iiwMrmed me that a heavy thander storm from the w s.w strack the Post and
was oi snffieient violence to dislodge logs in the buildings and to lift his large freight
easoflt bodily into the air.
A direet ronte to Pishkanogama lake leaves the Groand Hog in the bend below the
lake^ bvt as it involves three long portages, as well as others, it is ased as a winter ronte
Tbt trail followed leaves the river, as indicated previoasly, at a point about seven
ndlei below the poet The rente is given below in the form of brief notes.
Portage : ir.w., 50 cb., sand, small pitch pine.
Lake : 15 oh., north.
Portage : v., 40 ch , sand and gravel, spruce.
Lake : v.w., 30 ch.
P^irtage : w. 10^ M.,l^ miles, first part level and sandy, second part hilly with sand
and boulders, exposures of bright green schists.
L4ke : 12 ch. w. 20^ v., narrows, 20 ch. w. 40^ n.
Creek : 80 ch.
Porlap : North side, five chains, green Huronian schists, with sugar quarts, strik-
ing B. and w.
Lake : Ooarse along south shore about one mile. Ckmtains several islands of white
mica granite or gneiss.
Greek : 10 ch., Laurentian boulders.
Portage : 20 ch., w. 10^ n.
Lake : s 10^ w., 60 ch. to narrows. Oourse aloag west shore to creek. On this
lake are seen gray quartz schists, fine gray gneiss, green schists resembling
protovermiculite sdiists, friable white hydromica schists, and brown ferruginous
examples with pyrite and copper pyrites, an assay of which gave no gold.
The average strike is k b. by B.W. and the dip variable. The soil is sand, with
•ome clay, and would make a good light agricultural soil.
BIwer : v. 30^ w., 1| miles, very crooked and swampy.
Lake : Course }j^ miles into noiihwest comer of lake Some small red and white
ytesi Books :— various sohists, hard gray kinds with pyrite, soft white an
w hi le wm tk bfing ateaiples, and gieeu hy4xMikib iiAnaU '^^ W^^^ ^^
IS4 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
■ r ■
maanve green diorite and diorite schist with pyrite. Under the microscope the
darker of these schists shovs a fine qiartz and felspar matrix, with maoh
altered hornblende in larger crystals.
Portage : 10 miles, w. 20^ n. First part low wet windfall ; second half green with
poplar, dry soil, largely sand.
Lake : Small, marshy.
Portage : Half mile, dry, hard, schisboza and massive gray rockft, probably altered
diorites.
Eiver : About five miles to Pishkanogama river, several rapids, two portages, both
on south side, the first about a third of a mile and the second a little more
than a half mile. Soil is fine irhite sand ; timber improves as we approach
the river.
This stream is known as the Muskego, or Swampy river, and the name is mU
deserved, for above the portage it flows out of a low swampy lake, with peat bogs and
small black tpmce scrub. The same character obtains for some mUes up the river above
this lake. This country more resembles the low lying peat bogs of James bay than any
other seen this summer.
PI8HKAM00AMA LAKl AND BIVIB.
Pishkanogama lake may be reached by a fairly good canoe route from Bidont station
on the 0. P. R. This route, as shown on the map, is from an Indian's sketch, and I
think is substantially correct. The lake itself is about 25 miles long, the last 10 miles
being narrow and surrounded with high gneiss hills, particularly on the eastern side.
The rocks show many minor variations, and contain many belts of coarse red binary
granite, particularly near the northern end of this narrow southern arm. At a second
narrows, about four miles from the northern end of the lake, a belt of Huronian rooks
crosses the course, striking a little to the south of west and dipping 75^ to the nortnward.
This belt consists of diorite and diorite schists, and talcofco foliated green schists, with
sugary, barren quartz. Two other belts of diorite, much mixed and contorted, also cro3S the
lake at the points indicated on the map. The soil in this region is sand, and the timber of
fair size ; considerable pine exists on the northern and eastern shores, the largest and most
continuous grove seen this summer. The whole district shows evidence of having once
been covered with this timber. The presence of these pine groves, and some beautiful and .
extensive sand beaches at the northern end, with an open pitch pine region inland render
this lake highly desirable as a summer reeort, but of course the difiiculty of access renders
its use for this purpose impossible at present Near the head of the river at the north end
there are several Indian houses and a winter outpost of the Hudson's Bay Oo.
The route does not follow the river, but a portage is made from the ssnd beach
about a mile to the east This trail is a mile and a half long, a little east of north, over
sand with pitch pine and some fair red pine. From this portage to the Swampy river is
about five miles. Below the portage are some green schists, followed by 20 ch. of rapids
to run, and then a small fall with a portage of three chains on the east side. The rock
here is gneiss, but beloir dark gray schists and streaked white and green examples ooour
at several points above the Swampy river ; most of these seem to strike northwest and
dip at a high angle to the southwest
A half mile below the Sirampy we run a rapid over boulders, or portage on the
west side. Another mile and a half brings us to another rapid of some length ; most of it
can be run, but one or tiro places require a lift out, and it is someirhat difficult to stop in
time. After a half mile of good water succeed 60 cL of shallow rapids, which are best
descended by poling, as the water is too low to run free. Ail these rapids can be passed
by two portages on the east side, leading into and out of a small laka Below the last
rapid we enter a crooked lake. The course lies to the left of an Indian honsOi whioh
will be seen on a point to the west of the entrance of the river.
One and half mile below this lake a fair sized stream enters on the west sid^ and a
mile and a quarter beloir it a somewhat larger river, the Goose, enters on the same aide.
This is the route to the Trout river, to be subsequently described,
Balow this river is an island showing gneiss, and then a rapid in two cascades^ boUi
o/ which oan be mn. Twenty chains lower la anotiiet ta^j^id over giieiss and mioa sohiat ;
/
1899] Niven's Base Line, 1899 135
thflre to a thmrp fall of three or four feet, and although it might be mn I found it advis-
Me to pan down to the west of a small island and make a lift out.
The next rapid is a mile and a half down ; it is fairly heavy and a portage can be made
over the rocks on the west side. Some swift water follows, and then two f aIIs, the first
of 6 ft and the second of 15 ft , over coarse bonded gneiss ; both portages are on the
west side, and short.
Jnac below this portage we enter an extensive burnt area, extending as far as the
junction of this river with the Ground Hog. No more rapids are encountered until very
near the oonflnenoe^ below which no explorations were made. Ten or twelve miles down
a hurge ore^ enters on the weat side. This shows clear water and a coarse sand bed. It
is intarrupted by falk, rapids and drift wood a few miles up ; along its shores numerous
dgu of moose were seen. High banks of extremely fine suid ^re seen in this region, as
Hill as some oiay. Stratified clay, which I believe to be continuous with the Night Hawk
area, appears a short distance below here. Eight miles below this creek, we meet out-
enipa of hornblende gneiss, followed by light and dark green compact schists. From this
point down, outcrops are scarce, but where seen the rock was Huronian. Several
ilirams enter one on each side being of fair' sSze 'with gravel bottoms. Th^ land is all
day, and looks £ivorable to agriculture. The line crosses at 63 miles. The country east
to the Ground Hog river is level and sandy, and the only exp3sure seen was one of
Huonian schist at 53} miles.
ROUTl TO TROUT BIVBB.
The Goose river at its mouth is about a chain wide, with low green shores, which
ghre plaoe to burnt areas a mile and three quarters up. A mile further are several
■Ball islands and a rapid, with a portage of half a mile on the south side, over gneiss
oofeted by a partial brul^ and windfall Just above are two small rapids to pole, where
ve again enter the green bush, and a half mile beyond make another portage of 10 chains.
Ihe soil here is partially clay, bat it can not be said to prevail in this district. Above is
a small rapid, and then five miles of clear navigation to the last rapid, with a portage
kslf a mile on the north side into Goose lake. The soil is fine white sand, with fair
•prace and poplar, covering Laurentian territory, with occasional outcrops of gneisi.
Gooae lake is a narrow sheet of water, lying north and south, and is fed by three main
streama. The largest of these rivers enters at the southwest comer by a rapid, with a
ikli of five feet, and a rock portage on the southerly side showing coarse porphyritic
gaeiaa Just above is another portage on the west side of nearly half a mile, to a long
narrow lake of five or six miles, showing green shores and occasional outcrops of gneiss,
very gametiferous in places. Above the lake the river is interrupted by many rapids,
some of which cm be poled, but numerous portages are necessary. Some recent brul^
eeeurs^ and at the point where I returned an extensive burnt tract of muoh older date
waa encountered.
The soil here is ferruginous sand, and the general appearance of the country very
rosgh and decidedly different from the district traversed from the Pishkanogama to this
point The gneiss strikes northeast, and is coarse and well banded, »ad in places, especially
at idtte rapids, presents a peculiar white and black appearance. Under the microscope
it ahoifs hornblende and large crystals of plagiocl%se, and probably some orthoolase. The
hiind apeoimen is slightly gneissoid in structure. It may be a variety of gneiss or a peculiar
dkvite, approaching monzonite in composition. The stream entering Goose lake at the
■oothern end was also ascended a short distance, and found to be choked with drift-
wood ; a well used portage leaves the stream here, and traverses well timbered, fine sandy
aoiL It evidently constitutes a hunting trail, and was not further examined.
;!((*«' The third stream into Goose lake constitutes our route, and enters the west side of
die lake at the northern edge of a marsh about a mile above the incoming portage. On
aseending this stream a short distance, a round pond is seen on the right. The portage
leads out of the north side of this, and is about half a mile long over sand hills, with
pitdi pine and spruca We now cross a clear water lake, about 30 chains in a northerly
diieotion. The next portage is more than half a mile, and traverses fine open pitch
fXm& and spruce sand hills, to a very swampy and dirty lake. The creek entering Goose
trice flows out of this body of water and does not enter the last mentioned lake. The
■trcaii enters in the northwest corner, and near here la the ^t\iS^%« iv\)i^\LSa %km^^V:n%x
i36 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
over country similar to the last. Jt ends on a small creek with clear water, «nd s md and
shingle bottom. It is very shallow and crooked, making it necessary to wade and drag
the canoe in many places. Two portages are necessary, ttie first of ten chains on the right
and the second of 25 chains on the same side, above which it is still stony and shallow,
to a lake aboat a mile long. The whole of this stretch k throagh old bml^ and sandy
soil. It is necessary to force the canoe throagh the reeds to reach the end of the above
lake, where we find a 25 chain portage on the right. This again leads as to the sreek,
which now expands into a marsh, above which ten chains oT very narrow creek brings
as to a half mile portage into Shenango lake.
The shores of this lake partake for the most part of the nature of the bnrnt sandy
conntry above described. The portage oat is reaoheid by keeping straight across into the
extremity of the de^^p bay on the westerly side. This portage is a mile and a-qaarter
long, still in the barnt area, and ends on a little lake (Height of Land portage). An
expedition to the northeast, a distance of over three miles, showed the old brultf for
» half mile, then a belt of green bush with much windfall, followed by a very recently
barnt tract with • trees still standing. Sandy soil and rough Laar<intian gneiss were
seen on this trip. The head of the portage oat of this lake is somewhat hard to find; it
shoald be looked for a little to the left of the small creek flowing oat f it is aboat a half
mile long, still in the brnl^, and ends on a very dirty and shallow lake, difficalt of
approach and hard to paddle throagh. The next portage leads oat of the northwest
angle of this lake, is a mile and a quarter long, and traverses green bash. The succeed-
ing lake is known as Kanonjapownakoka. Its easterly shore is green, but the rest is
burnt, and many high hills are observable surrounding it, particalarly one du9 north of
the portage. An attempt was made to reash this elevation by a trip one and a half miles '~
northeast from the north end of (he lake. This trip revaaled the old bral^, with y >«U9
poplar and jack pin% and reached a small lake from which the peak ba&ra n.k twj miles.
I had hoped to obtain a good view of ths country from this hill, but so mach ti us was
consumed in getting around the Uke, and climbing through the very rough bruW on the
fl&nks of the hill, that the approach of night rendered it imperative to return So eamp.
The line crosses Kanonjapownakoka lake at 76 miles 35 chuns The creek ou^i leavaa
the lake a half mile short of the western extremity on the north side ; immediately os
enterfaig it we make a half mile portage in the same kind of burnt bush (old sandy bnil^)»
and desoond the stream 20 oh. to a small lake, burnt all around. Below the lake il»
creek is a half chain wide, and the navigation is broken by a ten^shain portage on th^
left side, about two miles down. Another mile, and we enter a small horseshoe shaped
lake, with a portage on the north side of the right hand arm. This trail is a half mile
long, somewhiat hiUy, and, like the last lake and oreek, lies in green busbi and the lai^gs
burnt area seems to be permanently passed There is a considerable desoent at tUs
point, and the creek below traverses a marsh one and a half miles to the TMiet river.
The line crosses a mile and a-half above the conflaenoe, at 81 miles and 89 ohainfl.
TBOUT OB MAGOZINOA BIVBB.
The Trout river presents shores strikingly different from the other streams entering
the Moose river, as for some miles it is bordered by a wide marshy belt, and seems at
some past time to have occupied a much wider valley, into which it now expands in
places, forming l*ke-like stretches. It was ascended about 18 miles, and presented thia
character for half that distance, when the current increased a little and continued to an
extremely picturesque waterfall of 20 ft over gneisi, striking east and west, with a
portage of six chains on the west side. Above, the water is gotKl, but I did not proceed
farther. The shores present in places exposures of highly gametiferoua gn«isP| with
bands of quartsite and felsite, and a few streaks of white quartsose schists resembling
Huronian, but in such small masses as to be of no importance. The upper part shows
high hills of sand and gravel, clothed in places with both red and white piaOy par-
ticularly the former.
Bdow the line the river is of the same character, and receives several large oreeksi
About eight miles down the Kapiskasing river enters on the west ; at about |hia poiat
Ml90 the mvnhj shores cease and the river becomes a little more rapid, and enten a
B$rtm0^ rmpidM m eoaple of Bailee from the junfiAom.
iaP9} Niven's Base Line, iS^ . 13?
The first portage is on the right eide, and is reached bj descending the smaller por-
tion of the river to the right of an island. Gneiss, large spraoe and cedar and some
day were observed at this point. Twenty chains lower is a rapid over boulders, with a
throe chain portage also on the easterly side. A mile more and we enter a third rapid,
with about eight feet fall ; this is easily ran. The river coaiinues with easy cnrrent for
many miles. Below the rapids the coantiy gradaally becomes more level, and none of
the high hills of the npper portion are visible ; the soil seems to be all clay and muddy
banks are continnons, while rock ontcrops are practically absent. The timber also de-
creasee in size on approaching the low land, and is represented by small black sprace and
tamarac Eight miles below the last rapid we enter an old bra^d which seems to extend
many miles to the north, and is probably continnons with the big burnt area on the lower
FSahkanpgama.
IVont river rises in Tront lake some distance south of the falls, at the head of my
explorations. This lake can be reached by a canoe route from Chapleau, which is said to
be very difficult with long, heavy portages ; I conld obtain no reliable description of this
tmil. Mid have made no attempt to map it.
BOUTB FBOM TBOUT RIVER TO MI88ANABIE BIVBB.
The Kapiskasing river, wherQ it enters the Trout, is abont half the size of the latter
«tream, and affords uninterrupted navigation for two miles to Kapiskasing lake, which is
« fine sheet of water abont five miles by three. Very little rock occurs on its shores,
but two or three points show exposures of coarse gneiss. Both sand and clay occur, and
^he latter it well timbered by heavy spruce and poplar, while some pine occurs in the
Jormer, particolarly on the east side of the long, thin south bay. Near the outlet there
la A laroaperouB Indian village, with about a dozen substantial log houses and a winter
poet of the H. B Oa
There are no Indians here in the summer, but they come from Brunswick House in
the hunting season. The soil is good, and potatoes were doing well at the time of my
visit — Aug. 2^. The line crosses the south bay and also the river, entering in the south-
west angle of the lake. At the northeast comer a considerable creek enters, which was
asoended and found to branch about a mile and a half to the northwest The left hand
division is the more important, and continues about five miles, turning more to the west|
where it seems to rise in a large swamp. The soil along this stream is clay and some
fine level stretches are met with ; it is rather wet, and much tamarac is present.
A few ontcrops of gneiss are seen, and on the flanks of Mount Horden, a consider^
able hill Ijing just sonth of the creek, some diorite was found. On ascending the hill
we enoonnter larger timber, but all much injured by windfall. Although I did not reaeh
tlie summit, I regard this hill as well as those near the Tront river, and some sonth oC
Missanabie lake, as eruptive masses of diorite or diabase.
This creek is evidently much used as a canoe route ; it is well cut out, and where it
flows ottt of the marsh a well trodden portage leads westward about three miles to a
river nearly a chain in widtL This trail traverses at first an open country df clay and
rocky ridges ; it then sinks into a wet valley, where it crosses the creek ; beyond, it passes
over olay ridges with poplar, alternating with low, wet areas with scrub spruce. The
river at the end of the portage flows into Kapiskasing river ; on descending it a short
distance, a tributary on the left enters from Gull lake. It thus constitutes a route to
the Missanabie, but is not the one usually travelled.
Eetnming now to Kapiskasing lake, we find the Upper Kapiskasing river entering
hw a shallow rapid at the southwest corner of the lake. About three miles up a portage
of ten chains on the east side is occasioned by a fall of ten feet. Up to this point the
stream has traversed fine clay soil, with large timber. It now becomes swifter and is
broken by rapids, a five chain portage being necessary twenty chains above the last
The soil is still olay, but lower and with smaller timber, for three miles to the next
portage, of abont half a mile over sandy hills with some clay. Above this portage the
stream is smaller, and in tact a junction occurs in the rapids, which is not visible from
tbe portage. Another portage is required, after only ten chains of paddling ; it is on the
west side^ and is five chains in length. A crooked, narrow stream succeeds, broken by
strerat sniiller rapids and a heavy fall of 20 feet, with a short ^tags on the east sUa^
i38 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
oyer a hill of sandy day. Along this stretch small tamarao and spraee predomiQ&te.
Above the portage is one rapid to pole, beyond which we soon en'er Wart lake
(Way-che-che-co-me ka). The shores of this lake are for the most part sandy, with only
occasional exposures of gneiss in the more northerly parts ; towards the south, however,
the oonntry is more rocky and elevated, and has been swept by fires. The lake consists
of two southerly arms, with a lift oat between them, and a northerly extension. The
route lies up a considerable creek, entering tbe west %rm about a mile from the southern
end. This strean is rather tortuous and traverses a continuously low country, which
appears to consist of clay, at least in places ; the river bottom, however, is sand. The
thttber is small, mostly spruce and tamarac, and seems to represent an old bruM.
About nine miles up this stream we turn to the right, into a i^piftll creek not more
than eight feet wide at the mouth, and very shallow. It traveraes a marshy tract of
country, and is so choked by overhanging brush and its volume is so small that through-
out its length (five miles) it is necessary to p}le. About half way up we touch a small
niarshy lake of two bulbs, showing some ezpoiures of gneiss, and the large marsh seems
to be bounded by some high gneissbid ridges, covered by brul^ of oonsiderabW'age in
sandy soil.
Near the head of navigation on this stream there is a junction with another branch,
and just within the left hand fork is a portage of over a mile in a westerly direction,
showing open pitch pine groves in sand. This trail ends on the creek very near its origin
in Ka-ka-naqua lake. Some high exposures of gneiu are seen here, and verj high gneiss
and sand hills to the northeast of the lake ; to the east of these hills is a pronoun sed
valley with a small stream flowing north. This valley has almost perp3ndicalar gneiss
difis in places 100 ft. high, and is crossed by a transverse ravine in which are several
marshy lakes, one of which is crossed by the line.
A canoe route leaves Kakanaqua lake in the northeast angle, and by means of these
lakes reaches the creek which probably communicates with the river from Gull lake, and
thus farnifikes another route to Rapiskasing. From the top of these gneiss hills a (B(ood
view was obtained of the country to the north and east^ which seems to be very rough,
with many elevations of notable magnitude
The route leaves Kakansqoa lake by a portage out of the end of the southwest bay.
The trail is a half mile long over burnt sand hills, and ends on a small lake 20 oh. in
width. The next portage is due west 30 ch. The first part is sand, with poplar and
spruce, like the country east of ElakauBqua lake j the latter half is lower, with scrub black
spruca Another 20 ch. lake (Little Bear lake) follows, then a portage of 15 ch. over burnt
sand hills. This brings us to a long, narrow and rather dirty lake (Skunk lake), near
the north end of which the line creases at 27 miles and 14 chains. A trip east of the
lake shows an extensive brul^ grown up with young poplar and jack pine. The line
strikes this bru^^ at 93 miles 54 ch. and continues in it across Skunk lake to 98 miles
54 ch. At 96 miles 55 ch. is the summit of the ridge, with a drop of 180 ft. into the
valley to the east. This point is sufficiently high to show Mount Horden, which bears
due northeast magnetia
The vater of Skunk lake passes out by a creek at the northern end, and a portage of
nearly half a mile is required to reach the navigable part of the stream. No further
obstruction occurs to GuU or Kioskwabic lake, a distance of three' miles. This stream
has a sandy bottom and is burnt all the way down. The lake has sand beaches, and
seems to be bordered by green timber ; its waters flow out by a considerable stream at the
north. This river was descended a short distance and found to become very rough, with
a descent of a hundred feet ; a portage passes this part, but it is badly choked by wind-
fall and is over very rough country. This cretek leads to the Trout river, and is part of
the route which connects with Kapiskasing by the long portage near Mount Horden. We
are not yet in Missanabie waters, although the portage east of Skunk lake is the height
of land between the Upper Kapiskasing water and that of Skunk lake, Qull lake and QuU
river, all of which, however, eventually reach the Trout river. The portage out of Grull
lake is 10 ch. long at the western end and over sand with good timber. ThU is the height
of lai d portage between the main rivers ; it will be seen therefore that the summit of the
divide lies much nearer the Missanabie than the Trout. Beyond the portage are two
saa}} lakes connected by a short creek (Bittern lakes), and then a 15 ch. portage over a
Mud hill of 76 h, eievation to Sa-gan-de-ba (Oatch you \>y \!ba G.«it\ lake. A' f^w red
1899 ] Niven's Base Line, i899 139
pines were teen here. The line crosses Sa^andeba lake near its south end at 100 miles
25 oh. A oreek enters ac the south end which seems to drain a low stretch with many
snail ponds and lakes. The line on leaving the Skunk lake bruI6 traverses a region of
large Umber, but much injured by windfall. The route does not pass throagh the lake,
but orosaes the northern h\j and leads out by a portage near the outgoing creek. This
tmfl is a half mile long over sand with good spruce, and enters the creek which we follow
a mile through low tamarac country to a small shallow lake (Sacker lake) Below we
continne on the stream (Flying Post Brook) a mile to a portage on the left side a half
mile long, showing some clay soil and a ridge of diorite, crossing the Laurentian rocks about
north and south. For three miles the stream runs throagh good sandy clay land with
Aur timber to a rapid with a portage on the south side, followed by a 15 ch. portage on
tlie light over sand. A quarter of a mile below we enter the Biissanabie river, the most
'Wmterlj of the great rivers of the Moose sjstem and the favorite route to James Bay.
In the first half mile above Flyinp Post Brook are five small rapids, none requiring
^^ portage, A few miles above Hay oreek a considerable stream enters on the south side,
^^rhere tibe river turns to the east The aspect of the country along this stretch is low and
Mnmnlhjf with a day soil along the river at least This is probably of alluvial origin, as
^^ra generally encounter sand inland. /
Hay oreek is about 20 ft. wide, and issues from a large marsh with grass, which con*
Jinnee tor five miles or more up stream. A mile up considerable diorite crops out on the
ahore, and to the west, beyond the marsh, is a high rocky ridge formed by a main and
moTml minor dikes of diorite, striking north and south.
Several other hills in the region show the same structure. The country here is bumt^
4aid teems to form part of an extensive htnU coming from the southwest and crossing the
:3nain river above Hay creek, thus surrounding the eastern end of Missanabie lake and
^tretohing to the south.
About three miles up the creek forks into two nearly equal branches, both of
which were explored. The easterly arm rises to the southeast of a prominent hill visible
from the junction of the two arms, four miles above which point the marshes cease and
the stream becomes difficult of navigation, with rapids and logs from the old brnl^. Sandy
soil with boulders predominates.
The westerly branch rises to the south of Missanabie lake. Six or seven miles up is
a rapid, beyond which the stream seems to be continuously bad. The country is essentially
similar to that seen on the east branch, old brul^, sandy soil and exposures of gneiss.
This gneiss is highly homblendic, and contains fragments of pre-formed gneiss and dark
mica schist ; the strike is northeast and the country rook is cut by some belts of very
fine porphyritic diabase, striking about east and west. Diorites, which are evidently
altered diabases and contain pyrite, occur in some narrow dikes.
East of Hay creek the country shows a succession of gneiss ridges, running north
and aouth, with low wet tracts between. The high land is fine slightly argillaceous sand,
and has very large spruce, poplar and pitch pine timber, much damaged by windfall. The
bwer tracts are filled with a tangled mass of cedar and swamp bashes.
The line crosses Hay creek just below the fork ; to the west the soil is sandy clay,
with just enough day to render it slightly adhesive.
The Missanabie for four miles above Hay creek traverses a low region with tamarac
and cedar ; it then falls about six feet over boulders. The rapid is in two sections ; both
can be poled, but a little used portage exists on the west side.
Above the rapids the coun'.ry is more rocky, and a mile and a half up is a fairly heavy
faU, with a short portage of five chains on the south side. Here the rocky burnt hills
leaoh the river ; and above also, in the lower river bank country they are noc far distant
inland.
Abovi this last portage we enter Missanabie lake, and on rounding a point on the
•oath side arrive at New Brunswick House.
A winter road connects this post with Hay creek, and according to Mr. J. Spance
the Qfiicer in charge, traverses a continuously low swampy country.
At Brunswick House I obtained much valuable information, especially regarding the
«pper waters of Hay oreek, and other connections to the south and east of Missanabie
liJDB. The whole region south of the lake has been buxned^ W^ 5y^Q><vB^»^»3L\vVSGL^ ^
'K40 Bareau of Mines RepDit [ No^ 5
ipreen mrt to be seen on the shore, as well m inland, m will be noted from the desoripdon
of Little Missanabie lake. On both sidea of Missanabie lake, as far as Ferry point, al-
though gneiss hills are oommoD, they are of no especial elevation, and are cut in many
places by dikes of ernptive diorite. As far as this point, with the exception of a bulb at the
northern end the lake, is seldom more than a half mile wide ; beyond, however, it is of some-
what greater width, and the surround is g country is much more elevated. On the south ahore^
about four miles above Ferry point, we meet belts of diorite, striking s. 20^ w., followed
by more gneiss, and then a pronounced Huronian area showing massive and sohistooe
examples of the green Huronian rocks, mixed with much diorite, and followed by light
green schists, and white highly siliceous belts with pyiita These rocks rise to considerable
elevations (300 ft), and extend to the peak of the lake and beyond. Many minor var-
ieties of Huronian rocks were noted, all striking from southwest to southeaat, and
averaging about south.
North of Ferry point is a seoond division of the lake, stretching' to the north and
east No rook but gneiss was observed dther here or at the portage in the northwest
angle.
The Upper Missanabie, or Little Missanabie tiver (Mlssanabie Shi Sibi) enters the
lake by a very picturesque fall (Weasichawun) about five miles east of Ferry point on
the south side. The portage is in the sandy bay west of the fall ; it is about iM) ch. in
length, over sand with pitch pine and spmoe of moderate size only. The river above ia
about a chain wide, but of no considerable depth.
Navigation of Little Missanabie Biver :
First portage : — 60 oh.
Biver : One mile.
Bapid : Pole, and run down.
Biver : One mile.
Kapid : Portage, five ohaini on weet.^ Brul^, gneiss, dike of diorite.
Biver : 20 oh.
Bapid : Pole.
Biver : 15 ch.
Bapid : Portage on east side, ten ohains.
Biver : Half mile.
Bapid : 20 oh., pole.
Bapid : Portage, 3 di. on east
Bapid: Pole.
Biver : 25 ch.
Bapids : Half mile, portage on west
Bapid : Portage, five chains on east
Bapid : Portage, five chains on east
Biver : Sixty chaina
Falls : Portage, five chains on east Fall of 20 ft Oneiss.
Above thi« portage we immediately enter Little Missanabie lake, whiok is a very'
irregular sheet of water. Its shores were examined all round ; the rook is all gneiss^ whk
the exception of a few narrow dikes of diorite. Swampy shores ooour at many points,
and many stretches of low water with rioe and other grasses ooour. The soil is largely
sand, and the timber is the usual spruce and poplar, with some pltoh pine. Many burnt
areas occur, and even the green bush is comparatively young. A short portage oonneots
the two southern arms of the lake, from the more easterly of which oonneotSon naay be
made with the railway, but the route is not used.
To reach the railway from Missanabie lake, we make a dhort portage out of the nortlh
west corner, and traverse a long narrow lake, about ten miles. Tliis lake is surrounded by
Laurentian rocks, with the exception of a narrow belt of Huronian about the middle^
The portage is at the extreme end, and having crossed it we enter Dog laksi and are on
the lake Superior slopa Missanabie station is about eight miles from theportags ; the
route is very erooked, and Is belt understood from the mapi The lias of sartey i
MkmmUe Jake about two miles south of the post, toudies the aovthsmbiy and f
St ISO mUm^ a abort disiaaos MSth ol UMt boiy ot ^%ee.
1W9 ] Niven's Ba^e Line, 1M9 .|4i
BUMKABT or O B8 t B V AT lOK 8 .
Geology : The whole region embraced in this report consists entirely of Lanrentian
and Hnionian rocks, the former beinfc represented by gneisses of various testare and color,
paBiiiig in many places by gradaal transition into granite. I have made no attempt to
map separate areas of granite, as it is impossible to delineate clearly their boandaries.
AgtAn, where masses of gneisff fade imperceptibly into granite, it is obvioady incorrect to
asoribe the latter to an independent ori((in. While trae platoaic graaitea m<^y exist here,
and do of ooarae exist elsewhere, my experience, as well as the evidence of authorities,
would ascribe these granites to the same origin as the most-banded gneiases.
The Horonian rocks are much the same as elsewhere in northern Ontario, consisting
of Tarieties of schists, altered porphy rites, crnihei granites, felsites and qaartsites, as well
as one exposnre of volcanic conglomerate on Mattagami Uke, pointing to a pyroolastio
origin, and saggeeting the rooks of the Lake of the Woods. Miny of the schists are
well mineralized, and small seams of quartz are not uncommon, although no extensive
oatorops were seen. Hard and highly siliceous schists are more comtnon than the softer
varities, and as the latter are more fovorable for gold it is advlsikble to note p»rtiualarly
their occurrence, as is done in the body of this report
Gold seams to be well distributed over the region ; in fact it may be satd to occur in
nearly all the Huronian belts, but generally in exorem^lv smUl qaaatities. The richest
fpecimen was obtained near the Pigeon R%pid on the Mitta^ami river, and I regard the
region south of the trail to Porcupine lake as giving promise of reward to the praspactor.
2*he south arm of Matagaming lake and the river above show traces of gold, aai a pro-
apect mi((ht prove successful in that region. The Huronian belts are as below :
1. An area touching Moskegogama lake embracing the south arm of Minniesinaqua,
aajid probably connecting with a larger mass to the east.
2. A north-eastern area, sendiog a spur across Kenogamissee lake, crossing the
jV lattagami at the Wawiatan portage, and the Ground H >g some distance below the line,
^this belt sends an arm across the line at 53^ miles, and ben Is o9 to the northwest.
3. The Matagaming lake area embraces the Ground Hog waterway from above
^lagetownashke lake to below the Ai^heievaaua rapid. los eastern bonndiry is approx-
imately shown ; its western seems to be drawn out into several arms, crosaiag the Pish-
^anogama at various points.
i. An area embracing the southwest bay of Missinabie lake and stretching into a
'^larrow belt across Long lake.
Itshiuld also ba mentioned that dikes of diorite break through the gneisses in
"^any places, particularly around Misiinabie lake and Hiy creek. Eruptions of
-diorite I also consider accountable for many of the hills in the western half of the region
examined.
Timber : More or less pine of very moderate sizd occurs at many points. The
most important are as follows :
Upper Spanish River, Renogamissee lake, Atchepemeska lake, Pishkanogama lake,
and Matagaming lake.
The other timber is birch, poplar, spruce, tamarac and cedar. Much fine large
spruce occurs on the first 12 miles of line, and also near the Ground Hog ri^er. The mid-
dle part is scarcely as well timbered, but from the Trout river on t^e spruce is of «^xoel-
lent si^) and quality where not destroyed by fire; some particularly fine trees were noted near
Sagandeba lake. Iinmanse stretches of timb )r hwe been destroyed by forest fires. While
it is impossible to accurately outline the burnt areas, a rough idea may be gained from
the following list.
1. Belt crossing the Spanish river near its source, passing northwest and north,
embracing Mesumekenda and neighboring lakes, and terminating as to its northwestern
boundary on the west side of Rice lake.
2. A belt, seemingly from the southwest, surrounding the south p%rt of Matagaming
lake. Although only occasionally touching the ri7« r, this same area probably is contin-
uous with burn patches b^low Ground Hug lake. Mr. M^Leod of Flying Poat says that
this fire oame from Unapleau, and travelled with wonderlul speed under the influence of
• high southwest wind.
143 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
3. A yexy large burnt area crones the route between the Piahkanogama and Tioot
rivenit infrisgeB on the former river below the falls, and is oontinuons to the north as
far as explored.
4. The Tront river is green in places, but below Kapukasing passes into an exten-
sive bvnt tract which may or may not be continaons with the last described region.
5. The rest of the burnt country muBt, be fiammarised under one head as a region
surrounding Missanabie lake, and staretching eastward nearly as far as Wart lake. This
territory is by no means all burnt, but large patches of it seem to have been stripped of
verdure by fires of different ages.
Despite the many fires, immense quantises of spruce and poplar suitable for pulp
wood still exist, and much spruce of a sufficient size for other purposes.
Soil : Throughout the whole southern part of the territory explored the soil is sand ;
as we pass northward patches of clay occur, as well as an admixture of c?ay in the sand.
The continuous clay area, previously designated the Night Hawk lake day belt, is of
enormous extent. Its southern boundary stretches in an undulating line to the vicinity -
tli lake Kapiskasing. Westward of this point it can not be traced, as both varietios of
soil, as well as mixtures of the two occur. The boundary might be said to turn south at -
this lake, and to become lost in the vicinity of Wart lake. Sandy clay and sand predom —
inate beyond.
For agricultural purposes this northern clay belt, as well as many patches south ofS
the line, ihould prove excellent. Experience only can show if cereals will ripen in the^
climate, but I have no hesitation in saying that for stock raising the conditions are«
excellent Grasses and roots thrive in this soil, and with proper winter protection theres
should be no difficulty in weathering the inclement season.
Water power : Excellent locations exist almost all over the region ; particularly □
might mention Kenogamissee portage, Wawiatan portage and Lower Sandy portage, on^
the Mattagami River.
First Falls %bove Matagaming lake, Ostandigististagan rapid, on Ground Hog rivei
Falls on Pishkanogama. Upper falls on the Trout.
First falls below Wart laka
Upper falls on Little Missanabie river.
Game : Small game is very scarce in the whole district, partridge and rabbit being aimosts
absent, but duck are more plentiful. Moose are not uncommon, and in some parts seem to
be quite numerous; red deer also are seen, but I observed no signs of caribou. Fur bearinf^
animals seem to be yielding the average returns; the lynx however has followed the rabbit,
and the beaver is almost exterminated.
Before closing I desire to convey to the gentlemen mentioned below my sincere thanks
for various personal kindnesses, as well as valuable information and assiitanca
Mr. J. Miller, officer in charge at Fort Mattagami, and Mr. Joseph Moore of the
I place.
Mr. McLeod, officer in charge at Flying Post
Mr. J. Spence, officer in charge at Brunstvick House.
Also to Mr. A. ^iven, O L. S., and to Professor Coleman of Toronto TTniversity.
COPPER AND IRON REGIONS OF ONTARIO.
By Dr. A. P. Coleman.
In Aooordanoe with the instrnotioiiB of Mr. Archibald Blae, Director of the Btireaa of
•tinesi the sammer of 1899 was employed in the examination of the copper-bearing rooks
of the Thunder Bay region, the iron range of Miohipiooton and the copper depodts near
Ornery Sound. Professor Arthur B. Willmott took a share in the work as in former years,
%iid with his usual eiffioienoy. As the regions wnioh were to be studied resemble in most
V^iMpeots the great copper and iron mining regions in Michigan and Minnesota, whose de-
^^opment is so far sdvanced, it was thought desirable to visit some of the more import-
^Ant mines in these States in order to become familiar with the country rocks of the ore
deposits, with the character of the ore bodies, and with the methods used in developing
Leaving Toronto on June 20, we went by the upper lakes to the Sault Ste. Marie,
thence to Marquette in Michigan, where the iron mines were visited. The Keween-
WLW oopper mining region was next examined, and a few days were spent on the Vermilion
SBUid Mesabi iron ranges of Mirmesota. After a very instructive journey through these
Cameos mining regions. Fort William was reached on July 1, and our work commenced
mm, Oanadian wil. Various copper and silver deposits were examined near this town and
<m Thunder bay, and an excursion was made by fishing boat along the coast almost to the
'iMrandary of Minnesota. We were then instructed by the Director to return to the Sault,
fluid commence an examination of the Miohipiooton iron range, which was attracting much
mttention at the time. This work was followed by a visit to the deposit of iron ore at
7l0| after which we returned to Fort William to dose up our affairs there, and then went
'to Tonmta This dosed the summer's work for Professor Willmott, but I made an examina-
tion of the oopper mining region about Parry Sound. When this was completed a short
Tisit was paid to the region south of Georgian bay in order to measure the elevations of
some of the raised beaches so well developed there, and the regular summer's work ended
on September 2.
Two short expeditions were •made later in the season, one to the eastern end of the
ProWBee to study the glacial deposits and sea beaches ; the other in company with the
Dinotor to examine deposits of arsenical gold ore and of nickel-copper ore between lakes
TsmiBoaming and Temagami.
Daring the summer our methods of travel were varied. On lake Superior a fishing
boat was employed ; in the Michipicoton country canoes formed the only mode of con-
▼eyanoe ; wUle in the Parry Sound district horses were ased on the backwoods roads.
As on former occasions, acknowledgments must be made to mining men, farmers and
others interested in the development of the country for their hospitality and aid in var-
ious ways. Special thanks are due to the Messrs. Clergue of Sault Ste. Marie and to the
officers of the Pi^rry Sound Oopper Mining Company for courteous assistance rendered in
their respective districts. The maps and reports of the Geological Survey of Canada were
of course of the greatest service to us in the regions covered by them. We owe to the
oourtesy of Professor Winchell, Director of the Minnesota Geological Survey, a valuable
set of msps and reports bearing on the iron regions of Minnesota , and the work of sev-
eral members of the United States G^eological Survey has proved of seryice in the prepara-
tion of the following report, especially that of Irving and Van Hise.
GOPPBR DEPOSITS.
Am the first part of our summer's work on Canadian territory had reference specially
to eertaim eopper deposits near Port Arthur, the subject of copper mines in general will
to diseuMed first. As an introduction to this, a brief account will be given of our visit
i44 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
to the famous copper miniDg region of Keweenaw point in Michigan. This region ham
often been described, and for detailed acooants of it the reports of the Michigan Sarvej
and Irving's Oopper Bearing Hocks of Lake Sapedor, published by the U.S. Geological
Sarvey, may be consulted
MINES IN NORTHEBN MIOHIQAN.
Houghton is the best starting point for a visit to the region, though the most im-
portant mines lie to the north of it. The well known School of Mines is established here,
and under the guidance of the president, Mr. McNair, and other members of the faculty,
we examined its collections and studied the geology of the neighboring mines.
The recks of the region, the Keweenawan, overlie the Animikie and are perhaps of
Oambrian age. They consist of great flows of basic and acid ernptives, and of brown
sandstones and conglomerates^ the whole broken by faults and tilted from 35^ to 80^ n.w.
The basic eruptives are mainly dark gray diabase (trap) and related rocks very often hav-
ing the amygdaloidal character, i.e, they have been filled with steam bubbles before oool-
ing, and the rounded c&vities formed thus have since been filled with such minerals as cal-
cite, epidote, zeolites, etc. The presence of tbese cavities proves that the rock flowed as
a lava; for rocks cooled far below the surface, where the pressure is great, have no
ohance to let the steam expand. One variety of the diabase has a spotted look, very like
that observed at Mamainse. The amygdaloids are a most important source of copper,
which sometimes fills the cavities like shot. In other places the rock as a whole is much
altered and porous, and irregular masses of copper occur scattered through it The alter-
ation products generally accompanied by copper are especially chlorite, epidote and preh-
nite, according to Prof. Seaman. At some mines the altered rock, in which mass oop-
per occurs, is of a pale bluish green, probably because of the chlorite and epidote.
The acid eruptives are much less widely spread, since they formed less fluid lavas.
They are generally red or brown, and include felsite, quartz porphyry and quartsleas
porphyry.
The beds of eruptive rock are very uneven in thickness, and cannot be traced for any
great distance, as might be expected of lava flows. They are thicker and less interrupted
by sediments in the lower part of the Keweenawan than in the upper part, where con-
glomerates and sandstones become more and more important, at last being almost free
from eruptive rocks.
The conglomerates are generally brown or red in color, and contain chiefly pebblee
of felsite and porphyry. In some bnds they are rich in copper, especially in the Calumet
and Hecla mine, where they furnish most of the output. The upper sandstones seem to
carry little copper, only one mine having been sunk upon them. Part of the upper
series of eandstones is closely like the St. Mary's sandstone at the ** Soo ;" and it U poss-
ible th^it the Keweenawan passes up into these rocks. Owing to faulting the relationship
of the two is not absolutely certain in the Keweenaw region.
Although most of the mines are on beds of amygdaloids, the amount of oopper pro-
duced from the great Calumet and Qecla mine, whicb works mainly conglomerate, sur-
passes the whole of the others, so that most of the Michigan copper may be credited to
the latter rock. A small quantity of silver accompanies the copper, not alloyed with it,
but as the pure native metal. This U evidence that the metals have been deposited from
solution, but the source of the solution is not i^vholly clear, though it is probable the basic
eruptives, which still contain some copper sulpbides, have provid'^.d most if not all of it.
Besides the beds of amygdaloid and coni^lomerate, some copper has been mined from
fissure veins, but these are relatively unimportant.
The most extraordinary feature of this great copper region, seoond only to one other
in the world, that of Moutann, is the face that almost the whole of the metal is native,
even at the great depths to ^hich mining has reached. This feature u found nowhere in
the world outside of the Lake Superior basin, since in all other regions, after the gossan
or weathered upper part of the deposit has bean removed, sulphides, chiefly oopper pyrites,
are found. The purity of the metal abd the ease with which it is extracted by simple
crushing and washing, give the Superior region a great advantage over «11 others, and
Lake copper has long Ud the way in quality.
The Keweenaw region can boast of the greatest mine in the world, the Oalumet and
Heola, with the deepest vertical shaft in the world, the Red Jacket shaft, now about a
1899 J
Copper and Iron Reg^ions of Ontario
■45
I
Bub in deptiL Mining, miUiog and smelting the copper can here be carrie d
idUi ores very loir in the metal ; bIdco the Atlantic mine treats ores averaging only 0.61
per cent, and no other mine sarpasses 2.00 per cent, except the Oalamet and Heel a
itNlf, which reaches 3.05.
As the ore comes np from the shaft, the "mass copper*' (large lumps cf the metal) is
nleeted out by hand, and the rest is taken by rail to the mill and crashed. Qravity
ilimps snch as are common in gold mills are not nsed, immense steam stampSy'somewhat
lib those of the Tremaine mill, being used instead. In the Calumet and Hecla mill on
like Linden, the stamps are said to crush 300 tons each per 24 hoars, and cast iron stamp
keids last only 3 or 4 days. The rock is not crushed nearly so fine as in a gold mill, how-
efer, and much of the rook is not so hard as gold quartz. There is an elaborate system of
fishing the material from the stamps, and the concentrates are of two grades of purity,
ike tailings being.ran off into the lake, which is rapidly being filled.
The smelting of the copper is a very short and easy process compared with that of
other regions.
Oopper has been obtained from Keweenaw point ever since the days of the monnd
boilders; but the first real mine was opened in 1846. Since then the output of copper
has steadily increased until, in 1898, 281,125 tons were produced. The Oalamet and
Hecla mine alone has paid more than ^55,000,000 in dividends on a capital of only
$2,500,000 ; and its shares, which if at par would be worth only $25, are quoted at $895.
It should be added, however, that no other mine in the region has approached this level.
So far as tiie geology is concerned, every rock observed is fouod also on
the north shore of lake Superior, at Mamainse, Michipicoton island, and between
Kipigon and Thunder bays. The only important diffeiences noticed between the two
v^gions are in regard to the attitude of the strata, those of Keweenaw point being much
more steeply tilted and niore intersected with faults than the rocks of the same age on
tiie north shore. It should be added, however, that on Michipicoton island certain rocks
(xscor, such as a black pitchstone, which are scarcely found in the Michigan region.
GOFPIB AND 8ILVBB NBAR THCNDBB BAT. «
As we had in the previous summer examined and reported upon the copper deposits
north of lake Huron, at Mamainse on the east side of lake Superior and on Michipicoton
island in the nortiiem part of the lake, it was decided to investigate the oopper bearing
neks on the northwest side of the lake, and to visit any known deposits of copper between
Pigeon river on the Minnesota frontier and lake Nipigon to the north. Silver and iron
mines in the vicinity of our work were visited also, and attention was directed to the
relationships of the Huronian, Animikie and Keweenawan or Nipigon rocks of the
district Owing to the finding of an important iron range at Michipicoton, however, we
were called to that region before our work near Thunder bay was far advanced.
Dikes and Sheets of Diabase at Sturgeon Point, Lake Superior. (ColenianV
Oar first expedition was toward the Minnesota boundary, traveling in a sma\l fishing
4»9ftt with Ambrose Oyrette, from the mission opposite Fort William^ aa ^uvdA >^TL<i V^t^^
10 m.
146 Bureau of Mines Report [ Np. 5
man. As Ambrose had discovered many jean ago one of the oopper depoaiti we wiahod
to ▼iBi^, and also one or two silver mines, and bad tru versed mooh of the region as a
hnnter and prospector, he was specially suited for onr work and performed his part of it
on the whole very satisfactorily.
There are many references to the mines and their geological associations in the
reports of the Canadian Oeological Survey, the most complete being Ingall's report on
Mines and Mining en Lake Superior. ^
Leaving the Kaministiquia by the southern outlet, the delta deposits are not passed
until Whiskey Jack point is reached. Here soft shales with harder layers rise a few
feet from the lake and have a gentle dip, about 5^ to the northwest Prooeediog south
along the shore one sees evenly banded shales or slates, some layers hard, others soft
enough to crumble in the hands, often with exceedingly uniform lamination, lying almost
horizmtally. Some of the thin harder bands are evidently laocolitic sills of diabase,
though only an inch or two chick, since occasionally they cut across £he slate from one
level to another. Thin dikes of similar rock have been thrown into curves by the oom-
prc ssion of the strata, and, at the same time, broken into rod- like portions. Larger dikei^
some 20 feet or more in thickness, rise through the slate and cut a thick cap (or iaooolitio
sill) of diabase, the latter apparently sometimes 200 feet thick, near Sturgeon point
About a mile southeast of the point large stretches of diabase interrupt the slate^
rocks weathering into spherical masses, or having many paler greenish spots like oertaia
diabases of the Keweenaw region near Houghton. It is possible that these rocks are
eruptions of Keweenawan age.
In order to reach the copper bearing rocks we camped on Oloud bay, a few miks
northeast of Pigeon river, and made an excursion inland. Following Oloud oreek a short
distance by canoe, we reached a farm with good fields of hay, but apparently abandoned ;
and then walked north over a rough and wet trail to the Pigeon River road, whioh we
followed about two miles, and then struck across country to the northwest toward Cloud
lake in the northwestern part of Orooks township, reaching sea 4, con. II. As it had
been mote than 20 years since Ambrose had visited the location, of which he was the dii-
coverer, there was tome trouble in finding the place. The region crossed, before arriving
at the copper mine, consisted chit fly of old lake deposits, forming several terraoes ; bn(
here cliffs of slate and diabase of the Animikie rose from the leyd sediments, and to the
southwest across Cloud creek there were hills several hundred feet high.
Very little work had been done at the so-called mine, two pits each 10 or 15 feet
deep, and a heap of rock removed from them, being all that was to be seen. The open-
ings are on a small ridge running for 100 feet in a direction of about 170^ on a steep slope
toward a small tributary of Cloud creek. The rock u undoubtedly amygdaloid, very like
that of Keweenaw point, and contains small specks of native copper, as well as red and
green earthy minerals containing copper. It is greatly weathered, and appears to ha^
been shattered into irregular masses and then cemented with reddish brown breccia. In
spite of its shattered condition the amygdaloid appears to be in place, and it is at least
30 or 40 feet thick, the lower part being buried under a talus sloping down towards the
creek. We walked more than a mile along a ridge, which seems the continuatior^ of the
hill where the openings were made, but saw no more rock in place, though boulders of
amyf^daloid; of the spotted diabase and of red sandstone, all very much like the rooks of
the Michigan copper region, were found here and there along the way.
There seems no doubt that a considerable band of Keweenawan rock, to some extent
at least copper bearing, exists a mile or two southeast of Cloud lake ; but it is much more
ea(>ily weathered than the neighboring Animikie rocks, and so is mostly hidden under
debris Whether any parts of the band contain copper enough tu be mined at a profit
cannot be determined until much more development work has been done.
Another excursion was made to a copper location in Blake township, reached by a
walk of 12 miles, principally along the Pigeon River road, which is falling into bad repair,
so that at present much of it could hardly be traversed with a wagon where it runs
through swamps. There are, however, many square miles of good looking level land,
fairly dry and largely clay, along the road. Fires, which have run over the region, have
destroyed most of the timber, so that the land could be easily cleared. Timothy and
' Geol Sar, Cm. 1887-88, partii, H.
i899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 14?
dover grew rankly along most of the road, and there Ib some pine in the valley. The
road winds greatly, and nowhere touches rock in the part which we followed, though
moontainoiis hilla of Animikie rocks rise at points not far from it. The moose are so
muneroiiB as to work np the boggy road in places to muck. A path leads cff to the east
or Mmtheast to the mine, which is abont 2 miles from the road, and 3 or 4 miles southwest
of Looh Lomond.
The mining operations, which were carried oat nnder the management of Mr. Hard-
■an as mining engineer, consist of a drift running 20 or 25 feet into the face of the steep
kiU, some trenches and a few small pits. The work has been done just beneath a very
iteep etoarpment of Animikie diabase, in a long slope of talus, running eastward down to
a nnall valley trending about north and south.
The drift was started in amygdaloidal reck fresher than that seen in Orooks township,
vith pmall amygdules filled, as in the previous case, chiefly with green delessite (?) and
vUte calcite. In a great many of the lumps on the dump in front of the drift native
oopper can be seen, so that the rock looks well. However, the drift when entered proves
to paas through the amygdaloid into boulder clay, and at the end it strikes solid fresh
diabaaet dark gray and not at all amygdaloidal, apparently the ordinary diabase of the
Animikie laccolitic siUs. From the work done it .is evident that the amygdaloid is simply
a very large separate mass or boulder. Lower down the steep hill-side there is another
nailer mass of amygdaloid, about 200 yards from the first The other small costean pits
ikow no amygdaloid. Careful examination of the hill-side above the two boulders dis-
dosed ohiefly fragments of ordinary diabase, a little of the spotted diabase and somn slate.
Ad eaoarpment of slate, covered by a cap of coarse diabase, rises about 100 or 125 feet
above the highest mass of amygdaloid.
The presenoe of these large boulders, or masses of copper bearing rock, may be
Moounted for in several ways. They may be parts of a great dike cutting the Animikie,
or parts of a bed of amygdaloid forming a portion of the Animikie series, or they may
i q jff e se n t small areas of Keweenawan rocks, remnants of a great sheet of them covering
tkke Animikie, now completely eroded away, except where small patches have been pre-
Mrved by walls of Animkie trap brought up beside them by faulting.
There are objections to the first theory, for dike rocks are seldom amygdaloidal, sirce
the expansion of vapor necessary to form the bubble holes can only take place, at or near
the surface of the ground. At any important depth below the surface the cavities could
sot Icnrm because of the great pressure. The second theory does not seem borne out by
the iaots, since none of the large number of splendid escarpments of the Animikie along
the ■hoses of lake Superior discloses a bed of amygdaloid. In fact there is no evidence
that any ot the caps of diabase covering the hills of the region, und giving them the strik-
ingly flat topped or mesa structure, were ever surface flows. Probab'y all of them were
pushed in between the beds of Animikie slate as sheets or thin lenses at a great depth
below the surface. Under these circumstances an amygdaloid could not form.
The third theory seems the most satisfactory, and would account also for the long
ridge of amygdaloid rock in Orooks township. It is of course possible, but improbable,
that the large masses of amygdaloid were brought by ice to their present position. If the
third theory is correct, a trench cut at right angles to the escarpment to a depth of 125
feet should disclose any band of amygdaloid, protected by the harder rocks of the Animikie
difi, from which such masses as are found may have rolled.
Apparently this deposit is the one described by Dr. Lawson in 1890, - or not far
from his locality, sec. 8 in con. VI. of Blake towncihip. He inclines to the view that
the rock is a dike, bur at that time no development work had been done, and he could
not know that the amygdaloid masses were apparently boulders. He mentions the
oocurrence of an outcrop of brownish red sandstone, which we failed to see, which sug-
gested to him that some other theory might be more correct, e.g., the faulting down of
overlying beds of Keweenawan (Nipigoo) rocks. Samples collected by him were assayed
hy Mr. F. L Sperry, then at Sudbury, with.the following results :
Sample No. 1, 64 feet above foot of slope 1.S9 p.c. copper.
•• No. 2, lowest oatcrop 0.27 -
•• No. 8, 64 foot level 2.88 **
" No.4,64 *» 8.67 "
« An. GeoL vol. v., J*n.Jane, 1890, pp. 174178.
148
Bureau of Mines Report
[No
Dr. LawBon mentions also the copper deposit in Orooks township, which he wa
able to visit, but at a later time Mr. Hille of Port Arthnr visited the spot and obt
specimens. He concludes that " enoogh has been advanced to show that the Anii
rocks of Thunder bay are worth careful prospecting for copper."
MCKELLAU'S POINT ANI> ADJAOKNT ISLAN'DB.
While in the Oloud Bay region we visited McKellar's point, which projects as a
rocky ridge between Little and Big Trout bays. It has the *< mesa" form, a flat to
hill covered with a sheet of diabase, and rises 342 feet above the lake at one point.
Shore near McKcllar'B Point, Lake Superior : Pie Island in the distance. (Colenian).
Trout Ihiy, I^ke SuiNtrior. (Coleman.)
diala^e (or gabbro) on top is coarse grained and in parts porpbyritic, containing 1;
glasHy crystals of pla^ioclase felspar. A large dike of porphyriiic diabase cuts it. B<
tbH cappi"g of eruptive ro3k are soft slates or shaleSi with sone harder greenish la]
and also beds a foot or two thick of red qaartzite, or perhaps felsite. At the Oloud
miue to the north of the end of McKellar's point a somewhat thick cap of red
quart zless porphyry forms the top of an escarpment, beneath which are thin fiisile si
aud thicker beds of bluish gray, less cleavable, slate Part of this slate has a ropy lool
sutface as if ot lava, though this may be deceptive, and aoother part contains flit peb
of darker «bale or slate.
Three openings have been made on veins in the slate, a tunnel and a shaft at
western end, and a shaft filled with water at the eastern damp. Probably faulting
\
1899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 1-49
place when tlie Veins were formed, for a breccia of porphyry fragments cemented by calcite
si| Bikes part of the damp. Calcite is the chief gan^ue mineral, and a little pyrites is the
only metalifeions mineral seen. To the west of the mine there is h, higher escarpment,
perhaps dne to faulting, where the porphyry is not to be been, the capping being of spotted
diabase with slate beneath. The same variety of diibase forms the point between Cloud
nd Little Trout bays. The rocks mentioned here are evidently similar to those so fully
ind excellently described by Bayley from Pigeon point in Minnesota, 6 or 8 miles to the
lOQthweBt. ^
On our return from Oloud bay we slopped at Caldwell point, opposite Victoria island,
examining reddish granitic looking rocks almost sngfl;esting Laarentian, and also at Jarvis
iilsod where a silver mine was worked at various times since 1869, but has long been
abandoned. ^ The white dump of calcite forms a striking landmark against the dark trap
rock of the point behind it. A conbiderable amount of white barite occurs also, and a
little pyrite, zincblende and argentite. The adjoining rooks consist of a curious inter-
nizture or breccia of diabase and a syenitic looking rock, as well as some slate. They
vill be referred to in the petrographic portion of this report.
THK SHORES OV THUNDER BAY.
We now turned back to Thunder bay, intending to study the relationship of the
^nlmilrtA to the underlying Laurentian, and especially to the Hnronian east of Port
Arthur. We commenced our work at Current river, a mile or two from the town, where
tlie blaok slate, covered in places with black trap, has been laid bare by the shallow
stream but scarcely at all eroded, the banks consirtting merely of the thin sheet of
■oil and turf covering the rock on each sida As Ooose point is approached one notices
that the hills in the rear are not flat topped, as they almost always are in the typical
Animikie region, but present rounded, rolling forms and are of a whitish color, evidently
oonsisting of Laurentian rock. East of the point coarse granitoid porphyritic gneisa
shows itaelfi and then fine grained somewhat slaty green schist standing almost vertically,
with a strike of about east and west. On the edges of the schist there are a few patches
of basal conglomerate of the Animikie. If the slaty schist is Huronian, there must have
heen an immense gap between it and the almost horizontal Animikie which covers it.
The schist is faulted in places, and varies in strike and dip, at one point dipping 70^
to the north with a strike of 50^. The band of schist can be followed a long distance
along ahore, and we estimated its length at 2 or 2} miles with an observed width of per-
hape half a mile, but we did nut think it wise to attempt to map it in detail. Narrow
fiua of quartz occur interbeddcd with the schist, but not of much promise. Just west
of SOyer Harbor we found coarse gneiss at the foot of a bay, but could not sae the con-
tsol between the two rocks. The contact at the western end of the band is an eruptive
one^ blocks and strips of the schist being enclose d in the Laurentian.
The point at Silver Harbor consists of Animikie, largely chert, which is beautifully
banded with blaok and white, overlain a short distance inland by a bed of diabase whidi
ioniis an escarpment. The old Algoma silver mine is situated here, but there is very
little to be seen of its irorkings.
The 3A mine lies about a mile inland, and may be reached over a road so grown up
with saplings as to be hard to follow. It is interesting as one of the few silver mines of
the district located in rocks mapped as Archaean, so we made an excursion to it. The
Animikie forms only a strip on the shore, after which a half mile of green schist is passed,
then fine grained yellowish gray gneiss or granite in eruptive contact with it ; then coarse
diabase before the mine is reached. The rock at the mine ia dark green and schistose,
and nmilar rook, sometimes weathering red and at times pitted with small spots, which
weather more easily than the rest, ia found for more than a quarter of a mile north of the
asinei Rocky hills beyond this consist of red porphyritic granite. A considerable
anumnt of work has been done, but the mine has been closed for 13 years. The veins
strike about 75^ and contain quartz, calcite, a little barite and much pyrites. There are
many intricate^ narrow bedded veins in parts of the country rook, somewhat like the
• U. a GmL Sor. BoU. No. 109, 1893.
« GebL Sor. Can., 1887-88, part a, p. 43 H.
I50 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
MTsngement seen at the Alice A. gold mine near Shoal lake. Mr. logall's report on the
silver mines of the region says that " oiea of iron, copper, lead, zinc, nickel and silveir
with some cobalt and gold " occnr in the mine, *' the silver being found native and oom-
bined with sulphur and nickel " ; and the ore is said to have been as rich as that of Silver
Islet One sample is stated to have assayed 25 p c. nickel and 1.0 p. c. cobalt ^
On our return to Fort William we crossed theT upper end of Thunder bay and
coasted southwestward past lofby cliffi of sandstone. The rock is a rather coarse grained,
pale gray freestone, affording large blocks, well suited for building stone. Along the
whole shore there are about two hundred feet of sandstone which seems suitable for
building stone, and has been taken up as locations for that purpose. As one advances
toward Thunder cape some bauds of red sandstone appear high up on the cliff This
rosk is considered to be of Keweenawan or Nipigon age, though so different in character
from the rocks of Keweanaw point. It rests on the Animikie, which can be seen cropping
out as a low cliff of slate at the foot of the escarpment. A dike of diabase passes up
through both Animikie and Keweenawan, not far from the eastern end of the mountain
named Thunder cape. As mentioned in a former report, there is a fault of at least 13O0
feet between the Keweenawan sandstones of the eastern end of the peninsula and the bold
*' mesa " of Animikie diabase forming the cape itself. '
Arriving at Fort William we found instructtpns. from Mr. Blue to proceed to the
Sault 3ta Marie in order to examine the iron range reoenilj discovered in the Michipi-
coton district Our plans for cruising along the north shore of lake Sap. rior to Nipigon
bay, and for a canoe trip to lake Nipigon, had therefore to be postponed.
A spare day before the leaving of our steamer was employed in visiting some sup-
posed iron and copper deposits northwest of Port Arthur. The iron ores, which ooour on
Mr. Morgan's farm beside a creek, are rusty bands of Animikie rock, probably weathered
portions of impure siderite ; and the supposed copper mine- is simply a shaft sunk in the
ordinary Animikie rock, it is said, by a Chicago company. As it was full of water, noth-
ing was to be seen in the shaft, but the material dumped from it consisted of blue boulder
clay and a shaly conglomerate entirely different from the Keweenawan copper conglom-
erate. Copper is said to occur in the latter rock, but we found none in our brief
examination.
IRON ORE DEPOSITS.
An account of our observations in the iron ranges of Marquette and Tower earlier
in the summer will be of value, as showing the character of the ores of these famous iron
regions and their accompanying rocks, for the purpose of comparing them with the new
and undeveloped range at Michipicoton. No attempt will be made to give detailed
descriptions of these ranges, but the main facca will be briefly presented. Thoae who
wish to study them in detail will find admirable guidance in the publications of the State
Surveys of Michigan and Minnesota and of the U. S. Oeological Surveys. Of speeisl
importance are the monographs on the Penokee Iron-bearing Dls^trict of Michigan and
Wisconsin, ^ and on the Marqaette Iron-bearing District of Michigan. ^ These two ex-
haustive works give very fuU accounts of the regions and are admirably illustrated.
Their careful work has laid a foundation on which Canadian geologists may build in
working out our own iron ranges.
THE MICHIGAN BANGE8.
We visited first the Marquette iron range, easily reached by rail from the city of
the same name. Most of the mines are near the two inland cities of Ishpeming and
Negaunee, but the range extends from Marquette to Michigamme, a distance of nearly
40 miles from east to west. A short account of the geology of the region will be
» Geol. Sur. Cao. 1887-88, p. 67 H.
« Bur. Minei, 1896, 6th Ann, Rep., p. 120.
'' U, 8. QeoL 8nr,, Monogrsph xiz, by Irving and Van Hise.
'Ibid,, MoDogTMph xxyiii, by Van Hise, Bayley and^my^^.
1899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 151
alutracted from Van Hiae's outliae at the beginnlDg of Monograpli XXVIII, and after-
nids oompariaoiui will be made between the rocki of the region, as observed by us, and
eomspondiog rooka in Ontaria
llie rocks of the district comprise three series separated by unconformities, the
Biiement Complex or Archsean, the Lower Marqaette and the Uppar Marquette. The-
Basement Complex consists mainly of massive and schistose rocks, not easily separated
into sharply defined series, and inolndes the granites and gneisses generally called
laorentii^n in Canada, as well as green schists and eraptives, which would be classed as
Honmian or Eeewatin. Van Hise excludes all sedimentary rocks from his Archseui.
The Upper and Lower Marquette series, claiFsed as AlgOnkian by Van Htse, include
"oekB which would in general be called Huronian in Canada. The Lower Marquette
oiiauta of quartzites, dolomites and slates, with the Negannee iron formation at their
smmifc. Only the last need be described. It is *< from 1000 to 1500 feet thick, is
onfragmentaJ, heavily ferraginons throughout, and contains the greater iron deposits of
be distriot. It ia therefore called the iron-bearing formation. Large quantities of
itmsive greenstones are associated with the formation, the masses of which vary in
lagnitude from great bosses 2 miles or more long, and a half mile wide to small
ikes. . . Upon the whole, the formation is soft, and occupies lowlands between the
lOre resistant greenstones and the Ajtbik quartzlte. The formation is underlain by the
iamo slate or Ajibik quart zite into which it grades, and is overlain unconformably by
le Upper Marquette series.*' Pc*trographically the formation consists of a variety of
omblende schist (gruenerite schist) or slate with magnetite, hematite or limonite,
irraginous chert, j isp'dite (jisper rock) and iron ore. The chert and jaspilite are fre-
Q- ntly brecciated, the others less frequently. '* The sideritic slate is the original form
■om which the other varitiea of rock liave originated. The ferruginous cherts differ
rom the ferruginous slates in that the iron oxide and the chert are largely concentrated
ito alternate bands." The jaspilite differs from the chert only in being stained red
ith included hematita '*The iron ores resulted from the concentration of the iron
sides through the downward-percolating waters. These concentration bodies usually
Dcnr upon impervious basements in pitching troughs. The pitching troughs are formed
J the Siamo slate, the Ajibik quartzlte, a mass or dike of greenstone, or by some com-
ination of these. The ore deposits are likely to be of large siz3 where, as a result of
le folding, the iron bearing formation is much fractured, thus permitting; the ready
Btlon of percolating waters. The ore deposits occur at the bottom of the Negaunee
irmation, within the Negaunee formation, and at the junction of the overlying
ibpeming forma' ion."
The Upper Marquette rocks, the Isbpeming formation, consist of quartzlte and a
iripty of aotinolite (gruenerite) schist*. At the base of the quartzlte there is Often a
isal conglomerate above the Negaunee iron bearing series, showing that there was an
lierval of erosion between the two.
We visited first the Jackson mine near Negaunee, the earliest worked in the region,
iVIng been first opened in 1845. It is still working, though its best ores have been
chaasted, and the ore still obtained is very siliceous. The present output is stated to
) used for mixing with other ores in smelting. Large open cuts allow one to study the
tpoait without difficulty. The ore is largely a lustrous, gray, micaceous hematite, inter-
ized with thin seams of red jasper, often intricately folded and faulted. A talc schist
a yellow to brown color shows on the hill above, and on the lower side of the most
aterly opening the same soft schist occurs, largely changed to impure brown iron ore.
North of the valley we found lean, jaspery ore, too low grade apparently to work.
k!a band has a dip of about 70^, and reminds one of hills on the Mattawin west of
art Arthur, or near Magpie river ia the Michipicoton region.
The Negaunee mine, which ships 600 tons per day of ore, running from 57 to 62
ft cent, in iron, is sitnat«^d in a valley to the east of the Jackson mine. The ore seems
t be mainly soft hematite, with little or no jasper, and lies in lenses, sometimes 200 to 500
et across and 50 to 100 feet thick, varying in quality, parts being too lean to ship.
iltes of a rock said to be diorite cut the ore bodies, now largely turned to ** paint lock."
prth of the mine gray slate shows at a railway cutting, and still beyond is a ridge of
Ute quvtzite, much like that of the typical Huronian at Echo lake, though the (Op is
gber.
15^ Bureau of Mines Report [ No, 5
The Lake Saperior mine at lahpemiog was visited, and here also there are lar^
open cats, showing hard micaceous ore with some JMper. The workings are from 300 to
800 feet deep, and the hard Bessemer ore is said to ran 65 per cent, of iron. The iron
bearing rocks of the Negannee formation occapy usaally the valleys, while masses of
greenstone rise as hills on each side, and drilling was going on at several places in order
to prospect for new ore bodies. Test pits were being sank also, in some places pene-
trating great thicknesses of clay and other drift deposits. This is saggestive for oar own
Michipicoton range, where the valleys have not yet been carefully prospected.
VERMILION AND MESABI BANOB8.
Arriving at Daluth by boat, we made an excursion to Ely, in the Vermilion iron range
of Minnesota, which displays in a general way the same relationships in regard to the
ore bodies as may be seen in the Marquette region. A trip was made by oanoe to the
north in order to examine the lo^rer Keewatin as mapped by the Minnesota Geologicil
Survey, and to see its contact with the Laurentian.
The rocks observed coriespond petrographically to those of the Keewatin of OntariOi
and a deposit of magnetite in hornblende schist occurs on the Brandine property, somewhat
like the Atik-okan iron deposits but very much smaller. Dikes of granite penetrate the
green schists, as near the border of Laurentian bosses in Ontario.
The most important mine at Ely is the Chandler, and some time was spent in studying
its surroundings. The mine is worked by deep mining and caving, and the deep kettle*
shaped opening with its rock wall, affords good opportunities to examine the conditions. 1
Red jasper and bluish chert are associated with the ore, which consists of hard and soft
hematite, partly dark red in color, partly '* blue," Le. bluish steel gray. The latter variety
of ore is often hard enough to scratch steeL Much of the ore is porous, consisting ol
angular fragments cemented by a later deposit of oxide, a condition greatly faoilitatiDg
mining. It is probable that the hard angular fragments represent jasper, now replaood
by ore. On the northwest side of the opening gray green chloritic schist and altered
diabase are seen, dipping 60^ to 80^ to the southeast. Part of the schist is paler, almost
yellow, perhaps sericite schist, and other parts are turned to a^brown or parple rock, softer
than the rest and approaching iron ore in character. The face of the opening is elioken-
aided in places.
On the southeast side of the mine green chlorite schist is seen, and afterwards altered
diabase, so that the ore body appears to lie between bands of altered diabase and chlorite
schist. Oaptain John Pengilly, manager cf the Chandler Iron Company, was good enough
to give much is formation regarding the mine and its surroundings. The ore body waa in
the beginning about 450 by 500 feet in area, and mining has already gone down aboa%
700 feet. There were 40 feet of clay on top of the solid rock, then jasper, which thickena
to the eastward. This is really only one of three lenses of ore wUch have been proved
to exist, all parallel to the strike of the country rock, the first that on which the Chandler
mine is situated, its eastern portion belonging to the Pioneer mine ; next the Zenith mine^
and then the Savoy. The Chandler however is the only mine which has yet been largely
worked. There are about 500 feet of jasper overlying the eastern end of the Chandler
lens, which belongs to the Pioneer mine. The Chandler ore is said to run 65 p. c iron,
with only a trace of sulphur and 0.038 phosphorus, and is all of Bessemer quality* Over
5,000,000 tons have been taken from the mine, which was opened in 1888 ; and it was
expected that 800,000 tons would represent the output for 1899.
It must be remembered that this splendid mine is only about 20 miles from the
boundary of Ontario, that two other lenses of ore have been proved to exist between it
and the boundary, and that the band of country rock enclosing them has been proved to
cross into Ontario. The fact that some of these ore bodies a^e heavily capped with jasper
shows that extensive exploration with the diamond drill may be necessary to locate similar
lenses on our territory.
The Tower iron mines were visited the following day, on a continuation of the same
range but 20 miles to the southwest. Their general surroundings are much better ezpoeed,
since bare hills give access to the rock. Part of the mine was worked as large open outs
in a high hill, displaying well the enclosing country rock. Apparently the ore was
capped by banded jasper, often crumpled and broken and with a dip of about 70^. Ike
rockM on each aide of the lens are Huronian looking; schist^ green and oUoiitiei or ^pale
1899 J Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 153
jeOowish gray serioite aohist ; in the latter case apparently sheared quartz porphyry. Part
of the green aohist is agglomerate, with boulders greatly tailed out. The pale serioite
diiBt if decayed ia spoken of as " soap rock," and when impregnated with iron oxide so as
to have a red color is ** paint rock." Miners expect to find soap rock on each side of the
jiiper and ore. It is suggestive that soap and paint rockp, precisely like those of Tower
or of the Jackson mine, occur at the southeastern edge of the Helen mine at Michipicoton.
Ihe ore body at the Tower mine ia 50 to 150*feet wide, with some '* horses " of jasper, and
it has been followed down to 1000 feet, the workings extending down to 860 feet. The
ore is mostly of the " hard blue " kind of hematite, and averages about 67 per cent iron,
Imt ia a little high in phosphorus. The mine needs no timbering, since ita walla are ao
irm. * It ahipa about 450,000 tona per annum.
An examination of the hill ehowa ttiat frequently, inatead of red jasper interbanded
vith the steel gray iron ore^ a black variety like chert or gray, or pale greenish varieties
i ailioa occur, some of them much like specimens obtained from the Michipicoton region.
A hill at the town of Tower shows a broad exposure of chlorito schist and jasper, the
liter in quite irregular bodies or lenses, sometimes forming almost a giant breccia with
be achiatw Here two openinga have been made, diaclosing good ore, but the amount pre-
BQt has not been determined. Descriptions of the arrangement of the country rocks and
re bodies at the Chandler and Tower mines may be found in the Iron Ores of Minnesota,
y Winchell. ^ This report states that '* the mined iron masses have no regular manner
I alternation or position in the strata of the Keewatin. They appear suddenly and
TOgnlarly. They have no constant hanging wall nor foot wall. They cannot be followed
kmg the strike for great distances. The largest jasper-ore masses are traceable not more
lan a mile and a half." ''
A short visit was made to the Biwabik mine on the Meeabi iron range. The Meaabi
re bodtea are of quite a different kind from thoae of the Vermilion, and belong to a differ-
1% horizon, according to Mr. Spurr of the Minneaota Geological Survey being Animikie
r Upper Huronian, which eztenda to the northeaat into Ontario in the neighborhood of
hander bay.^^ Aa in Ontario, theae rocka have uaually only a gentle dip, about 10 or 15
agrees, and rest upon the upturned edgea of the Keewatin achiata or the Laurentian, and
anadian geologiata generally look on them aa later than Upper Huronian in age, possibly
ambriao.
On the Mesabi range the Animikie ia divided into three chief membera, the basal
lartrite, the iron-bearing member, and the upper alates. The iron-bearing member of
le aeriee, the only one which need be further described, is about 800 feet thick and is
B17 Tariable in character, sometimes cherty or jaspery, sometimes earthy slates, and ia of
arioua colors, auch aa brown, red or green ; but all merging into one another The iron
re aaaociated with them ia also variable, including magnetite, hematite and limonite.
M In the Vermilion range, the ore bodiea eeem to reault from the concentration of iron
Eaaemioated through the rock aa a whole, in certain parts, where impervious basins give
chanoe for this ; but the Mesabi ore deposits are usually shallow and flat, instead of
sing lenses running parallel to the dip, aa at Ely or Tower. Spurr thinka the aonrce of
le iron is to be found in marine glauconite depoaits, like some now being forme J, and
lat organisms have played a part in the work. Afterwards percolating surface
atera decomposed the glauconite, forming silica and iron oxide, the latter being
moentrated in regiona of greateat oxidation.^'- He thinks that the iron bearing member
! the Meaabi ia confined to Minneaota, and doea not extend into Ontario, but no very
M>d reaaon ia given for this view.
At the Biwabik mine, near the town of the aame name, two large open cuta about
50 feet deep and ooyering many acrea giye a good opportunity to atudy the depoaits.
kbout 50 feet of atony till overlie the ore, and must be removed before mining can go on.
hia work ia done with a ateam ahovel and narrow gauge railway, the clay being heaped
I great hilla to one aide of the mine. Below the clay ia a bed of red paint rock, looking
ke ore but low in iron, then banda of brown hematite and jrellow ocher, alternating wiUi
* Bulletin vi, Minn. Geol. Sor., 1891, pp. 47, eto., and 177, etc.
••IHd.,p.ei.
"The Meeabi Iron-bearing Rocks : Spurr, Bull, z, Minn. Geol. Sur., 1894, P* 4.
^ Ibid., p. S69.
154 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
blue ore, which is of the best quality. There are a few white sandy layers, residual silioa
after the leaohiog oat of the iron compounds, according to Spurr. Most of the ore is soft,
but some is hard, and both hematite and limonite are mined; the whole it is said, aToraging
60-65 per cent , and reaching Bessemer grada No jasper was seen, though some of the
blue ore is hard enough to scratch steel. The ore is evidently stratified, and has a dip of
about 20^ away from a rocky hill behind the mine. All the mining is d^ne with steam
shovels, the ore being damped into cars, which when loaded are taken directly to the
shippiQ(< port. Though the mine is not a very large one for the Mesabi region, it ships
about 450,000 tons per annum. The nearest rook, which forms the hill in the rear, con-
sists of grayish gray waoke conglomerate ; but the thick beds of boulder clay prevent a
study of the immediate country rock of the mine.
While the Mesabi mines, where millions of tons of ore are handled with steam shovels
only a very few miners being required, are unique in the world, and thus far have no
parallel in Ontario, it is too soon to say that no parallel will be found in our Ani-
mikie. That impure carbonate ores form considerable b^ds near Port Arthur, and that .
immense deposits of hematite 03cur near the Mattawin river, is certain. The latter ore *
deposits contain much j isper in some plaoes, and are more steeply tilted than most of :
the Mesabi rocks, but they seem to correspond better, in some respects, to the conditionaai
of the Mesabi range than to those of the Vermilion. As most of the Mesabi depositee
are in low ground, covered with drift and difficult to find, it may be that similar beds m
remsdn to be discovered in the Mattawin region. The slaty red hematites of the Matta —
win range occur in hills, evidently being harder than some of the adj lining rooks, unlike m
the Mesabi ore bodies, and the ore also is considerably lower in iron. If deposits shouldJ
be found in the valleys we may expect them to be more highly concentrated, and there —
fore richer.
THE MICHIPIOOTON IRON BANOL
While waiting at the Sault Ste. Marie for transportation to Miohipicoton Post a visits
was made to the pulp mills, where Mr. Sjoestedt showed us his metallurgical plant for*
die treatment of nickel ores. The ore with which he was experimenting comes from 1^
mine controlled by the Clergues, between Sudbury and Worthington, and is pyrrhotite
almost completely free from copper pyrites, something unusual in the Sudbury district.
Hin process requires ore free from copper, so that any bits containing copper pyrite are
picked out, and less than ^j^ per cent, is found in the material treated. The ore is
roasted sweec in a iurnace arranged for this purpose, and also to supply sulphur
dioxide for the manufacture of sulphite pulp. The thoroughly roasted ore is smelted in
electric furnaces, having a capacity of about one ton per day, the metal resulting being
ferro-nickel suitable for alloying with steel in the manufacture of nickel steel. The
ferro-nickel contains about 6 per cent, of the latter metal. This process was devised in
the first place to supply sulphurous compounds for the projected paper mill ; but as
carried out the whole of the ore u utilized, unlike the method adopted by the Canadian
Copper Company, where ths sulpuurous gases are poured into the air in the process of
heap roasting, destroyinfr the vegetation for a mile around, and the iron is largely
removed as slag in the famace, while the matte resulting still requires an elaborate
treatment before the refined nickel and copper are produced. If Sjoested's method is suc-
cessful, and it is stated to work well on the scale now used, it should form a great
advance in the treatment of our nickel ores. Unfortunately, most of our ores are
largely mixed with copper pyrites, and so not adapted for the process. Possibly a method
of magnetic separation of the magnetic pyrites from the non-magnetic copper ore might
be adopted for the ordinary Sudbury ores.
The production of ferro nickel suggests the further advance to nickel steel, and so
the need for pure ores to supply the necessary iron. Such ores are found in the Helen
mine, owned by the Clergues' company.
• By the kindness of Mr. Clergue we were invited to occupy berths on his steam
yacht, and thus saved some time in reaching Michipicoton. Landing at little Ores Ci^
we rowed round the cape to the iron mine worked years ago. As it has been diaeoribed
in a previous report ^^ and also by Mr. MacfArlane in a report of the Geological Survey ^*
13 finr. Mines, 1899, p. 146 ; also p. 2S4.
J^Oeol Sur. Ckm. 1863-66, pp. 180-1.
■899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 155
it will not be ne-wssaiy to devote mach time to it here. As far as the mine itself is oon-
omedy there is less to he seen than when Macfarlane visited it 35 years ago. He
ilatea that in the main shaft the ore was steadily improving, and Capt. Griersdn,
vho had charge of the work, states the same ; so that farther work on the property
laay be de arable. The associated rock is called qaartzite by Macfarlane, bat mach
d it resembles rather chert or very fine grained saadstone. Foar or five feet of this
rock with little iron ore form the hanging wall of the deposit, bat the rest consists
of thin bands of chert or sandstone, and hematite. Masdve lo jking agglomerate f orais
the adjacent rock to the west, while that to the eist is soft, rather fissile, green
M^7 schist. More or less interrupted bands of sandstone occar in the greenstone
farther east. The general association resembles that of the YermUion range, bat
^without the jaiper so characteristic there. Between this and the Helen mine, ten
sidles to the northeast, the band of iron-bearing rock has not been foand. On Gros
'Oap it mns out into the lake at oach end, and has not been observed on the main shore.
THK HELEN MIKE.
The Helen mine, at the east end of the pond called Boyer lake, is mach more prom-
^Ufang and of a quite different nature. At the time of our visit a very rough trail from
^awa lake was the only means of access to the mine, and little work beyond stripping
had been dona At present the railway from the harbor at Gros Gap is nearly com-
pleted, and will foon aff'jrd ready communication* Lake Boyer, which is about ^ mile
in length and half as broad, and 650 feet above lake Superior, forais the first of a chain
of small lakes flowing into Magpie river. The region is very rugged and hilly, rising al-
most to a mountain just east of the lake, the highest point being as determined by Mr.
Olergue's engineers 443 feet above its level and 1,093 feet above lake Superior, or 1,694
above sea. The depth of this small body of water is said to be 150 feet, bat GapL Wil-
liamSy in charge of the mine, had sounded near the ore body at the east end and had found
only 115 feet It empties by a little stream having a fall of 26 feet over solid rock into
the aeoond pond, Sayers lake, still smaller than Bjyer lake, but said to be equally deep ;
and this lake sends a stream over solid rook also with a considerable fall into the next
lake. It is probable that the hollowing of these two lakes out of the rock has some con-
nection with the formation of the ore deposit.
The ore body rises as a point from the east end of Boyer lake, and forms a hill 94
leet above its level at the highest point, from which it sinks in all directions. On July
19 stripping showed that the ore body was at least 450 feet in length from east to west,
and 350 in breadth from north to south. As good ore could be seen to extend below the
water, the thickness was evidently greater than 90 feet. Since then, as I am informed,
on March 31, by the kindness of Mr. F. H. Glergue, the superficial area has been proved
to be 650 by 850 feet, and the diamond drill has shown that the ore goes to a distance of
at least 188 feet below lake level. An average of analyses of the ore showed 64 p. a
metallic iron, 0.025 sulphur, and 0.045 of phosphorus. It was expected at that time
that the ore dock would be ready for shipping on June 1, and that a crushing plant of
the capacity of 5,000 tons per day would be in operation on May 1.
The ore on the surface is chiefly hard, somewhat porous limonite ; but parts of it are
^'fdne" (steel gray), or have the yellow of ocher, and other parts the red of hematite, so
that different varieties are mixed. However the average contents of metallic iron are
innoh above that of limonite, so that most of the ore must be hematite. The ore has
sometimes a brecciated look, and often shows grape-like or botryoidal concretionary layers.
On the nortn side some fragments of decayed sandstone occur, cemented by ore and in
the ore itself in a few places glassy quartz grains are seen. No pyrites was ooeerved
iiowever.
An open out and short drift to the south of the ore body disclose boulder clay above
and (Nre below, with soft pale schist at the end of the drift, the "soap rock" of the miners
^m the Yermilion range. The schist next the ore has been impregnated with red iron
<izide, and is " paint rock." !»T<*'-»
A steep ridge of hills rises along the south side of Boyer and Sayerslakes consisting
-^i various schists, first sheared felsite, then gray green schist, probably |sheared porphy-
wit^ the latter possibly a dike. On top of the ridge the rock u sheared porpyhry or felsite.
^A]l of these schists strike about east and west and have a neaxlj ^«t\»\»^ ^^*
156 Bureau of Mines Report. . [ No. 5
North of the ore body one finds first 400 or 500 feet of sandstone and chert,
interleaved with lean ore, mostly limonite^ forming a vertical cliff. A little to the west
of this is a breccia of chert, with hematite as cement. Going still farther north there is
a steep ridge or hill of green schist, with nearly vertical dip and a strike about east and
west. For about one eighth of a mile beyond, one finds steep parallel ridges of similar -
green schist, making a country very difficult to traverse.
At the outlet of Boyer lake the stream flows over what seems to be very pyritoua ^
sandstone, now black and deeply weathered. The next small lake flows over similar but
more distinct sandstone, with pyrite and secondary iron ore, and the rocky wall to the -^
west shows some ore. A tunnel runs into the hill on the southeast comer of this lake — «
and discloses a great mass of finely granular impure pyrites. Here and there in the —
pyrites are fragments of sandstone, and there are some vertical cherty looking layers, as
though the sandstone or chert was here filled with sulphide instead of oxide of iron.
At the west end of Sayers lake (the second in the series) the sandstone band appears t
to be about a fifth of a mile wide, but is broken near the middle by a band of green
schist, with a little dark slate, the whole about 200 feet in width. Beyond Ely's camp —
at the west end of the lake a stream flows down a steep dam of pyritous rock toward the--
next lake. That each of these two deep little lakes should have a narrow dam of pyritona
sandstone cannot be accidental. On the trail south of lake Wawa gray and brownish,
and green schists are crossed for at least a mile, when a large area of a coarse grained
green eruptive, probably weathered diabase, is encountered. Beyond this, at the north-
east comer of Wawa lake, is the singular conglomerate referred to in a former report.
The ore-bearing sandstone has not been traced to any distance west of Sayers (or Qlen^-
lake ; so that it cannot be connected with certainty with the short band described before-
as crossing the end of little Gros Cap. It may be that the connecting link is buried under
the old lake sands of the wide Magpie valley, which cover much of the intervening region.
Turning eastward from the Helen mine, a steep path leads up the hill, which risea
450 feet in a few hundred yards, and turns out to be a comparatively narro?^ rtdge with
an eastward trend for about f of a mUe, when it sinks precipitously to a wide valley.
Several costean pits across this ridge give hints of its structure. Apparently the cause of
the hill is to be found in a large dike or band of pale bluish gray felsite, exoeedingly hard
and resistent, forming its backbone.
On the surface this rock is commonly weathered for a few inches and covered with dark
brown limonite, which had been taken for ore. Wherever the trenches peneforated the
surface, however, the fresh rock appeared, and was always found to contain much iron
pyrites, probably the source of the coating of brown iron ore. Parallel to this belt of
eruptive rock, which shows no signs of schistose structure so far as seen, we have sand-
stone and various schists, all striking nearly east and west with nearly vertical dip. On^
section across the ridge shows the following succession of rosks from south to north :
Fifty yards of soft greenish schist with some quartz veins.
A few feet of greenish and yellowish brown schists.
A little sandstona
Eighteen yards of felsite.
Eight yards of felsite and green schist.
Twenty-five yards of brown rock greatly weathered, partly schistose.
A considerable width of sandstone and chert banded with iron ore.
Owing to the wooded and rugged character of the hill top, the boundaries of the dif-
ferent bands of rock could not be definitely fixed, except on short stretches opened up by^
costean pits. The width of the summit of the hill u less than a quarter of a mile. Sec-
tions across in other places gave a similar result, though the different rocks seem to vary
in thickness from point to point, and at one place somewhat farther west a band of ooa-
glomerate or breccia was found near the southern side of the ridge, the angular pebUe»
consisting chiefly of sandstone and felsita Next to this on the south is soft yellowisb-
felsite schist, and north of it sandstona It is doubtful if the breccia is of sedimentary
origin. At one point about 150 feet down the north side of the ridge Mr. Ely had 00m-
menoed to drift into the banded sandstone. The material to l^ seen oonsiBted of
the sandstone interbanded with brown iron ore, and a seam of pure limonite'
ranning down through it. He expected to find a body of soft iron ore by means of thi»
drifti but apparently baled in this, since the work hasnot been continued. So far aa our
i899 ] Cdpper and Iron Regions of Ontario 157
hasty examination goes, it appears as if the felsite had erapted through the soft sandstone,
the greatest thickness being left on the north side.
Retarning to the ore deposit at the east end of Boyer lake, it will be noted that its
position is a very peculiar one. It forms a large mass at one end of a lake basin with an
amphitheater of high hills enclosing it on the north, east and soatih, the walls rising very
steeply on all sides, except towards the west, where the Uke empties. The arrangement
suggests the impervious troughs in which the ore bodies of the Vermilion and Marquette
ranges occur ; however, there are certain well marked differences from the American ore
deposits. Usually they are more or less covered with banded jasper or chert ; while here
the correspondirg banded chert and sandstone lies entirely to one side, and the ore body
rises in a dome-like way, sloping down on all sides towards the hills enclosing it, as if it
had been heaped up on the bottom of the basin instead of having been produced by the
slow replacement of sandstone by ore in the original position occupied by the rock.
A second theory is possible, that the body of ore has been formed by the oxidation of
pyrites from the sandstones and other rocks around. In this case the pyritous sandstone
at the lower end of each of the two small lakes may have provided the iron, and in its
decay the hollows of their basins may have been produced. Until mining shall have dis-
closed the true relations of the ore body to the surrounding rocks, it may be impossible to
decide which theory is the correct one. Some features point towards the theory of re-
placement, e g., the fragments of sandstone in the ore toward the north side and the occur-
rf nee of paint rock and soap rock on the south side ; while others fit better with the
theory that the deposit was made in an open basin by surfdce waters. The fact that the
ore is largely porous limonite, the arrangement and shape of the ore body, and the fact
that it is not covered by any capping of rock, seem to favor the second. Possibly both
methods may have been in operation at different times. In any case exploration up to
the present shows that millions of tons of excellent ore have resulted, so that the mine bids
fair to compare favorably with those of the States south and west of lake Superior, it
is possible that the Helen mine has more analogy with the Mesabi than with the Ver-
milion range, but the rocks enclosing it have all the appearance of Lower Huronian or
Keewatin, and not those of the Upper Huronian or Animikie.
THE BANGS TO THE EAST OF HELEN MINE.
As the next point where the iron bearing sandstone had been found was some miles
away, near Eleanor lake, we returned to Wawa and set out eastward with canoes. By
aneroid we found Wawa lake to be 303 feet lower than Boyer lake, or 347 feet above
lake Superior. Our estimate from several aneroid readings the previous summer was
352 feet for Wawa lake^ but the results of levels carried out by the railway engineers
give a considerably lower elevation, 337. 6 feet, and this must be accepted as accurate.
Last year's readings should therefore be lowered by about 14 feet.
A short distance south of Eleanor lake, and mere than two miles northeast of the
hill near the Helen mine, ferriferous sandstone is found again on one of the old Johnston
locations ; but the rock has not been observed between these two points As seen on
the portage trail between Wawa and Eleanor lakes, the rock forms a steep cliff, the
basded sandstone being about 100 yards wide, but not showing any good ore. It has
the saoie appearance as that near Boyer lake, and is accompanied by the same rocks.
On the hill top we found no felsite, though that rock arpears on the face of the cliff, but
sericitic or felsitic schist and greenish eruptions are seen on each side of the sandstone.
At one place a little black carbonaceous shale occurs to the south of the schist. The
ielsite is much narrower thsui on the hill east of Boyer lake, but weathers with the same
rusty surface, 8Uf?gesting iron ore, and has the same pale gray surface with much pyrites
on frefh pieces ; no pyrites was seen in the sandstone, however
The portage between the two lakes follows the old Grasett road, which is still in fair
condition at most points, and runs west along the south shore of Eleanor lake, and then
bands round its western end and turns north agaia. We walked about 3f miles along it
to examine the rocks exposed. South of Eleanor lake - fissile bla^k slate may be seen,
but on bending round the lake to the north, only gray green schist and schist conglomer-
ate or agglomerate, with many variations in strike, was found.
Portaging a miie northeast from a small bay of Eleanor lake, we reached a pond and
•made another short portage into Loon skin lake, which we mapped. The lake trends
158 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
nortbeasv and soaihweat, has a leogth of three miles, and k greatly oat up by baya and ^E
narrow shallow channels. The rocks obsc rved were all green Haronian, not very aobis- — j
tose. As the portages proved to be very bad, especially for our large Peterboro' oanoes, ^— ^
we left most of onr staff at the northeast end of Loon skin lake, and with one oanoe and .Si
a light oatfit made oor way northward to Magpie river. The cflmoe was lather crowded .^BB
for foar, ikiclading onr two Indians and oarselvee, but served the purpose on the chain of ^^H
small lakes and rivers we bad to traverse. On the namerons portages, often with no^^o
path to be foand, we carried everything at one load and thus savisd maoh time. As the^^^
region had never been mapped, we carried on a track sarvey with prismatic compass ancL^H
time allowance. Tamiog north from the northeastern comer of the larger expansion of^Btf
Loon-skin lake, two short portages, with a pond between, lead into a small body of wate i m
which we named Scott lake, from a gentleman who had saggested this roate towards the^^s
north. From this lake, which is a mile in length, there is a short portage to the ne xl
sheet of water, which we named Goetz lake, from a prospector who had staked claims on^^
its shores. At the southern end of Scott lake there is a hill on which about 150 feet of^^
banded sandstone occurs, with a strike of 75^ or 80° and vertical dip. Some of the rock:=ir
is cherty and reddish, but no good iron ore was to be seen. To the north there is green
ish schistose rock. Ooetz lake, which is about a mile in length from southwest to north —
east, and is divided centrally by a long narrow island having the same trend, shows ii^^
general only Huronian schistr and eruptives, but the band cf iroii-bearing sandstone aeei^.
on Scott lake runs about parallel to it and is only a quarter of a mile from its eaaterm.
comet. Here we found that a number of claims had been staked by Alois Goetz. Om.
No. 2 daim there is black chert in thick beds, while on the aoath side of a small body o^
water called Parks lake much red hematite is found in loose blocks, and near by Prof.
Willmott has observed red hematite in place, borne of this ore seems to be of exoellent
quality, but the size of the ore body has not yet been determined. Boulders of limonite
were seen at other points of the claims, but the thick moss and the forest covering pre-
vented any careful atudy of the outorcpa, as no stripping had been done. Blaok slate
with a strike of 40° occurs not far off, aid at the west end of Parks lake green schist ia
found, having a strike of from 40° to 60°.
A short portage, followed by a marshy pond, and then a long portage, lead northeast
from the upper end of Goetz lake to Andr^ lake, a mile and a half away. At the
southem end of the pond there is a band of schist conglomerate about 200 yards wide,
with well-Tounded pebbles of quartz porphyry, felsite and probably sandstone, and with a
strike of about dO"". This is half a mile northwest of Parks lake, where the banded
sandstone is found.
On Andr^ lake on^y Huronian rocks of the ordinary kind were seen, and the same
is true of the chain of small lakea and ponds which we followed toward the northwest.
The third lake in the series is of considerable aiz**, but we could not spare time to ooap its
shoToa. Turning west from this there were tbree portages with amall ponda between^
leading over to a small narrow )ake where J. H. Scott has taken up a claim. There ia
a conglomerate or breccia of pale green rock, containing fragments of quartz porphyry.
The quartz to be seen is porous and rusty, but we found no gold, though free gold is said
to have been obtained there. Andr^ has a claim to the west of this, but having little
time we did not go to see it. From the small lake there is a portage of about a mile and
three-quarters through untouched forest to Magpie river, here expanded so as to appear
like a lake. We now canoed up the Magpie for two miles, and then a short distance up
a tributary creek, coming in from the northeast. From here we walked to a small lake
2^ miles to the southeast.
Soon after striking inland there was a series of rugged hills, on whose bare surfaoea
interbanded sandstone and magnetite were to be seen, with a general strike of 100° to
130°. Some of the banda are purple, and approach jaaper in character. The banded
ailiceous rock is often contorted and faulted, and sometimes mixed with seridtio schist.
The part highly charged with iron varies in width, 7 varda being about the maximum,
but rusty banda more or leaa parallel to one another occur in places across a spaoe of 80
yards, though only a small part of this can be called ore. Probably all of the ore is too
much mixed with sandy granules to be of value. Some vein-like bands near the shore of
the Jake contain pyrite, but this mineral was not seen elsewhere.
i89P
Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario
159
The AccompanyiDg rocks are aericitio and chloritic schists, often with a structure like
fared agglomerate. In one snch scliist the boulders, much drawn out, are pale in color
i pitted, while tbe green basis, preient in small quantities, shows no pitting. At one
nt near the lake there is an outcrop of fine grained granise cutting the sclust. Some
Bsive diabases also are associated with the schists, but in subordinate amount QAll of
I rockn have a very sti ep or vettical dip, and tbe rugged chain of hills follows their
ike. The region has been very thoroaghly burnt over^ so that Qx^loT%\.\»a\a 'o.TSQK^i^^
to Bureau of Mines Report
ij. We did not attempt to folio t the sandstones beyond the small lake, but retamed U
e way we oame. Most of this range of hills had been staked oat as claims bj the ^
.essrs. Oanley. None of the ore seen by as is of promising qaaltty, bnt the diamond J
rill may disclose ore bodies at Eome depth below the sarfaoe, as in- the Vermilion region...
The small lake is aboat 5 miles north of Parks lake, referred to before, where el ~
lad been staked on similar sandstone with hematite. As the band of iron bearing
was there running about east, ib must make a sharp tarn in the meantime, but the inter —
Tening portion had not been explored at the time of oar examination.
We now ran down the Macpie river, portaged over to Wawa city and retraced
route to the northeastern end of Loon-skin lake, where the second canoe and oar
camp had been left From this point we advanced eastwards with the two oanoea
two miles and a half to Cathbert lake, the route being a very bad one over shallo'
ponds and along creeks so small that most of the way we had to portage. Oathbert lal
is within the Laarentian, bat in this part of the region there are few expoaorea of rook.
From this point we made a portage f of a mile south, over level sand plains to MoYeigh'ai
creek, a very crooked stream in most parts, emptying into the northeast end of Hawhc
lake. From this point we followed the usual canoe route via Manitowick lake to Miomul—
abie station on the Canadian Pacific. Near the north end of Manitowick were enoampedi
two prospectors who believed they had found the iron range about 7 miles to the weat^
not far from Jackfiah laka They had probably strack the range near its bend toward the
northwest. They reported that the ore was brown, and that they saw no jasper or eand*
stone. As they were uncommunicative regarding the route to their find, and no traila had
been cut, we decided not to waste time on a search for the deposit.
IRON RANGE NEAR DOO RIVKK.
Going by train from Missanabie to White river we made arrangements to viait Mr.
W. H. McDoagairs iron claims near Dog river. As the oanoe route from White river to
the point on Dog river where one turns off to the iron locations has been deaoribed by
Prof. Willmott in a previous report,*^ no farther reference need be made to it hera On
our way toward the iron depoeita we met a party of Minnesota men under Mr. Jameooa
their way out after examining one of the claims. They spoke of the iron range aa very
similar to the Vermilion range, but reported no large deposits of ore in sight, and thought
much work might be necessary to develope the region, the best method being by teat pita
aunk in the low ground.
Iron ores have been found on Iron lake and on Paint lake, the former to the west of
Dog river, the latter ta the east To reach Iron lake one turns ofi a little below Paint
creek, making a portage of nearly three miles over sandy plains with open woods to the
eastern end of the lake The portage is broken by two small ponds and a short stretch
of navigation on a very crooked creek. Iron lake is nearly three miles long, trends east
and west, and is divided down the middle by a very steep rocky ridge, broken about mid-
way with a strait joining the two parts of the lake, which is shaped somewhat like a
capital H. This rocky ridge consists mainly of black chert and jasper, iaterbeddad with
thin seams of magnetite. The band of siliceous rock is at one point at least 37 yards wide,
and may be 30 yards wider, since part of the surface is covered. The top of the hill
suggests strongly the hill top showing jasper and iron ore near Tower, but here no bodies
of hematite are to be eeen. The strike of the band is about 80^ and dip from 80^ to 90^.
The range was followed for about a mile to the west of the strait, and probably extends
farther west. The continuation of the ridge to the east of the strait is said to consist
largely of the same rock, bat we had not time to examine it The rock along the foot of
the cliff is brown schist
The route into Paint lake starts about three miles up Dog river, near Heart mountain,
and runs southeast for 2^ miles over an exceedingly rough trail through densely wooded
swamps and up fiteep rocky hills. Paint lake is small, with a muddy bottom, and the
creek flowing out of it is too shallow and crooked for canoe navigation. Tlie usual aand*
stone crops out near Paint lake, but is accompanied by great masses of magnetite, unlike
the thinly banded association of sandstone or chert and iron ore. The masses of magnetite
^^Oat Bur. MincM Rep., 1898, p. 140.
i6a Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
epecalar iron contsdns an admixture of magnetite, as some of it is attracted by the mag--
net. Both ores in fine-grained narrow bands are interbedded with similar bands of dark 1 ~~
jasper, and the direction of these bands is parallel with that of the ore bed. This jaepe
is so plentiful that it becomes a matter of difficalty to obtain a piece of perfectly pure on
of a moderate size, say from 8 to 12 inches in diameter. Although the banded atmctur
is often beautifully regular, it is sometimes found winding and contorted. Minute vein*^^
of quartz cross the bands very frequently, and grains of the same mineral are intermixec^'^
widi the jasper. Iron pyrites also occurs occasionally. The thickness of the bed thnr k^i
composed is not less than 20 feet, and in some places cannot be less than 40. Man^,M:
openings have been made at different points on the length of the bed, but nowhere coulee 1
I observe ore resembling in solidity and richness that of Marquette. Since however "■
the Jackson and others of the celebrated south shore mines such banded mixtures of or -^^
and jasper are of frequent occurence, it is not unreasonable to expect that richer maase^^^
may yet be found in or around the Bache wanning mine. So far however as the ore ai^B^
present in sight is concerned, it does not seem possible to excivate any large quantity oc=3j
it exceeding in richness 30 or 40 per cent." ^'
Another account of siliceous iron deposits near Batchawana bay has been given by Mr^.
J. A. Holmes, state geologist of North Carolina, who examined the region in 1899 for Met*.
George C. Heck, of Raleigh, N. C. Thanks are due to Mr. Holmes and Mrs. Heck fosr
their courtesy in allowing me to make use of the information thus obtained. Mr. Holmes
** landed near the mouth of Carp river and proceeded on a nearly direct northerly course
for the first few miles, following the road bed of the old Batchewaning Iron Company's
railway, and beyond that point following a hunter's trail. About 9 miles north of Batcha-
wana bay he found and examined several iron ore deposits which were said by the Indian
guide to have been located by Hugh Wilson." The mineral lands are situated about 9
miles east of Pancake bay, and include the Mammoth Iron Mountain location, the Vulcan
location, and two other locations. The ore bodies were first described in 1866 by a land
surveyor, Mr. Hugh Wilson, and Prof. Robert Bell of Qaeen's University, now Dr. B9II
of the Greological Survey, Ottawa They speak of a half acre of iron ore surface exposed
on a glaciated portion of the Mammoth location, and state that " the ore consists of layers
of compact and sometimes crystalline magnetic iron, alternating with others of
siliceous slate and quartzose rock, each varying from \ of an inch to one.
inch in thickness, the average being half an inch. The slate and quartzose layers
generally contain a good deal of iron, sufficient to make them magnetic, but in some casea
the quartzose bands are granular upon the surface, and almost free from iron.
In some places the seams of pure iron ore form more than half the whole rock,
while in oUiers the poorer layers predominata On the average each variety may be said
to form half the mass. The ore is strongly, m ignetic, and the fragments idwaya exhibit
polarity. The ore was traced over an area which was estimated on the ground to mea-
sure 50 by 30 chains, and therefore equal to 150 acres, making every allowance it would
certainly occupy half that extent. Owing to the contortion and corrugation in the strata,
as well as the interruptions caused by the greenstone dikes, it was impossible to estimate
the total thickness of the ore, which is probably very great, but I may mention that on
the shore of the pond at the northwest comer of the location I saw a clear section of 40
feet across the beds, allowing for contortion, etc., and at the east end of the mountain
another of 70 feet." Prof. Bell also gives the analysis of what he considers an average
sample of the ore which showed 47.9 per cent, metallic iron.
Concerning his own examination, Mr. Holmes says that the conditions were suffi-
ciently unfavorable to make the results in a measure unsatisfactory, as he was unable to
determine the exact position of the locations, so many of the boundary posts had disap-
peared. On what he supposed to be the locations, he found several outcrops of ore of the
character described by Wilson and Bell. Near a pond he found an outcrop exposed for
35 feet, at right angles to the dip, the country rook in the vicinity being rather fine
grained compact diabase. To the east of this ore bed for several hundred yards both dia-
base and gneissic rocks were exposed at intervals.
About a half-mile east of ore bed No. 1 he found a similar ore bed, but more silice-
ous, striking nearly east and west and dipping 45^ to 50^ to the south. About 200 or
■Geol Sur. Can., 1866, p. 130.
164 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
quality and fair size will proTe valuable aBsets of the Province ; particularly if the steel
and other industries resulting from the exploitation of our ores are carried on at home, as
there now seems reason to hope will be the case.
While only one depcsit, that of the Helen mine, has yet been found to be on a scale
comparable to the great mines of Minnesota or Michigan, some of which have produced
millions of tons of high grade ore, it must be remembered that the Michipicoton iron
range has only been prospected for about a year, that it is in a region almost inaccessible
except by canoe, and that up to the present practically no work in the way of diamond
drilling or test pits in the low ground has been carried out, except at that mine. Many
important mines have been discoVered in this way in the States to the south and wesf,
and there is a fair probability that equally good mines will be found in the extensive iron
range already traced in Ontario.
It is doubtful if the well-known Atik-okan iron range, still farther to the west, is to
be looked on as belonging to the same series of rocks, though it too is mapped as Keewatin
or Huronian by the Geological Survey. Its ore is wholly magnetic, accompanied by green
chloritic and homblendic schist, and apparently without bands of jasper or sandstona In
fact it never shows the banded character of the typical iron-range rocks, but occurs as
large lenses, 50 or more feet wide, more or less blending into the schistose country rocks.
Here also there are ore bodies of very great magnitude, soon to be opened up by the
Bainy River railway, and it is probable that these hard magnetites will require some of
the softer hematites or limonites of the Michipicoton range to make a favorable mixture
for fluxing.
From the brief introductory summary of the conclusions reached by the geologists
who have studied the American iron ranges, it will be seen that all the important bodies
of iron ore are of secondary origin, the original rock being a low grade ore, a slate with
carbonate of iron or a hornblende schist charged with oxide of iron, or the peculiar
banded rock so often referred to in the foregoing report. By a process of solution and
concentration of the ore in troughs of impervious material, especially where eruptive
dikes cut the rocks of the iron range, the immense and wonderfully pure ore deposits
have been formed. It is evident that similar structural features will be the most favor-
able in our iron ranges also ; and the only mine at all caref ally explored illustrates this,
since its ore body lies in a basin or trough walled on two sides by impervious schists,
really sheared eruptive rocks, and on a third by a great dike of felsite. It appears also
that owing to their mode of formation the ore bodies are more apt to occur at the lowest
points of the range than on the ridges of a hard cherty or jaspery character. Up to the
present nearly all the prospecting has been confined to the projecting ridges, a very
natural state of affairs where the lower parts of the range are covered with thick layers
of drift and hidden by mossy woods. In most parts of the region it will probably be
necessary to sink test pits in the low ground in order to find the bodies of ore ; and this
of course is likely to be a slow and somewhat expensive process.
PARRY SOUND COPPER REGION.
On August 17 I went to Parry Sound, under the instructions of the Director of the
Bureau of Mines, and found that much interest was being manifested in the copper
deposits of the region, mining engineers from various parts of America and even from
the Old World arriving by almost every steamer to enquire into their valua No doubt
the rapid rise in the price of copper had directed the attention of capitalists toward this
metal, and had stimulated the search ior new deposits. Under the charge of Mr. Robert
Forbee, manager of the Parry Sound Copper Mining Company, of Mr. Koren, superin-
tendent of mines, and of Dr. Elftman, superintendent of reduction works, these engineers
were shown the workings of the two properties most fully developed, the McGown and
Wilcox mines. My thanks also are due to these gentlemen, especially Dr. Elftman, for
their courtesy in serving as guides to the mines, in permitting me to make use of their
steam yacht to visit some outlying points, and in providing information regarding the
AasBjrB obtained from their ores and the results of the smelting of six car loads shipped
io the Orford Copper Company for treatment.
i899 ] Copper and Iron Re^rions of Ontario 165
In the sammary report on this region pabliabed in last year's report a general
account of the two chief mines was given/-' and it will not be necessary to repeat the
description ; but a number of details of more or lebs interest were noted in addition to
the main facts, and the more important points will be given hera By a reference to the
former report it will be seen that on the MoGown property, two miles east of Parry
Sound, there were three openings, the first in order being an inclined shaft abont 100
feet on the incline, the second an open pit 21 feet deep, and the third a vertical shaft
between the two 9 by 11 in dimensions, and at that time 65 feet in depth. Earlier in
the year six carloads of ore, in all weighing 143 tons, had been shipped to the Orford
company, and the smelter returns showed that they contained an average of 15 to 16 per
cent, copper, with some gold and silver. There were estimated to be 200 tons of selected
ore on the stock pile, running from 25 to 30 per oent. sopper ; and 3000 tons supposed to
contain from 8 to 10 per cent.
The ore which had been shipped came from the open quarry, about 50 by 25 feet in
area, and most of the ore on the stock pile was from the same source.
Through the kindness of Dr. Elftmau the results of a number of assays of ore and
country rocks were placed at my disposal. The ore consisted chiefly of bomite, chalcocite
and chaloopyrite, with some pyrite. Assays of chalcopyrite and bomite, mixed, yielded
39.9 to 50.6 per cent copper. One sample of rock from the quarry contained nickel
and arsenic. A piece of nearly solid bomite gave 70.4 copper, a very high percentage
for this mineral. An average sample of ore from the southeast comer of the quarry
containing some quartz with the copper minerals ran 22.7 per cent, copper, and another
average sample 12 feet from the surface ran 25.5 per oent. The rock in wliich the quarry
or open pit is excavated shows only a few stringers of quartz and no indications what-
ever of a vein, though there are small cavities and vughs in which a little garnet and
dogtooth spar may be seen. The rock itself is a coarse gray diorite or norite schist,
somewhat intersected by dikes of coarse pegmatite. Small amounts of copper ore occur
in the latter rock, and some stripping has been done on a dike to the northeast of the pit.
The rock coming from the vertical shaft is of the same character, but contains much
less copper. A sample of apparently barren rock gave 0.8 per cent, of copper ; a hand
sorted sample, representing about a third of the rock from the shaft, gave 10.5 per cent.;
and an average of samples taken every two feet round the shaft at depths from 20 to 26
feet gave 3. 1 per cent, of copper and half a dollar in gold.
The inclined (haft, which was started by the old McGown Mining Oompany when
gold was the only metal looked for, produces rock which shows a good deal of copper,
according to Dr. Elftman's assays, and a small quantity of gold, though no specioiens of
free gold are to be seen now, plentiful as they were in the earlier days of the mine.'^
At 15 feet from the surface samples of quartz ran 0.195 oz. in gold, a trace of silver and
4.8 per cent, copper ; at 23 feet quartz with hornblende rock gave 0.19 oz of gold and
2.2 per cent, copper; and at 60 feet hornblende rock and quartz gave 0.25 oz. of gold
and 6.5 per cent, of copper.
None of the ore b&dies have definite outlines, and the deposit is probably caused by
an impregnation or replacement of rock by ore, perhaps along a zone of fracture. The
belt of rock showing more or less ore is about 250 feet wide at the east end, near McGown
lake, widens to about 400 feet toward the west, and is abont a 1000 feet in leagth.
There is not much doubt that the ore-bearing diorite schist is a sheared eruptive
mass. Rock of a similar kind is widely spread in the neighborhood with many variations
in strike, but generally having a nearly vertical dip.
West of the mine the character of the rock changes and the rocky hills of Parry
Sound consist chiefly of fine grained white or flesh colored or gray gneiss, often exces-
sively folded and contorted, and containing large " eyes " of blaok hornblende and of white
felspar, often plagioclase. Some of the latter are two inches in diameter, are well rounded
and seem enclosed by a finely crashed rim of the same materials. The gray gneiss sheets
fold elaborately around these crystalline massee. These rocks as a whole suggest sedi-
ments, probably of pyroclastic (or volcanic) origin ; and their microscopic characters will
be discussed in the petrographical portion of this report. Pegmatite dikes ramify in all
^'^ Bur. Mines Rep., pp. 269-261.
-'' Bur. Mines, 4th An. Rep. 1894, ]). 98.
i66 Bureau of Mines Ret>ort [ No. 5
directions in some parts of the gray gneisses, and may account in part at least for the great
amount of folding shown by them.
Among the most interesting rocks at Parry Sound are the crystalline limestones,
which were studied somewhat carefully for a few days in the hope that they would provide
a clue to the stratigraphical arrangement of the rocks of the region. A general account of
the limestone bands of the region has been given by Dr. Bell.'*
It was thought that if they were regularly interbedded with the schists the general
relations of the schistose rocks might be made out by following the easily recognized band
of limestone. In general these limestones are white, gray or flesh colored, coarsely
crystalline, sometimen pure, but often containing darker grains of various silicates, and
usually also fragments of adjoining schists, twisted and curled in an extraordinary way as
if the limstone had torn them ofl like an eruptive.
The limestones near Parry Harbor were visited under the guidance of Mr. Adair,
who observes such things carefully, and had already studied their distribution. Near
Parry Harbor there are apparently two parallel bands of limestone, one with a strike of
55^ to 60^ and a dip of 25^ to the southeast, and a quarter of a mile southwest of this
another band with a strike of 65^ or 70^ and a very gentle dip to the northwest The
direction as well as the angle of dip is variable, and no outcrop can be followed more thcui a
few hundred yards, though a (•ucoession of outcrops following the same general direction can
be recognized. The thickness too is very irregular, being sometimes more than a 100 feet,
and then rapidly thinning out till the bank is lost among other rocks. There is no distinct
stratification, and we may suppose that any traces of bedding have been obliterated by
the process of crystallization, or by the squeezing to which they have evidently been sub-
jected. As limestone is the softest rojk of theVegion, it has been forced to adapt itself
to the forms of the other rock masses. The accompanying schistose rock, gray fine
grained gneiss or hornblende schist, is always much contorted and crumpled, and the
proximity of the limestone may be recognized in this way, as noticed by Mr. Adair. The
various outcrops of limestone near the town, if continuous, would make one or two bands
a mile and a half long, probably extending at least four miles to the northeast, since lime-
stone occurs again on the shore and on an island of Mill lake. Whether it continues on
in the same direction is uncertain, but several bands will be noted later suggesting this.
A ^mall outcrop of limestone ib found also at Depot Harbor on Parry island, four miles
west of Parry Harbor.
At Rose point, 2 or 3 miles to the south, where the Canada Atlantic railway crosses
from the mainland to Parry island, one sees fine grained sandy looking gray gneiss very
like that of Parry Sound, with the same eye- like masses of white felspar and black horn-
blende. At the railway station these aehy looking rocks are thrown into sharp folds with
one gently dipping limb, then a sharp bend and a nearly vertical limb, the latter appear-
ing to be to some extent a plane of shearing. Near by are bands of pegmatite of flesh
color, mixed with the gray gneiss, and both faulted. On the railway a quarter of a mile
east of this there appears to be a great fault, the gray schists being cut off by a
coarsely spotted dioritic eruptive rock, now somewhat schistose by shearing. North of
the hotel at Rose point there is a hill of rather coarse hornblende schist with many large
garnets. The gray gneiss extends to the mouth of Seguin ri^er, a mile southwest of the
railway, and the general strike of the region is about 45^ or 5C^. Similar rocks with
crumpled schists occur along the railway to the west until Depot Harbor is reached. On
the southwest side of the Harbor there are extensive beds of very garnetiferous gneiss
and muscovite mica schist, and also*garnetiferous hornblende schist. On the beach near
by parts of the sand and gravel are formed entirely of garnets, some an inch in diameter,
but much checked, so that no very large clear pieces can be found. In a cuttins; near the
dock banded fine gray gneiss and dark schist occur, having a strike of 75^ and dip of 80^
to the south. North of the harbor there are bare hills of fine grained yellowish gneiss
with a strike of 60^, and dip of 50^ to the southeast As one rounds the point on the
way to Parry Sound the dip becomes very low, only 5*^ or 10^, and just round it the dip
appears to be about 10^ or 15^ in the opposite direction, as if there were a gentle dome
or anticline at the point.
It was a surprise to see a well appointed village of severed hundred inhabitants, and
a busy harbor with three steamers, each 300 feet long and of 17 feet draft lying in it, here
-''Geo/, Sur. Can, 1876-77, pp. 203-206.
1899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 167
in the midst of the woods on an Indian reserva A large trade in grain and general freight
is done here between Chicago and Dnlnth on the one side and the Atlantic steamers on
the other ; all created within the last few years in what was a wilderness.
T H K WILCOX MINE.
The Wilcox mine, owned by the Parry Soand Copper Mining Company, is situated
in Cowper township 8 or 9 miles south of Parry Sound, bat is best reached by steamer,
Trhich makes a circuit of 12 miles to the southwest and then round a peninsula to the
head 0! a long bay. The ore body here is practically a fahlband, with no definite walls
hut merging into the gray garnetiferous gneiss of the region, and having a strike of about
60^, with a dip of 70"^ to the northwest. The m^n fahlband is at various points from 30
to 75 feet wide, as shown by the rusty surface of the rock, and may be traced without
much doubt for about 1,000 feet. Half a mile to the northeast rusty rock shows again,
and also at a mile and a half in the ^ame direction. Whether they all belong to the san^e
fahlband is of course far from certain. The Lafex mine, 7 miles northeast of the main
shaft of the Wilcox, is couRidered to be on a continuation of the band. Much exploration
will be required to prove thi9, however.
Besides the main fahlband there are smaller bands of rusty rock not far away, run-
ning parallel to it^ all containing more or less copper pyrites. The main shaft, 9 by 1 1
feet in dimensions, was 22 feet deep on Aug. 25, and the rock on the dump formed a most
singular ore. A coarse textured schist containing chiefly quartz, garnet, biotite and horn-
blende, is more or less filled with sulphides, especially iron and copper pyrites, the latter
mineraJs sometimes scattered through it in a general way, sometimes running as small
stringers. Apparently the presence of large hornblende crystals increases the amount of
copper pyrites. Several other minerals occur in small amounts, such as bornite, ziocblende,
molybdenite and pyrrhotita Dr. Kiftman states that the average ore from the dump
runs 4 per cent, copper, that two samples of copper pyrites yielded 20 5 per cent, copper,
and that traces of nickel and of gold have been found.
As the Orford company intend, it is said, to establish a copper smelter somewhere on
the Georgian bay, perhaps at Parry Sound, and will buy 4 per cent ore at current rates,
less 30 cents per ton for transportation, the Wilcox mine should be profitable. From ap-
pearances at the time of my visit the ore is probably present in immense quantities, and
there is no reason to suppose that the fahlband will not follow the schists down to con-
siderable depths. The important point of course is as to the grade of the ore, which may
require careful Eorting or other treatment to bring it up to the requirements of a smelter.
The appearance of the ore on the dump suggests that the particular band of schist had
been shattered, and then infiltrated with iron- and copper-bearing solutions.
OTHKi; LOCATIONS NKAK GKOItClAN BAY.
The Lafex mine on lot 35, con. 9 of Foley township, about two miles south of Parry
Sound, is owned by the Hattio Bell company and is supposed to be on a continuation of
the Wilcox fahlband ; howt ver, the character of the ore body and of the country rock are
dififerent. The ore consists of iron pyrites, copper pyrites and pyrrhotite, the copper
p]f rites sometime formicg rather thick seams of solid ore, while in other parts iron
pyrites and pyrrhotite occur as solid masses, nearly free from any ore of copper. The
country rock is dioritic schist, often rusty on the surface from the decay of sulphides. A
shaft had been sunk 65 feet and drifting had been carried on for 20 feet to strike a band
of pyritous rock exposed on the surface in a test pit 8 or 10 feet deep. The fahlband
character is not prominent, as at the Wilcox mine, and the band of good ore is relatively
narrow.
The Big Four property on lots 32 and 33, con. 5 of Foley, not far from the Lafex,
was visited, but not enough work had been done to permit a careful btudy. Four pits,
the two deepest of them down perhaps six feet, and some stripping, found all the develop-
menf. A rusty surface, no doubt representing a fahlband, can be followed several hundred
feet, with a width at one point of more than 100 feet The pits, especially the most east-
erly one, show that the rock is impregnated with much pyrite, less chalcopyrite, and still
less pyrrhotite and molybdenite. The country rock is a g^ra^ a^h^A^^ ^\V*Vl ^^"^ ^Ovks^^^
i68 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
echist or gneiss not far o£E. The fahlband resembles in most respects that of the Wiloox
mine, ifrbich is four miles to the west, bat garnets appear to be wanting. Here, as at the
Wilcox mine, the copper pyrites occurs in largest amoants near large crystals of black
hornblende.
More or less copper ore is found on nambers of the islands in the Georgian bay near
Parry Sound, and for some distance to the south, and very showy specimens of pyrrhotite,
said to be nickeliferous, are obtained from the Indian reserve on Parry island, but I was
unable to visit the locality. On the small islands DB13, 14 and 16 small deposits of
iron and copper pyrites may be seen associated with black garnetiferous hornblende schist,
pierced by a rather coarse grained purplish anorthosite.
Dr. Elftman has been good enough to give me an account of copper deposits which
I was unable to visit in the township of Oarling, at the mouth of the Shebe^hkong river.
The country rock is gneiss, striking 30^ west of north. There are three mineral belts
running parallel to the strike, the main central one 40 to 100 feet wide and in one place
tvaced continuously over the bare rock for half a mile, when it runs under a swamp.
Apparently it reappears a mile away on the other side of the swamp. There are num-
erous lenses and stringers of quartz in the fahlband, which has a rougher surface than the
adjoining rock owing to its being softer and more easily weathered. The quartz veins run
from a few inches to 4 feet in width. A pit 4 feet deep and 10 feet wide across the belt,
dbcloses considerable bomite and chalcopyrite, some masses four inohes in diameter.
The ore occurs both in the quartz and in the rock between. At six other places along
the length of the band copper minerals are found, and Dr. Elftman thinks the property
the most promising one in the region after the McGown and Wilcox mines.
PKOSPKCTS I XL AND FROM PARRY SOUND.
A considerable number of prospects may be seen within a few miles of Parry Sound,
and brief references will be made to some of them, The Cornfield mine on lots 7 and 8,
con. 10 of Foley, not far from the MoGown mine, and situated in a similar gray gneis-
soid rock, shows some copper pyrites and a little bomite; and the adjoining Godard prop-
erty is like it, but neither appears to be of great importance. At the Macdonald property
on lots 24 and 25 of the 7th concession of Foley, a shaft has baen sunk about 25 feet,
showing no vein or regular ore deposit, but copper pyrites and a little bomite disseminat-
ed through rather fine grained gray gneiss. There is also some ore in a pegmatite dike
near by which contains no quartz^ but large crystals of felspar and hornblende in a finer
ground. Copper stains may be seen at various points on the farm. The strike of the
schistose cleavage is very variable, directions from 0^ to 90^ having been observed, and
in places there is violent folding with dark bands of hornblende schist interbedded, per-
haps originally dikes of diabase.
J. McMillan's property, lot 141, con. B of Foley, a mile or two south of the Mw-
Gown mine, said to have been disposed of to the Imperial Copper Company for $18,000,
is quite interesting geologically. Copper ores, especially bornite, are found distributed
through coarse pegmatitic bands of gneiss, in one case a characteristic pegmatite dike
having felspar crystals with a bluish shimmer. Stripping has been done and two pits
about 6 feet deep sunk, but no vein or definite ore body has been found. Apparently
the coarse pegmatite is the bearer of the ore.
On W. J. Nelson's property, lot 19, con. 11 of Foley, the conditions are difierent, cop-
per pyrites with iron pyrites and garnet occurring partly in coarse gray hornblendic gneiss
and partly in a dike of very coarse diorite. At YanKoughnet's, six miles from Parry
Sound and a mile south of the Christie road, a little bornite and copper pyrites with some
garnet occurs in coarse diorite, the country rook being gray gneiss, the latter also contain-
ing a little copper ore with quartz.
Several points were visited in the township of McDougall also, and a few may be
mentioned here. On lot 18, con. 1, there are two small openings, one of gray schist or
gneisp, the other on a quartz vein, showing chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite, mostly
dififused through the rock. The quartz vein is of rusty material, suggesting that it might
carry gold, but its dimensions are not large, about a foot by 30 feet^ so far as could be
8e» n. A similar rock with thin seams of azurite and malachite with a little bomite
ocean on lot 17 of the same concession.
1899 ] Copper and Iron Re^^ions of Ontario I69
It may be added that the copper-bearing belt of rock of the McGown mine extends
into McDougall township, but has not been opened up to any important extent, though
owned by the same enterprising company.
None of the prospects mentioned have been sufficiently developed to give them
any claim to be called a mine, and in most cases there is far too little ore in sight to
jostify much expenditure upon them. On practically all the properties vieited, including
some not mentioned above where no work at all had been done, copper or 3 or copper
stains were to be seen, showing that this metal is very widely distributed in the region,
hut apparently only in small amounts. Nowhere does one see distinct veins or well de-
fined ore bodies, in this respect reminding one of the McGown mine itself, though the
iatter displays an enormously greater amount of rich bornite and chalcocite ore than any
of the neighboring properties. Most of the prospects to be seen inland in Foley and Mc-
I^ougall townships resemble in character the McGown mine rather than the Wilcox,
nothing like the extensive fahlbands of the latter with their low grade mixture of iron
9kxid copper pyrites having been seen. On the other hand the richer ores, especially
bornite and chalcocite, are found only as very small bunches or pockets in the prospecting
pits seen by myself.
A(iK OF THE PAHRY SOUND ROCKS.
The general results of the geological reconnaisance work done near Parry Sound
Haay be summed up here. Scarcely any of the rocks of the region are characteristic mem-
V>er8 of the typical Lower Laurentian or Ottawa gneiss, though some of the gray gneissoid
Pocks might not unnaturally be placed there. The absence of associated granites and
^pranite gneisses is suG^gestive. The ashy looking fine grained gray gneissoid rocks with
^heir ** eyes " of felspar and hornblende are probably sedimentary, in origin perhaps voi-
c^anic ash, etc., and are more like the Couchtching of Rainy lake as defined by Lawson
't^han the typical Laurentian. The garnetiferous gneiss and mica and hornblende schist,
iBo common in the region, are certainly not Lower Laurentian; some of them resemble the
IKeewatin rocks of the Lake of the Woods and Rainy lake, and all are more Huronian
thtkn Laurentian in appearance. The widespread outcrops of crystalline limestone may
T>e looked on as decisively against putting the region in the Lower Laurentian, and in
favor of considering the whole series of rocks as equal to the Grenville series of eastern
Ontari'^ ; that is^ as belonging to the Upper Laurentian or perhaps Huronian series of
Tocks, which contain most of the deposits of ores and other economic minerals in Ontario.
The general character of the rocks of the Parry Sound district, as suggested in the rep9rt
of the Bureau of Mines six years ago, is not unfavorable to the finding of valuable
mines, since they are not Lower Laurentian.
NORTHERN PART OF THE PARRY SOUND DISTRICT.
As reports of important copper-nickel deposits to the north were attracting attention
in Parry Sound, and specimens of the ore showed much resemblance to those of Sudbury,
it was decided to go north as for as Hardy and McOonkey townships, just south of
French river, where the most promising deposits had been discovered. The road
selected, by Dunchurch to Loring, was characteristic for the region, including sandy
tracts, muskegs crossed by corduroy, and steep rocky hills, with a tract of level clay land
more or less taken up by settlers. We drove northwest through McDougall, McKellar
and Hagerman townships to the village of Danohurch. In McKellar township a con-
tinuation of the limestone band mentioned as occurring at Mill lake may be seen crop-
ping out at numerous points along the road, and specially well shown at a quarry near
McKellar village, where limestone is obtained for burning. It contains many fragments
of schist and gneiss, as in the outcrops near Parry Sound, but is said to burn to a white
and strong lime, useful for building and other purposes. Large masses of white coarsely
crystalline limestone occur at Dunchurch also, where the road crosses a stream, and on
the hills to the north near the lake shore. At one point here the band ia 36 yards wide
and is seen to be not less than 40 feet thick where exposed on the shore.
In the township of Mackenzie some copper ores have been found and one deposit
was yisitcdi a vein of white quartz with iron and copper pyrites about 8 feet wide, on
l70 Bureau of Mines Ret>ort [ No. 5
which a pit about 8 feet deep had been sank. The vein is irregular, but can be traced
for some distance in each direction. Samples of the ore are said to have yielded $5.80 in
copper and ^old per ton. The conntry rock is a gray schist.
Lots 34 and 35 on the 4th concession of Ferrie are looked on as containing copper
ore, and a pit has been sunk npon a fahlband containing pyrrhotite, bat no copper min-
eral is to be seen. The same lots of the 5 th concession were thought to be ore bearing,
iron being the metal this time ; and a diorite heavily charged with magnetite has given
rise to the idea. Some specimens are probably half magnetite, and rock with magnetite
covers about two acres; but it is doubtful if any of the ore is rich enough to be of value.
On the 6th concession, lots 32 and 33, a pit has been sunk about 8 feet on coarse
diorite, containing pyrrhotite and copper pyrites, but the impregnation does not seem rich
enough nor extensive enough to be of value. '
Crystalline limestone of a blue co!or is found on this farm, and at various points for
20 miles along the road from Dunchurch. The other rocks are mainly dioritic schists,
often containing garnets ; but there is some flesh-colored gneiss, and pegmatite dikes are
common. A supposed apatite (phosphate) mine occurs at the crossing of Deer river,
really scapolite in crystalline limestone. The road was hilly and rocky for a few miles
out of Parry Sound, then came sandy plains, followed by clay land to Dunchurch, with
fair looking farms. On the whole the land seems good for at least 20 miles north of
Dunchurch, though much of the surface is rocky and hilly.
A prospect on lot 21, con. 9 of Mills township, shows white qaartz of unpromising
character, but interesting as containing films of native copper. Crystalline limestone is
still to be seen at points along tho road almost to the southwest corner of Pringle town-
ship, where the route turns to the west through hilly country. Here between the lime-
stone and a dioritic rock a seam of graphite occurs, perhaps 2 inches thick at the widest
part, and tho same mineral is more or less disseminated through the limestone. As
scarcely any excavation or stripping has been carried out, the amount of graphite
present is very uncertain. Limestone is seen also in crossing the south end of Mills
township, but not after the road turns north again. The band of limestone seems to
be very extensive, since it has been seen, with numerous interruptions it is trae, at
points all along the road from Parry Sound, a distance of about 45 miles in a northerly
direction. It is probable that careful examination would show the band to be nearly
continuous, though it may be that parts of several bands are exposed along the road.
After the second northern bend of the road the rocks have more the look of Lower
Laurentian, coaise whitish and reddish gneiss with some darker bands becoming the pre-
valent species. No granite was observed, but some schistose rocks resembling anortho
site occur. The road ior some distance south and west of the village of Loring passes
through good clay land with thick woods, mostly hardwood, but containing also hemlock
and Eooae pine. There are numerous clearings and fields, showing excellent crops in a
colony of Germans ; and afterwards a thrifty looking settlement of English speaking
people in Golden valley. The crops were chiefly oats, but fields of peas and wheat were
also to be seen. A resident of the region says that in spite of the numerous rocky hills
and swamps, about a half of the acreage of the farms is arable, and there is a consider-
able area of rich woodland still unoccupied.
From the village of Loring various locations in the townships of McOonkey and
Hardy may be visited by canoe or team. The purchase of two or three properties in
these townships by the Parry Sound Copper Mining Company has roused great interest
in minerals among the settlers, and almost every farm is supposed to have its ore deposit,
the test being the presence of rusty sarfaces of gossan, " burns" according to the local
idea. In a few cases some development work in the way of stripping or sinking pita has
been done, and a number of these prospects have been visited and will be mentioned
briefly.
L O (' A r I O N s N K A » L O R I N <J .
On lot 7, con. 1 of McOonkey, a mass of diabs^e shows rusty surfaces and contains
small quantities of pyrrhotite and copper pyrites, a little garnet and magnetite occurring
also.
Several prospects have been found near Cariboo lake, on whose eastern shores the
predomineni rock h flesh colored granitoid gneiss of Lower Laurentian look, but contain-
i899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 171
ng a few veins of quartz with some pyrites. Towards the west end of the lake coarse
liabaae or gabbro shows itself. On lot 15, con. 4 of McConkej township, north of the
uake there are large areas of rusty diabase, and a pit has been sunk about 12 by 15 feet
in area and 6 feet deep. The whole mass of rock thrown out shows more or less pyrite
and some chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite, and seams of pure sulphides may be seen, but no
definite vein is exposed. It is said that an assay of select ore made by Mr. Heys of To-
ronto gave 1.55 per cent of copper, 1.20 per cent of nickel, and 1 oz., 3 dwt., 8 gr. of
platinum per ton. A sample taken by myself from the bottom of the pit was assayed in
the Laboratory of the School of Practical Science and gave 0.37 per cent, of nickel, $1.40
gold, copper none, platinum none.
On lot 18, con. 3, a pit 6 or 8 feet deep has been sunk upon diabase (or diorite) with
iron or copper pyrites ; and on lot 18 of con. 2 there is an opening on a similar pyritous
rock ; neither, however, seems of much importance. A specimen from lot 20, con. 3,
gave 1.33 per cent, copper and .32 per cent, nickel with a trace of platinum, when assayed
by Mr. J. W. Wells
Several pegmatite dikes appear on the shore of the lake or on islands, and on some of
Uiem pits have been opened as mica deposits, from which plates of very fair muscovite
cevend inches square can be obtained. There are also graphitic rocks on the shore of
Cariboo lake, but probably not of importance. Most of the pine has been cut near this
lake, but there is a considerable amount of hemlock, and very large oak as well as ash
and black birch to be seen.
The largest amount of work done upon any property in the region is found at the
east end of lake Messagamashine in Hardy township, a little south of one arm of French
river and eight miles south of the outlet of lake Nipissing. Here the Parry Sound
Copper Mining Company has sunk a shaft about 30 feet deep, unfortunately nearly full
of water on Aug. 29. The rock is medium to coarse grained diabase, and the materials
on the dump consist of this rock, heavily charged with pyrrhotite, pyrite and chalcopyrite,
or of solid masses of these minerals. With the exception of the pyrite, which forms large
crystals among the other minerals, this ore greatly resembles some varietiee of the
Sadbury copper nickel ores. There is a large area of rusty surface near the shaft.
The shores of lake Messagamashine at all other parts except the east end consist of
pink gneiss of the Lower Laurentian.
In general the region, around the village of Loring is Lower Laurentian in appear-
ance, with numerous basic eruptive masses, chiefly diabase ; and the impregnations of ore
are found almost only in the latter rock. The majority of the prospects show too little
ore to be of importance, and even the two largest openings require much more work
before their value is established.
The nearest point on the railway is about 40 miles east of Loring, at Trout creek,
with a fair backwoods road most of the way. Crystalline limestone is seen soon after
entering Pringle township, showing that the Grenville series replaces the Lower Lauren-
tiauy and to the east there are greenish gray schists. On lot 25, con. 7, the Golden
Eagle mine is being opened on a band of limestone charged with muscovite, serpentine
and a little pyrites. A cross-cut has been made through the limestone, and a ehaft was
being sunk at the time of my visit, the expectation being that ores of copper and nickel
would be found. Nothing on the dump suggested however that these ores occurred in
any quantity.
It O C K 3 N K A U SAND LAKE.
The results of some previous work done in the Parry Sound district in the townships
of Proudfoot and Butt, near Siud lake, about 12 miles northeast of Scotia Junction, may
be mentioned here. The region to the west, between Sand lake and the town of Kearney,
consists largely of sandy plains here and there broken by rocky hills. In general the
rocks observed are gray gneisses, course or fine grained, and often charged with garnets.
The gneiss is often banded with lighter and darker layers, and occasionally flesh colored
oner. The mica of the gneiss is generally biotite, but often mixed with muscovite, or
filtogether replaced by it. Various eruptive masses of a fine grained diorite penetrate it,
and a great number of pegmatite dikes. The latter have attracted the attention of
prospectors because of the mica crystals they contain, T\ieiaft ^\k^^% ^^x^ %\^<^^X^ vc^ ^ssai^
i72 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
and compositioD, but even very narrow ones, a foot or less in width, may contain varf
large individaal minerals, both felspar and mica. Most of the dikes contain orthoclase
or microcline, plagioclase, very unequally distributed quartz, biotite, magnetite and garnet;
all of the minerals in unusually large crystals, except quartz, which seems never tohtTa
crystal form. In a few cases muscovite is the only mica, and in others the two micas an
mixed. In the largest dike on which work has been done. Dr. Barber's mica mine in
Butt township, the various minerals are gigantic in size, microcline crystals reaching a
length of three or four feet, mica crystals yielding plates eight or ten inches in size, and
garnets beautifully formed but very fragile, perhaps because of the blasting, as much ii
two inches in diameter. Both varieties of mica occur. In another dike, partly stripped
by prospectors, only black mica can be seen, but one crystal had a width of about 24 inoha
and was several inches in thickness. As this mica is brittle and very opaque, it will
probably not be of value, but the muscovite seems of good quality.
Near Elmsdale on the Northern Branch of the Grand Trunk railway an irregular
vein of quartz has been opened up as a gold mine, but the ore pile does not look promis-
ing. The country rock is diorite or diorite schist, almost black and charged with small
garnets. Specimens found near by, and believed in the region to be coal, tarn out to be
tourmaline.
From tbe frequency of gametiferoas gneiss it is probable that these rocks beloni; to
the Grenville series, but no crystalline limestones were seen to make the matter certain.
REGION WEST OF LAKE TEMISCAMING.
In company with Mr. Archibald Blue, Director of the Bureau of Mines, a brief vint
was made at tbe latter end of October to deposits of auriferous mispickle and of oopper-
nickel ore in the region between lakes Temiscaming and Temagami, Mr. Daniel O'Connor
serving as guide. The general G^eology of the region has been excellently mapped and
described by Mr. Barlow for the Canadian Geology Survey,'-- and his map was of the
greatest service during our visit to the region.
The point is most easily reached from Mattawa, whence a railway line follows the
Ottawa to the foot of lake Temiscaming. An excellent passenger steamer pliee on the
lake, which in its lower part is a very narrow fiord- like body of water, but expands at
the upper end to a width of five miles, and has a total length of 61 miles. Its shores in
the narrow southern part are mountainous and very impressive At the upper end the
shores are lower and broad plains of lacustrine clay afiord good farming land.
We set out for the ore deposits which we were to visit by canoe up the Mats-
bitchouan river, which empties into lake Temiscaming at the mouth of Montreal river.
Some old lake terraces near the mouth of Montreal river afford space for two or three
farms, asd a wagon road leads inland to a wider tract of good land which stands 226
feet by aneroid above lake Temiscaming, or about 800 feet above the sea. At this level
there is an excellent farm with good clay soil, owned by Mr. Bronson of Ottawa, evidently
deposited when the lake stood that much higher, as the boulder pavement and rooky shore
cliff at one side of the terrace show.
The first portage is long and very bteep, and there is a rise between lake Temiscam-
ing and the Bass lakes of 270 feet. From this point the river consists largely of a chain
of lakes with short rapids between, tbe largest body of water being Rabbit lake, which is
V-shaped, and afiords about ten miles of canoe navigation. The rocks observed np to
this are chiefly slate with a fairly perfect cleavage crossing the bedding, and slate con-
glomerate containing red granite boulders. A portage over morainic boulders forming
a flat rapid leads to White Bear lake, where Chief Whitebear's band of Indiana have
their village. This point we made our headquarterp. The chief and some of his men
were in our party as canoemen and showed ([reat efficiency.
A half mile portage over morainic material brings one to Net lake, where the ore
deposits were found by Mr. O'Connor. The distance in a straight line from Net lake to
-"'Report on the Area included by the NipissiDg and Temissamiog Map-Sbeeta, by A. £• Barlow
Report I, vol x, Cab, Geol Sur., 1890.
i899 I Copper and Iron Res:ions of Ontario 173
the month of the Matabitohouan is about 16 miles, but by the crooked conrse of the river
it ii about 25 miles, with a fall of more than 580 feet according to Barlow's map. Onr
uieroid readings correspond well on the whole with the elevations which he has given to
the different lakes traversed.
Barlow's report deicribes the south shore of Net lake as consisting of dark greenish
gray felspathic sandstone, followed on the west by intrusive greenstones and flesh red
granite, with similar rocks occurring on the east side ; and in the main we found the
description correct.
The Big Dan claim, a half mile inland on the southwest shore of the lake, contains a
large deposit of auriferous mispiokel, the surface of gossan stretching more or less con.
tinuonsly for about a third of a mile in the direction N 30^ e, as disclosed by stripping,
with a width running in places up to 100 yards. A number of test pits have been sunk
upon it, two of them of considerable dimensions. The most southerly pit is 27 feet long,
4 feet wide and three feet deep ; and the ore pile beside it consists of altered slate as
country rock, mixed with a large amount of pyrite, chaloopyrite and arsenopyrite (mis-
pickel). The next large opening to the north is a trench on the side of a steep hiU,
disclosing a band of nearly solid mispickel, 59 feet long and a foot thick on the average,
running down at least 10 feet as shown in the trench, but having no distinct walls.
Assays show this ore to run 83.70 in gold, $2 52 in silver and 14.4 per cent, of arsenic
per ton. At the foot of the hill and a little northwest of the trench there is another
large pit yielding ore rich in mispickel and containing considerable quantities of copper
pyrites, but running low in gold and silver. A hundred jards to the north there is
another large pit showing a band of ore rich in mispickel, a sample of which assayed
$9.30 in gold and $1.32 in silver. The assays made on these ores run from less than
$1.00 to $31.20 in gold and silver, with an average of $5.75 ; and all the samples of ore
contain more or less arsenic, so that their treatment by ordinary methods would be diffi-
cuh. It is probable however that the arsenic from carefully selected ore may be an object
of importance, since white arsenic is now quoted at 4^ to 5 cents per pound. It is hard
to estimate at present the amount of ore likely to be found in the deposit, but it is prob-
ably very great. Although an arsenical ore, it differs greatly from the well known ore
of Deloro, since it is largely mixed with other sulphides, is associat-ed with little or no
quartz, and does not occur in distinct veins, but rather in shear zones or fahlbands in
date, penetrated by dikes and masses of diabase.
Another deposit of arsenical ore with copper pyrites is said to occur not far to the
west, and has been taken in hand by the Canadian Copper Company of Sudbury, two
sbafts having been sunk, one 30 and the other 15 feet deep ; but we were unable to visit
the claim.
The other claims of the region have been taken up for copper and nickel, and gener-
ally resemble those of the Sudbury region. The Canadian Copper Company has a camp
on the west shore of Net lake with four log houses and other buildings, but they had just
closed for the season on Nov. 1, so that we saw little of their work. The Mukwa claim
on the west side of the lake belongs to them, and is said to contain a large body of copper-
nickel ore like that of Sudbury ; and the Friday No. 1 and 2 claims appear to be similar.
On Friday No. 2 there are two openings, displaying heavy masses of pyrrhotite and chal-
oopyrite, and the rusty rock surface can be traced for a long distance on a hill top.
The Bed Hill claim seems to be of a different character, copper pyrites and some
pyrrhotite occurring with quartz, in veins sometimes four feet wide, the ore looking like
the copper ore of the Bruce mines, though said to contain important amounts of gold.
On the eaet side of Net lake two claims were visited, the Fairview and the Pike,
the former about a mile and a half north of the openings on the Big Dan. On the Fair-
view there are two small pits and some strippins: on a country rock of gr^n slate with
gabbro, a little quartzite cropping out near by. Tae ore is pyrite, pyrrhotite and chal-
oopyrite with a little arsenopyrite, and except for the pyrite resembles the Sudbury ore
in many respects. The amount to be seen is not great however. The Pike claim is a
quarter of a mile farther north, and shows a considerable extent of gossan, but the only
working is a small pit. The materials on the dump contain pyrrhotite and chaloopyrite
like the Sudbury ores, but mixed with a large amount of barren rock.
In general, one may say that ores of nickel and copper undoubtedly occur around
Net lake in amounts that will probably prove of impoTtanoe^ V^ut \a d^^jbxmvcL^N^^vt ^^^^^
174 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
will require a good deal of work. That the Oanadian Copper Company have taken hold
of some of the claims located here by Mr. O'Connor is good evidence that they consider
them of some promise.
In any case it is very significant that 70 miles northeast of Sadbnry the same orei
occur as at that important mining centre, and apparently in lar^e quantities. It has bees
shown also that ores very like them are found to the south of lake I9ipissing, in a region
where Huronian rocks have never been mapped. It is evident that thorough exploration
of these vast tracts, covered with forest and moss, and hence difficult to prospect, is likely
to discloEe great additions to our supplies of nickel and copper ores.
At present access to the Net lake region is difficult, so that the bringing in of sap-
plies is expensive, costing in summer, about $1.50 per hundred weight, since everything
must go by canoe. In winter, however, ^he cost may be. reduced to 50 cents per hundred
weight, by teaming in with sleighs. Easier access could be obtained without any verj
great outlay, as suggested by Mr. O'Connor, by building a road about eif(ht miles long
from lake Temiscaming to Rabbit chute at the northeastern end of Babbit lake, and
putting a steamer on the lake. A dam at Babbit chute about six feet high would give
navigation to the head of White Bear lake. There is a fall of 75 feet on the Matabit-
chouan river between Rabbit and Bass lakes, and part or all of this might be used for
power to run a tram line from lake Temiscaming, making transit easy. There is a large
amount of white and red pine to the north and west of White Bear lake, forming an
additional reason for opening up the country.
BAIB DBS I'KRES.
• As we had a spare day before the steamer went down the lake, we crossed over to
Ville Marie or Baie.des P^rel, on the Quebec side of lake TemiBcaming, to examine the
interesting contact of granite and quartzite conglomerate described by Barlovr and Feirier
three years ago'^', as perhaps the only instance where the original floor on which the
Huronian rocks were deposited was still preserved. Granite is mapped at forming the
two points enclosing Kelly bay, in which Bale des F^rei is situated, and also the opposite
or Ontario shore of lake Temiscaming. Just south of the village the green, rather coarse-
textured quartzite is seen to rest on granite, and to contain angular fragments of all mses
of a greenish granitic rock, evidently greatly altered from the coarse red granite on the
point. As described by Barlow and Ferrier, all tiansitions between the two rocks can be
seen, and evidence seems clear that the quartzite, at least in its lower parts, is formed
from the rock on which it rests, which must therefore have been solid but greatly
weathered granite at the time. An excursion to the north point enclosing the bay
showed similar relations, red coarse-grained granite, penetrated by dikes of pegmatite and
also of finer-grained granite, becomes greenish gray a little higher up, and is then followed
by a granite breccia with large and small blocks cemented by fine-grained chloritic rock.
Above this came ordinary quartzite conglomerate in which Mr. Blue found pebbles of
red jasper, proving that this basal conglomerate or breccia was formed after the beds of
jasper existed, and therefore could not be at the base of the sedimentary rocks of the
region. A further discussion of this point will be given later in describing the relation-
ships of Upper and Lower Huronian in Ontario.
A shoi*t excursion was made inland to see the old lake terraces and to examine the
clays. The farming land of the region stretches miles inland, sometimes between rocky
walls of hills, and includes parts of three or four townships. It is white and chalky in
appearance and evenly stratified, and was no doubt laid down when the water stood at
least 300 feet bigher than now. Aboi^ 2^ miles northeast of Ville Marie church there
is a small patch of soft crumbling limestone, largely filled with quartz particles, probably
an outlier of the large area of Niagara limestone forming Mann island and part of the
mainland north of Temiscaming. It is probable that the lake deposits of whitish clay
have originated in the destruction of the limestones in the parts now occupied by the
lake, so that the Niagara beds have provided the materials for the extensive and excellent
-^^ On the RelatioDB and Structures of certain Granites and Associated Arkoses on Lake Temiacaming,
Hep. B. A, A, S,, Toronto, 1897, pp. 656-660.
i899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario I75
areas of farming land on both the Quebec and Ontario sides of lake Temiscaming, now
fiHing up with settlers and promising to become important agricaltnral districts. Owing
to the great depth of the lower end of lake Temiscaminr, navigation remains open very
late in the seasoD, even into December, and gives a longer outlet toward the railway than
could be expected from this seemingly remote comer of the country.
PLKISTOCEXE GKOLOGY.
OLD LAKE REACHUSt.
During our past summer's work the chief points in the Pleistocene geology of the
regions traversed weie carefully noted, and special attention was given to the old lake
beaches on the northeastern and northwestern shores of lake Superior. Many raised
beaches have been measured previously by various observers, especially Dr. A. 0. Lawson'^'
and the staff of the Bureau of Mines,''' but the number of elevations is so great and the
difference in height between successive beaches is so small, that thus far it has proved im-
possible to trace a given beach for great distance around the basin of lake Superior. The
fact that msny of the old beaches have a succession of wave-built gravel ridges, rising
grada%lly as one walks inland, adds much to the difficulty.
Last summer our work lay mainly on the sh^re between Fort Arthur and the Min-
nesota boundary at the west end of lake Superior, and between Mich ipico ton bay and the
Oanadian Pacific railway on the north.
A number of old beaches were observed on the south side of lake Superior, especially
near Houghton in the copper region of Michigan, where Houghton and Hancock are
built on a well marked terrace rising 40 or 50 feet above the lake ; while a highest ter-
race rises about 600 feet, reaching therefore about 1,200 feet above sea level. This beach
appears to be higher than any hitherto recorded on the north shore, except two on Mt.
Josephine just south of Pigeon point in Minnesota, observed by Laws3n,^'' and three
rather doubtful ones observed by myself, two on Puoaswa river and one northwest of the
*' Soo." '^ Mr. F. B. Taylor has d^ scribed beaches on lake Kaministiquia, west of Port
Arthur, as rising still higher, apparently to 670 feet about lake Superior, but these levels
seem to belong to a comparatively small lake dammed by the retreating ice before much of
the basin of lake Superior was open.'^ Tnis year's work is of interest as showing the exist-
ence of a new series of beaches near the watershed between Dog and White rivers, rising
much higher yet, the most elevated reaching the level of 843 feet above Superior or 1445
feet above sea level.
Near Cloud creek on the Pigeon river road, leading from the international boun-
dary towards Fort William, a series of terraces may be seen, the lowest rising only 15
feet above the laka This is well developed on the main shore opposite Victoria island,
where well rounded pebbles form a terrace, evidently wave built. In the thoroughly
sheltered position of this beach wave action could not build to that height. The beach
is more or less bush- covered. The next level is found farther inland, where a plain near
Cloud creek slopes gently up from 80 to 100 feet, and a third rises from 236 to 248 feet
at the rear of the terrace. Gravel shows upon the latter, but not very well rounded.
Lawson records beaches at 8.4, 82 2, 89.7 and 101.4 feet neir McKellar's point not far
from our observations, which may correspond to our lower beach levels, but does not
indicate one at the higher level. '^
The next series of terraces to be mentioned lies near Wawa lake, and completes the
work referred to in last year's report under the head of Michipicoton Post. Mr. Clergae's
engineers make Wawa lake 337.6 feet above lake Superior, and a terrace to the north
stsknds 68 feet hii^her as determined by hand level, or 406 feet above lake Superior, cor-
•-» Geol. Sur. Minn. 20th, Ann. Rep., p. 182, etc.
'^'' Bur. Mines, vol. vi', 2nd Part, 1899, p. 150, etc.
•--'• Geol. Sur. Minn., 20ih An. Rep. for ISDl, p. 252-3. *-" Bur. Mines, 1899, p. 155.
■!^ Am. Geol. vol. xx, Aug. 1897, p. 117.
'-" Geol. Sur. Minn., 20th An. Rep., Table of Elevations, p. 280.
176 Bureau of Mines Report No. 5
responding fairly well with Professor Wilmott's determination of 420 feet. A eecond
water level was determined on the sandy plain between Wawa and the next lake to the
east on the canoe route to Missanabie. This stands 111 feet above Wawa, and therefore
449 feet above Superior. It may correspond to a terrace reported by Professor Willmott
as lying to the north at a level of 441 feet.'*'*^ Professor Willmott reports two higher
water levels in the neighborhood, or perhaps only two stages of the same beach, on exten-
sive sand plains near Magpie river, the lover at 536 feet and the higher at 564 feet
above lake Superior, the latter being the more accurately determined. The lower terrace
rises about 100 feet above Magpie river, sixteen miles below Magpie lake, and cut banks
show stratified clay under caud.
Of greater interest are the well marked terraces found 30 miles to the northwest,
near the watershed between Dog river emptying west of Michipicoton bay and White
river. On Obatonga lake, an expansion of Dog river, a sandy terrace rising about 25
feet above the water, has an elevation of 780 feet . above Superior ; while a still higher
one is crossed on the mountain portage, between McMaster lake at the head of Dog river
and Pokay lake, which empties into White river, well rounded coarse gravel and stones
forming a dibtinct terrace at 843 feet above lake Superior, or 1,445 above the sea. The
same terrace has been seen by Professor Willmott at the other end of Pokay lake, about
4 miles to the north, proving that it is of considerable extent. This is by far the highest
water level yet recorded northeast of lake Superior, though not so high as some beachea
mentioned by Dr. Spencer and the Bureau of Mines from the peninsula between the
Georgian bay and lake Huron, 150 or more miles to the southeast. ^^ Dr. Spencer a
highest beach at Dundalk is 1,690 feet above the sea ; ^- and he mentions another water*
level, the Proton plains, at 1,630 ; while our highest measurement on the Blue moun-
tains near OoUingwood is 1,521 feet. It may be mentioned that the terrace abov^
Pokay lake stands 340 feet above the lowest pass towards Hudson bay, the watershec3
between Dog lake and the headwaters of Moose river, and so must have been formed in ^
lake having an ice dam of considerable thickness, or else in an arm of the sea deep enougSr:
to submerge all but the higher points in the region. So far no fossils have been found i^
these beaches to decide between the two theories. So wide a body of salt water, connect
ting on the one hand with Hudson bay and on the other with the gulf of St. Lawrence*
must, one would think, have left distinct evidence of its presence in the way of shells (^ 'm
of other fossils ; while an ice-dammed lake might well be almost lifeless, and so leave n ^
fossils.
T K R H A (' E S NEAR M E A K O B D .
In order to obtain further data concerning the high level beaches on the peninsul «
between Georgian bay and lake Huron, two dajs were employed in the neighborhood of
Meaford. An excursion northwest of the town to cape Rich disclostd a number of
terraces and wave-built gravel ridges, but not at very high levels. At oape Rich itself
a well marked terrace with a boulder pavement is found from 46 to 56 feet above lake
Huron ; and a higher terrace of the same kind, running from 63 to 82 feet, perhaps only
a continuation of the former series of beaches. A flat plain, probably representing an
old water level, occurs on top of the promontory 351 feet above the lake, and a gently roll-
. ing plain, perhaps a water level, at 396 feet. Not far to the southeast of .this there is a
pretty sheet of water called Mountain lake, dammed by a well defined series of beach
ridges of grave), running from 189 to 220 feet above Georgian bay. This l^ke, two miles
long by half a mile wide, probably represents an old bay cut off by a gravel bar. On
road cuttings between the Mountain lake and Meaford fine yellow stratified sand is to
be seen.
At Meaford itself there are terraces rising 18 feet and 45 feet above the bay, most
of the town being built on the lower level, but part on the upper one. The plain on
which the railway station stands runs from 95 to 100 feet above the bay, and seems to
be a water level. A somewhat duny ridge of sand stretches across it a little south of the
station. Farther south a terrace at 175 feet, showing a good boulder pavement, is fol-
lowed by the railway for some distance ; there is however no very sharp line to be
drawn between the 100 foot level and that at 175 feet.
»' Bur. Mines Rep., 1S98, p. 164.
•' Ibid, p. 152, S2 HUtoiy of the Great Ia\u8» v«7d.
1899 ] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 177
Near Field's CroBsing the mountain was ascended and an excursion made to the
■onthwest, showing several well defined terraces and a number of more doubtful ones.
The rear of the lowest terrace, cut into gray shale, is 27 feet above the bay ; while the
rear of a second indistinct terrace is at 40 ; and a more distinct one with a boulder pave-
ment stands at 158, seemingly with stages runniog up to 198.
Nothing suggesting a water level is seen after this till one reaches the height of
780 feet, where what appears to be a cut cliff occurs, a lo^ escarpment of limestone rising
above the slope of red and green shale. This beach must be looked on as doubtful.
Somewhat higher there is a considerable extent of plain occupied by fields, and having a
low cut cliff of limf stone behind it. This level may be recognized across a stream vaUey
which cuts deeply into the tableland called the mountain, and at different points heights
ranging as follows were found, — 815, 833, 837 aad 842 feet. This plain appears to be
pretty certainly an old lake level. There are possible terraces also from 869 to 909 feet,
and from 968 to 990 feet above Georgian bay, but in the time at command these could
not be followed out satisfactorily. The latter may correspond to the well marked terrace
recorded by us at the level of 940 feet on the Blue mountains near Oollingwood, about
ten miles to the southeast,^ and in that case the beach is deformed. Without working
it out in the intervening region however, it is unsafe to make this statement positively.
In general one may say that more or lees distinct beaches occur in the Meaford
region at about 13 levels, as follows :
1 Terrace 18to 27 feet.
2 40to 66 •*
8 63— 82
4 96 — 100
6 168 — 176(?)
6 189-220
7 861
8 896
10 815 — 842
11 869-882(?)
12 896 (?) — 909 (?)
18 968 (?) - 990 (?)
Some of these water levels have been recognized at Oollingwood and Owen Sound,
but several do not seem to correspond to any before recorded. The highest well defined
water level, 842 feet above Georgian bay or 1,422 above the sea, fits very well with
several terraces mentioned by Dr. Spencer from the district to the south, e.g. neai Mono
Mills (1,400), west of Oollingwood (1,400), west of Claikaburg (1,396), northwest of
Flesherton (1,430), and south of Markdale (1,400 and 1,425).^
TBBBAOE8 ON LAKl TEMI80AMIN0.
Another well marked series of old water levels was studied during the summer near
lake Temiscaming, 200 miles north of Meaford and 280 southeast of the lofty terraoes of
the Michipicoton d strict, showing the very wide distribution of pleistocene deposits laid
down in water. When the elevation of these terraces was measured lake Temisoaming
was at a very low stage, so that the regular steamers could not land their passengers at
the usual docks, but had to send them ashore in small boats or by an " alligator." The
level of lake Temiscaming is assumed to be that of low water as determined by Mr.
Barlow, 582 feet above mean sea level.
At the mouth of Montreal river a rather faintly marked low level terrace' was noted
at Benin's farm, consisting of stratified sand, rising 35 feet above the lake ; while a half
mile up the lake it rises to 42 feet, or 624 feet abo^e sea level. The next terrace
(measured with the hand level) rises 150 feet, or 732 feet above sea, and is formed of
gray stratified clay. Two other terraces occur at Bronson's farm, two miles inland; the
lower at 773 ft et above the sea and the higher at 811 feet, both built of stratified clay.
Where it comes against the rocky ancient shore of Archaean schiats the highest one has
a well marked boulder pavement rising ten or fifteen feet above the plain of clay, which
was probably formed at that depth below the actual water level. Tuese clay terraces
form excellent soil, as proved by the succc s? of farming operations.
w Bur. Mines Report, 1898, p. 151. « History ot th% Gt«»\.\j»^<M^ ^.1%.
12 m.
17^ Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
The other terraces observed are on the Qaebeo shore of lake Temisoaming, neir
Yille Marie or Baie des P^res. Here also there is sand in the lowest terrace, or perhaps
one should say in the deposits formed at high water by the present lake, and olay at the
higher levels. Terraces occar at 648, 680 and 707 feet above the sea, and a series of
higher ones at 736 and 791 to 796 feet, all of gray or whitish stratified clay, formiog
good agricultural land. These stratified clays are looked on by Barlow, ifbllowing
Chalmers, as probably laid down by the sea during a time of depression subsequent to
the Ice Age ; ^ but no marine fossils have been reported from them, though such fossils
are common at many points in the Ottawa and St. Lawrence valleys at levels up to aboat
560 feet.
GLACIAL GEOLOGY.
Not much opportunity was found for the study of glacial geology proper, though
more or Ipss boulder clay, and occasionally also moraines, occur in all the districts
visited. Care was taken, however, to determine the direction of glacial striae, where
they were observed, and a list of them is given. The directions are magnetic, but the
variation of the compass is not very great. Near lake Temagami, at the east end of
the Province, it was determiced roughly to be 6^"* toward the west. The degrees are
reckoned from north towards east, south, west and north again, a much safer method of
recording directions than as east or west of north, since in the latter method a mistake is
easily made in writing the points of the compass, while in the method adopted the num-
hereof degrees is read directly. In a number of cases more than one direction of striation
was noted
Houghton, Michigan, on diabase, 100^
McKellar point near Cloud bay, diabase on hill top, 45°-55^
Current river east of Port Arthur, on slate and diabase, main striae, 90°, fainter
ones, 115".
Farther up Current river, on slate, llO"".
Uoose point. Thunder bay, 70"" and 110"*.
Goose point, farther east on shore, 90^
Port Arthur at railway cutting on diabase, 80" to 90''.
South of Boyer lake, Michipicoton, on hill top, lO"".
East of Boyer lake, mountain top, on soft gray green schidt, 35°-4§°.
East o« Eleanor lake, 30^
Island in Loon- skin lake, 50^
Iron locations east of Magpie lake, about 50".
Dog river, portage past rapids below Heart mountain, well shown on schist, 20" 25 •
Lamp portage at another point, 30", and an older set, 350".
Between Dog river and Paint lake, most prominent and probably oldest striae, 0";
other sets at 340" and 20".
Parry Sound r^'gion, Vabkoughnet's farm, 35".
Parry Soand region. Rose Point, 30".
Parry Sound region, mouth of Seguin river, 30".
Matabitchouan river, 3rd Portage, 25".
Matabitchouan river, 4th Portage, 25".
Falls east end of Babbit lake, 10".
Net lake, Big Dan mine, older striae, 345" ; younger set (rare), 15".
Yille Marie, lake Temiscamiog, 340"-360".
Yille Marie, McGregor's hotel, older, 340", strong striae on quartzlte, younger, HO**.
Near Baie des Peies, older striae, 350"-360" ; younger, 60".
The most striking featares of the striae recorded shov^ may be briefly referred to.
The nearly east and west direction of the few striations noted on Thunder bay is surpris-
ing, since the average di) ection for the general region is about northeast and southwest,
the ice being supposed to have advanced from the direction of Labrador ; and in additioa
one would have expected the ice to be deflected into the course of the great depres-
•»' GeoL Sar. Can., 1897, p. 129 I.
1899 ] Copper and Iroli Regions of Ontario 179
dorm of the region, which have aboat the same trend. The striae obaerted at McKellar
Point have about the direction one would expect *
In the Michipicoton district the striae observed are in general about 45'', as might be
expected, but those farther north, near Dog river, show great variations, a number
trending nearly from north to south. The few striae noted near Parry Sound ran as one
might expect about 30^ •35'^ ; but those seen in the Temiscaming region are much more
variable, often presenting two sets of intersecting striae. Those on lake Temiscaming
itself naturally trend in the direction of that long fiord-like depression 1,000 feet deep,
which must have influenced the flow of the ice greatly. The miner striae, more or less at
right angles to the course of the valley, have possibly been caused by icebergs during the
depression after the retreat of the main Labradorean ice sheet. Mr. Barlow gives a con-
siderable number of directions of striation from the region, averaging s. H"" w., but the
striae from Temiscaming itself come west of north as shown in his table.^
NOTES ON THE PETROGRAPHY OF ONTARIO.
During the summer of 1899 the rocks of a number of districts of Ontario were
more or less carefully studied, and a considerable series of hand specimens was obtained.
The more interesting of these have been studied microscopically, and will be described in
the following pages, beginning with specimens from the northwest shore of lake Superior,
in what may be called the Thunder bay region.
THUNDER BAT BBOION.
The interesting amygdaloid rocks containing copper, in the townships of Crooks and
Blake between Pigeon river and Port Arthur, were found to be too badly weathered to
be worth study under the microscope, but rock obtained from the end of a drift at the
latter copper deposit is quite fresh, and though evidently not in connection with the
amygdaloid will be mf^ntioned here. The rock is a rather fine grained, dark gray dia-
base, containing the usual lath shaped plagioclase with violet augite between, the latter
partly weathered to dull green hornblende. The most interesting mineral is biotite, with
pale brown and deep brown dichroism, from its appearance apparently an original oon-
stitoent of the rock. Magnetite occurs in long rough rods, and many needles of apatite
are embedded in the plagioclase. This rook is a characteristic example of many of the
Animikio laccolitic sills.
An interesting series of rocks occurs near McKellar's point, the long promon-
tory northeast of Pigeon point on the Minnesota side of the International boundary.
As the rocks of Pigeon point have been elaborately worked out by Professor Bayley for
the U. S. Geological Survey,^ and those of McKellar's point resemble them greatly in the
main, they scarcely need mention here. A dike on top of McKellar's point consists of
medium grained diabase, with great crystals of plagioclase thickly scattered through it,
probably the rock described by Bayley as porphyritic olivine gabbro ; and reddish r^cks
like his more or less altered quartzites occur also.
An apparent laccolitic sill from Oloud bay, a mile or two north of McKellar's point,
presents a rock of quite different type from any described by Payley, and so will be
treated more at lengtb. The rock forms a flU sheet, overlying slates of the Auimikie
and having the same general arrangement as the laccolite sills of diabase so common in
the Animikie ; but its paler and somewhat reddish color immediately separates it from
them. On the compact reddish gray surface many whicish or pink crystals' of felspar
may be seen, and also black strips of hornblende associated with them. The rock is
much weathered, but in thin sections shows a groundmass consisting of spherulites,
apparently of orthoclase or plagioclase, showini( dimly a black cress in polarized light,
and of micropegmatite between the spherules. Large, well formed crystals of plaino-
clase, probably oligoclase or andesine from the extinction angles, are enclosed in the
ground mass, and also crystals and irregular masses of dark green hornblende, the latter
sometimes separate and sometimes beside the feUpars, or even embedded in them, show-
» Geol. Sar. Can., 1897, pp. 136-6 I. ^ BuUetin No. 109, 1893.
180 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
ing that the hornblende was the earliest mineral to crystallize. The rock may be referred
to as a granophyric porphyrite.
A number of specimens were obtained from Jarvis island near the silver mine,
including slate and graywaoke among sedimentary rocks, and diabase and syenft^e among
eruptives. The relationships of these rocks are complex and hard to explain, and a red
aplite, or quartz orthoclase granite, adds to the difficulty by appearing sometimes as dikes
or stringers in a graywacke, and at others as seeming pebbles in the same rock. The
diabases are partly of the ordinary kind, partly olivine diabase. The more acid rocks
include one which may correspond to Bayley's metamorphosed quartzi^e ; and another,
which has the general appearance of syenite, green hornblende being mixed with reddish
felspar, but turns out to be a granophyric, or micropegmatitic grano-diorite. It contains
fairly well shaped crystals of plagioclase, and less often orthoclase surrounded by grano-
phyre, here and there passing into considerable areas of quartz. The hornblende is red-
brown when fresh, but is surrounded by green chloritic material, and sometimes almost
wholly turned into it.
PARBT SOUND DISTRICT.
A few rocks from the Parry Sound district were briefly described in a previous vol-
ume of the Bureau of Mines reports,^ but the re^on has received so little attention from
geologists that a number of rocks collected during the past summer have been sectioned
and studied, and the more interesting of them will be mentioned hei^. The region
includes schistose, jmassive and sedimentary rocks, the Utter however chiefly crystalline
limestones. Many of the schists are clearly sheared or squeezed eruptives, but some of
them may be pyroclastic, or ash rocks. The eruptives include at one end giant pegma-
tites, consisting of quartz and felspar crystals, alone or with mnscovite and sometimes
biotite ; and at the other end gabbros and auorthosites. Diabase dikes, generally so
common in the geologically older regions of Ontario, are here quite rara As the rocks
immediately around Parry Sound have been most carefully studied, they will be described
flrst, and in greatest detsil.
The rocks enclosing the copper deposits of the MoGown mine have the look of rather
basic gneisses, are datk gray, rather coarse grained and distinctly schistose; the only min*
erals recognizable with t^e lens are biotite and plagioclase. Under the miorosoope they
are in general found to be schistose diorites or gabbros. All contain plagioclase, horn-
blende and biotite, and all but one or two seotions-also pale blue green angite and hypers-
thene As much of the biotite and some of the hornblende have the confused fibrous
character belonging to secondary minerals, it is probable that they have replaced angite ;
some of the hornblende and biotite eeem to be primary however, showing as clear
masses in very fresh sections. The hypersthene is triohroio, yellowish, pale green and
pale red being the colors shown. Accessory minerals are numerous, including apatite
prisms, sulphides and a very little micropegmatite. The felspar is almost alto-
gether a rather basic plagioclase, having extinotion angles suggesting labradorite. The
lock is hypidiomorphic granular, the schistose structure being apparent only on the large
scale, not under the microscope. The seriod should be called schistose gabbro, or gabbro
gneiss.
A specimen of an entirely different kind was found associated with a gold bearing
vein at this mine some years ago. It is brownish gray, fine grained, and shows much
green epidote in the hand specimen. Under the microsc jpe it proves to consist of quartz,
muscovite, garnet and epidote with a little augite, titanite, magnetite and s^me sulphide.
The muscovite is in radiating bundles, showing a black cross with polariz'Hl light. The
garnet is brown red, resembling melanite somewhat. Th? rock is evidently greatly
weathered, and how it is related to the adjausent schistose gabbro is not certain.
The schistose rock associated with the Wilcox copper mine some miles south of Parry
Sound on the \irhole resembles that of the McGovn mine^ thoagh with some variations.
The most characteristic specimen consists of plagioclase, apparently labradorite or
anorthite, blue green pyroxene and hypersthene with some hornblende, magnetite and
apatite. The abundant hypersthene has a pleochroism of brownish yellow, brownish
green and deep red brown.
^Bar. MiDeaRep., 189i, pp. 99 and 100.
1899 ] Copper and Iron Re£;ions of Ontario ^ 181
Two other phases of the coantrj rock were collected, and may be described. One is
a massive looking anorthosite, dark gray and of medium grain. The only minerals foand
m a thin section are anorthite and small quantities of a decomposition product repre-
senting angite. Another type is distinobly schistose and contains mnch red garnet and
more or less quartz, as well as iron and copper pyrites, often in sufficient amounts to
form an ore. The rock consists chiefly of labradorite, bluish green pyroxene, hypersthene
uid garnet, with smaller quantities of hornblende and biocite. This rock probably
represents sheared and fractured portions of the gabbro gneiss, in whose fissures quartz
and sulphides have been deposited, forming the fahlband worked for its copper ores.
Schistose anorthosite similar to that of the Wilcox mine occurs at small copper
deposits on islands in Georgian bay, a few miles west ; bat ic is here associated with a
black shiny schist, showing very large cleavage surfaces of a mineral resembling horn-
blende. This proves under the microscope to be hypersthene with red, bluish green and
brownish yellow pleochroism. It contains a few definitely oriented plates of a brown
mineral like biotite, and also strips of magnetita The other minerals are hornblende
and a little plagioclase.
The schistose gabbros, etc., thus far described, form the main country rocks of the
copper deposits of the region, but at Rose point and Parry Sound an interesting
leries of fine grained white to gray schists of an entirely different character may be
found. They are very deavable, and often bent and contorted in a most complex way.
Ehey are often porphyroidal, containing large '< angen " of white felspar or black horn-
blende. The felspars show no twin strise under the lens, often have curved cleavage
nirfaoes and have rounded forms, embedded in a fine grained, white or flesh colored
ureole as if resulting from a crushing and rolling action undergone after the crystals
were imbedded in their matrix.
The whitish and dark gray varieties of these schists are often finely interieaved with
one another, and may fade into one another from point to point.
Studied with the microscope, both varieties have about the same constituents, but in
varying proportions, quartz, orthoolase, biotite and hornblende, with a few garnets, and a
little magnetite and calcite. Often the granular look of the particles is well marked,
sometimes a dusty border separating one grain from another, but at other points the
grains seem to interlock in a way suggesting a crystalline massive rock. The whole effect
of these gneisses is that of sedimentary rocks, perhaps, as suggested by Dr. Etftm<u[i, ash
rocks, which have been folded and metamorphosed. The large orthoclase *' eyes," some-
times two inches in diameter, 83em unusual constitu^'nts for a volcuiic ash, but the black
hornblende crystals are moie characteristic of such an origin. Some of the grayer
gneisses remind one of part of Lawson's Couchiching gneisses or mica schists in the
Rainy Lake region. The ash-like rocks are soft and sometimes even pulverulent, and are
wide spread, covering a number of square miles near the town.
At Depot harbor on Parry island, 2 or 3 miles west of Rose point, rocks of
a similar kind occur, but apparently passing into more normal Laurentian
gneisses. One example of the latter may be described. It is of a grayish flesh
eolor, rather fine grained, and distinctly schistose, having lighter and dai ker bands.
It has a somewhat granular look under the microscope, but consists generally of inter-
locking anhedra of quartz, orthoclase and microcline, the latter mineral in largest amount.
Of darker minerals there are biotitn, a little blue green hornblende, titanite ani magnetite.
Not far from the aeh-like schist at Rose point a hill of very different rock pushes
up, apparently by a fault. It is well seen in a rock cutting of the railway, and shows a
blaish white ground, with many rounded patches of black and of red. At one point it
shows little schistose structure, but when followed up becomes markedly schistose. Under
the microscope it is found to consist mainly of plagioclase, running from andeslne to
labradorite, dark green hornblende, and garnet, with a little orthoclase, or at least felspar
showing no striations, muscovite, biotite and magnetite. The dark colored minerals are
crowded into irregular masses, hornblende otten in the middle with garnets round it,
though sometimes magnetite forms the nucleus for aggregations of garnet. The rock may
be called a garnetiferous diorite, though it is probable that the colored minerals are
largely or wholly secondary, perhaps after augite.
Associated with the schistose rocks just mentioned are bands of crystalline limestone,
white, gray or flesh colored, sometimes pure, but often charged with twisted fragments of
182 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
the Bchista. No Eeodona of these rocks were studied from the neighborhood of Parry
Sound, but a specimen from a point 4 miles west of Commanda, about 50 miles northeast
of Parry Sound, proves interesting. It is greenish gray and coarsely crystalline, weather-
ing yellowish brown. In thin section it reminds one of Eozoo a, consisting mainly of
calcite and serpentine, the latter in rounded patches, sometimes connected together, but
generally separate. The serpentine contains remnants of the original mineral, generally
diopside, but in some cases having parallel extinction like olivine. The latter portions
may simply be diopside cut at right angles to the plane of symmetry. A number of psle
blue rounded fragments of fluorite occur also.
A number of specimens were obtained from the neighborhood of Loring, s^uth
of lake Nipissing, and a few have been studied in thin sections.
A dark brownish gray, very coarse grained rock, associated with copper and nickel
ores on lake Massagamashine, northeast of Loring, is gabbro, consisting of rather basic
plagioclase and much weathered diallage and hypersthene, often with a margin of garnet
crystals Magnetite, hornblende and biotite are accessory minerals. This rook is oom-
monly found with ore deposits in the region.
A gneissoid grayish white rock, streaked with black, associated with various sul-
phides, may be called a diorite or gabbro schist, since it consists chiefly of plagioclase
felspar running from andesine to labradorite, with some scapolite and a little augite and
hornblende. A somewhat similar rock, but containing many garnets and no scapolite,
occurs with a little copper ore on lot 2, concession 4 of Mills township, in the sanie region.
One of the moat interesting rocks found near Loring is a high'y graphitic schist, iron
black in color, but showing lighter and darker bands. Under ttie mioroscope it is found
to consist chiefly of quartz and graphite^ with a little brown biotite and a very little
plagioclase. It was probably at one time an impure carbonaceous sandstone, b it now
has the character of graphitic qiartzite. It was undoubtedly a sedimentary rock in the
beginning, and so may take a place with the graphitic limestones, as indicatbig the Upper
Laurentian or Huronian age of the whole series of rocks.
RELATIONS OF UPPER AND LOWER HURONIAN IN ONTARIO.
The original Huronian area, as mapped by Logan and his assistant, Murray, lies
within the Province of Ontario, which contains also its northeastern extension toward lake
Temis earning, and several other large and important tracts which have been mapped with
more or less certainty as Haronian by Canadian geologiats since Logan's time. As these
rocks contain the most promising ore deposits of the Province, they naturally attract
much attention from prospectors and geologists, and the problems connected with their
formation and relationships have an economic as well as a purely scientific interest. The
question as to what areas are really Huronian, and as to the relative age of the diffdrent
areas mapped as Huronian, differing as they often do in striking ways from the rocks of
the original region, is one requiring solution if the pre-Cambrian geology of the province
is to bd placed on an aesared basis. Daring the past summer an examination of the
newly discovered iron region in the Huronian district northeast of lake Superior for the
Bureau of Mines has provided a set of facts which appear to throw new light on the
subject
Prospectors have followed up the Michipicoton iron range for about 60 miles, and
most of this has been traversed and examined by the geologists of the Bureau of Mines^
80 that its character is now fairly well known. It consists as a general rule of a band of
siliceous rock interleaved with thin sheets of iron ore, in many respects much like the
famous iron ranges of Michigan and Minnesota. The rock has generally the aspect of a
sandstone, but thin sections prove that it is not an ordinary sandstone, in spite of the
fact that many parts of it crumble to fine grains under the fingers ; for the grains of
quartz have polygonal forms that meet in planes, but are only loosely, if at all, cemented.
The grains are often six-sided, and in thick sections show a rough dodecahedrsd shape, the
result probably of growth outward from numerous nearly equidistant centers until the
grains met, just as spheres crushed together tend to take on a dodecahedral form.^
^ Of. Irving and Van Hise, Penokee Iron Bearing Series, U. S. G^L Sur., monograph xix, p. ISS^
et ceterm, where the grMioB seem to be dejoribed aa oryatalA iaih«c th^ii unorieated polyhedra.
1899 J Copiier and Iron Regions of Ontario 183
The Qsnal variety resembling sandstone sometimes passes into a roek like ohert eir in
>ther cases jasper, and occasionally takes the appearance of qnartzite. In many parts of
Jie range the interbanded sandstone and magnetite or hematite are more or less
Mrecciated, and have nndoubtedly undergone great folding and crashing. The band now
itande nearly vertical in most regions to which it has been followed.
This band of rock is usually thin, never more than a few hundred yards in width, and
Jiere are numerous interruptions in its outcrop, due probably to weathering, for the sand-
tone variety is so fragile that in river vallevs it has been cut down faster than other
rocks, and is often lost to sia^ht under the thick drift deposits of the region. This prob-
liUy accounts for the fact that it was overlooked until last summer, since the region is
witiiout roads and hitherto had been explored almost entirely with canoes. The cherty
snd jaspery varieties, however, stand weathering excellently and form ranges of hills
sasily followed.
It is almost certain that this band of siliceous rock charged with iron ore is of Eedi-
mentary origin, althouflih perhaps not clastic, but rather deposited chemically.
The same association of siliceous rock and iron ore is found more than 70 miles west
of Michipicoton, near Pic river, thoagh it is not supposed that the range will be traced
oontinuously to'that point, for a tract of Liurentian U mapped as lying between. Whether
these rocks should be locked on as a continuation of the Vermilion iron range north of
lake Superior in western Ontario and Minnesota and of the Penokee and Maiquette
ranges to the south of the lake, is not certain at present. Iron miners from Minnesota
consider it the same formation as the Yermilion range, and there seems no reason to
doubt that it was formed under very similar conditions and shows many points of resem-
blance to that range.
Sandstones of the same peculiar type occur at Little Turtle lake, east of Rainy lake,
and near Fort Frances on Rainy river, as weU^as at the Scramble gold mine near Rat
Portage,. on lake of the Woods. Thin sections of these rocks show the same polygonal
shapes of the grains of quartz, and more or less iron ore is associa'ed with specimens from
each locality. It is very probable, then, that the same horizon exists at points far to the
west of lake Superior
Turning toward the south, jupers and qaartzitic rocks interbedded with hematite or
magnetite are mentioned by Macfarlane, Bell and others as occurring a few miles north
of Batchawana bay ;^ and toward the east, specimens very like the jaspery varieties of
the Michipicoton iron range are found interbedded with iron ores near lakes Wahnapitae
and Temagami, between Sudbury and the Ottawa river. If, as seems probable, these
jaspers are the equivalents of the western Haronian sandstones, we have a definite horizon
traceable from point to point across the whole northern end of the Province, a distaace of
more than 600 miles. It is not suggested, of course, that these iron-bearing sandstones
and jaspers will be traced for this distance as a continuous band, for the Huronian areas
are separated at several points by tracts of Laurentian ; nevertheless, if the conclusions
jntt advanced are correct, we have in these rocks a most valuable threeul with which to
unravel the much disturbed and complicated series of Huronian rocks in Ontario.
HUBONIAN 0ONGLOMEBATK8*
Lrss than 2 miles north of the iron-bearing sandstone of Little Gros Oap, there is a
remarkable exposure of schist (or slate) conglomerate, examined many years ago at the
mouth of Dor^ river by Sir William Logan, who evidently considered it a typical example
of the Huronian, since he has described it somewhat fully in his general account of that
formation. ^^ Among other pebbles in the conglomerate he refers to some of a chert-like
stone. While studying this outcrop, which is weU exposed on the wave-beaten shore at
the mouth of the Dor^, and also on islands to the south, the present writer found many
gobbles, not only of the cherty iron-bearing rocks, but also of the pulverulent sandstones,
ebbles and boulders of all sizes, beautifully rounded and of a considerable variety of
rocks — none, however, of typical Laurentian gneiss — are to be seen here in a section dip-
ping from 70 degrees to vertically, and with a measured thickness of more than a third of
a mile.^^ The conglomerate has been traced by Professor Willmott and the writer about
M Qeol. Sur. Can., 1866, p. ISO. ^^ Geol. Can., 1863, p. 54.
4s Ont. Bur. Mines, 1898, pp. 165167.
184 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
17 miles from east to west, and probably extended still farther, since small ontcrops of
conglomerate are found in the east. Belts of conglomerate are seen also within 2 or ^
miles of other parts of the sandstone range, but no search has yet been made for pebbles
of sandstone or jasper. It is evident that the Dor^ conglomerate marks a very important
break in the Hnronian of the region, and it is probable that the other conglomerates
referred to are to be looked on as of the same age. The lack of Laurentian pebbles shows
that they are not basal conglomerates of the Hnronian resting on a L%nrentian floor, and
the chert and sandstone pebbles prove that they are more recent than the iron-bearing
series.
A very extonsive series of scbist conglomerates has been mapped by liawson on Shoil
lake east of Rainy lake, and was thought by him to be a basal conglomerate of the
Keewatin above the Oonchiching.^ The same region has been examined by Winchell and
Grant, who report that black and red jaspers occur in it as pebbles,^ and by the present
writer, who found numerous pebbles of pulverulent sandstone, as well as of oherly
materials, along with the more common felsite and porphyry pebbles.^ This conglomerate
has been traced for about 15 miles from southwest to northeast, and probably has a thick-
ness little short of a mile. That it represents a very profound break in the Keewatin
series is shown by the fact that among its boulders are some of anorthosite, evidently
derived from an adjoining mass of that rock. The anorthosite itself is proved to have
erupted through rocks apparently belonging to the Lower Keewatin, since it carried off in
its eruption fragments of chloritic and sericitic schist exactly like certain Keewatin rocks
of the region. The conglomerate was formed, then, at a far later time than the unde^
lying Keewatin schists, since they must have been solid rocks before the eruption of
anorthosite, and this very coarse grained plutonic lock must have had time to cool, doubt-
less at a great depth, and to be deeply eroded before pebbles of it could have been rolled
on a seashore and incorporated in a rode belonging to the upper part of the series.^ This
conglomerate is about three miles south of Little Turde lake, near whioh iron-bearing
sandstone has been found.
LawBon maps conglomerates of a similar kind on the Minnesote side of Rainy lake,
where the river of the same name flows out, and mentions saocharoidal quarte pebbles is
ooourring in them along with various other kinds of rook.^^ He also describes a conglom-
erate at the west end of Schist lake, containing pebbles composed of quartz '* in a very
fine mosaic aggregate, partly chalcedonic." ^ Probably these pebbles are of the same
character as the iron- bearing sandstone found by myaelf a mile east of Fort Frances, on
Rainy river. Another important belt of conglomerate containing sandstone and black
quartzitic pebbles occurs near Mosher bay, at the east end of the Upper Sianitou lake,
about 25 miles north of Shoal lake.^^ From the facts just mentioned it will be seen that
conglomerates with sandstone pebbles are widely distributed in the Rainy Lake region.
Schist conglomerate also occurs at Rat Portage, a short distance southeast of the
sandstone band found at the Scramble gold mine, bat up to the present no pebbles of
sandstone have been observed in it, though i^ is probably of the same age as the con- .
glomerates of the Rainy Lake region. 80 or 100 miles to the southeast. We know, also,
that jasper conglomerates form a very striking part of the quartzitic rocks of the typical
Hnronian, and that pebbles of jasper are met with more or les3 commonly in conglomer-
ates as far east as lake Temiscaming.'^
The source of these pebbles in the typical region on the shores of lake Huron has
not yet been explained, since no bands of jasper have been reported in the neighborhood.
Possibly they are concealed beneath the extensive lacustrine deposits of the region, or are
sunk below the waters of lake Superior or lake Huron, or the pebbles may have been '
derived from the ferruginous jaspers near B&tohawana bay. From the widespreitd and
abundant occurrence of these jasper pebbles we may infer a source of considerable extent.
They can hardly have been obtained from the underlying Laurentian, for jaSper has never
been repotted from the Canadian Laurentain ; and since the jasper pebbles are in many
cases distinctly stratified and are asEociated .with black chert pebbles, we mast suppose
«3 Geol. Sur. Cao., 1887-'88. p. 82 F. ^^ GeoL Sar. Mian., 23rd Ann. Rep , 1894, p. 66.
^' Ont. Bur. Mines. 1896, p. 97. *« Jour. Geol., vol. iv. No. 8, 1896, p. 911.
47 Geol. Sur. Can., 1887-'88, p. 82 F. « Ibid., p. 84 F.
^» Ont'Bnr. Mines, 1897, p. 123. » Geol. Can., 1863, pp. 52 and 56.
1^99] Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 185
lem to be of sedimentary origin, and so excladed from the Lanrentain, employing that
Brm in the nsnal sense of a complex of ancient eruptive rocks now more or less schistose.
It is trae that ferruginous chert is reported by Irving and Van Hise from the Mar-
inette region, associated with the Kitchi schist, which they include in the Basal Oomplez,
mi those authors are of opinion that the small deposits referred to are in reality of vein
ormation, and therefore later in age than the schist which incloses them.'^
One is tempted to ask if these cherty deposits are not more probably remnants of the
joweae Huronian nipped into the Laurentian. The ^reen Kitchi schists themselves would
probably be placed by Oanadian geologists in the Keewatin or Lower Huronian rather
hsn in the Basal Complex or Laurentain.
THE MOST IMPORTANT BBEAK IN THK HURONIAN.
Van Hise, the Winchells and other American geologists who have examined the
epical HuroniAn area are of the opinion that a break occurs in the series between
ogan's upper and lower slate conglomerates just above the main band of limestone, and
lat this is probably the equivalent of the unconformity between the upper and lower
on bearing series of Michigan and Minnesota.^^ My own study of these rocks leads me
» the conclusion that this break is not of great significance. There are pebbles of lime-
one in the upper slate conglomerate showing a certain interruption in the series, but the
wer slate conglomerate (or gray wacke conglomerate) is very like the upper one and is
It appreciably more crystalUne or schistose. Specimens from, the basal conglomerate
at of Thessalon can be perfectly matched by specimens from the upper conglomerate on
sho lake. It is much more probable that the real break is beneath the baaal conglom-
ate near Thessalon. It is likely that some of the green schists found in the adjoining
inrentain are the equivalents of the Lower Keewatin, west of lake Superior, and so
present the Lower Huronian in the typical region.
Much stress has properly been laid on this basal conglomerate by Irving and Van
iae, and it will be well to discuss its bearing on the Huronian question.^ If the lower
krt of the typical Huronian series corresponds to the Vermilion and other lower iron-
laring rocks of the States to the west and south of lake Superior, it should contain an
[tiivalent for the churacteristio jaspers interbedded with iron ore ; but no such rock has
$en found by Murray in his careful work when mapping the region, nor by any later
^servers. On the other hand jaeper pebbles are found in greater or less numbers to the
)ry bottom of the series, a few occurring in the basal conglomerate itself.^ If it be
loiiitted that the large numbers of jasper pebbles, often with a banding suggesting sedi-
entation, are derived from a widespread sedimentary rock, then sediments must have
»en formed on a large scale and have been confolidated and rolled into pebbles before
ie basal conglomerate was laid down. It is clear that this basal conglomerate is not the
west rock in the Aigonkian, as defined by Van Hise in his excellent correlation work,
jr in the Huronian, as usually defined by Oanadian geologists, bat that a jasper bearing
ower Aigonkian or Huronian is to be looked for somewhere as a source of its pebbles,
Brhaps the iron range near Batchawana.
On lake Temiscaming, at the northeastern end of the same great Huronian area,
Dother basal conglomerate has been described by Barlow and Ferrier.^''' The reasoning
lat fi^.ven will apply to this conglomerate also, for a few months a^o Mr. Archibald
due and the writer found jasper pebbles almost at the base of the Temiscaming conglom-
rate. In this instance, however, as shown by Birlow in his admirable account of the
eology of the region, jasper with iron ore occurring near lake Teujagami provides a
easonable source of the jasper pebbles, and proves that the Lower Huronian is repre-
ented, to some extent at least, a few miles to the westward.
^^ U. S. Geo). Sar., moncgraph xxviii, Marquette Iron Bearing Diat , pp. 186-187.
52 Van Hise, pre-Oambrian, p. 777; Alex. Winchell, BuU. Geol. Soo. Am., vol. iv, 1898, p. 844, and Am.
our. Sci., vol. xlii, p. 317.
^ Cf. Oat. Bur' Mines, 1899, p. 160, et cetera. ^ Ibid., p. 162.
^> On the Relations and Structure of certain Granites and associated Arkose on Lake Temiscaming.
Htiah Assoc., Toronto, 1897 ; also s3e Geol. Sur. Can., vol. x, I, pp. 196-9.
i86 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
CONCLUSIONS.
Granting that the ferriferoas eandstonea, oherta and j ispers described above belong
to a definite horizon near the top of the Lower Haronian (or Algonkian), and tliat the
conglomerates often found near by containing sandstone, chert or jasper pebbles represent
also a definite horizon as basal conglomerates of the Upper Haronian, some interesting
oonclosions follow.
In the first place, the gap between the Upper and Lower Huronian is shown to be a
very profound one. Basal conglomerates often thousands of feet thick, and found from
point to point over a distance of more than 600 miles, indicate an erosive period of giest
extent and significance. In the next place, we have in these widespxead rooks a means
of correlating the often widely separated and very different looking rocks mapped as Hur-
onian in Ontaria Doctor Lawson, in defining his Keewatin on t^e Lake of the Woods
and Ramy lake, came to the conclusion that the highly metamorphosed schists and erup*
tives of that region stood lower in the geological scale than the less altered quartsiteii
et cetera, of the typical Huronian as described by Logan. If the ground taken in thii
paper is correct, viz , thst the Shoal Lake conglomerate is at the base of the Upper Hur-
onian and the ferriferous sandstones found at some points in the region belong to the
Lower Huronian, it is evident that at least a part of the Keewatin is of Huronian age.
Whether the great beds of schist fornred of p>rocla8tic materials and sheared eruptiTei
mapped by Doctor Lawson are older than the Lower Huronian, and so should retain the
name Ketwatin as a separate formation, need not be discussed hera
The resemblance between the iron-bearing rocks shown to exist in Ontario and the
upper and lower iron-bearing series S3 carefully worked out in Minnesota and Michigan
suggests that they are of the same age, and that the break between the Upper and Lower
Huronian extends along tha south side of lake Superior as well as the north, though it ii
too soon to state positively that this is the case. The detailed mapping of the Vermilion
series of Minnesota to the boundary of Ontario, which Professor Van Hise informs me
is about complete, will give an opportunity to trace with more certainty the relations of
these two great areas of pre-Cambrian rock.
HERONITE, OR AN ALOITETINGU AITE.
Owini; to the interest connected with the rock from near Heron Bay on lake Super-
ior, described in last year's report as heronite,^ anotber visit was made to the locality in
order to trace out the relationships of the eruptives of the region. The outcrop of the
dike from which the original specimens were obtained was visited again in a cutting on
the Canadian Pacific Railway east of mile 804. It was found, however, that the outcrop,
which is several feet wide, could not be followed to any distan'^, nor could its bound-
aries be clearly seen owing to drift and the debris from the cutting. Another outcrop of
similar rock was found between miles 804 and 5, a dike irregular in width, but severs!
feet wide, and with a strike of about 120^. It is darker than the rock from the original
locality, and shows few of the concretionary or spherulitic spots so characteristio of it.
There also the boundaries are not easily followed, but on one side it touches a dark gray
diabase dike and grows finer grained as it approaches the latter rock, evidently being later
than the d abase, which is probably of the age of the Keeweenaw eruptions.
In another cutting, three-fourths of a mile west of the last and west of mile 805<
several large and small dikes of rock in general resembling heronite occur, and as these
were better exposed than the former outcrops they were studied with some care. Four
main dikes show in the cutting from ten inches to six feet in width, running parallel to
one another, with a strike of 113^. They can be followed a quarter of a mile to the
west, and two or three hundred yards toward the east over rocky, partly wooded hills.
The pitted surface, where small spherules have weathered out, gives an easy means of
recognizing the dikes, which grow finer grained toward the edge, and seem glassy at the
contact with the dark gray Huronian slate they penetrate. Small stringers from the
dikes run off into the slate, and fragments of the latter are sometimes enolosed by them,
their edges being often somewhat rounded.
^Bnr. Mineu Bep., 18d8, pp. 172 and 3.
Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario
187
texture of these dike rocks is very variable, dnoe they are aotnetimea filled with
large conoretioaary maasea; so setimea entirely free from them; sometimes
appearance ; at others crystalline looking, with a moderately coarse grain. The
ke has also the largest concretions, sometimes reaching a width of two inches,
as a whole is reddish brown to purplish gray, the spheroles being darker in color
matrix.
dmens of all types of those rocks were taken and have been stadied miorosoopic-
[ifortunately moat of them have proved to be very badly weathered. In all that
too much decomposed, felspars, aegyrite and more or less analoite, with brown
e as a secondary mineral, were to be seen ; and in a number there were also
I of nepheiine crystals, now changed to an aggregate of secondary minerals.
an the rock named heronite
rear's report was studied by
)r, he had no access to exam*
the rare rock named tinguaite
ibusch, and the description of
: suggested no special relation-
he specimen from Heron Bay.^
n specimens of tinguaite from
localities have been seaured
the kindness of Dr. H. S.
:ton and of Professor Pirsson
and the latter gentleman has
d in looking up the literature
bject, so that there has been
tunity to study the rock and
ionships more thoroughly.
I doubt the rock described as
is closely related to the group
laites, which are dike rocks
id with nepheiine syenites,
the large amount of analcite
absence of nepheiine seem to
it from them. An analcite
3 described by Dr. Washing-
mes very close to it however,
it contains 4 per cent more
d 1.67 less water, the latter
ig a smaller percentage of
; which in the rock from
Bay reached nearly 50 per
ae of the freshest rocks from
w dikes found last summer
\i more closely to the tinguaites,
ley contain large numbers of
of nepheiine, now however
turned to secondary minerals in
ons studied, and should perhaps
into that group, the main
see being the large amount of
contained by them and the very low percentage of silica. Two of the least
ed specimens were analyzed and will be described with more detail
B first was from a dike about a mile west of the original locality for heronite
I miles 804 and 805 on the railway. The rook is rather dark purplish gray and very
lined with a few whitish spots, (uggesting a porphyritic structure. Thin sections
Heronite : Analcite dotted.
kroskopiBche Physiographie, band ii, pp. 472-488.
m. Jour. So., vol. yi, 4th Series^ 1898, 182, etc.
188 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
show many oblong and six sided areas of turbid material, having brownish rims from the
presence of limonite, with what looks like a clear glassy ground between, the latter pene-
trated in all directions by fresh looking green needles of aegyrite. Between crossed nicola
it is found that the turbid areas representing nepheline sho# aggregate polarization, and
rarely have any suggestion of parallel extinction. The transparent areas prove to con-
sist mainly of plates of felspar, probably orthoclase, and of analcite. With the selenite
plate it is found that very much of the clear material is doubly refractive, though con-
siderable areas show no change of color. The felspar is often fairly fresh looking and not
turbid ; and the analcite which fills spaces between the crystals is sometimes fresh and
clear also, though more often turbid. Poly synthetic twinning, suggesting piagioclase, was
observed but seldom. The only other important mineral is aegyrite, whose green rods
and needles penetrate both felspar and analcite impartially, but not the phenocrysts of
nepheline, the latter apparently having been the first mineral to crystallize or else having
crowded the aegyrite aside, while the analcite came last of all. Since the delicate aegy-
rite needles run undisturbed from the felspar into ihe analcite, the latter was almost
certainly an original constituent of the rock ; but it is probable that part of the aggre-
gate, formed by the weathering of nepheline, consists of analcite also and therefore is of
secondary origia Much of the aggregate having the form of nepheline crystals is doubly
refracting, but part shows no change of color when rotated with the selenite plate. To
determine the amount of analcite present a partial analysis was made by myself, tha
powdered rock being treated with HCl and reduced to dryness to render gelatinoos silicic-
insoluble. The amount dissolved was 32 50 per cent, and its cqmposition is as follows ^
Al.Oa 11.90
Fe.O, 8.71
OftO 2.06
Nft,0 7.08
HaO (at red heat) 4.65
HoO(atlOO*») 46
COa 2.66
Total 82.60
If the GaO, OO2, FP2O3 and .67 per cent of H^O necessary to form limonite with th^
sesquioxide of iron present are removed, we have AI2OS 11.90, NtjO 7.08, and H'O 3.98,
with the ratios of Al^O^ .117, Ns^O .114 and HjO .256, which correspond to the compo-
sition of analcite. If an appropriate percentage of SiOj is assumed to be combined witb.
these elements, 27.96, the whole percentage of analcite present in the rock is 50.92. If
the potash found in the complete analysis (I) is referred to orthoclase, and equivalent
amounts of alumina and silica taken as combined with it, the whole percentage of ortho-
clase is 27.87. The analcite and orthoclase together appear to make up about 78 per
cent of the whole rock, leaving only 22 per cent for aegyrite and the secondary minerals.
A second specimen taken from the same locality shows considerable differences from
the one juht described. The weathered nephelines are much the same, but many of the
felspars are lath shsped, resembling plagiodase, and are so arranged as to hint at the
diabase structure, the long strips enclosing angular spaces in which the nepheline and
aegyrite are crowded. The broader felspars are transfixed by the aegyrite needles, but
the lath shaped ones are r ot. In this specimen both nepheline and piagioclase prec»eded
the aegyrite, and probably the piagioclase came first No analysis was made of this speci-
men, so that its chemical composition cannot be compared with that of the first A third
spec men is badly weathered, but in general resembles the second under the microscope.
A number of sections from various phases of the third group of dikes beyond mOe
805 were examined, but most of them are too seriously weathered to be satisfactorily
studied, especially those showing large concretionary or spherulitic structures. Some of
the finest grained, almost glassy looking pieces from the margin of dikes, are greener than
the rest of the specimens, and under the microscope are found to consist of an aggregate
of products of weathering, containing many small stout prisms of green aegyrite. Other
parts contain quite perfect spherulites of orthoclase, showing a black cross in polarized
light. No unchanged glass is to be distinguished.
The freshest specimen examined is mottled dark green and red, and on a weathered
surface is pitted as if amygdaloidal. The weathered crust is greenish gray to brown« not
wlute as found by Bosenbusch for tinguaites. Thin sections show mainly orthoolaae^
18^9]
Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario
189
pierced by a network of aegyriie needles and some brownish cloudy areas containing
mnch limonite. Distinct outlines of weathered nepheline may be Been, but are mach less
numerous than in sections previously described from the dike a mile to the east. Not
many areas of isotropic material are found, and few lath shaped felspars, but the ortho-
clasei are apt to be plate like and to show a radial arrangement A complete analysis of
this rock has been made by Mr. A. H A. Robinson, fellow in chemistry of the School of
Science, and is given in the table of analyses. A partial analysis of the materials dis-
oolved by hydrochloric acid made by myself is given below :
A1,0, 12.72
Fe.O, 1.22
OaO l.Ol
NajO 7.26
H,0 (at red heat) 4.8.3
H,0(atlOO<») 47
COj 26
27.76
The qpnstituents of analcite reckoned from this give a surprisingly large amount,
^4.46 per cent, since not mu3h of this mineral can be seen in the thin sections, audit
may be that the portion taken for analysis differs from that studied with the microscope.
From the complete analysis the total amount of orthoclase may be reckoned at 32.30 per
cent.
The following table of analyses includes the one of herouite pub-ished last year, the
analysis of rock from the dtke between miles 804 and 805, and the analysis of the last
mentioned rock from a dike west of mile 805, also several analyses of tinguaites for
comparison.
I
62.73
II
48.07
ni
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
SIO,
62.03
68.21
.36
22.02
4.18
.42
.91
1.88
62.91
*i9!49"
4.78
2.06
.41
.29
2.47
.09
66.76
.30
20.69
8.62
.69
trace
.11
.87
67.63
.28
17.63
3 46
1.18
traoe
.22
1.36
64.46
trace
19.96
2.84
8.83
trace
.61
2.12
TiO,
Al.O,
20.03
8.43
.99
18.36
8.95
8 39
.66
.82
8.76
26.68
840
1.98
.13
.27
2.46
Fe, 0.
Fe
MnO
MjrO
.17
3.36
Sto.. ;::::::::;.:
SrO
BaO
.11
7.94
4.77
4.86
.69
traoe
.93
Na,0
8.72
4.71
4.66
.46
.14
2.66
8.6.)
6.46
4.83
.47
.07
.26
10.87
6.41
\ .81
7.13
7.88
1.19
trace
11.46
2.90
8.18
.04
6 80
9.18
3.22
trace
8.68
2.76
6.20
K,0
U,0 (at red heat)..
H,0(atlOO*>)
P, 0«
0&, ..;:....;:.;..
Cl
.63
^48
.62
100.26
.28
.08
. . • • • •
Fl
So.
Total
Spec. Grav
100.01
2.466
99.72
2.60
100.67
2.65
100.01
100.28
99.86
99.46
I. Heronite, Heron Bay, Ont., H. W. Charlton analyst, Bar. Mines, 1899, p. 173.
II. Dike between miles 801 and 5, Heron Bay, A. H. A. Robinson. anaL
III. Dike west of mile 805, Heron Bay, AH A. R ibinton anal.
IV, TrnffUMte porphyry from Fuia, v. Kraatz-Koxihlamn. Hackman, Mineraloflnsohe Mitthailoniran.
XVI, 1896, p. 267.
V, Lencite-tingaaite, Magnet Go?e, Ark., J. F. Williams, Ig. Rocks, Arkansas, 1890, p. 287.
VI. Analcite-tinguaite, PickArd'd Point, H. 8. Washington anal.. Am. Jour. Sc (4) 1898, p. 185.
VII. Tiagaaite-porph]rry, Cone Butte, Judith Mts., Montana ; L. V. PirMon anal., Wedd and Pirsson,
Bear-p:iw Mts., Am. Jour. So., (4) vol. ii, 1896, p. 192.
VIII. Tinguaite, Umpbek, Kola; K. Kjelhn, anal., Feunia ii. No. 2, 1894, p. 158.
A partial analysis of a dark red npecimen from a large dike wett of mile 805, msMie
by Mr. G. Q. Nasmith in the chemical laboratory of Toronto University, showed that
some specimens frojn this groap of dikes ara more basic than the one whose composition
ipo Bureau of Mines Report [ No 5.
18 given in II. The silica is 47.45, alumina 20.13 and the seBqaiozide of iron (monox-
ide included) 4.78. Including this partial analysis, it will be seen that the new dikes arc
somewhat less acid than the one from which the rock named heronite was taken last year,
and that al} of the analyses show less silica than any tinguaites reported, though the per
oentage of silica in the leucite-tinguaite from Magnet Oove comes very close to that ol
heronite. In fact as far as chemical composition is ooncemed oue might start from thi
biotite-tinguaite described by Eakle from MassachusettSi with 60.05 per cent. Si O,,^ aoi
find all intervening degrees of acidity down to the red dike rock from beyond mile 801
with 47 45 Si O^. In other respects the analyses given are on the whole much alike
except for certain variations in the relative amounts of potash and soda and large yaria
tions in the amount of water contained. It is very interesting to see that this group
rocks continues the series so well described by Washington in his paper on the Petrc
graphical Province of Essex County, Mass.,^ starting with paisanite having 76.49 or les
silica, passing on to solvsbergites having 60 to 65 per cent., then to tinguaite runninn; frov
53 to 60 per cent, followed by the Heron Bay dike rocks having from 47.45 to 52.73 pe
cent of silica. The lowest percentage of idlioa comes not far from that of the analdtc
basalt described by Whitman Gross from Colorado, which has 45.59 per cent ; but i
other respects the analyses of the two rocks are very difierent*^ The rock nearest i
composition to the Heron Bay rocks seems to be the tinguaite from Umptek, which ha
the same percentage of water, a little less potash and about 2 per cent, more silica,
am unfortunately not within reach of the paper in which this rock was originally described
Roienbnsch's description makes it consist of a web of aegyrite, strips of sanidine an
albite with sharply idiomorphic nepheline and pseudomorphs of analcite after nephelio
and leucite (1).''
There are no apparent pseudomorphs of analcite after Ipuoite in the Heron bay rocki
so that they were probably never leucite-tinguaites. On the other hand, all of them whic
are fresh enough for satisfactory study appear to contain original analcite, for the delicat
needles of aegyrite cross from analcite to orthoclase without break or change of chanM
ter, which would hardly be possible if the analcite is secondary after nepheline. Tli
formation of analcite from the latter mineral implies hydration and considerable expai
sion, which must have had some efftict on the slender prisms of aegyrite. It is probabl
however, that in the dike rocks of the region containing aggregates having the form <
nepheline, part of the analcite has been formed from nepheline, replacing it ; so thi
secondary analcite exists in this case.
Among the thin sections made from material provided by the kindness of Dr. Wasl
ington and Prof. Pirsson, the one which approaches nearest to the rocks described in thi
paper as coming from a dike between miles 804 and 5, is from Stolpas, Alnoe, Swedei
collected by Hogboem. It is crowded with small crystals of nepheline, generally more c
less changed to other minerals, probably zeolites, but noG analcite so far as cam be detei
mined.
The nearest examples to the rock described as heronite are from Elk peak and Bi
Grassy peak in the Judith mountains, but neither is closely like the rock from Heron Ba
in thin section, since no analcite is to be found, nor is there any marked tendency to
radiate arrangement of the aegyrite needles or the felspars.
From what has been said above, it will be seen how closely the Heron Bay rock
approach the tinguaites, the only important chemical differences being the large amouo
of combined water present, 4.65 to 4 85 per cent, and c the low silica, froi
47.45 to 52 73 per cent; while the main differences observable with the micit
scope are the tendency to spherulitic structure and the large amount of analcit
present. Hitherto, so far as I am aware, analcite has never been recognized i
an original constituent of tinguaite, except by Washington in the case of the rock froi
Pickard's point,^ but as a secondary mineral it is rather often mentioned. Judj^ng froi
the analysis of the tinguaite from Umptek with 5.20 per cent of water, it appears to coi
tain about as much analcite as the Heron Bay rooks (which have from 5.10 to 5.54 pi
cent of total water); but in this case the analcite is stated to be secondary after nephelii
and leucite.
^ Am. Jour. Sc., (4) vol. vi, 1898, p. 491. «> Jour. Geol., vol. vii, No. 2, 1899, pp. 113 to 121.
M Jour. Geol., vol. v, No. 7, 1897, p. 689.
^^InikroBk. FhjB., band ii, p. 484. ^ Jour. GeoU, vol vii, No. 2, 1899, p. 119.
i899 ] Copper and Iron Regions .of Ontario 191
The fact that the rocks from Heron Bxy are nsaally dark red or brown in color
depends of coarse on the amount of secondary iron oxides present, which, though not vety
hrge in percentage, are so diffased as to hide the green of the fresh looking aegyrite. If
this oxide were removed the rocks would probably have the characteristic green of the
tingnaites. If the name heronite had not already been introdaced for dike rocks formed
eaentially of analcite, orthoclase and aegyrite, it might have baen as well to call these
interesting rocks analcite tingoaites ; bat the mineralogical diffdrences between them and
the ordinary tingaaites seem safficient to make a new name justifiable.
MINERALS OF ONTARIO, WITH NOTES
By Wlllet G. Miller
In the following list an attempt has been made to give some of the more important
localities in which the minerals of Ontario are known to occur. In the case of the most
common minerals only a few of the places in which they occnr are mentioned. As many
of these minerals are found in innumerable localities, it was thought best to name onlj
a few places in which good specimens have been obtained, if they are only of scientific
value, and in the case of common ores the localities given are chiefly those in which the
minerals have either been mined or where the deposits appear to be of some economic
value. In the case of some of the rarer minerals and ores, all the known localities are
given.
In the descriptions of some of the localities it seemed best to quote from the writers
who first described the occurrences, or from authorities who have dealt with the oocor-
rence of certain minerals of the Province. In many cases where the occurrences have
been pretty fully described by other writers, reference is made to the literature in whieh
the descriptions are given. The minerals and metals are arranged in alphabetical order.
A map prepared by Mr. J. W. Evans accompanies the notes on the localities of
nickel. It is now nearly ten years since Dr. Robert Bell's paper and map on the Sod-
bury deposits was published in the fiist report of the Bureau, and as many deposits have
been discovered since that time it seemed advisable to bring the map more up to date.
On the suggestion being made to Mr. Evans, who is well acquainted with the Sudbury
district, he agreed to prepare a map.
The list of localities has been taken chiefly from the B<'ports of the Goologioal Survey
of Oanada and from the Reports of the Bureau of mines, and in referring to &eee reporti
use is made of the following contractions :
B. M. = Report of the Bureau of Mines, Ontario, 1891 to 1898.
G. C. = Geology of Canada, 1863.
G. 8. C. = Report of the Geological Sanrey of Canada from 1841 to 1899.
R Com. = "ELoytl CommiBBion on the Mineral Resonroes of Ontario, 1890.
In referring to lots and concessions or ranges, the Arabic numbers, 1, 2, 3, eta, are
used to indicate the former, and Roman numerals, I, II, III, etc , the latter. Thnii
7 IX means that the mineral to which reference is made is found on the seventh lot in
the ninth concession or range. The names given for localities are chiefly those of toim*
ships.
ACTINOLITE. Frequently occurs in association with Laurentian limestones. The fol-
lowing are some of the localities in which specimens of the mineral have been obtained wlddi
are referred to in reports of the Geological Sarvey and other publications : Clarendon 36
VI ; Dalhousie^ ; Elzevir 7 II, 4 VII ; Grimathorpe 8, 9, 10 V ; Hungerford II ; Kaladar 7 1,
12, 13 12 ; Westmeath.3
SiO, 66.70 K,0 0.24
Al.O, 1.62 Na,0 0.64
Fe.O, 3.06 H.OatlOO'O 0.64
FeO 7.19 H.OftbovelOO'O 2.06
MnO 0.30
NiO 0.64
CaO 10.62
MgO 17.20
1 G.S.C. 1898, p. 61 R. « B.M. 1893, pp. 89102. » G.S.C. 18923. p. 16 R,
ADAMANTINE SPAR. See Corundum.
iEGIRINE. Heron bay, in an analcite rock, and in other rocks of the Province.
B. M. 1898, pp. 172-3.
AGALMATOLITE. ** Under dijOferent forms occurs both in the Laurentian and Silurian
series, and sometimes forms rock masses among them."
G. C. p. 482.
AGATE. ' ' Agates are found along the entire coast of lake Superior in great abundance, and
often of considerable size and beauty. The finest in this region, however, are derived from Uie
trap of ^iichipicoton island. They also occur on St. Ignace and Simpson's islands, on the
former only as nodules in the trap. Both chalcedony and agate occur abo as veins, filling dis-
[1921
100 80
Sp.gr. at 15'C 2,941
1899 ] Minerals of Ontario 193
cations and cracks which penetrate the trap in several directiuns. In the Thunder bay dis-
ict they are associated with amethysta, occurring also as pebbles. Although these agates are
ten of rich color and are beautifully veined, they are rarely over two inches across. Many
e sold to tourists as ornaments, and many others could probably be dis{>o8cd of if a little
ore attention were given to cutting and polishing them. As natural agates their color is
:ceptionally iino. Nearly all the large agates sold in this region are foreign material, as well
of foreign coloring and cutting."
G. F. Kiinz in G. S. C. 1887-8, p. 71 S.
ALBITE. Occurs as a constituent of certain granites and syenites. The mineral is also
und in certain apatite deposits and elsewhere. Bromley ; Rathwell's lot, North Burgess ;
DBS 5 I. See also poristirito.
ALLANITE. Dalton 25 XII ; Galway ; Hagarty ; Hollow lake, Muskoka river.
Can. Journal, vol. ix, p. 103.
ALMANDINE. This mineral is a constituent of many of the metamorphic rocks of the
rovince. See garnet.
ALUM. See kalinite.
ALUMINIUM ORE. See corun lum.
AMAZONITE. Cameron 6 A, 7 B ; Lyndoch 13 XV^ ; Sebastopol 31 X.
^ B. M. 1897, pp 234-7.
AMETHYST. ** Amethyst is found in some form in nearly every vein cutting the cherty
id argillaceous slates around Thunder bay on the north shore of lake Superior. At Amethyst
irbor this mineral constitutes almost the entire vein, and numerous openings have been made
> obtain it for tourists who visit the spot. Thousands of dollars worth are annually sold hero,
id as much more is sent to Niagara Falls, Pike's Peak, Hot Springs, and other tourists' resorts,
I well as to the mineral dealers. Surfaces several feet across are often covered with crystals
om J inch to 5 inches long, rich in color, and having a high polish; sometimes, especially when
,rge, the crystals have a coating of a rusty brown color, owing to the oxidation of the included
)ethite. This is one of the most famous occurrences of this mineral, regarded as mineral
>ecimens, but the purple color is very unevenly distributed, resembling the Siberian not the
razilian in this respect, and as the crystals are not transparent like those of Siberia they
lord very few gem stones of value."
G. F. Kunz in G. S. C. 1887-8, p. 69 S.
AMIANTHUS. See asbestus.
AMPHIBOLE. See hornblende, actinolite, tremolite and raphilite.
ANALCITE. In amygdaloidal trap of lake Superior Michipicoton island, w^ith native
)pper. Heron Bay, lake Superior.
B. M. 1898. pp. 172-8.
ANDALUSITE. Has been reported from a few places, but no well delined specimens of
le mineral have been described. '■• {,. -*}«"«»*^'
ANDESINE. A constituent of different rocks. North Sherbrooke 16 III, a felspir from
a coarse grained diorite consisting of dark hornblende and a white felspar " has the following
imposition, which shows it should be placed under andesine but near labradorite.
SiO, 64.186
Al,Oa 27.608
F ,0, 0.464
MgO 0.777
CaO 9.386
Na,0 6.089
G. S. C. 1876-7, p. 816.
K,0 1.897
H,0 1.121
100.868
8p.gr 2.697
99.677
8p. gr. at le** C 3.789
ANDRADITE. Tudor, Emily mine. Dungannon, titaniferous in nepheline sjenite.
Si02 36.604 CaO 29.806
TiO'2 1.078 MgO 1.384
AI2O3 9.771 Ignition 0.286
Fe203 16 996
FeO 8.862
MnO 1.301
Am. Jr. Science, March, 1896.
ANHYDRITE. — Frontenac county, Foxton and Boyd Smith mines in the Laurentain.^
Forth Burgess, 4 III. Niagara formation, in cavities and geodes with barite, celestite, etc.
1 Can. Rea Science, 1894.
ANIMIKITE. Silver Islet.
Am. Jr. Science, vol xvii, 1879, p. 486.
ANNABERGITE. Silver Islet.
ANORTHITE. Occurs as a constituent of some igneous rocks.
ANORTHOCLASE. Appears to be a constituent of some of the acidic rocks and those
i^h in the alkalis.
ANTHOLITE. Elzevir?, 8 XL
Am. Jr. Science, vol xlviii, p. 281 and B.M. 1898, p. 98.
13 m.
194 Bureau of iVIineft Report [ No. 5
ANTHRAXOLITE. A general name proposed by Prof. E. J. Ohapman for the pre-ear-
boniferous coal-like materials which occur in diflferent parts of the Province. Under the micro-
scope it shows no trace of vegetable origin, and it occurs in veins and under other conditi<mB
which show that it is in all probability an* alteration product of petroleum or asphalt. It ia
sometimes found in the interior of orthoceratites and other fossil shells. A variety from
Thunder bay which occurs in regularly banded veins with quartz and iron pyrites had a specific
gravity of 1.43 and showed the following composition : Moisture 2.08, additional lost in do""
vessel 3.66. ash 0.00, fixed carb<m by difference 94.36.^
The substance is also found in the Kingston district. In one case crystals of barite and
other minerals which occur in a vein in Silurian limestone are coated with Uie material, showii
that it is of more recent origin than the crystals and jnust originally have been in the fluid state. —
An analysis of this material gave C. 90.25, H. 4.16, N. 0.62, S. 0.66, ash 0.72, O. 3.69, moiBture^
0.96 aud sp. gr. 1 365.
A substance of similar origin to those referred to occurs in the Sudbury district^ Balfour*"
10 I, etc., and has attracted considerable attention as being a possible source of fuel. It wa^^
found by Mr. G. R. Mickle to have the composition of anthracite— C. 94.92, H. 0.62, N. 1.04,
S. 0.31, ash 1.52, O. 1.69, moisture 2.48, sp. gr. 1.865.^
1 Can. Jouraal, vol. x, p. 411. ^ Trans. Can. Inst, April 27th, 1897. B. M. 1896, pp. 169 to 166.
ANTIMONY. See stibnite.
ANTIMONIAL SILVER. Silver Islet.
APATITE. Apatite is found in Canada in greater quantity and in finer crystals (han in
any other country. The crystals are often of great size and perfection. Magnificent orystali
of peveral feet in length and of fine color are found throughout eastern Ontario in the Grenville '■
series of the Laurentian, at lake Clear and elsewhere. See under sphene.
According to Dr. T. S. Hunt nodules composed in great part of phosphate of lime occur .i
many localities in the Lower Silurian rocks. The mineral also occurs in microscopic cxyata
as a minor accessory constituent in various igneous and other rocks.
Since the discovery of the lower grade but more cheaply mined ** phosphate" in the miiilli ^ i
of the United States activity in the mining of apatite for use in fertilizers has oeased in Ontario , .^,> -i
although some of the mineral has been produced as a by-product in mica mining and a little o^^^i
the material has been mined for use in blast furnace work.
It has been stated recently that some apatite is being used in the Province of Quebec in the
production of phosphorus by an electrolytic process. Apatite being purer than the souther
phosphates is better adapted to this purpose, and it is possible that in time it will come to h
usci quite extensively for the extractiun of the element phosphorous. The foUowing are a fe^
of the importaat localities in which the mineral has been found in this Province : Bedford 29^^
30 I ; Cardiflf 22 XIV; Dudley 4 III ; Dysart 11 V; Faraday ; Haroourt 21 XI ; Hinchin
brooke 29, 30 I ; Loui^hborough 13 X ; Monmouth. 6 X, 14, 15, 17 XI ; Monteagle SA VI ^
North Burgess 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 V, 10, 11, 13 VI, 5, 6, 7, 8 VII, 2, 4, 6, 6, 7 VIII, 6 IX ^
North Crosby ; North Elmslev 24, 25, 26, VIII ; Oso 6 I ; Boss 7 I, 13 VI ; Sebaatopol 31 XI ^
23 XII ; Storrington 2, 4, 5 XIV.
The chief phosphate district of Ontario may be said to be in the form of a belt whiclm
crosses the counties of Leeds, Lanark, Frontenac, Addington and Renfrew. Its length is abou^
100 miles, and its average breadth is over 50 miles.
The literature on the apatites of Ontario is very extensive. Many of the reports of the
Geological Survey deal with the subject, as do also the reports of the Bureau of Mines. The
phosphate industry is also treated of in the report on the Mineral Resources of Ontario, 1890,
pp. 436 to 443 and 167 to 180.
APOPHYLLITE. ''in foliated masses or plates, often of a red color, aasodated
with calcite in Prince's vein on Spar island, lake Superior."
G. C. p. 482.
"^"^ARRAGONITE. This minerU occurs associated occasionally with some of the fossilised
organic remains in the PalaBozoic strata and under other conditions. ^' Fibrous arragomte
appears to occur sparingly amongst the lake Superior traps ; and occasionally in atdkctitio
coatings on the sides of cracks in some of our limestone rocks . . "
Chapman, Min. uid Geol. p. 126.
— ^ ARGENTITE. Is found in a number of deposits in the Port Arthur district, among which
are the following : Lybster, Silver Mountain mine ; O'Connor, Beaver mine ; Papinoonge,
Rabbit Mountain mine ; Silver Islet. ^
Wither's Mine, Thunder Bay.^
8 18.87
Ag 86.44
Ou trace
99.8t
8p.gr 7.81
' 5o0 G. 3, C. 1887, voL iii, pp. 7 to 131 H for an acooant of silver and olber miniDgoperalioas <m
lake Superior. ' Chapman Min. and O^etA. p. ^1.
1899 Minerals of Ontario 195
ARSENIC. Edwards island, lake Superior (native). For arsenic-holding minerals see
iispickel« erythrite and domeykite.
ARSENIC BLOOM. See arsenolite.
ARSENOLITE. On mispickel, Marmora and elsewhere, e. g., mining location WR3 in
>wn8hip 40 s. B. side of lake Wahnapitse.
ARSENOPYRTTE. See Mispickel.
ASBESTUS. Island s. s. of Rendezvous point, Long bay, Lake of the Woods. Blyth-
eld near Calabogie lake ; Elssevir 7 XI ; Marmora ; Sebastopol 32 XI (serpentinous) ; Ross
IX (serpentinous) ; North Burgess (serpentinous)^ ; O'Connor, Beaver mine.
1 G. 8. C. 18a2.3-4 p. 14 L.
ASPHALTUM. Has been observed in small quantities in the limestone of the Comiferous
nd other formations. The po called ** gum beds " or mineral tar deposits of Enniskillen may
e placed under this heading.
AUGITE. A not uncommon constituent of igneous rocks, such as the Sudbury diabase,
ee under pyroxene for other localities.
AVENTURINE FELSPAR. *'Sunstone or aventurine felspar has been described by Dr.
(igsby in the form of a largely crystallized flesh-red felspar, constituting part of a granitic vein
raversing gneins, 20 miles east of the French river, on the northeast shore of lake Huron, and
ccurs in tine specimens in Sebastopol.*'
G. 8. 0. 1887-8 p. 76 8.
AXINITE. '^The rare species azinite is said by Dr. Bigsby to have been found in fine
rystals, lining a cavity in a boulder of primitive rock at Hawkesbury.**
G. 0. p. 493.
AZURITE. Killaly*s location, l^ke Huron ; Batchewana bay and Prince's location,
ike Superior, and at other localities in small quantities associated with malachite.
BAKITE. '* The most abundant source of barytes in Canada will, however, be found in
lie veinstones of the large bodies carrying copper ores on the north shore of lake Superior,
etween Pigeon river and Fort William and m Thunder bay."^ Deposits of the mineral have
een worked to some extent in Frontenac county. Bathurst 4 VI ; Dummer ; Galway ;
Ansdowne 2 VII ; Levant 22 I ; Madoc 15 VI ; Methuen ; McNab ; McKellar's Island ;
forth Burgess 4 IX ; Dog lake, Storrington ; Ramsay IV.
1 G. O. p. 771.
BARYTOCELESTITE. The celestite which occurs in the vicinity of Kingston city con-
iins some barium.
BERYL. Calvin^ ; Lyndoch 13 XV2 ; Seine bay. Rainy lake, according to Dr. Bigsby.
1 G. S. C. p. 14 R, 1896. 2 b, M. pp. 243-7, 1897.
BIOTITE. In addition to being a constituent of many rocks in the form of small flakes
nd gpmins, this mineral occurs quite frequently in masses of considerable size. Dungannon ;
[erschel ; Monteagle 24, 25 VI ; Ross 13 VI ; Sebastopol 32 XII ; Hyman 6 I, ohromiferous
iotite.
BISMITE. Lyndoch.
G. S. C. 1895, p. 14 R.
BISMUTH. Native in Tudor, and in roUed pieces of quartz near Echo lake, north of lake
[uron. See also bismite and bismuthinite.
BISMUTHINITE. Barriei ; Lyndoch2 ; Mikado mine, Rainy River district ; Tudor
4 IIL8
1 B. M. p. 284, 1897. ^ Q. 8. C. p. 14 R, 1896. s Q. 8. C. p. 9 L. 1888.
BITUMEN. Occurs in the Utica shales and in limestones of different Paleeozoic forma-
ons. Bituminous shales, or pyroschists, are described on pages 628, 622, B27 and 728 of the
reology of Canada, 1863. See also petroleum.
BLACK JACK. See sphalerite.
BLUEITE. See under whartonite.
BOG IRON ORE. See limonite.
BOG MANGANESE. See wad.
BORNITE. Bruce Mines ; Mam&inse ; Parry Sound ; Point-aux-Mines.
BOURNONITE. Bagot 14 XII ; Darling 22 III.
BYTOWNITE. A constituent of igneous rocks in various localities. Bathurst ; South
herbrooke.i See also Dr. T. Sterxy Hunt's analysis^
1 B. M. pp. 326^, 1896. > G. C. p. 79.
CACOXENITB. Eliiabethtown 19 II.
G. 8. 0. 18846. p. 804.
CALCITE. Crystals of this mineral have been found at the following localities among
bhers : Bedford ; Bruee Mines ; Galway ; Huntingdon, Kane mine ; Loughborough ; Madoc
XIV ; O'Connor, Beaver mine ; Sebastopol, lake Clear ; St. Ignace island, Thunder bay ;
^elland, Niagara Falls. " Others perfectly fit for optical parpoaea m«t« 1q!QsA SskihsQRs&K&si^
196 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
in the upper part of the main shaft of the Galway lead mine in Peterborough county." ^
Stalactites have been found in numerous places. ^
iChapmAn Mia. and Gaol. p. 123. '^ G. C. p. 334.
CALCAREOUS TUFA. Haldimand, Cayuga ; Peel, Caledon ; Wentworth, Dundas.
CANCRINITE. Dungannon 13 XI.
CASSITERITE. See tin.
CELESTITE. Barriefield common, Kingston, in Silurian limestone ; Forks of the Credit
in Medina sandstone. Lansdowne 2 VIII.
S04 42 . 61
SrO 66.31
BaO trace
CftO 0.11
G. 8. C. 1894, p. 11 B. 99.98
CERARGYRITE. Silver Islet.
CERIUM. This metal occurs in the minerals columbite and allanite.
CHALCANTHITE. Lake, Hastings county, and other localities.
CHABAZITE. Monteagle 24, 25 VI.
G. 8. C. 18928, p. 27 K.
CHALCEDONY. Lake Superior in amygdaloidal trap ; White Beaver lake on Montreal
river, green. See also under agate.
CHALCODITE. Madoc, Wallbridge mine, 12 V.
CHALCOCITE. Bruce Mines; Gould, Barron location ; Mamainse; Mich ipicoton island ; ,
Parry Sound. '^.^'^
CHALCOPYRITE. This mineral occurs widely distributed in the Sudbury district andlin
other parts of the Province. The following may be given as representing a few of the numerous
localities in which the mineral has been found : Bastard 24 X ; Black river, lake Superior ;
Black bay. Thunder Bay district ; Blezard ; Chandos II ; Denison ; Dummer 30 V ; Echo bay,
Algoma ; Escott 7, 16, 17 II ; Garrow ; Levant 6, 8 VII ; Madoc 25 VII ; Mamainse ; Matta-
gami lake near H. B. Co. Post, Nipissing district ; McKim ; North Burgess 1 VI, 5 VIII, 2 IX ;
Palmerston 2 IX ; Parry Sound ; Rock lake, Algoma ; Round lake. Thunder Bay district ;
South Canonto 14, 15 III ; Wallace mine ; Wellington mine ; Wollaston.
CHERT. Occurs among the limestones of the Laurentian, Huronian, Trenton, Niagara
and Comifcrous.
CHLORITE. A secondary constituent of many igneous rocks, and also occurs in certain
gneisses and schists. See clinochlore.
CHLORASTROLITE. •'Chlorastrolite, while not occurring on the north shore of lake
Superior, is found at Isle Royale and Michipicoton island. This beautiful, stellated gem stone,
which is sold to a considerable extent as an ornamental stone on all sides of the lake, is of
purely American occurrence."
Q. 8. C. 1887-8, p. 78 8.
CHONDRODITE. Is found in numerous places in the crystalline limestone of the Lauren-
tian, South Crosby, 27 III, Newboro.
CHROMITE. The metal chromium has been detected in some of the non-titaniferous
magnetites of Ontario.
B. M. 1897. p. 883.
CHRYSOCOLLA. Lake Superior, found sparingly among some of the copper ores.
CHRYSOLITE. See olivine.
CHRYSOTILE. See asbestus.
CLINOCHLORE. Bagot 16 VII.
8iO, 27.28
Al.Os 19.44
Fe,Oa 2.17
Feu 4.91
Cr.O. 0.99
MjrO 82.67
K,0 0.08
H,0 12.04
G. 8. C. 18923. p. 18 R. 99 63
COAL. ** The black, bituminous shales or pyroschists of the Portage-Chemung group con-
tain the remains of terrestrial plants, including a species of calamites, the flattened stems of
which are sometimes found to be converted into coal."
G. C. p. 528. See also lignite and anthraxolite.
COBALT. This metal is found in practically all of the nickel ores of the Province, as well
as in some of the pyrite of eastern Ontario. It also occurs in traces in some of the mispickel of
Hastings county. About 0.5 to 0.6 per cent, of cobalt oxide occurs in some of the iron pyrites
of Jot 19, conceBHion II of Elizabethtown. TVie iron p^rv^a ot Eaoott^ 7 II, is also cobaltiferous.
1899 ] Minerals of Ontario 197
COBALT BLOOM. See erythrite.
COCCOLITE. Bods in crystalline limestone.
G. C. p. 468.
COLUMBITE. Lyndoch 13 XV.
B. M. 1897, pp. 234 to 237.
COPPER. Native copper has been found at the following localities among others :
O'Connor, Beaver mine ; Point Mamainse ; Spar island ; St. Ignace island. This mineral
occurs at numerous places in the trappean rocks on the north and east shores of lake Superior.
Sometimes beautifully crystallized varieties are found associated with calcite. prehnito, laumon-
tite, and at times with red oxide of copper and native silver. Copper ores are sometimes
reduced to metallic copper by forest fires. The writer x^ceived some specimens of the metal a
few years ago from the vicinity of Coe Hill which had evidently been produced in this way.
For other copper-bearing minerals of the Province see chalcopyrite, etc.
COPPER GLANCE. See chalcocite.
COPPER SULPHATE. See chalcanthite.
COPPER PYRITES. See under chalcopyrite.
CORACITE. ^^ An ore of this rare metal (uranium) is said to occur at Maimanse, where it
forms a vein about two inches in width at the junction of the trap and syenite."
Oxide of uranium 69. 30
Lime 14 . 44
Oxide of lead 6 36
Oxide of iron 2.24
Alumina 0.!K)
Silica 4.35
Carbonic acid 7 .47
Water 4.46
Magnesia trace
Manganeee. **
98.70
Sp.gr 4.38
HatdDess < , 8
G. C. p. 604.
CORUNDUM. Burgess 2 IX. *' Small crystals of light blue corundum have been found
elsewhere in the ci^stalline limestone of the vicinity."^ The mineral also occurs as a constituent
of igneous rocks — syenite, syenite-pegmatite, nepheline syenite and anorthosite -in a number of
counties in eastern Ontario. ^
1 G. C. p. 500, and G. S. C. 1848, p. 134. 2 b. M. 1896-7-8 ; G. S. C. 1896-7-8 ; Am. Geo. Nov. 1899.
COV'^LLITE. Rainy Lake district.
G. 8. O. 1882-3-4, p. 16 K.
CUPRITE. This mineral is occasionally found associated with native copper and other
species in the trappean rocks on the shores of lake Superior.
CYANITE. See kyanito.
DANAITE. Graham N^ <5 III.^ Some of the mispickel of the Hastings district carries a
small percentage of cobalt. ^
1 Chem. Cont. Geol. Can. 1892 and Am. Jr. of Science 1893, p. 76. * Can. Journal 1870, p. 266.
DATOLITE. Loughborough, Smith and Lacey mica mine. ^' More magnificent crystals
of this species have probably never been found in America, and they are equalled by few Euro-
pean specimens. They are pure and transparent, with a yellowish-green tinge, end enclose only
a few small crystals of chalcopyrite as impurities. At first glance they resemble large topaz
crystals. In size they measure for the largest crystals 3 x 3^ x 2 c.my'^ The mineral is also
stated to occur sparingly in some of the trap rocks of lake Superior.
^ Am. Jr. ScieDce, pp. 101-102, 1893.
DELESSITE. In the amygdaloids of lake Superior and elsewhere.
DI ALL AGE Near Parham station in gabbro or norite, and in rocks of similar composi-
tion in other localities.
D I OPS IDE. At High Falls and Rasrged Chute on the Madawaska river, associated with
gpreen hornblende and black tourmaline. The crystals of pale grayish and green pyroxene, often
replaced on their acute lateral edges, are sometimes several inches in diameter.
Si02 6420
CaO 2665
MgO 17.02
FeO 824
VolatUe 045
100.66
8p.gr 3.2T3toS,«l^
6. a, p. 467.
198 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
DISTHENK. See kyanite.
DOG TOOTH SPAR. At different localities in limestone.
DOLOMITE. Crystals of this mineral have been obtained at Bruce Mines and in th tji^^w
cavities and ge^nles of the Niafi^ra formation ; also at the exit of Mazinaw lake, and in Nortb^z=f!
Sherbrooke and elsewhere.
DOMEYKITE. Is foand mixed with nickeline in a vein cutting a bed of amygdaloid 00^=
Michipicoton island. It also occurs on Silver Islet.
G. C. p. 606.
DYSCRASITE See antimonial silver.
ELiEOLITE OR ELEOLITE. See nepheline.
EMERY. See corundum.
ENSTATITE. Occurs as a constituent of igneous rocks to the north of lake Huron, Lak c^ ■
of the Woods and elsewhere.
EPIDOTE. This mineral is occasionally associated with the granite and gneiss of the
Archfean. It is also found in amygdaloids. At Maimanse crystals of epidote are implanted upon
mesolite. Magnetite occurs imbedded in a pale green epidotic rock in Marmora, 12 III. Epidote
also occurs with iron ore in other deposits. *^ A peculiar fine grained reddish gneiss, which is
traversed by veins of a pea-green epidote and is very ornamental when polished, occurs near
Carleton Place in Ramsay, "i Tudor 8, 10, 11 XIX.
1 G. O. p. 883.
EPSOMITE. As an effloresence on a serpentine rock near the iron ore bed. Crow lake,
Marmora. The mineral is also found as an incrustation on the dolomites of the Clinton for-
mation, and in the Utica shales near CoUingwood and other places. It is also present in the
waters of some springs.
ERUBESCl PE. See bornite.
ERYTHRITE. Madoc 2 II, Cross mine ; Dominion mine, on magnetite ; Prince's mine,
lake Superior, as a rose-red incrustation on calcareous spar ; s. e. comer Bay of Islands, Bad
Vermilion lake ; Silver Islet.
FELSPAR. Althouffh this mineral occurs so widely distributed in the Province, the dif-
ferent varieties of it found in most localities have not been definitely determined. Many of the «
specimens which have been called urthoclase are microcline, and few exact determinations have ^
been made of the lime-soda varieties. See under orthoclase, albite, etc.
FIBROLITE. Dryden 9 III, and elsewhere.
FLINT. Occurs in some of the crystalline and other limestones of the Province, e.g. on ^
Wolfe island in the Trenton, and at Hamilton in the Niafl[ara.
FIBROFERRITE. Rainy River district.
FLUORITE OR FLUOR SPAR. Is found in many localities as a vein mineral. Ross -*
5 I, 13 VI ; Fluor ' island,* Nipigon bay.
FOLGERITE. See under whartonite.
FRANKLINITE. Madoc, Tenney*8 farm, two miles from Madoc village.
FUCHSITE. Hyman ?
GAHNITE. Raglan 2 XVIII, in corundum-bearing rock.
G. S. C. 1896 K.
GALENA. The following are a few of the localities in which this ore of lead has been
found : Barrie 6 to 9 IX ; Bedford 13 V, 17, VI 18, 19, 21 VIII ; Black bay, Granite island ;
Creighton ; Fitzroy 12, 20 VI 11 ; Galway 20 \ ; Garden river, Victoria mine ; Grimsthorpe ;
Lady Evelyn lake, near north end ; Lake ; Lansdowne 2, 3, 4 VIII ; Limerick 1 III ; Lough-
borough 15, 16 IX ; Mamainse, Meredith's location ; Marmora ; Mclntyre, Shuniah mine :
McTavitih, lot C, 8 VIII ; Ramsay 5, 8, IV, 3 VI ; Rawdon 4 XIII ; Silver Islet ; Somerville
1 VII ; Tudor XIV ; Thunder Bay district, Dorion mine. Cariboo mine. Enterprise mine, Vic-
toria mine, Ogeraa mine, Silver Lake mine.
GARNET. Different varieties of this mineral are found in the Province. The mineral is
frequently met with among the Archeean rocks. Barrie ; near Levant station in mica schist ;
Madoc 11 X[ ; Green island, Moira lake, Madoc, in mica schist ; Marmora ; Mamainse, with
epidote and other minerals in amygdaloid trap. See also andradite.
GAS (NATURAL). Missanabie river, bubbling water. The great natural gas fields of
Ontario are in the districts adjacent to the Detroit and Niagara rivers. These fields have been
pretty fully described in reports of the Bureau of Mines and Geological Survey. A very valu-
able paper on the subject by Mr. Eugene Coste will be published in the proceedings of the Can-
adian Mining Institute for 1900.
B. M. 1891, pages 116 to 164. G. S. C. 1890-91, psges 1 to 94 Q.
GENTB ITE. See nickel gymnite.
GERSDORFITTE. Denison 12 HI ; Graham 2 IV.
GlESECKITE. See agalmatolite.
GLAUCONITE. ** . . bright green streaks and markings in beds of silioous limestone
of the Black River formation in the township of Rama . . . silica, oxvd of iron and water
were however detected in its composition, so that it is properly related to glauoonite."
G. a p. 488; also G. S. C. 1858, pp. 196-Q.
1899 ] Minerals of Ontario 199
GOETHITE. In different localities. See under amethyst.
GOLD. This metal has been found at many places in the Province. It may be said that
10 really large district in the Archeean is without the presence of the precious metal. The two
listricts in which gold mining is now being actively carried on are widely separated, the one
leing in the Rainy River country in western Ontario, and the other in the county of Hastings
3 the eastern part of the Province. Both of these gold-bearing districts have been pretty fully
escribed in the Reports of the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines. The following list
f places in which the metal has been found will serve to show how widely it is distribute^, but
hey represent only a few of the known localities : Algoma district, in a number of places ;
ielmont E ^ 19 I, £ ^ 20 I ; Chandos II ; Clarendon 28 YIIl ; Denbigh, i ; Galway ; Kaladar
5 VI ; Levant 10 VI^J ; Marmora 18, 24, 28 V, 4, 5 VIII, 68 IX, 16, 17, 18 XI ; Madon 18 V ;
fipissing district ; Parry Sound district ; Rainy River district, numerous localities ; South
iherbrooke 12 11^ ; Thunder Bay district ; Vermilion river placers.^
1 S. S C. 1896. 2 G. 8. C. 1896. « G. 8. O. 1896. ♦ B. M. pp. 266-9, 1897.
GRAPHITE. Bedford 2 VI, 18 IX ; Brougham 12, 18 IIIi ; Denbigh 34 IX ; Dungan-
lon 28 XIII ; Loughborough 6 IX ; Marmora 13 VIII 2 ; North Burgess 10 I ; North Elmsley
IX ; Parry Sound.
1 G. S. G. 1896. 2 G. S. C 1894, p. 13 R. General, B. M. 1896, pages 34 to 88. G. C. pages
792 to 795. G. S. G. 1866, pages 219 to 224.
GYPSUM. Paris and elsewhere along the Grand river' , and Moose river, 38 miles above
[cose factory. The mineral also occur sparingly at times in the Lauren tian e.g. Foxton and
loyd Smith mines in eastern Ontario.
» G. C. pp 347-852.
HALITE. See salt.
HARMOTOME. O'Connor, Beaver mine.
Am. Journal Science, 1891, I p. 161.
HASTINGSITE. Dunganoon and other townships with nepheline rocks.
MgO 1358
K,0 2.286
N»,0 8.890
HjO 0.348
99.601
Sp.gr 3.483
SiOi 34.184
TiOa 1.527
AljOs 11.517
FeaOs 12.621
FeO 21.979
MnO 0.629
CaO 9.867
Am. Jr. Science, Mar. 1896.
HEAVY SPAR. See barite.
HEMATITE This iron ore is found in a number of places in the Archaean rocks, but is of
iss frequent occurrence than magnetite. It also occurs in the Potsdam formation. One of the
istricts which is at present attracting much attention in connection with deposits of this ore ia
lat of northwestern Ontario, which lies adjacent to the Minnesota boundary. The ore bearing
>cks of this great iron producing State cross the international boundary at this point. Judging
oth from the character of these rocks on the Canadian side of the line and from the discoveriea
i iron ore which have already been made over a considerable area in the district. There is reason
) believe that the region will become an important iron producing territory. Another district
1 which very promising deposits of hematite have been found is that of the Michipicoton min-
ig division. A short account of the iron ore deposits of this district is given in the Report of
le Bureau of Mines for 1898, pp. 254 to 258.
The following list of localities will give some idea of the distribution of deposits of the min-
ral in other parts of the Province : Bathurst 2 IV, 20 X, 23 XI ; Bedford, 2 VII ; Coffin ;
larendon, 29 XIV ; Dalhousie, 1 IV ; DarUng, 16 IV, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27 XI, 26, 27 XII ;
llzevir 2 IV ; Huntingdon ; Madoc 12 V, 10 VI ; Marmora, 13 X ; McNabb 6 XIII, 6 C. and D. ;
'almerston 1 IX ; Portland 4 IX, 7 X ; South Canonto 7, 8 III ; Storrington.
HESSITE. Gold creek. Pine Portage bay, Rainy River district.
Te 35.40
Ag ^ 6101
9641
Sp.gr 7.968
B. M. 1895, p. 105.
HEULA^DITE. See under stilbite.
HISINGERITE. Elizabethtown 19 II.
G. S. C. 1874-5, pp. 304 and 315.
HORNBLENDE. Occurs frequently as a constituent of meatamorphic and igneous rooks,
rystals of the mineral have been obtained at the following localities among others : Bathurst
} IX ; Bedford 21 IX ; Ross 7 I, 7 IX ; Sebastopol 23 XII. 32 XII.
For anjJyais of hornblende from the anorthceite of South Sberbrooke tee B. M., 1898, p. 227.
HORNSTONE. See chert.
HUMBOLTINE. Kettle point, on black shales.
200 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
HUNTILITE. Silver Islet. The analysis of this mineral showed a little over one per cent,
of mercury among other things.
Am. Jr. Science, vol. xvii, 1879, p. 486
HURONITE. Missanabie station, and in the vicinity of lake Huron and elsewhere. This
substance is an altered plagioclase.
See Ottawa Naturalist, No. 2, 1895.
HYPERSTHENE. Is found as a constituent of certain basic igneous rocks, such as the
gabbro or norite near Parham station and other places.
ICELAND SPAR. St. Ignace island and elsewhere. See under calcite.
IDOCRASE. See vesuvianite.
ILMENITE. Occurs frequently as an accessory constituent of rocks and in some iron ore
deposits. Hastings county, district of Parry Sound, and Lake of the Woods.
ILVAITE. See lievrito or yenite.
IRON. The ores of iron are mentioned under magnetite, hematite and limonite. Native
iron has been found in the Province in meteorites, as well as in rock masses. The following two
localities are i»f interest ; St. Joseph's island, lake Huron, fifth concession back of Campment
d'Ours,^ Cameron 7 B, in pegmatite vein as spherules in kaolin. See also meteoric iron.
Pe 90.45
Mn 75
Ni trace
L Organic matter undetermined
loBoluble iron metallic 7.26
{?
98 46
8p. Rr. at 15.5« C 7.267
1 Trans. Roy. Soc. Can.. 1890.
IRON OCHRE. Counties of Halton, Leed% Middlesex, Norfolk and elsewhere. The
material has been worked at the following plaoes : Walsingham 12 XIY, Brant 3 II, Limehouse
and Mallorytown
IRON PYRITES. See pyrite.
INDICOLITE OR INDIGOLITE. ** The velvet black Bbrous tourmaline found at Madoc
and Elzevir gives a blue powder, and is evidently an indicolite like the variety from Paris, Maine."
G. 8. 0. 1887-8, p. 67 S.
JAMESONITE. Barrie 10 VIII, 7 IX.
G. S. C. 1892-3, p. 30 R.
JASPER. '^Jasper conglomerate exists in mountain masses, along with the quartzite masses
of the Huronian series for miles in the country north of the Bruce mines . . It is a rock
consisting of a matrix of white quartzite, in which are pebbles often several inches across, of a
rich red, yellow, green or black jasper, and smoky or other colored chalcedony, which form a
remarkably striking contrast with the pure white matrix. It is susceptible of a very high polish,
and has been made into a great variety of ornamental objects, such as vases, paper weights, etc.
Some very beautiful mosaics have been produced by using the rock and included pebbles . . .
Coiipidering the abundance of this jasper it seems strange that so beautiful an ornamental stone
should have been so long neglected." Jasper of \arious colours also occurs abundantly inter-
banded with iron ores in the districts of Nipissing, Algoma and Thunder Bay.
G. S. C. 1887-8, p. 72 S.
KALINITE. ^* Occurs in considerable abundance on the exposed face of some high bluffs
of argillaceous shale on Slate river, a tributary of the Kaministiquia, about 12 miles west of
Fort William."
KAOLINITE. Missanabie river, near the coast. '' A red ferruginous variety in strongly
soiling particles . . occurs in Madoc and elsewhere in the counties of Hastings and Peter-
borough."
Chapman, Min and Geol. p. 119. ^
KYANITE. Kaladar, Golden Fleece mine ;i Wahnapitro StAion, Algoma. ^
I B. M. 1897, pp 287-8. sq. s. C. 1897. p. 160 L
LABRADORITE. A constituent of some igneous rocks. According to Dr. Bigsby a
.breadth of five miles along the shore of lake Huron about sixty miles west of Penetanguishene
is occupied by felspar rocks, among which are found coarse {grained varieties of bluish and gray
felspar, with pur|)le, green and flame colored opaleseuce. Wahnapitae station. Drammond 1
III. *' The mass of the rock is a confusedly crystalline aggregation of the mineral, with quartz,
containing embedded large cleavable masses of it, often several inches in diameter. The color
is blackish -green, but when polished or moistened with water, and held in the proper light, the
before dark and dull surface glows with hues *of azure green and gold, rivalling in beauty the
plumage of the humming bird. This locality will furnish abundance of this rare and beautiful
ornamental atone. " As stated undeir felspar, few of the varieties of plagioclase of the Province
Jiare been deBnitely determined.
««>]
Minerals of Ontario
201
XAUMONTITE. In amygdaloidal trap of lake Superior, Mamainse, etc.
liEAD. KamiQistiquia, native. See also tralena.
LEPIDOMELANE. Drury 2 II ; Dunganion 29 XIII, 26 XIV ; Marmora 16 VI, 11 IX,
Na.O.
TiOa
2.00
0.92
H.datlOO^C 1.88
MaO above 100** C 3.68
99 61
Sp. gr. at 16«> C 3.'l9
SiO, 32.79
Al,Os 14 31
FeiO, 4.62
FeO 26 32
MnO 0.29
CaO 1.46
MgO 4.68
K,0 7.24
G. S. O. 1882-8. p. 15 R.
LEUCOXENE. An alteration product of titaniferous iron ore in many igneous rocks,
g,j in the granite of Barriefield common, Kingston, and elsewhere.
LIE V RITE. Vicinity of Ottawa, in a boulder nearly a foot in diameter.
G. C. p. 465.
LIGNITE Moose river and other localities.
B. Nf.. 1894, pp. 124.6.
LIMONITE. This ore was formerly mined in the Province, but of late years it has not
sen in d-mand. Charlotteville ; Darling ; Middleton ; North Elmsley ; \Vindham. One of the
lost important of the recently discovered iron ore deposits in the Michipicoton mining division
described as a brown hematite or limonite.
B. W , 1898. p. 257.
LINTONITE. See under thomsonite.
LITHIUM. See petalite and spodumene. |
LODESTONE. '* The finely granular ore of Madoc 11 V, sometimes exhibits polarity, con-
ituting a natural lodestone."
LOGANITE. ** Associated with the extensive deposit of crystalline phosphate of lime in
orth Elmsley is a mineral closely resembling the loganite in its characters . ... A
ineral almost identical with this occurs in North Burgess in a pyroxenic rock, with large
ystals of a magnesian mica, which last has been wrought to a considerable extent. The
suits of an analysis of this mineral gave
SiO-2 39.70
A1,0;' H20
Feb'. 4.60
MgO 25.84
Hfo _]!i?
100 44
Sp. RT 2.32 to 2.85
LOLUNGITE (Cobaltiferous). Galway 16 XIV
1.
70.11
0.80
24 41
2 85
0.78
Gangue (quartz) 1.69
As
S...
Fe.
Co.
Ni,
IL
70.85
0.81
24.67
2 88
0.79
100.64 100.00
MACFARLANITE. Silver Islet.
Can. Nat. Feb. 1, 1870.
MAGNETITE. J'he magnetites occurring in the Province are conveniently grouped into
70 classes, viz. : 1. Titaniferous magnetites. 2. Non-titaniferous magnetites. The titanifer-
18 varieties occur in many places in the eastern part of the Province, and in one or two places
the Rainy River district. The following are analyses of ^specimens from four of these
3posits ^ :
Fe,04
TiOj
S
P
Silioeoui
rock matter.
Minden 11 1
71.22
71.87
83.86
69.77
26.61
18 80
8.08
9.8C
0.48
0.06
0.08
0.086
trace
0.006
0.007
1.620
6.18
15.88
9.81
Glamorgan 35 IV
Tudor 65-67 of the Free Grant dist
South Crosby 26, 27 VP
1 Chapman, Trans. Roy. Soc Can. 1^. 3 Analyaia by T. ti. Hunt.
Other well known deposits of titaniferous magnetite are the so-called Boyd>Smith mines
)ar Parham station and the Chaffey mine near Newboro on the Rideau canal. The percentage
titanium in these ores varies greatly. In some cases it is present in little more than traces
hile n other cases it is present in percentages so high that the iron is Ux^l^ r^^W:«l.
20^
Burefiu of Mines Report
[No. 5
Attempts have been made to work some of these deposits, but at present nothing ia being dono
with them on ttocount of difficulties which it is claimed are met with in smelting them. All r"
theae titaniferous ores contain nickel and are believed to be of igneous origin. They
associated with gabbro-like rocks \
The non-titaniferous magnetites are of aqueous or sedimentary origin.
The following are some of the localities in which magnetites of one or the other of the i wii ^
classes mentioned occur : Airey ; Bagot 14 VII, 16, 21 VIII, 16 IX, 23 X, 16, 18, 22 XI s ^
Bathurst 11, 12 VUI, IX ; Bedford 2, 6 U, 2, 3, 6, 6 111, 1, 4, 7, 8, 9 IV, 1, 3, 7 to U V, 2 VT_ ,
2, 3, 4, 7 VII, 21 IX ; Belmont 8, 19 I ; Carlow 6, 7 XVI ; Darling 22 HI, 22 IV, 25 V ; Digb;^^
16 VIII ; Dungannon 26 XIV ; Galway 23 XII, 27 XIII ; Glamorgan 35 IV, 30, 81 XlU^ ;
Levant 13 III, 4 VII, 4 XII ; Lutterworth 5 V, VI, 16 VH ; Madoc 2, 12 IV, 11 V, 10 vt
9 Vn ; Marmora 7 I, 13 II, 12 III, 6, 9 IX ; Minden 11 I ; North Trosby, 1 VI ; Pklmen
ton 3, 4 IX, 8 X, 27, 28 XI ; Portland 5 XIII ; Seymour 25 XII ; Snowdon 20 I, 33 III, *^\
26, 27 IV ; South Crosby 26, 27 VI ; South Sherbrooke 3, 14 I, 17. 18, 19 III ; Wollaston i^
16 n, 16, 17, 18, 19 VIII, 9, 10 XV.
The non-titaniferous magnetites of western Ontario differ for the most part conaiderabl y
from those of the eastern part of the Province. Those of the former region, especiallj those o£
the Rainy River and Thunder Bay districts, are frequently very fine grained and slaty in
appearance, and are associated with rocks which often hold a high percenta^ife of jasper i
related minerals. The non-titaniferous magnetites of eastern Ontario are usually much ooai
in grain and are associated with rocks of a different character. In many cases the rook on one^av
wall of these deposits is crystaUine limestone, while that on the other varies in different depoeits^-
Frequently however it is some variety of scapolite bearing gneiss.
The development of our iron ore deposits is as yet only in its infancy. In working thu^i "
deposits of the eastern part of the Province we should draw upon the experience which has beeoc^
^med in working the deposits of the eastern United States, which are similar in oharaeter. Th c^
uron ores, both hematites and magnetites, of the Michipicoton, Thunder Bay and Baiiiy Riv et
districts are on the other hand, like those of the States of Michigan and Minnesota, and.
the knowledge gained by workers of the deposits in those States should prove of great ^ue to
us in developing the iron resources of our western districts. The following are some analyses of
non-titaniferous magnetites from eastern Ontario, given in a paper, by Prof. E. J. Chapman^
published in the Trans. Roy. Soc. of Canada in 1885.
FeO
FesOs
MnO
8
P
Siliceous
rock
matter.
OaOO,
Amount
of metallic
iron deduced
from ozidea.
•
1. Snowdon 26 IV
2. " 201
26 20 68 72
24.87 68.35
76.72
69.62
86 83
86.46
76-12
13
0.11
trace
1.27
triie*
trace
0.16
0.04
006
trace
trace
trace
trace
trace
trace
0.04
0.08
03
0.62
0.88
0.07
0.09
0.02
0.18
0.01
008
0.02
trace
trace
0.01
trace
trace
trace
trace
trace
0.04
traop
0.03
0.01
0.02
trace
0.01
16 02
16.68
23.84
29.04
13.27
12.18
28.80
2.74
2.68
11.18
11.64
332
16.64
13.16
4.74
8.48
8.86
6.66
■'6.48
61 48
60.18
56.00
60.41
63.87
62.60
■
8. " 25:V
4. " 27IV
6. G»lwsy27XIV
6. •* 28X11
7. Lutterworth 6 VI
8. Glamorgan 27 Xni
9. Monmouth 80 XIII
10. Belmont 19 I
80.06
80.08
27.22
27.14
28.40
26.79
26.68
29.47
26.12
28.32
29 18
67.14
67.27
61 66
60.82
67.23
67.62
69.71
66.68
66.20
63 24
64.96
70.88
70.60
64 9R
11. Burleigh
6 a 68 68 1
12. Madoc26VI
13. •• 11 V
14. " 11 V
0.87
'o.ii
69.16
60 82
62 64
68.90
la, •• 181
16. Wollaston 16, 16 VIII ....
17. Tudor 6, 7 8 XIX
18. " 18 XVIII
63.80
68.16
1 B. M. 1897, pages 280-2 and Proa Brit Ass. Ad. Science, 1897. > G. S. C. 1896^ p. 19 R.
MALACHITE. Lake Huron, lake Superior, Madoc, Marmora, Parry Sound and else-
where with other copper ores.
MANGANESE. This metal occurs in small amounts in some of the iron ores of the Pro-
vince. See also manganite, wad and rhodochrosite.
MANGANESE OCHRE. See wad.
MANGANITE. '' At Batchewaning t>av on lake Superior, near the southeast «nd of the
Mining Company's location, and not far from the shore, is a large vein of maoga-
Upper Canada
nese ore. .
ganese."
G. a p. 764.
A specimen was found by assay to be equal to 60 per cent of peroxide li man-
1899 ] Minerals of Ontario 203
MARGASITE. Hinchinbrook, Silver Islet, Neebing 26 V.
Cms. Journal, 2nd Mriet z, p. 408.
MARSH GAS. Is abundant in some mineral springs where it keeps the waters in eon-
:ant agit ation .
MARTITE. Dalhousie 1 lY ; in a gneissoid boulder from Bass lake a few miles north of
rillia.
MELANITE. — Marmora and elsewhere. See garnet.
MBLANTERITE. Occurs on decomposing pyrite and marcasite in many localities, e.g.^
jurtings and lake Superior. *' A specimen of iron pyrites from the Galway lead mine in
. . Peterboro', became covered in the course of a few weeks with delicate tufts of minute
dcular crystals of the mineral."
Chapman Min. and Geol. p. 133.
ME^EGHINITE. Barrie 6 to 9 IX.
TranB. Hoy. Soc. Can. 1888.
MERCURY. See under huntilite.
MESOLITE. *' At Mamainse crystals of epidote are met with implanted upon mesolite,
id rarely associated with small brown garnets "
METEORIC IRON. Madoc. *' The specimen was found in 1854 upon the surface of a
aid and weighed 370 pounds. Its shape is rudely rectangular, and flattened on one side. The
irface is irregularly pitted, a^ is generally the case with meteoric masses, and coated with a
im of oxide of iron. The iron is malleable and highly crystalline in texture, and when etched
^ an acid exhibits beautifully the peculiar markings which are known as Widmahstattian
^res. Its analysis shows it to be an alloy of iron with 6.35 per cent of nickel. Small por-
ons of the phosphoreb of nickel and iron are disseminated through the iron, and, in making a
action of it, rounded masses of magnetic iron pyrites were met with."i This meteorite is now
L the collection of the Geological Survey, Ottawa.
Thurlow meteorite. Found May 12th, 1888, on lot 28 VI, Thurlow, Hastings county,
height of original mass 11 lb. Ib^ oz.
In Ward's ** Descriptive Catalogue of Meteorites," Rochester, 1892, two other meteorites
>\md in Ontario are described.
One known as the Welland meteorite is said to have been found April 30th, 1880, about
le and one-half miles north of the town of Welland. It is stated to be a kidney shaped mass,
id its total weight after being freed from all loose scales was 17| Ib.^
Fe 91.17
Ni 8.64
Co 0.06
8 0.07
99.84
8p.gr 7.87
The De Cewsville Metorite. *' It fell in the village of De Cewsville about 2 p.m., Jan. 2l8t,
^, striking in the ditch on the south side of the street known as the Talbot road, opposite
t No. 43, con. 1. The ditch at the time contained about a foot of water, from a recent thaw,
hich was covered with thin ice. The meteorite made a hole in the ice about a foot in diameter,
be whizzing noise in the air and the splash in the water were heard and the latter seen " by
le person who was about 1 5 feet distant from the spot struck, and by two others who were
i&T at hand. The meteorite seemed to have come from the west. It was found, after the
elting of the snow and ice, on Feb. 16th. Its weight is about 12 oz. and its specific gravity
52, which is somewhat greater than that of most eeorlites, and it doubtless contains a little
ore iron than is usual in meteorites of this class. 3
1 G. C. p. 608. 3 Proc. Kochester Acad. Sd. vol. i, 1890. 3 Ibid.
MICA. The mining of amber mica is a somewhat important industrv in the county of
rontenac and adjoining territory in the eastern part of the Province. The village of Syden-
im has been one of the chief centres of the industry. The mineral has been mined to some
ight extent in other parts of the Province. Good specimens of mica have been obtained at
.fferent places in the region north of lake Huron.
The following are some of the localities in which specimens of merchantable mica have been
jtained : Cardiff; Effingham ; Hungerford ; Levant ; Loughborough 8 III, 11 VII, 5, 8 VIII,
J, 17 IX, 7, 8 X ;i Methuen 14 IX. 14 X ; Miller 4, 5 XI ; North Burgess 2 IV, 16, 17 IX ;
almerston 24 II ; South Canon to ; Wilberforce Station. Chrome-magnesia mica occurs on 6 I
yman.
See also biotite, muscovite, phlogopite, sericite and fuchsite.
' B. M. 1892, pages 249 to 250.
MICROCLINE. Much of the so called orthoolase proves on close examination to be micro-
ine. See also amazon stone and aventurine.
MILLERITE. Has been reported to occur in the Sudbury district in the massive form
MINERAL WATERS. These are somewhat widely distributed in the Province and differ
*eatly in the amount and character of the salts dissolved in them. Accounts of thesA ^R«.tAx&
204
Bureau of Mines Report
[No. 5
are given in the Geology of Canada, 1863, and in other reports of the Geological survey, especLac^
ally in those parts of the annual reports entitled '* Mineral Statistics " and '' Chemical Contri^S:
butions." In the Report of the Bureau of Mines for 1891, pages 60 to 62, an .account is give^c=3
of the mineralized artesian waters of the Province.
The following table shows the composition of a few of the minei al waters of Ontario. Th<^^
analyses are taken chiefly from the Geology of Canada, 1863, where it is stated that ^''The i
eral waters of Canada can be arranged in six classes, according to their chemical composition
In the first three classes chlorids predominate ; in the fourth, carbonates ; and in the nfth an*
sixth, sulphuric acid and sulphates. The waters of the first, second and third classen i
neutral ; those of the third and fourth are alkaline ; and those of the fifth are acid."
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Chloride of Bodium
....
17.8280
0.0920
18.9158
traces
29.864
12.2600
fi 9fi7R
6.582S>
** potassium
0.080510.0309
o.iieo^
** bariam
** strontium
....
** calcium
12 8027
5 0737
0.1178
17.5815
9.5437
0.2482
12 894
6.954
0.2870
1.0338
** • magnesium ....
Bromide of sodium
.0878
0.0150
0.0238
021^^
** mftgnpsnim
Iodide of sodium
0.0008
0.0005
0.003^*
** magnesium
0.0021
Sulphate of alumina
lime
1.1267
.4351
.0510
.4718
i:240
.207
.4681
.7752
.1539
0.7769
.0396
.492
...
O^OOoS
-
** magnesia
potash
soda
** protoxyd of iron
Phosphate of soda
.0608
.0502
.:::;:. :i:::::'
0.0l2^ir
0688!^
traces
traces
ISOC^
Carbonate "
0.0485
•* baryta
•' strontia
.3060
.0179
traces
.'.'.'X'.'.'.'.'.
traces
"6!i264 0.1480
0.8682 0.5262
traces traces
r"
lime
.198
traces
0.0411
0.0227
traces
0.370
1.287
" magnesia
0.786C^,
** iron
Phosphorio acid
Hydrated sulphuric acid
traces *
traces
4.2896
' /
Sulphuretted hydrogen
.1776
.:::::: /
Alumina
traces 6.6644
0.0226^0 aao
0.0010/
Silica
0.1830/
In 1,000 parts of water
Specific gravity
1.646
2.495
6.1615
1.0068
36 6911 46.3038
1029 1
52.267, 14 6398|7.7778
1013.2 1010.91005.8
8.8473/
1006.24/
1. Charlotte ville 3 Xll, Corniferous formation. **A remarkable sulphurous spring* belong-
ing to the sixth class. . . . The water fills a natural basin, covering about 100 square yards,
from which the discharge was found to be about sixteen gallons a minute. The water rises
through several holes in the mud at the bottom of the basLu. This is covered with a layer of
sulphur and carbonate of lime, a mixture of which incrusts leaves and twigs placed in the
spring. The water is remarkable for the predominance of earthy sulphates and for the great
amount of sulphuretted hydrogen which it contains, amounnng to 11.6 cubic inches in 100 cubic
inches of water. . . The temperature of this water in the basin was ib^F. . . It is limpid'
and sparkling, and pungent to the taste from the great amount of sulphuretted hydrogen it
contains. "1
2. Brant, lot 53.
3. Tuscarora, known as the sour spring, is upon the Indian reserve about nine miles south
of Brantford and three miles south of the bank of the Grand river. The water is kept in con-
stant agitation by a discharge of inflammable gas. The presence of sulphuretted hydrogen is
also evident from the odor.
4. The water is from a salt well about two miles east of the village of Ancaster.
5. Whitby. A copious saline sprinsr occurs at Bowerman's Mills, 32 III. Contains an
abundance of bromine, but only traces of iodine.
•6. ** In Iwring for water at Morton's distillery in Kingston two mineral springs were met
with. . . . They are remarkable for the large proportions of sulphates and earthy carbon-
ates which they contain." The analysis given is from what was known as the upper well.
7. Caledonia. The spring from which this water is taken is known as the intermittent
spring on account of the intermitting discharge of carburetted hydrogen gas.
^ G. a pBges 636 7.
1899 Minerals of Ontario 205
d. Caledonia. This water comes from what is known as the gas q>ring, something like 800
Ahic inches of carburetted hydrogen gas being evolved per minute. Trenton group.
9. Fitzroy, 10 II, Gillan's sprins^.
MISPICKEL. This mineral is found associated with gold in a number of widely separated
laces in the Province. At Deloro in Marmora oxide of arsenic is produced along with gold,
his appears to be the only district in America producing arsenic, although one locality in the
estem United States is referred to in certain text-books. Barrie ; Marmora ; Lake ; Tudor ;
&ke Temagami district ; Rainy River district. The mineral is found sparingly in the last dis-
icts, and aasociated with copper ores at the Bruce Mines and Thunder bay. 8ee also danaite.
cobaltiferous mispickel from the township of Graham was found by Mr. G. R. Mickle to have
le following chemical composition :
As 47.60 I fl 4 59
Fe 46.27 I Co 1.62
MOLYBDENITE. There are numerous localities in which this mineral occurs, among
hich are the following: Dungannon ; Uarcourt 3 I ; Miller 3 VIII ; Montea^le 26, 27 VI ;
orth Crosby ; Ross 22 II, T IX ; Terrace Cove, lake Superior, in small quantities in a quartz
3in.
MOLYBDITE. Ross 22 II.
MORENOSITE. Denison 12 III ; Drury 2 II ; Wallace mine at the mouth of the White-
ih river.
MOUNTAIN LEATHER. O'Connor, Beaver mine.
MUSCOVITE. Occurs widely as a constituent of crystalline rocks. Good specimens of
ke mineral have been obtained at the following places among others : Calvin 16 II ; Dun-
tnnon 2J X ; Methuen, on different lots in concessions IX and X ; Miller 4 XI ; Matawatchan
hromiferous); Lake of the Woods.
N AGYAGITE. Moss, Huronian mine ?
N A TROLITE. ^* Occurs, but mostly in a weathered condition and in part altered to car-
mate of lime, in some of the amygdaloidal traps of lake Superior."
Chapman Min. and Geol. p. 118.
NEPHELINE. Occurs as a constituent of igneous rocks, sometimes forming a large part
the rock mass, over a lai^e extent of territory in the counties of Renfrew, Hastings, Peter-
)rough and the district of Haliburton^
** Grains of orange-red nepheline or elaeolite are abundant with black hornblende in a white
Ispathic rock which is found in boulders on Pic island in lake Superior. "-
Nepheline is also a constituent of a certain rare type of rocks which occur near Poohbah
ke in the Rainy River district. These rocks have been described by Dr. A. C. Lawson.*
^ Am. Jr. Science, July, 1894. Reports R. M 1897 and 1898. Reports O. S. C. 1897 and 1898.
• G. C. p. 480. » Bull. Dep. Geol., Univ. OaL, vol. i. No. 12, pp. 837-362, 1896.
NICCOLITE. Denison 12 III ; McGregor 3 A mine ; Michipicoton ; Silver Islet.
NICKEL. The chief ore of this metal in the Province is the nickeliferous pyrrhotite of
le Sudbury district. Nickel also occurs in small amounts in titaniferous magnetites. See
^rrhotite.
NICKEL ARSENATE (hydrous).* Denison 12 III.
G. S. C. 1892-3. p. 29 R.
NICKEL GYMNITE. Michipicoton island, in a vein cutting amygdaloid.
G. C. p. 606.
NIOBATES. See columbite.
OCHRE. Ochie occurs in different parts of the Province, the following being among some
; the best known localities : Blythfield, 5 to 10, II and III ; Nassagaweya ; Nottowasaga ;
wen Sound. See also under iron ochres.
OIL. See under petroleum.
OLIGOCLASE. This felspar undoubtedly occurs as a constituent of many of oar crys-
lline rocks, but its character has been definitely determined in only a few cases.
OLIVINE. Is found as a constituent of a number of basic rocks, such as the diabase of
iidbury.
OPHIOLITE. See serpentine.
ORTH ITE. See allanits.
ORTHOCLASE. A constituent of many igneous and metamorphic rocks of the Province,
[icrocline is the most common form of potash felspar in our Archtean rocks. Microperthite is
so of quite common occurence and is frequently mistaken for orthoclase. Good specimens of
*thocl8use have been obtained at the following localities : Bathurst 20 IX ; North Crosby ;
orth Burgess ; Sebastopol 31 XI, 23 XII. Coarse pegmatite dikes containing felspar suitable
•r use in pottery occur in the Kingston district and elsewhere throughout the Province.
OXALITE. Kettle Point, Bosanquet, oa black shales.
PALLADIUM. See under sperrylite.
206
Bureau of Mines Report
[No. 5
PARGASITE. High Falla and Ragged Chute on the Madawaska river ; well terminate^M^
dark green crystals embedded in fl^reenish-white pyroxene.
Si02 56.06
Al,03 4.50
FeO 6.86
OaO 18.44
MgO 20.96
vSatQe 0.86
100 14
Sp.jrr 3.050-3.068
6. C. p. 466.
PEAT. Many years ago the late Dr. Sterry Hunt gave considerable attention to th^
character and occurrences of the peat deposits of the Province. He made numerous analyso^
and tests of the material concerning its value as a fueL The results of his work are given ixM
the reports of the Geological Survey for 1845-6, p. 96, 1849-50, pages 97-99, 1853-66, pages 42^^
to 426, and in the general report of 1863 the question of the manufacture and application o^
peat was discussed in considerable detail, pages 771-784. x '
More recently the subject of peat has again attracted considerable attention and has bee^ci
treated of in some of the reports of the Bureau of Mines, 1891, pages 206 to 210, 1892, pag^:^
195 to 220, 1894, pages 32 to 34, 1896, pages 185 to 192, and in the publications of the Geolc^—
gical Survey. The chief occurrences of the material are given in these reports.
PECTOLITE. McKellar's (Cathcart) point, lake Superior. «
PENTLANDITE. Drury 2 II, Worthington mine, and other places in the Sudbury
district.
Am. Jr. Science, 1898, p. 498.
PERISTERITE. ** This beautiful variety of albite exhibits a peculiar bluish chatoyanc^
or opalesence. sometimes mingled with pale green and yellow, and called ' moonstone.' It i. —
found in crystals and by the ton in large cleavable masses, containing disseminated grains c^»
quartz in veins cutting the Lauren tian strata at Bathurst (19 IX), also in crystals on the nort
side of Stony lake, near the mouth of Eel creek, in Burleigh, in lar^e opalescent cleavabl
masses of reddish albite, and on the 9th line or concession north of Perth on the land of Robezr
McEwen. This beautiful material is especially adapted for use in the arts."^
The followinfl( is an analysis of a specimen from the Bathurst locality by Dr. Sterry Hunt
SiOa 66.80
Al.Os 21.80
K,0 0.68
Na,0 7.00
Cau 2.62
MicO 0.20
The material also occurs in Bromley.
^ O. F. Enoz in G. 8. 0. 1887-8, p. 76 S.
FezOs . .
Igniton.
8p.
S
0.80
0.60
99.80
2.626
6.
3 G. S. C. 1860, p. 86.
PERTHITE. Cameron 7 B ; Dungannon 20 X ; ITorth Burgess 4 VI.
Si 02
I.
5.44
AhOs 18.861
Fe208 l.OOf
CaO 0.67
MgO. 0.24
Hunt, G. S. 0. 1860, p. 86.
PETALITE. "PetaUte is here
II.
66.60
19.26
0.56
0.24
I. II.
KjO 6.87 6 18
N»20 5.58 6.66
H2O 0.40 0.44
(Ignition) 99.08 98.78
mentioned among the minerals of Canada upon the
authority of Dr. Bigsby, according to whom this mineral was found, with tremolite, in a large
boulder on the lake shore at Toronto."
G. C. p. 48L
PETROLEUM. This substance is found in different Palaeozoic limestones in small quanti-
ties filling cavities in corals and other fossils. It also occurs in the shales of the Utica forma-
tion. A spring carrying some of the material rises through these rocks on the Grand Bfanitoulin
island. Utica shale when freshly exposed can often be caused to bum on the surface. These
shales, at one time, before the discovery of oil wells in the Province, were used for the distilla-
tion of petroleum. The shales of Colling wood gave 4 to 5 per cent of oily matter. The
Devonian shales of Kettle point by experiment on a small scale gave 4.2 per cent of crude oil,
together with a portion of ammoniacal water. The oil fields of Ontario are situated in the terri-
tory lying between the southern point of lake Huron and the northwestern shore of lake Erie.
Full accounts of these fields are given in the reports of the Bureau of Mines and (Geological
Survey.
B.3i. 1896, pMge» 21 ton. G. 8. G. 18fi6, pag^ 238 to 262 ; 1890-91, pages 1 to 94 Q.
1899 ] Minerals of Ontario 2X!ti
PHLOGOPITE. This is the mica of commerce in Ontario, and is generally called amber
lea on account of its color. It is of frequent occurrence in association with the crystalline
nestones and pyrozenic gneisses of the Laurentian. Apatite and phlogopite both occur in
onomic quantities in some deposits. North Carolina and India are producers of white mica,
It as yet very little of this variety of the mineral has been produced in Ontario, although there
evidence that it occurs in economic quantities in some localities. The following ia an analysis
phlogopite from North Burgess, which township lies in the chief mica producing district of
o Province :
SiOj 40.97
AljOs 18.66
FeO \
NasO 1.08
VolatUe 1.00
Iio68, which ia probably
fluorine 4.33
KeaOa
MifO 25.80
K20 8.26 100.00
G. C'p. 46.
PHOLERITE. ** Occurs in the form of white unctuous films in the joints of , many
Liirtzose sandstones of the Huronian series ; and what appears to be the same mineral is ooca-
>nally met with in small botryoidal masses lining cavities in the Jasper conglomerate of the
nae series.'*
G. G. p. 495.
PICROLITE. Ross 8 IX.
G. S. C. 1882S-4, p. 14 L.
PLAGIOCLASE. See albite, oligoclase, andesine, labradorite, bytownite and anorthite.
PLATINUM. See sperrylite.
PLUMBAGO. See graphite.
POLYCRASE. Calvin.
G. 8. O. 1807, p. 61 L
POLYDYMITB. Denison 5 IV, Vermilion mine ; Drury 2 IF.
PREHNITE. *' Prehnite is associated with native copper and calcite in the lake Superior
^on, Michipicoton, etc., where it is often of a rich green color in spherical masses of crystals
I inch across, or in aggregations even larger, affording a curious but pleasing green stone
•ambling a chrysoprase.^
It sometimes forms distinct veins in the trap rocks, as on Slate river, an affluent of the
aministiquia.
H2O 4 14
99.76
Sp.gr 2.88
Si02 43 41
AlaOs 23.80
FesOs ..... 1.26
MnjOs ^.... 68
CaO 28.62
1 G. S. C. 1887-8, p. 77 S. 3 Chapman Min. and GeoL p. Ill, and Can. Journal, 1870, p. 267.
See alao chloraatrolite.
PYRALLOLITE. See rensselaerite.
PYRITE. — Good cabinet specimens of this widelv distributed mineral are found at num-
rous places in the Province. The mineral is freauently auriferous, and in some cases has been
»und to carry nickel and cabalt. Deposits of it have been developed to some extent with the
bject of securing a supply of the material for use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, for
hich it is in considerable demand. These deposits are situated in the townships of Darling
ad Elizabethtown and, near Schreiber on the Canadian Pacific Railway. There are no doubt
umerous workable deposits in the Province. Bedford, Devil's lake ; Big river, a tributary of
ie Opazatikai : Darling 6 IV ; Elizabethtown 19 II ; Hungerford ; Graham 12 III ; Madoc
1 XF ; near Schreiber station on the C.P.R. ; Nickel lake, Rainy River district ; lake Tema-
ami, Nipissing district.
B. M. pp. 256-6, 1896. > G. S. C. p. 106, 1866. B. M. p. 74, 1894.
PYROXENE. There are a large number of localities in the eastern crystalline area of the
Province in which large well formed crystals of this mineral are to be found. Bathnrst 20 IX ; *
Bedford, Toomah bay ; Carlow ; Herschel 3 IV ; North Burgess 2 IX ; Sebastopol 23 XII and
'orner's island in lake Clear. See also augite, diallage, hypersthene, aogirine, etc., etc,
PYRRHOTITE. Through the replacemeut of some of the iron in pyrrhotite by nickel it
ecomes the ore of this metal in the Sudbury district. The deposits are claimed by most
uthorities to be of igneous origin. Pyrrhotite is found occuring in large masses in other parts
f the Province, especially in the east, but in these cases it carries little nickel In these
eposits the mineral appears to be of aqueous origin The map of the Sudbury district which
ocompanies this annotated list of minerals shows the location or the chief deposits of pyrrhotite
1 the vicinity of Sudbury, and it is not necessary to refer further to the localities. Some of
be chief localities in which non-nickeliferous pyrrhotite occurs are the following : Dalhousie 22
1, 18 III 1 ; Elizabethtown 19 II ; Galway ; Monteagle ; Madoc 10 II ; Olden ; WoUaston 15
I, 22 IX. The following are the averages of the analyses of copper-nickel ores from one pro-
IG. a 0.1897. o . rr
208 Bureau of Mines Report No. 5
perty in each of five townships in the Sudbury district, the percentage given in each case being
the average of several analyses :
Nickni. Copper.
1 2.62 0.78
2 2.62 0.13
8 2.99 0.30
4 1.94 0.62
5 2.26 2.80
QUARTZ. In addition to the occurrence of this mineral in irre&:ular forms as a frock and
vein constituent, it has been found at numerous localities in crystals. Bruce Mines ; Madoc IX ;
Thunder Bay. See also amethyst, agate, jasper, chalcedony and chert or homstone, smoky
quartz at Thunder bay and elsewhere. Some of the quartzites, such as those on the north
shore of lake fiuron in the vicinity of Killamey consist entirely of pure quartzj and are
adapte>i to most purposes for which quartz is required.
RAPHILITE. Bathurst 26 XII ; Dalhonsie ; Bedford.
G. S. C. 1892 p. 69 A.
RBNSSELAERITE. Charleston lake, coarsely columnar radiating variety. ^
SiOo 61.90
FeO 1.46
MgO 30.42
H.O 6.64
100.81
Sp.gr 2.644
Ramsay 8 VI. ** It is on the east side of the lot towards the front and runs in a general
way with the length of the lot. It appears to be between a bed of quartz on the one band and
crystalline limestone on the other, and considerable masses might be obtained from it.'' It is-
economically applicable to the purposes for which soapstone is used and several others besides.
Being of a tougher nature and not liable to exfoliate, it is more durable and receives a higheir
polish.^
1 &. C. p. 471. 2 G. S. 0. 1856 p. 44.
RHODIUM. See under sperrylite.
RHODOCHROSITE. Silver Islet and McKellar island, lake Superior.
ROCK SALT. See salt.
RUTILE. '* Rutile in delicate acicular crystals has been observed in drusy cayities,*'witlB.
quartz, at the Wallace mine on lake Huron, "i
**In the vein on the coast near the mouth of the Spanish river, rutile occurs in delicate
acicular crystals. "2
Madoc, Green island, Moira lake.
Minute grains of rutile also occur with the black magnetic sands on the shores of lakes and
rivers.
1 G. C. p. 602. 2 G. S. C. p. 63; 1848-9.
SALT. Halite, commonly known ss *' salt," occurs in the strata underlying atconsiderable
area in the western part of the Erie and Huron peninsula, and is present in appreciable amounts
in many mineral springs. Strongly saline waters have been met with in drilling for, gas in
places in eastern Ontario. ^
The following is an analysis of a salt produced at Seaforth : ^,
NaCl "... 98.2778
CaSO^ 1.2616
MurOli 0.0078
fljO 0.6882
Insoluble 0.0160
100.2363
1 R Com. pages 181 to 191. G. S. C. 1869 p. 211, and 1874-6 pages 267 to 300.
2 Cut. £c Min. Can., Phil Int. Ex. 1876.
SAMARSKITE. Lyndoch ?
SAPONITE. In some of the silver veins of the Port Arthur district, e.g. Beaver mine.
SAUSSURITE. This secondary aggregate is found in many rocks, e.g., the sauasorite
gabbro of the Rainy River district.
SC A POLITE. Good crystals of large size are frequently found in mica and apatite
deposits. The mineral also occurs as an efsential constituent of certain gneisses in the eastern
part of the Province. These scapolite gneisses frequently form one wall of some of the magne-
tite deposits. See also under sphene.
Can. Rec. Sdence 1889 p. 198. B. M. 1898 p. 229.
SCHORL. See tourmaline and indiqolite.
SELENITE. Haldimand county. Mount Healy ; Moose river ; Niagara Falls. The mineral
aJso occurs sparingly in certain mineral deposits in the Archtean rocks, e.g , in the apatite de-
poajt of the FoxtoD mine, Froiitenac county. See also gypsum.
1899 ] Minerals of Ontario 209
SELENIUM. A trace of selenium is said to be present in a galena which is found in a
^n near the mouth of Black river, lake Superior.
SERICITE. This mica occurs in metamorphic rocks, such as the sericite schists of the
lorth shore of lake Huron.
SERPENTINE. This mineral is found quite widely distributed among the older crystal-
ijie rocks. It sometimes forms rock masses and is frequently mixed through crystalline lime-
tone the two forming together a fine decorative material.
Some interesting notes are given by Lawson on the serpentines of the Rainy River district
n the Report of the Geological Survey for 1887-8 pages 45, 50, 97, 98 and 180 F.
In eastern Ontario the minerU is often associated with the so-called eozoon limestones. It
s also found in smaller amounts in some of the iron ore beds of Belmont and Marmora ; Bed-
ford 6 III ; North Burfi^ess 2 YIII ; Marmora 13 IX ; Rainy Lake district, at the south end of
lake Despair and the north end of Clearwater lake.
B. M. 1891 p. 81, 1894 pages 78, 76, 98. G. C. pages 471 to 473.
SIDE RITE. Eliaabethtown ; Lake Superior ; Marmora ; Mclntyre.
SILLIMANITE. In Hastings county as a constituent of crystalline schists. See also
fibrolite.
SILVER. This metal is found in the native state in a number of deposits in the Port
Arthur district. A somewhat detailed description of these deposits is given in the Report of
Ideological Survey for 1887-8, pages 5 to 131 H and pages 88 to 96 S. ** The Story of Silver
Islet" will be found in the Report of the Bureau of Mines for 1896, pages 125 to 158. Silver
is also present in some of the galena of the Province, as in that of the township of Barrie, which
is associated with a number of other metallic minerals. Quite recently a sample, consisting of
galena, sphalerite and pyrite, obtained from a vein in the crystaline limestone in the township
of Olden, was assayed in the laboratory of the Kingston School of Mining and found to contain
22 oz. of silver to the ton. See also argentic.
SMALTITE. McKim; Madoc 2 II; Dominion iron mine.
G. S. C. 1895, p. 129 A.
SOAPSTONE. See steatite.
SODALITE. Dungannon 29 XIII, and other localities in the counties of Hastings, Ren-
frew, Peterborough and the district of Haliburton in nephelinc-bearing rocks, frequently asso-
ciated with corundum.
SPERRYLITE. Vermilion mine, township of Denison. An analysis of the mineral, from
this deposit, made by Prof. H. L. Wells of Yale, gave the following results :
As 40.98
ftb 60
Pt 52 57
Rh 0.72
Pd trace
Fe 0.07
SnOj 4.62
99.46
Small amounts of platinum also occur in some of nickel-copper ores of the Sudbury dis-
trict, and it is pro* able that the metal occurs m these in the form of 8i)errylite.
Am. Jr. Science, vol. 87, p. 67, 1889 ; B. M. 1892, pages 179 to 180.
SPHALERITE. This mineral is found widely distributed in veins and in limestone rocks
and is unually associated with galena. It occurs in grains scattered through crystalline lime-
stone in many places, and also in veins in the same class of ro«-ks. ** It occurs in some of the
veins on lake Superior, as at Mamainse and at Prince's mine, where it U abundant with copper
glance and native silver. . Blende is also occasionally met with in small masses of a
honey-yellow color, imbedded in the limestones of the Trenton group at Kingston. . .*%
and in the dolomites of the Niagara formation in t le west. At Niagara Falls it sometimes
appears to replace fossils ; and at other times occurs in beautiful wax-yellow cleavable masses
imbedded in nodules of gypsum."* The larger deposits of the mineral hitherto discovered are
situated in the Port Arthur redon. Balfour 6 I ; Barrie 5 to 9 IX ; Blende lake. Thunder Bay
district ; Dorion 10 VI ; McKelUr island ; Mclntyre, Shuniah mine ; Paresseux rapitls, Kam-
inistiqnia river ; Point aux Mines, lake Superior ; Silver lake, Thunder bay ; White Sand
river. Zenith mine ; Marmora 1 XI.
» G. C. p. 614.
SPHENE. This mineral is of quite common occurrence among the ciystalline rocks of
eastern Ontario. ** Dr. A. E. Foote described a new locality for si 'bene and ai^sociated min-
erals at Ejjansville, Renfrew county, Canada. The sphene occurs in immense crystals, weighing
from '^0 to 80 lb. in a vein of apatite 20 feet wide. Many other veins of smaller size occur in
the same county. The rock is primary gneiss and granite. A solid mass of sphene, very highly
cleavable, 5x2x2 feet, was observed in the side of the vein. It yielded several hundred
pounds of sphene. Close to it doubly terminated crystals of Hca\\o\\l<i, -^i^v^vw^ Vtvcck. Yi \.^ ^K^
14 m.
2IO Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
99.62
8p. (fr. at 15<> C 3.704
G. S. C. 1892 3, p. 23 R.
SULPHUR. Thus substance occurs sparingly in the simple state in the Province ; chiefly
as an efflorescent crust on decomprisin^ pyrites. It is also at times deposited as an incrastation
around springs, as in Charlotteville 3 XII. It is also found in the form of minute ciystals and
in earthy coatings on some of the thin bedded limestones around Niagara Falls and elsewhere.
Denbigh 3 V, in quartz from pyrite ;^ North Burgess 2 V.*-
i G. S. C. 1892-3, p. 27 K. - G. S. C. 1896 R.
SYLVANITE. Moss H 1, Huronian mine.
TABULAR SPAR. See wollastonite
TALC. Blythfield, near Calabogie lake ; Clarendon 24 II ; Elizabethtown, near the town
vt Madoc ; Kaladar 8 I ; Grimsthorpe 8, 9, 10 V. See also steatite.
diO-2 HO. 45
AWi 0.27
*V0.5 0.78
FeO 2.04
NiO 0.60
OaO 0.16
MgO 29 84
H^^OfttlOOoC 0.82
H-iO above 100*^ C 6.42
99 78
Sp. gr. at 15« C 2;65
G. S. C. 1892-8, p. 18 R. B. M. 1893. pages 99 to 102.
TANTALTTES. See columbite.
TELLURIUM. This element occurs in two Ontario minerals, namely, sylvanite and
hessite, the localities of which have already been given.
TENNANTITE. Barrie 6, 7, 8, 9 IX.
TETRAHEDRITE. Silver Islet ; Madoc, Empire mine.
G. 8. C. 1866-9. p. 168.
THOMSONITE. ^'Thomsonite of red color, compact and fibrous, often banded with
green in a number of concentric rings, is found on the northern shore of lake Superior. . .
The pebbles vary in size from one-eighth of an inch up to one inch across, and are quite exten-
sively sold on all sides of the lake as an ornamental stone. The pebbles when poluhed find ft
raadjr sale among tourists who visit that region. The green which Peckham and Hall described
a$ lintonite, an uncrystalline green variety ol tVLOicwaomtA, oCten forms the centre or band,
lb., were found. Phlogopite and zircons, some of them twinned, occur at the same locality.:
From the enormous size of all the crystals found in this county it must take rank af one of tht
most remarkable mineral localities known. When the vein 20 feet wide, spoken of above, wm
discovered, a doubly terminatud crystal of apatite, weighing 60i) lb. and bright upon the surface
and ends, was said to have been found. "^ See also under titanite.
1 Pro. Mio. Section, Ac. Nat. Sciences, Philadelphia. Sap. 27, 1880.
SPINEL. *' On the tenth lot of the first range of Burgess the flesh-red Laurentian lime- \
stone abounds in crystals of black ppinel, which may be traced over an extent of a mile or more.
The crystals are sometimes an inch or even two inches in diameter, and are occasionally coated .
• with mica, though often brilliant, and exhibiting a replacement of the edges of the octahedron." ]
• Ross township, in imperfect crystals with fluor-soar and apatite in crystalline limestone. The
mineral is also found at numerous other locali^^ios in the Laurentian. See also gahnite.
SPODUMENE. " . . in a small rolled mass of granite near Perth."
STAUROLITE. ** According to Dr. Bigsby . . . it occurs in the gneiss to the north
of lake Superior . . . where it is abundant in very small crystals on Rainy lake and in
much larger crystals on the river Lacroix, at the second j>ortagc from the lake of the same
name."
G. C. p. 498.
STEATITE. Blythfield; Clarendon 14 II; Elizabethtown; Elzevir; Grimsthorpe; Kal-
adar 5 I ; island in Rideau lake ; Thunder baj'. See also rensselaorite.
STKPHANITE. Badger mine, Port Arthur district.
STIBNITE. Is said to occur near Echo lake and Garden river. * Bariie 21, 22, 23 VIII;
Marmora ; Sheffield 28 I.
> R. Com. p. 30.
STILBITE. "This mineral with heulandite and chabazite is said to occur in some of our
trappean rocks, but nowhere in distinct and well characterized examples."
Chapman, Min. and Geol. p. 1 12.
• STILPN0MEL4NE. Madoc 12 V, variety chalcodite.
STRONTIANITE. Nepean 31 A.
CO- 30.51
SrO 65.43
CaO 3.38
Insoluble 0. 17
18i99 ] Minerals of Ontario 311
■king an effective gem stone, and is sold for the same purpose." Gargantua and Point
Amainse.
Q. S. C. 1887-8, p. 78 S.
TIN. This metal occurs as the oxide associated in small ijuantities with sperrylite in the
'enuilion mine, Denison. Specimens of cassiterite have been collected by Mr. G. K. Micklc
nd others in the vicinity of lake Wahnapitao. Tin also occurs in small amounts associated
rith the mineral columbitc from the township of Lyndoch.
TITANITE. This mineral has already been referred to under the name of sphene. As
Jie following note is of some economic interest, and is written by the well-known ^em expert,
Mr. G. F. Kunz, it was thought well to add it here.
** The titanites of Canada have a world-wide reputation, not only for their color, polish
ind the perfection of the crysrals. but also for their great size. A twin crystal of this mmeral
iu been found on Turner's island, in lake Clear (Sebastopol), weighing 80 lb. They are found
ibnnduntly in this region, associated with apatite. The crystals are generally of such deep
»rown color as to appear black, and it is rare that even a small transparent gem could be cut
Pom them. A* crystals, however, they are unexcelleii, and many thousand dollars' worth have
>een sold as specimens. The finest are m Renfrew county, especially in Sebastopol and
irudenell townships. Yellow crystals have not been observed as yet."
G. S. C. 1887-8. p. 77 S.
TITANIFEROUS IKON ORK. See under magnetic.
TITANIUM. As a constituent of cerbiin iron ores this element occurs abundantly in the
rovince. It is also a constituent of sphene.
TOURMALINE. Occurs in many localities among the crystalline rocks. *' Fine crystals,
ch yellowish or transparent brown in color, often, occur inibedded in a ilesh-red limestone,
in the township of Ross. . . These furnish an occasional gem." ^ Black tour-
laline or sohorl is found at a large number of localities, some of which are the following :
h&rleston lake, Leeds county ; Blythfield, near Hi^h Falls ; Bathurst 18 IV, ** Crystals are
let with [here] an inch in diameter, having finely modified terminations - " ; Yeo's island, one of
le Thousand islands ; Madoc ; Noith Elmsley : Ross 27 III. See also indigolite.
>G. S. C. 1887-8, p. 67 SI. «G. C p. 492.
TRAVERTINE. Oneida, with gypsiforous rocks. See also calcareous tufa.
TREMOLITE. Abundant in crystalline limestone, as in the vicinity of the village of Shar-
ot lake, and elsewhere.
In the report of the Geological Survey for 1898, p. 53 R, the following localities are men-
ioned : Bathurst 26 XII ; Blythfield 22, 23 IV ; Clarendon 37 VII ; Ross 23 IV. Good
pecimens also come from Bagot, Lake and North Burgess.
TURGITE. Madoc; North Burgess.
UR ACONITE. ?ee uran-ochre.
URALITE. This substance, which is of secondary origin, is recooruized in many rocks.
URANITE. See uran-ochre.
URANIUM. See uran-ochre and coracite.
UKAN-OCHRE. Madoc 11 V, the mineral lines fissure in magnetic iron ore ; Snowdon,
ining minute cavities in magnetite. Uranium is also j)resent in other magnetites, non-titani-
erous, in eastern Ontario. ^ See also coracite.
» B. M. pp. 232-3, 1897.
VANADIUM. Occurs in small amounts in titaniferoua magnetites.
VESUVIANITE. Is found in crystalline limestones in different places in the east<jrn part
>f the Province. Bedford: Clarendon.
WAD. Madoc 4V ; Thunder bay, northeast shore, mixed with iron ochre.
H.SP04 trace
H-.'0 3.82
Rock matter 36.12
FejO:; 33.68
Md-'O;; 16.54
MnO 5.08
OaO 0.81
COj 3.78 . 99.83
HjSO* trace
Chapman M'n. and GeoL, p. 88.
WATER. See mineral waters.
WERNERITE. See scapolite.
WHARTONITE. Blezard 2 II.
The nickel- bearing minerals blueite, folgerite and whartonite were so named by S. H.
Cmmons. Journal Am. Chem. Soo. vol. xiv. No. 7 and B. M., 1892, ^lages 167 to 170. See
Jbo Am. Jr. Science, 1893, p. 493.
WILSONITE. Bathurst.
SiOti 47.50
Al20n 31.17
MgO 4.25
CaO 1.51
K20 9.22
N«20 0.82
H:«0 5.50
99.97
212 Bureau of Mines Report [ N<
The mineral also contains traces of manganese, to which its color is probably due.^
Burgess 2 IX ; Foxton mine, Frontenac county ; and numerous other localities. ** Wil
is found ... in masses of some »ize, associated with scapolite. The specimens are t
ful, the minerals often passing into each other. The rich purplish-red color of this mi
and the fact that it admits of a good polish, make it one of the most interesting of gem stoo
» G. O. p. 483. 2 o. tj. c. p. 79S, 1887-8.
WITHEIRITE. Gillies, Porcupine mine.
WOLFRAMITE. The only occurrence of this mineral known in Ontario is that in y
it was found by Prof. E. J. Chapman in a boulder of gneiss on the shore of Chief's it
lake Couchiching, near Orillia. The mineral was associated with magnetite.
Tuogsticacid 73.45 I Silica 0.20
Niobic acid (?) 1 95 |
Ferrous oxide 9.05 j 100
Manfranoas oxide (by dif • ; Sp. rf 6,938
ference) 15 85
Can. Journal, 2Qd series, voL i. 308, and vol. ▼. p. 303.
WOLLASTONITE. Fibrous wollastonite occurs in many of the crystallme limestoxi
eastern Ontario, mixed more or less intimately with mica, pyroxene, quartz and other min
North Burgess.
XENuTIME. Calvin.
G. S. C, 1896, part R.
YENITE. See lievrite.
ZEOLITES. Minerals of this group are found in well defined specimens in the amy
oidal traps of lake Superior, and in a few other places in the Province. They also oce
microscopic individuals in many rocks.
Zl N C. See U'tder sphalerite.
ZINC BLENDE. See sphalerite.
ZIHCON. The twin zircons of the township of Sebastopol are well known, and
specimens have sold for high prices. Brudenell ; near the village of Bancroft, in neph
syenite ; Pic island, lake Superior, in a syenite rock ; Sebastopol 3 IX, twin zircons. Toil
locality is referred to by W. K. Hidden in the Am. Jr. Science, June, 1881, and by A. E. I
in Proc. Min. Section Philadelphia Ac. Nat. Science, Sept. 27, 1880, and Jan. 24, 1881.
ZOISITE A secondary constituent in many rocks.
ZONOCHLORITE. ** It occurs in small rolled masses and in the rock at Nipigon bay
was described by Dr. A. E. Foote. It is a dark opaque green stone, beautifully marked
veined, and admitting of a high polish, and ought to tind some sale as a local or tourists' »
G. 8. C, 1887-8, p. 77a.
A SKETCH OF THE NICKEL INDUSTRY.
By J. W. Bain.
Daring the past ten years Canadians have awakened to the fact that, together
iih mines of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc and iron, they possess valuable mines of
lekel — one of the less common metals — and have discovered at the same time that
ily in one other part of the world are to be fonnd large stores of this metal. Pablic
iHglitenment has been due to an amendment of the Mines Act, which aims to provide
V the refining of all domestic nickel ores in Oanada. At present the ore is mined and
imply concentrated before export, and the redaction of the crude nickel to fine metal is
Mkliicted almost entirely in the United States. There has been a good deal of discnssion
I the columns of the daily press, as may well be supposed, over the taxation on crude
iekel, and the editoiial deliverances have been reinforced by a series of controversial
itten from soBLe of those who are f nancially interested in the affair. Information on the
llgect ia scarce and not easily accessible, and in view of the discussion which has been
irried on the following outline of the metallurgy ot nickel may be interesting and useful.
SOURCES OF NICKKL ORES.
Nickel has been discovered in greater or less abundance in many parts of the world,
«t only the more prominent deposits can be mentioned here. Small quantities of the
raenid^ s and sulph-arsenides of nickel are found in some of the well known metalliferous
ftdes of Germany and Hungary. As a rule, the nickel may be regarded as a bye product
a the reduction of these ores, although a valuable one, and the proportion of the metal
D the rest of the ore is very low. Norway, Italy, the United States and Canada possess
lapodte of nickel sulphides, the Canadian only being sufficiently valuable to work.
The Norwegian deposits, consisting of nickeliferous pyrrhotite and pyrite, are found
lUeiy at the contact of maseive gabhro with schists, llie ore bodies are almost pure
ijrrhotite surrounded by gabbro impregnated with the sulphides which, in passing
wtwards, gradually decrease in amount until finally they disappear. There are small
lodiea of rich ore averaging 7 per cent, nickel, and the better mines can get 3.5 to 4
per cent., but the grade of the bulk is much lower. In 1870 miners were satisfied with
115 to 1.3 per cent, nickel from the smelting ore, but in later years, when only rich mines
lii?e been operated and hand sorting has been practised with more care, the yield has
increased from 1.4 to 2.5 per cent., averaging 2 per cent.
For a number of years a considerable quantity of ore was mined, which reached a
Bazimum in 1876 with a product of 42,650 tons. Since then the following quantities
»f pure nickel have been produced :
1876 SeOtone.
1877-80 100 *•
1881-85 125 •*
1886-92 105 ••
At Lancaster Gap, Penna., there is a deposit of nickeliferous pyrrhotite which was
^mrked for a number of years, commencing in 1^62, by Joseph Wharton of Philadelphia.
lie ore is reported to have carried 1.5 to 3 6 per cent, nickel and 0.75 per cent, copper ;
considerable quantity of nickel was produced, aggregating, it is said, 2000 tons. The
line has not been operated for some time.
Nickel silicates are found in New Caledonia, and in Oregon and North Carolina,
fnited States. The latter deposits are small and give no promise of future development;
B far as can be gathered, the total quantity of ore which could be mined is insignificant.
The presence of nickel in New Caledonia was pointed out by Gamier in 1867, but
ot until 1873 were the mines opened' and shipments made. Geologically, the southern
ad eastern portions of the island are large areas of massive serpentines, in the centre of
'hioh occur the deposits of nickel. In the serpentines are found depressions filled with
urge bodies of clay, which have probably been formed by the decomposition of the
urrovnding rocks The presence of nickel is explained in the following way : After the
mnation and hardening of the clay, springs broke out which corroded the serpentines at
feeir eon tact with the clay, and in these channels were then deposited from solution iron
mi. mickel ores. Whether this be the true explanation or not, the nickel ore is always
mmi. at or near the contact of the clay with the enclosing serpentine, either in pockets
r m small veinlets (stockwork) traversing the mass in all directiont,
[2131
214 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
The ore is a hydroas silicate of nickel and ma^nesiam known as gamierite, df i
beaatifal apple-green colour when pare. It is said to average 10 per cent, nickel aftai
sorting, with serpentine as gangue. There are two companies operating : Le Niskel, airf
Le Soci^ ^ d' Exploitation de Mines de Nickel. The former, which b the larger, kaii
smelters at Havre and bays all the nickel ore produced in New Oaledonia. A large ^
English company has recently entered the field.
The mining is carried on in a rather erode fashion, mainly by large quarries. Thft;
ore is simply broken down after the covering of red clay hM been carefully stripped, and '
then sorted by hand into rich and poor qualities — the former containing 8 per cent, of
nickel and over, the latter less. The waste, still containing 3 to 4 per cent, nickel, ii:
thrown aside as worthless. Where much red clay is found the ore ^ washed, but this
can only be done roughly on account of the loss which takes place. Some of the larger
veins in hard rock are worked by incline and overhand stopes, but the walls are irregultf
and may easily be lost in driving levels. The ore is transported usually to the seaboaid
by aerial tramways and by carts, at a cost varying from 10 cents to $2.00 per ton. The
mines are all eitnated within a few miles of the sea so that no long hauls are necessary,
but shipping facilities are poor. Those deposits which lie far inland are not worked at iU.
The ore is carried for ballast very cheaply by vessels during the wool-shipping season.
A miniug engineer who is familiar with the country states that " European bayers
generally pay about 75 centimes per kilo (6^ cents per pound) nickel contained in tiie
ore (with a minimum of 7 per cent.), delivered in barges alougside the loading vessel
Freights by sailing vessels vary from 32 to 34 shillings ($7.78 to $8.26) per ton to
Glasgow, Havre or German ports. Provided a minimum ot 7 per cent, has to be maii-
tained, I doubt very much whether the production will exceed 60,000 to 70,000 ttii
per annum, but with a lowering of the nickel contents to say 5.5 per cent , tha produetitB
could be more than doubled."
The Engineering and Mining Journal of May 20, 1899, notes that a cietrgo of 3000
tons New Caledonia ore is being sampled for the Orford Copper Co., the ore averaging 7
per cent, nickel. The cost f o. b. in New Caledonia was 30 shillings ($7.50) per too,
and the freight to Eagland 38 shillings ($9.50), so that the total cost would be about $17
per ton in New York.
Some of the miners are Englishmen at $1.20 to $1.80 per day, others are Eansku
at $4 00 per month and board, but the majority are convicts obtained from the GoTers-
ment on contract.
Production (metric tons). Exports.
1890 32.000
1891 83.000
1893 69,614 45,614
1894 61.248 40,089
1895 29,023 38.976
1896 6,417 37.467
1897 29.464 67.439
1898 74,614 74.614
1899 10..908
Returning to our domestic supply, we find that a body of copper ore was discovered
in a railway cutting during the construction of the O.P.R., about four miles northwest
of the town of Sudbury. The district is exceedingly rough, and, before the advent of
the railroad, accessible only with difficulty, so that the prospectors and explorers had
either been deterred by the magnitude of the task of exploration or had thought that
valuable deposits of ore probably did not occur. When the first discovery had been made,
however, others followed in rapid succession, and before long several companies were
at work. One of these, the Canadian Copper Oo., sbipppd a car load of their ore to be
smelted, and it was then discovered that nickel was present in such quantity as to make
the ores far more valuable for that metal than for copper. A sketch of the growth of
the industry from these beginnings would form a lengthy paper, and it can only be said
that the growth has been rapid, yet of that solid character which is of so much importance
to the country at large.
The ores themselves are either chalcopyrite or pyrrhotite, or far more commonly i
mixture of these two. The chalcopyrite is often found of a fair degree of parity in
pockety masses in the mixed ore, while vast bodies of pyrrhotite with little or no ehalto*
pjrite are found here and there in the distiict. Associated with these common mineith
1899]
The Nickel Industry.
215
MB imall quantities of those which contain nickel as an essential constituent, such as
■illerita^ pentlandite and others which contai)i large percentages of the metal and thus
niae the general richness of the mass. The nickel appears to he present in the pyrrhotite
of these ores replacing some of the iron ; it is variable in quantity, but usually forms
about three per cent, of the ore. Occasionally richer masses, in which may be discovered
often the nickel minerals above mentioned, are found yielding as much as eight or nine
per cent, but these bonanzas are not very common. The smelting ore during the last
seven years has averagfd 2.51 per cent, nickel and 2.92 percent, copper.
The world's production of nickel in metric tons is shown as follows for the last seven
years, as published in volume VIII of the Mineral Inclustry.
y™,.
i New Cftledoni*.
o
o
r
1
UaiUd SUten.
* <
St
EX
■ X n IS
1^^
ProMiA.
Fi&ticfi,
Eng-
land.
jTotaL
tic.
I IT port -
ad.
1.330
1,920
1,^30
1,685
1,859
z^m
a651
1893,,!
18M..
18S6..
1897..
1-98.,
18»9..
893
523
822
1,108
1,600
1,545
1,515
1.5^5
1,245
1,540
'"sis"*
406
7J5
UfiO
(»)
2.4P:i
2,422
2.972
2,S5B
(a)
1,807
2.226
1,764
1.541
1,813
2,50.^
2,605
113
103
17
16
nil
(»)
n
4
5
8
15
5
10
4,424
4,7"i5
4.3;n
4,5a7
4.68tl
40.8
46.8
40 7
33.9
38.7
40.8
■
(«) 3t»tUtic« Dot yet roportiid.
The following table gives in metric tons the nickel production of Ontario for six
years, according to the reports of the Bureau of Mines and of the Geological Survey,
bat there are discrepancies in the figures of the first three years.
Reported by
Tear. ODtan'o Bureau
of Mine^.
1894
1895
189B
1897
1898
1899
Total ,
2,331
2,099
1,706
1.818
2,525
2,605
13,139
Reported by
Dominion Geolo-
gical Survey.
2,226
1.764
1,541
1,813
2.503
2,t)05
12,452
REFINING NKW CALEDONIA ORES.
A number of methods for the extraction of nickel from these ores have been tried at
various times and places Garnier, who has taken a prominent place in connection with
this industry, endeavored to smelt the ore directly to a nickeliferous pig iron which would
afterwards be refined in reverberatory furnaces. Difficulties in the last stage, however,
led to tke abandonment of the process. Wet methods varying slightly in detail have
been need in several metallurgical works ; these follow on a large scale the operations of
a chemical analysis. The ore is dissolved in acids, the other metals are successively re-
moved by treatment with such materials as lime and bleaching powder, and finally a
lolntion containing only nickel is obtained. From this it is easy to produce the metal by
fusing with charcoal the dried nickel salt. The method which I believe is used at present
is a dry one and may be described as follows :
The ore is mixed with gypsum and coal and smelted in low water-jacketed furnaces
with the formation of a nickeliferous matte and a slag which is allowed to go to wante.
It will be remembered that the ore consists of iron and nickel oxides, magnesia and silica,
and in the smelting operation just described the following changes take place. The
gypsum, which contains lin^e and sulphur, is decomposed and gives up its sulphur to that
element which is most ready to receive it, in this case to the nickel. After the nickel
has satisfied itself with sulphur the remainder is taken up by part of the iron, while
tillca, magnesia and lime unite with the rest of the iron to form a slag. We have then a
mixture of iron, nickel and sulphur, or iron-nickel matte, which by reason of its greater
spi gr. sinks to the bottom of the furnace through the lighter slag, which contains prac-
tically none of the valuable metals and is thrown away.
The matte is now roasted and a portion of the sulphur driven ofi ; on smelting with
■and the nickel once more appropriates as much sulphur as it lequires, leaving the rest to
216
Bureau of Mines Report
[No. 5
the iron. Since part of the snlphnr has been removed it ia plain that the nickel will have
the lion's share, and that only a small proportion of the iron will be able to satisfy itself
with snlphar. The remainder of the iron unites with the sand to form a slag. We have
again a matte, this time very much richer in nickel and poorer in iron, and a slag eon-
taining only a small percentage of nickel.
By a repetition of these operations the iron is finally removed, leaving a compound of
nickel and sulphur, which is roasted with nitrate of soda to produce nickel oxide. The
latter is then mixed with charcoal and exposed to intense heat, resulting in the produc-
tion of metallic nickel.
The diagram given below gives a concise view of the operations.
Or^, Gyjoaurr? , Co a/.
Motte
roosfed t/vifh sond
Slag
Waste,
iA-
roosted
rJicke/ ox/de
-t charcoal
Nickcf
1
5/og
^gypsum, scfffd
MdH-e
roasted
-h gypsum, sand.
stag — ► k^aste
iaHe 5 lag
SMKLTINQ CANADIAN ORES.
waste
The Canadian ores, consisting of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite with accompanying rocl^
matter, are treated at Sudbury in the folio wmg manner :
The ore after coarse crushing is piled in a special manner in heaps upon a foundations
of wood; the wood is then fired and almost immed ately the sulphur in the ore cjul-
mences to burn and continues to do so without any farther addition of fuel. These piles
hold from GOO to 3,000 tons of ore and burn from 6 to 20 weeks, reducing the sulphur
contents roughly from 30 to 7 per cent. The roasted ore is then taken to the smeitera^
which are of the Herreshof pattern, water jacketed and 9 feet high to the charging door.
Two furnaces are always in operation, each with a capacity of 125 tons of ore and produc-
ing 15 tons of matte per day of 24 hours. Beside each furnace is placed a forehesrth or
settler into which the matte and slag flow as soon as they are fused in the fnrnaoe. There
is thus obtained a more complete mechanical separation ; a comparatively quiet pond is
formed in which the matte can settle to the bottom, while the slag flows contimously
over a spout at the top of the well. The matte is tapped at short intervals into oonioal
pots which are wheeled out into the open air to cool. The slag is exceedingly btaic and
flows with perfect liquidity until, pouring from the slag spout, it meets a powerful jet of
water which granulates and sweeps it away to the dnoap.
In order to understand these operations, it may be well to glance verj briefly
at the chemical reactions upon which they are based. When the ore, a mixture of iron,
nickel, copper and sulphur with silica and rock matter, is roasted in the open aii a large
portion of the sulphur bums to sulphur dioxide and passes off into the atmosphere ; the
iron having lost most of its sulphur supplies tbe vacancy with oxygen from the air, form-
ing oxides, while that portion of the sulphur which it still retains is combined as iron
sulphates. The b haviour of the copper and nickel is somewhat similar, but so strong is
the affiaity of these metals for sulphur that only small portions are changed to oxides, the
bulk being sulphates. The gangue is from a chemical standpoint, practically unaflfecttd
by the roaoting ; it is however more or less disintegrated by the alternate heating and
cooling, and on that account is the better prepared for the smelter.
When the roasted ore is charged into the furnace the ferric oxide is reduced to fe^
rous oxide, which combines with the gangue to form a slag, while the nickel and coppff
retaiDiDg their aulphur unite with the remaining iron and sulphur to form a metallic hata
18W ]
The Nickel Industry.
217
in the bottom of the furnace. This material, consbting as has been said of iron, nickel
and copper combined with snlphur, is known as matte ; it contains the valaable oonstita-
ents of the ore with the exception of slight quantities which pass ofi into the slag.
From the famaces at Sadbnry we have then at this stage two products ; a matte,
averaging
Copper 20-25 per cent.
Nickel 18-23
Iron 2.5.:« "
Sulphur 26-33 "
and a slag, containiug 0.1 per cent, copper and a trace of nickel, which goes to waste.
The former material is what is commonly referred to in the press as nickel matte, and at
this stage it is shipped to the United States for further treatment.
Analyses of samples of these two products made by the writer are given below.
Slag.
Silica 26.67 i)er cent.
Ferrous oxide 50.82
Ferrous sulphide. . 3.52
Alumina 12.88
Matte.
Iron 43.90 per cent.
Nickel 16 76 "
Copper 10 87
Cooalt 0.63
Sulphur 18.72
Slag o.a-) "
99.92
Lime 3.]
Magnesia 2.95
Nickel 0.10
Copper 0.20
100.52
The diagram below represents graphically the chemical changes which take place in the
treatment of the ore. The upper-
most circle represents, the com-
position of the raw ore ; the next
circle lower, the composition of the
roasted ore, which separates into
two products matte and slag,
^hose component parts are fihown
in the two circles at the bottom.
These latter two are simply graph-
ical reports of the analyses given
above.
Eight or nine years ago the
Canadian Oopper Oo. refined this
ordinary matte still further by a
process known as Bessemerizing,
which consists simply in forcing
a powerful blast of air through
the molten material, an operation
which causes so violent a reaction
that no external heat is required.
The converter used was the
Manh^d' modification, and had a
' capacity of one and a half tons
with a new lining and three tons
with an old lining. The matte
was run by troughs directly from
the blast furnace to the converter,
which was then wheeled to the
chimney and the blast turned on.
Starting at 5 lb. pressure, a viol-
ent agitation takes place, and on
raising the pressure to 7 lb. white
fumes of sulphur trioxide begin
to appear. The color and appear-
ance of the flame are no indication
ef what is going on in the con-
verter. The end of the operation is judged rather by a perceptible diminution of the tern-
218
Bureau of Mines Report
[No. 5
peratnre, not only of the flame bat also of the paitioles splashed or blownont of the con-
verter, and by the appearance of these particles which gradually become more frothy
and at last issue in flakes about the size of the hand. This nsnally takes 40 to 50 minutes.
The blast is then stopped, a few minutes is allowed for the settling of the metal, and the
charge is poured. A lining usually lasts for five to seven blows.
During the operation a large proportion of the sulphur
and almost all the iron is removed to form a slag with the
siliceous lining, so that a mixture of copper and nickel sul-
phides containing roughly 80 per cent, of these metals is the
product The amount of nickel oxidised is trifling, the copper
and nickel in the slag being invariably present in the same
proportion as in the original and final matte, showing that the
lofs is merely due to grains of matte entangled in the slag.
Cobalt is perfectly scorified, with but little oxidation of nickel
which might answer as a commercial method of separation
zinc, arsenic and antimony are completely volatilized ; but bis
muth, silver and gold are concentrated entirely in the matte.
The change in composition during Bessmerizing is shown
graphically in the annexed cut, in which the upper circle rep-
resents ordinary matte and the lower Bessemer matte.
Analyses of products are given in the following table :
Bfssen^r Matte. ^
Nickel Bolpbide 0^.8
SUg.'
Copper
Iron
FeO,
8iO«
Cu...
Ni ..
8.. .
43 86
39.96
30
13.76
7 oz
0.1 0.2 oz.
Pt 0.6 oz.
32.4
3.S
66.6
28..5
1.1
1
0.5
4r,.7l
40.93
0.40
(Vi.7
32.1
li.2
48.86
31.35
O.bl
04.9
33.9
1.3
67.1
27. !♦
08
1.6
0.4
44.87
41.18
0.94
11.62
5.1 oz.
0.3 oz.
According to the Canadian Oopper Co. this rich matte was not so acceptable to con-
sumers as the other of lower grade, and consequently the Bessemerizing was stopped.
TUB ORrOBD RBFININC PBOCKSS.
Almost all the ordinary nickel matte of the Canadian Copper Co. is refined by the
Orford Copper Co. at Constable Hook, N. J., by what is known as the alkaline sulphide
process.
This depends upon the fact that if a fairly rich nickel-copper matte be smelted with
sulphate of soda and coal, the sulphides of copper and iron unite with the sulphide of soda
produced in the process to form a very fusible mass, while the nickel sulphide which is of
greater ep. gr. sinks to the bottom fairly free from the other two metals. Upon cooling
there is a distinct line of separation visible, and the nickel sulphide in a yellowish white
mass is readily removed from the dark iridescent iron-copper matte. These products are
technically known as '*tops" and ''bottoms."
In practice the matte is 8melted with salt cake, or crude sodium sulphate, a chemical
which can be obtained cheaply, and two products result ; tops containing nearly all the
iron and copper as sulphides together with sodium sulphide, and bottoms containing all
the nickel with small quantities of iron and copper. The tops are then exposed to the
weather and the soda is gradually changed to the caustic condition in consequence. They
are then smelted with fresh matte when the soda robs the nickel of part of its sulphur,
> Edwardfi, Kd^. and Ming. Jouro. May 2, 1896. * Ibid. " Ulke, Min. Ind. vol iii, p. 4f0.
', ' Roberts- AuBten^ Min. Proc Inst, Civil Eng., vol, cxxxv, p. 30. *"' J. W. Bain.
1899]
The Nickel Industry.
219
producing once more a fluid mixture of iron, copper and sodium sulphides, wbUe the
xuckel in a semi metallic state sinks to the bottom once more. By combining these two
operations a pure sdphide of nickel with only very small quantities of copper and iron
Ib obtained, which is simply roasted with a little sodiam nitrate to produce the nickel
oxide of commerce. If the metal be required, the oxide is mixed with some carbonaceous
material and ignited ; it may afterwards be fused and cast as required. The following
diagram of the Or ford method was published in the Engineering and Mining Journal of
July 3, 1897, accompanying a paper on the subject by Titus Ulke.
MATTE, SALTCAKE AND COKE
TOPS AND BOTTOMS SMELTING
Y
•TOPS' SMCLTINO.
(W.itl.*r*J 'Top*." ijni* raw MAti» Jnd Cchc >
TOPS BOTTOMS
C -p-.'-»"J i>-H.*> l_
LEACHING
•rv^ n'j,.h Cu & F*.
:•- J ..tt'. n: >
^ t
I COPPER SULPHIDE
«c«.)M.- >K .'\r- '■-■•■■
•1 N; &P; l...l'....f,
«BVERBERATORY SMELTlNO.
4;
SULPHIOt SOLUTION
EVAPORATION.
SODA SALTS
BLI2
BLISTER COPPER ANODES
I BOTTOMS
'.'.^ r r,. rruc». Ni.
I "■•. c. & r; ) \
BOTTOMS" SMELTING.
\ tt .«v. S*'Uii.< and C-.K-j )
/ \
RDASTING WITH SALT AND LEACHING
JCHLORIOE ANOSULPHATE SOLUTION
>r
1 L.
;C- P! P.1. «
NICKEL OXIDE !
I
•CvrtW n.f.g v.rcx !,!!<
b C.Fr SO.fc Pt)
REDUCTION SMELTING.
vW.th Cj*w.i
I COPPER SOLUTION PLATINUM SLIME NICKEL ANODES
j, kZ " lir -.,; r„.j ly tZf. Pt. 95 fifi. N.. 5 £i Cj.
(P-.t.y Sf.r. k- I 4(?::P.', .vJ .(.".le R". 75?r«. JSi S. 045S C
- rot • Ttp.. ■ .,'d .v.- Ac. ) J-. S. *'A 5 Ji.Pt f*- '..o j
SECRET PROCESS
ELECTROLYTIC REPINING
IN SULPHATE BATH
. ELECTROLYTIC COPFER 1
SILVER-GOLD SLIME
4
M.-V.l.
CUPELLATION AND PARTING
CEMENT COPPER
•C ..; . '.- ?iVC..
ELECTROLYTIC REFINING
IN CYANIDE v') BATH.
REFINED NIChEL j \
a.' J '*ir\ u, icjtC..
cc3j Ai 0?;.' ■:> I;: r»
iMEsj
ANOOCSCRAP A SLIMES
•.Cw.iJ-n.r.j Pt )
Di.Miii \MM.vTrc Sciir.Mn ok TUft Orkord M>.-riu>D of Tkkatisu Sxckli.-Covvur Mattk..
The origin of the alkaline sulphide process has been the subject of some dispute
recently, one party claiming that it has been invented but a short time, while the other
holds that it is of much earlier date Some Eag^lish patents cf fifty years ago are
interesting in this regard, and a few notes may find a place here.
Charlfs Schafhautl, in Patent 7994, is8U< d September 5th, 1839, describing an
improved method for smelting copper ores, makes the following statement : " I claim as
part of my invention, firstly, the mixing of the ore with bodies of an alkaline nature
which have an afEnity for sulphur in order to decompose the sulpburets, or of mixing
the same alkaline bodies and carbonaceous matter to decompose the carbonate of copper
or the mixing the ore or metal to be calcined, roasted or smelted with carbonaceous
matter — particularly plumbago or anthracite — and the said mixture of alkaline bodies
and carbonaceous matter when the scoria or slack contains oxide of copper, and a
mixture of carbonaceous matter and sea sand when the scoria or slack contains oxide of
copper and metallic copper." In the case of ores containing 5 to 12 per cenl. of copper,
five parts were mixed with two and a half parts of quicklime and salt. The whole was
then treated in a patent-calcining furnace and the product leached ; the residue was then
smelted again. From the description it is plain that the inventor had found that a
good deal of iron could be removed in this way, and probably in treating a nickel-copper
ore he would have noticed that the copper would commence to pass into the au^iematant
220 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
matte before the nickel. There is, however, no reference in the specification dealing
directly with this point.
William Jeffries, in Patent No. 8657, dated January 1st, 1841, describes an improved
method of treating copper ores in a reverberatory furnace by the addition of anthracite
or oommon soda. His process does not appear to have any unusual feature, and the
function of the alkali is somewhat indefinite.
William Gossage, in Patent No. 10,976, dated June 4th, 1846, gives an account of
his improvements in the method of copper smelting : '' The sulphureous ores and com-
pounds of copper from which I obtain metallic products by the use of my invention are
such ores and compounds as contain o'Jher metals than copper, such as tin, bismuth, lead,
nickel and silver, or some of these.'' Hitherto copper had been purified by smelting such
ores to bottoms too impure to be worked. " If the said * bottom copper' does not contain
such a proportion of silver as makes it desirable to proceed at once to the extraction of
silver therefrom, 1 melt this with such a quantity of fiulphureous ore or compound of
oopper as will yield sufficient sulphur to convert the * bottom copper ' into sulphuret, and
I thereby obtain a sulphuret containing oopper and other metals combined with sulphur,
and I subject this sulphuret to such operations as are commonly used for obtaining
< bottom copper ' and ' regulus ' from sulphuret obtained from ores and compounds in the
ordinary way. I thus obtain from such ' bottom copper ' a certain portion of the copper
(previously contained therein) in a state of sulphuret nearly free from admixture with
other met aIs ; also a new production of ' bottom copper ' containing copper in a metallic
state, combined with a larger proportionate quantity of other metals." There is here a
definite scheme for the separation of nickel from copper by a smelting process, but it
relies upon the addition of sulphureous ore instead of an alkaline material to supply the
sulphur required.
That the alkaline sulphide process was in use previous to the entry of the Orford
Copper Ck)mpany into the field of nickel smelting is proven by a letter published in the
Engineering and Mining Journal in August, 1893, from an exemplojee of the Vivian
Company at Swansea, stating that the method had been employed for a number of years
at that company's works. The separating furnace, a reverberatory, was charged with
3000 pounds of a fixture of salt cake, coal and matte ; after smelting, the slag and tops
were skimmed from the bottoms, locally known as " white." The sUg and tops contain
the copper, iron and other impurities, and the '* white" is free from these. Pure nickel
oxide free from copper was made at the works, but most of the shot metal was alloyed
frith copper according to the grskde.
The Orford Copper Company were led to adopt the alkaline sulphide process by
some experiments made on a small scale by their metallurgists, and gre'i.t credit is due to
them for the manner in which they have worked out the details. The following account
of it has been supplied to the Bureau by Mr. Robert M. Thompson, the President of the
Company :
" The United States Government purchased from the Canadian Copper Company a
large amount of copper- nickel matte which was sent to my works to be refined. At that
time we were not nickel refiners, but my relations with the na/y were sach, having
formerly been a naval officer, that I was willing to do anything in my power to oblige
them, so I set all my chemists and experts at the task of working out a process which
would treat this matte. We started a process which did give us a product that the steel-
makers could use, but which we found to be unsatisfaotory and so costly that we were in
despair. One day when visiting the works I noticed some pots of matte cooling in front of
the furnace and observed that it had a different appearance from any I had ever before
seen. I asked the superintendent what was the caus<^ of it ; he thought there was no
reason, that it was a mere accident, but on appealing to the foreman he confirmed my be-
lief that this matte was something different from anything before produced. The bot-
tom of the cone was jellow, and the top was black. I had samples taken of each part
and examined, and found that there was a concentration of nickel in the bottom and of
the copper in the top. I then made an investigation, and found that the chemical de-
partment had had a cleaning out, and that a lot of residues had been thrown on the matte
piJe and pat through the furnac?, whi^h wai the means we us>d of gettiufl^ rid of our
wmate producta, I then examined my books for a petVo^ ol s^ ^^^t \a \&»a ^\uat ohemioals
1899 ] The Nickel Industry. 221
had gone into the chemical house, and an investigation was started by my superintendenti
Mr. John L. Thompson, and bis assistant, Mr. Charles Bartlett, in which we tried exper-
iments with all the chemicals known to have gone into that department. FinaUy we
found the material which effected the separation. From this beginning a long series of
experiments conducted on a large soale gradually worked out the prooess now known as
the Orford prooess, which is to-day producing nickel as high as 99.7 fina This is a
brief history of our process."
THE BALB4CH PBOCBB8.
The nickel produced by its own prooess at the Orford Company's works is not yet suffi-
ciently pure for certain purposes, and some of the crude metal is sold to the Balbaok
Smelting Works, N. J., where it is further refined by an electrolytic process which remains
a trade secret The discovery of a satisfactory method for depositing nickel for the pur-
pose of purification has been the object of much research. It is easy to plate a thin
layer of the metal, but as the thickness increases a tendency to strip is noticed, and it
becomes impossible under ordinary conditions to obtain coherent sheets suitable for roll-
ing or working. This difficulty has been overcome at the Balbach works by some
unknown method which Ulke, an authority on the subject, believes to consist in the use
of a heated neutral solution of nickel sulphate for the electrolyte. It is well known that
apparently trivial variations in electrolytic work produce results which appear to entirely
in^mmensurate with the changes, and the working out of a commercial process is often
dependent upon a happy combination of material. The Balbach Co. have produced plates
of nickel 20"" x 30" and f "^ thick, which are so tough and elastic that they are as trouble-
some to work as so much tempered steel. The anode scrap may amount to 40 per cent,
of the charge.
THE HOBPFNRB AND FRASCH PR0CEBBK8.
In the latter part of 1899 it was announced that a strong company under the title
of the Hoepfner Refining Company, with a capital of $10,000,000, had been formed in
Hamilton to refine nickel-copper mattes and zinc ores. These metals were to be obtained
by electrolysis, using methods which had been developed by Dr. Carl Hoepfner, and a
description of his cuprous chloride process may be of interest.
The basis of the Hoepfner method is the employment of chloride instead sulphate or
cyanide solutions, and for the chloride process Dr. Hoepfner makes among others the
following claims :
That they are better conductors of the current and are commercially cheaper. That
they are applicable to the extraction of precious metals. That they prevent the deposited
metal from becoming contaminated with sulphur. That they allow for the purification
of the solution and its maintenance perfectly free from iron, arsenic, antimony, bismuth,
etc.
A heated solution of cupric chloride containing 60 grams of copper per litre, and
saturated with sodium chloride or calcium chloride, is passed into leaching drums con-
taining the ore ground to 90 mesh, and is allowed to act for from two to six hours ac-
cording to the nature of the material.
The operation takes place in two stages, thus : A fresh solution of cupric chloride is
added to a drum of ore ^hich has previously been treated in order to extract any of the
remaining metals, and it then passes to a drum containing fresh ore where it is reduced
to cuprous chloride. It is then drawn off, leaving a reudue which in good practice does
not contain more than 0.2 per cent, copper. The solution, now cuprous chloride, is run
into vats and the impurities are separated ; silver by finely divided copper ; lead by cool-
ing ; arsenic, antioaony, bismuth and iron by oxide of copper or by lime.
The solution then passes in two streams to the depositing bath«, which are so ar-
ranged that the electrodes are immersed in the two portions of the solution. Copper is
deposited on the cathodes until the solution is entirely or almost entirely exhausted ;
while at the anodes chlorine is liberated which re-converts the cuprous to cupric chloride.
These two streams flow into one common tank, and by their mixture we obtain once
more a solution of cupric chloride with 60 grams copper per litre. The solution^ ua^
222 Bureau of Mine^ Report [ No. 5
purified from metals which would interfere with the next operation, is made neutral or
is acidulated with some weak acid such as citric or phosphoric, and electrolyzed
with the production of pure nickel. The anodes are insoluhle, and are
separated from the cathodes hy nitrated linen or cotton mixed with asbestos ; the cath-
odes are rotating vertical or horizontal discs, with brushes.
It will be seen that the common trouble due to the unequal decomposition of the
mattes and their consequent crumbling is entirely absent in this process. A curious
advantage possessed by the Canadian ores over other nickel ores is due to the presence
of small quantities of the precious metals. Thus a ton of Bessemer matte from the
Canadian Copper Co.'s furnaces contains on an average 7 oz. silver, 0.1 — 0.2 oz. gold,
and 0.5 oz. platinum, worth at current prices $16. These metals, it is claimed, are
entirely recovered by the Hoepfner process and constitute one of the valuable bye-
products.
The supply of nickel-copper matte was to be obtained from the Nickel-Copper Com-
pany, Limited, which had been organized with the following officers : A. T. Wood, Presi-
dent ; John Moodie, Treasurer; and John Patterson, Secretary, to mine and smelt the
Sudbary ores ; but unfortunately the Hoepfner Company were not able to carry out their
refining process with commercial succeed, and the Nickel -Copper Company took the
matter into their own hands. The services of Mr. Hans A. Frasch were obtained and
after experimenting for some time, he devised a process which is said to be at once
efficient and cheap. On the 3rd September the Company announced that a public
exhibition woul4 be given, and a number of prominent men were invited to attend.
Among these was Mr. Joseph Struthers of the stafi of the Mineral Industry, who made
a thorough investigation of the process and supplied a description which was published
in the Engineering and Mining Journal of September 8, 1900. Mr. Struthers is a
thoroughly competent metallurgist, and the details which he supplies may be fully
relied on. The following description has been compiled from his article.
The process is based upon the electrolysis of a solution of common salt in the
presence of the matte which is to be treated. As is well known the salt under the
influence of the electric current is gradually decomposed into its elements, sodium
and chlorine, the former reacting immediately with the water to form sodium hydrate,
commercially known as caustic soda, while the latter, in the absence of any material
with which it can combine, bubbles to the surface and can be drawn off in pipes. The
matte, however, is readily attacked by chlorine, with the formation of chlorides of
the metals which it contains, and this afiords a ready method of dissolving the valuable
constituents of the material under treatment.
In the electrolytic cell in practice, the matte, coarsely crushecl, is placed upon the
anode, which consists of a layer of carbonaceous material in the bottom of the vat A
layer of sand covers the matte and forma a diaphram for the separation of the solutions
of caustic soda and the chlorides of the metals. The bottom of the vat is $lled as far as
the sand layer with a chloride solution, and water is added to fill the upper portion. As
electrolysis proceeds the chlorine attacks the metals of the matte forming a solution of
chloride which remains below, while the caustic soda solution is to be found above the
layer of sand. It is claimed that the caustic soda and other bye-products will be
sufficiently valuable to meet the entire expense of the process. The copper and nickel
are to be removed successively from the solution by electrolysis.
An interesting feature is the proposal to use to the cupric chloride solution from the
electrolytic cell for the treatment of new parcels of matte in precisely the manner
described above in the Hoepfner process. At the public exhibition the solution of the ore
was exhibited in an experimental plant, but the process has not yet been tested on a
commercial scale. In addition, all reference to the most difficult problem, the deposition
of the nickel, has been avoided in the published description, and until further work has
been done it will be advisable to suspend any opinion.
THE LAKE SUPERIOR POWER COMPANY'S PROCESS.
It is commonly known that some American capitalists have invested a good deal of
money in hydraulic works and pulp mills at the Canadian Sault Sta Marie. F6r some
time they were content to produce mec\iaiiici\ pu\p^\>uV> ^ndvu^ that a good market
The Nickel Industry.
223
for sulphite palp it was decided to eater upon its manufacture. For the pro-
of this pulp it is necessary to use sulphur, and an inspection of the sources of
led to some experiments with the ni^keliferons pyrrhobite of the Sadbary region,
found that the latter material on roasting gave a satisfactory quantity of the sul-
oxide required, while there remained behind a mixture of iron and nickel contain-
l 7 per cent, of sulphur. This residue was mixed with lime and charcoal and
1 in electric furnaces with the following results :
one case the mixture was contained in a vessel which acted as one electrode, the
eing a carbon pencil moving perpendicularly ; the product in this case consisted
er cent, nickel, 28 per cent, iron, 12 per cent carbon and no sulphur,
another instance the electrodes were placed side by side with a bridge between
brming a continuous furnace which reduced the ore as fast as one man could shovel
In this case the material contained 7 per cent nickel and weis high in carbon,
hard that it oflfered great advantages as a cnlting tool.
le company propose to enter upon thiS' process commercially, and expect within a
ime to produce daily 200 tons of ferronickel and to employ this alloy for the
'Aon of nickel steel rails at the rate of 500 tons per day.
PURITY OF NICKEL.
le purity of the commercial nickel in the market has steadily increased since its
iction, and a metal containing only very small amounts of impurities can now be
d without dii£icalty. This will be made plain by a comparison of the table of
!S appended with that published in the Mineral Industry vol. I, p. 349. The
ts quoted below give the composition of some of the specimens of nickel on the
, with the exception of No. 7 which is a hitherto unpublished analysis of a bar of
on's nickel.
Nickel
Carbon
Silicon .
Copper
Iron
Cobalt
Manganese
Sulphur
Tin
Arsenic
In'ioluble Residue . .
98.89
0.40
0.02
0.10
0.43
0.14
0.02
2
3
1
4 ; 5
1
6
7
98.80
98.80
99.80 199.82
99.43
98.76
0.16
0.16
0.05
0.07
0.087
0.09
0.09 none
0.26
0.11
none
0.10
0.60
0.60
13
none
O.IO
0.43
0.91
0.016
0.016 0.006
0.0068
0.0099
tr.
11
0.11
0.11
none
i
0.026
Lmerican nickel, analysis bv Foerster quoted by Ulke, Min. Ind. vol. vi, p. 505.
ubes, Ferro-nickel Co., iLst. Civil Ent? , 28 Mar., 1899.
'bompaon nickel, Inst. Civil Eoflr., L8 Mar., 1899.
lond nickel, Inst. Civil Eng., 28 Mar., 1899.
. Mond nickel, Proc. Inst. Civil Eng., Nov. 8tb, 1898.
Wharton nickel, analysed by J. W. Bain.
U8KS OF NICKKL.
ickel is used chiefly in the production of nickel-steel, a material which has come
into favor on account of its excellent qualities. Much has been written daring
years concerning this new steel, and it would far exceed the limit of this paper to
adequate account of the discussion. Two excellent contributions to the subject
ade in 1899 by R. A. Hadfield^ and David H. Browne^ and many deUils wiU be
in these papers.
ickel-steel has many uses and is daily being tried for new purposes. Perhaps
St important use to which it is put is for the manufacture of armor and heavy
ic. Inst. Ciyil Eng:. Mar. 28, 1899.
^Trans. Am. Inst. Mng. Eng. Sept. 1899.
224 Bureau of Mines Report [ No. 5
ordnance, where its great strength and tonghness are of mnch value. It has
been used for engine and propeller shafts for a number of years, and has proven
so much superior to other steels that it is unrivalled foi such purposes. Because
of increase of strength or decrease of weight, it has been used for piston rods, crank pins,
light forged engine frames, bolts for extreme hydraulic pressures, hydraulic forged ctylin-
ders and railway axles ; and from its peculiar resistance to fatigue under vibration it ii
used very successfully for piston rods in steam engines and rock drills. The value of
nickel-steel for armor plate lies not in greater resistance to penetration, but inBon-
fissibility. It resists penetration admirably, it is true; but when the projectUe does pierae^ a*
clean hole is produced without shattering, and this is a feature of much impurtande fa
armor. The United States Bureau of Ordnance in a number of tests have decided on the
superiority of Harveyized nickel-steel over all other competitors. An idea of the qaanti^
which is thus consumed may be gathered from the statement that if the armor of tke
battleship Massachusetts canied 3^ per cent, nickel, 75 tons of that metal would ba l•^
quired in its manufacture.
Nickel has a number of minor uses in the arts, of which its employment for ■Dofl
and plating may be mentioned. German silver is a well known alloy of nickel, uid tmm
of the plated ware now produced has as a body an alloy containing nickel which fa aa
white in color that the difierence between the superficial plating and the base metal ii
very much less apparent than when brass is used as a body. Oonsiderable quantitfaa of
nickel salts are used for plating purposes ; the niost common of these is nickel-ammoninn
sulphate. Nickel coinage has been introduced into a number of countries with satisfse-
tory results, as in the United States, Switzerland, Belgium, Pern, Jamaica, Braail,
Chile, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Bulgaria and the Argentine Republic.
Such are some of the uses to which this metal is put, and the list is increasing con-
stantly. A glance at the table of statistics given previously will show a steady annual
increase in the output, which is probably due chiefly to the increased demand for nickel-
steel armor and ordnance. Although Canada produced in 1898 only 40 per cent, of
the world's oulput the industry is now on a firm basis^ and in the near future the opera-
tions of the new companies which are entering the field should, if all goes well, alter the
ratio until the balance lies substantially to the credit of our domestic ores.
48. Rapids on Trout River, p. 188.
V
49. On the North Slope of Mount Horden, Algom* Diitrlct, p. 187|
THE MINES LAW OF ONTARIO^
By Archibald Blue
In Ontario, as in all the older Provinces of Oanada, the Legislature may exclusively
make laws in relation to the management and sale o! public lands. The Province is the
owner of all unoccupied lands within its boundaries, excepting areas which have been set
apart as Indian Reserves ; and even on theee reserves the title to gold and silver, if not
to all ores and minerals, is vested in the Grown as represented by the Executive of the
Province.
In the early period of our history mines, minerals and ores were not deemed worthy
of being dealt with by statute law. During the first thirty years all mines of gold, silver,
tin, lead, copper, iron and coal were reserv^ to the Grown in the patents, and in the next
forty-four years all mines of gold and silver were so reserved. For three-quarters of a
century regulatioos made by Cider in Council were the only mining laws. But this was
largely owing to the fact that the southern portions of Ontario, which were the first to
be occupied, were valuable chit?fly for agriculture. It was only when exploration began
to be carried northward into the regions of the ArchsBan rocks around lake Huron and
lake Superior that evidence began to accumulate of the existence of valuable ores and
minerals, and then the importance of making laws to regulate the sale of mining lands
and the conduct of the mining industry b^;an to force itself upon the attention of the
Legislature. It was known eighty years ago that deposits of iron ore existed in the
eastern part of the Province ; but the valuable discoveries of minerals south of lake
Huron, Georgian bay and lake Nipissing are comparatively modem. Gold, copper,
oinmndum, arsenic, mica, apatite, gypsum and salt occur over a wide area, and some of
them in great bodies. Tet, with the single exception of gold, a knowledge of the pres-
ence of these minerals in lands occupied by farmers and lumbermen did not weigh a
grain in the mind of the Legislature, — no doubt owing to the fact that in some cases the
Grown had parted with its interest in the lands. In the western counties, between lake
Huron and lake Erie, there is an area of about 1,200 square miles underlaid with thick
beds of salt, sufficient in amount to supply the world for millions of years ; but nearly
the whole of this tract of land, with its timber and minerals, was sold to settlers a quarter
of a century before the first discovery of salt within its limits. In the eastern counties
^thin the last four years a discovery of corundum was made which has been proved by
exploration conducted under Government auspices to have an extent of four hundred
square miles. In this instance, however, the lands are mostly in homestead districts,
^here the minerals are held as the property of the Crown, and they are disposed of under
conditions which call for development and the erection and maintenance of works in the
Province to manufacture the various products of the ore. But in all its main features
the Mines Law of Ontario owes its origin and evolution to circumstances connected with
the discoveries of minerals in the northern districts — in the territory popularly known as
New Ontario.
It is not the purpose of this paper to deal with the subject historically, for this
would occupy too much time. It must suffice to describe the law as it is, merely pre-
mising that, like most other laws, it is a product of experiment, and that no ** Finality
John ** has had part in the shaping of it.
FEATUBK8 OF THS PBS8KNT LAW.
The law is known by its short title as " The Mines Act," and among its first pro-
visions are sections which abolish all royalties upon ores and minerals, and that rescind
and make void all reservations of mines, ores and minerals contained in any patent, except
patents issued for agricultural lands under the Public Lands Act or the Free Grants and
Homesteads Acts.
Any person, citizen or foreigner, may explore for mines or minerals on any Grown
lands, whether surveyed or unsurveyed, except such as may have been withdrawn from
sale, location or exploration as being valuable for their pine timber or for any other
1 A paper read at the International Mining Congress, Milwaukee. It embodiea the principal features
of the Act as amended in the Session of 1900.
[225]
15 m.
226 Bureau of Mines Report. [ No. 5
reason, and any person attempting to explore, occupy or work any lands so withdrawn is
liable to a penalty. The main object of this provision is to protect areas which haTO
been sold as timber limits, where the pine is liable to be destroyed by the carelessness of
prospectors in bailding camp fires. Sections which are shown to be rich in ores or
minerals msy also be withdrawn from sale or lease, pending a careful exploration under
the direction of the Commifisioner of Grown Lands, and the price of lands in a section so
proven to be valuable may be fixed at any greater sum than the Act provides, or the
lands may be offered for sale at public auction on such terms and conditions as may be
fixed by Order in Oouncil.
When Crown lands are situated within a mining division, and are held and worked
under miners' licenses, they are known as mining claims; but when they are situated
elsewhere, and are supposed to contain ores or minerals, they may be held or leased as
mining lands in blocks or lots called mining locations.
In unsurveyed territory a mining location is required to be rectangular in shape^
with the bearings of the outlines due north and south and east and west aBtronomicaHy,
with an area of not less than forty acres and sides of 20 chains, or with areas which are
multiples of forty acres, as 80, 160, 320. In surveyed townships a location may be a
fractional part of a lot or section, but so that its area shall be not less than forty acres ;
and, where road allowances have not been laid out, a reservation of five per cent, of the
land is made in the patent, and the Grown or its officers may lay out roads where deemed
necessary.
In unsurveyed territory mining locations are required to be surveyed by a lioenaed
surveyor at the cost of the applicants, and to be connected with some known point in
previous surveys, or with some other known point or boundary so that the tract may he
laid down on the office maps of the territory. The surveyor's plan, field notes and
description must be furnished to the Department of Grown Lands within four months
of the time of application for the lands, and they will not be regarded as oonstitoting a
claim to the location on behalf of the party at whose instance they have been prepared
unless they are filed in the department immediately upon completion of the survey. The
applicant is required in addition to furnish evidence of the discovery of valuable ore or
mineral in the land, as well as evidence of no adverse claim by reason of prior disoovery
or occupation as far as known to him, and to pay one-fourth of the purchase price or first
year's rental within sixty days, and the balance within three months from the date on
which his application was filed in the department The area which any person may
acquire in one calendar year of lands containing ores of the same class or kind is limited
to 320 acres within a radius of fifteen miles in any one district or county, which may he
composed of separate locations of not less than forty acres each ; and no firm, syndicate
or incorporated company may acquire more than 640 acres in one year. For every dis-
tinct kind of ore discovered within the radius of fifteen miles, the maximum area of land
may be taken up in the same year ; and so with any discoveries made outside of the
radius of fifteen miles. But in case a prospector does not see fit to incur the expense of
making a survey of a location and paying the price therefor before he has had an oppor-
tunity of proving its value, he may proeure from the Commissioner of Grown Lands a
miner's license, which will authorize him to stake out and work two mining locations in
unsurveyed territory within a radius of fifteen miles, and hold them for a period of two
years subject to an expenditure of three dollars per acre in the first year and seven
dollars per acre in the second year for actual mining work. If then satisfied that the
land is valuable, he may proceed to acquire it in the regular way. In the case of a
prospector wbo is tue first discoverer of valuable metals, ores or minerals upon a vein,
lode or deposit not less than five miles from the nearest known occurrence of the same
kind of metal, ore or mineral, he is entitled to a free grant of one location of forty acres.
HOW MINING LANDS MAY BE ACQUIRKD AND HELD.
Mining lands may be acquired in fee simple upon payment of the price fixed in the
Act, or may be taken up under lease tenure subject to the payment of a yearly rental.
Both price and rent are regulated by distance from a railway. If a location is in sur-
reyed territory, the price is $3.50 per acre when within six miles of a railway, $3 if
within twelve milea, and $2.50 if more than twelve mWsa itom a railway ; and prioes are
1899 ] The Mines Law of Ontario. 227
50 eenta per aore leas in each case if the location is in nnsarveyed territory. The rent
diarge is oniformly $1 per acre for the first year, 30 cents per acre in sabseqnent years
if the location is within six miles of a raUway in surveyed lands, 25 cents it within
twelve miles, and 20 cents if more than twelve miles, with a reduction of five cents per
acre in each case if the location is in unsurveyed territory. At the end of ten years, if
the rent has been paid and the necessary working conditions have been performed, the
lessee is entitled to receive a patent for bis lojation free from all conditions, or he may
obtain a patent at any time during the demised term upon payment of rent for the full
period and performance of all the covenants and conditions of the lease. In practice the
lease system provides an easy term of payment^ as the aggregate amount at the end of ten
years is a mere trifle more than the cash price for a patent. But whether acquired in
fee simple or under a lease, a location is held subject to an expenditure for actual mining
operations of a sum not less than $6 per acre during the first seven years immediately
following the issue of the patent or lease, whereof $1 per acre must be expended in the
first two years and $1 per acre in each of the following five years ; and if two or more
locations are contiguous, the whole of the mining work may be done upon one of them.
In default of such expenditure all rights of an owner or lessee are liable to forfeit, and
the land is subject to reversion to the Crown. In the case of lands valuable for iron ore,
aad where it is reported by an inspector or other officer that a mine may be profitably
worked, the owner or lessee may be required to raise 2,000 tons a year for a period of
ten years, or 20,000 tons in a shorter period of time when the location is not more than
forty acres and a proportional amount if it is more than forty acres, with liability to
forfeit of title if the requirement is not complied with. Failure to pay yearly rent sub-
feetB a lease to forfeiture, with reversion of the land to the Crown ; but in case of a oo-
hasee or co-owner who defaults in rent or performance of working conditions, his interests
may be vested in his co-lessees or co-owners who have paid the rent or made the expenditure
for working conditions, when delinquency is proven to the satisfaction of the Commissioner.
Pine trees on lands sold as mining locations are reserved to the Crown in the patent,
sad any person holding a license to cut timber or sawlogs on such lands may at all times
enter upon the lands and cut and remove such trees, and make all necessary roads for
that purpose. The patentee, however, may cut and use trees necessary for building,
fenoinir and fuel on tiie land, or for any purpose essential to the working of the mines,
and may also cut and dispose of all trees required to be removed in clearing the land for
cultivation. All pine trees cut on a location except for these purposes are subject to the
payment of the same dues as are at the time payable by the holders of licenses to cut
timber or sawlogs. If a location is held under lease, and in case it is intended to clear
any portion of the land for cultivation, the lessee is required to give the holder of the
timber license three months' notice, and if at the expiry of that time the timber has not
been out and removed by the holder of the license the lessee may cut and dispose of it,
subject to the payment of the same dues as are at the time payable by the holder of the
license. Timber other than pine upon a leased location may be cut for building, fencing
and fuel, or in the course of clearing for cultivation, or for any purpose essentiaJ to the
working of the mines ; but none shall be cut for any other purpose except with the
authority of the Commissioner, and subject to the payment of dues at the rate to be fixed
by the Commissioner.
Where the surface rights have been granted for agricultural purposes, the mining
rights may be acquired by a piospeotor who is the discoverer of ore or mineral thereon
at one-half the price or rental of mining lands, subject to compensation for injury or
damage to the surface rights ; and in case the owners of the surface and mining rights
cannot agree, the Director of the Bureau of Mines may prescribe the manner in which
compensation shall be ascertained and paid or secured.
TENUBB OF CLAIMS IN MINING DIVISIONS.
Whenever the Government of the Province sees fit, it may by Order in Council set apart
any tract of country described in the order as a mining division, and may from time to time
add to, diminish or cancel the division by an Order. I^lnds beld for mining purposes in such
a tract are known as mining claims, and the tenure is one of occupation by any person,
partnership or mining company holding a miner's license. Licenses are granted for one
228 Bureau of Mines Report, [ No. 5
year on payment of a fee of ¥10, and are renewable from year to year. They authorize
the licensees to explore any portion of the mining division, and to mine on any olaim
marked or staked out by themselves on orown lands ; but any person may be employed by ;
a licensee to work his claim, or he may organize a company to work it, or may transfer it
to another licensee. Discovery of a vein, lode or other deposit of ore is a prerequisite to
the staking out of the claim, and it is deemed to be staked when a discovery post is
planted upon an outcropping of ore or mineral in place within the boundaries of the
claim, and a stake is planted at each of the four corners, numbered in order from the
northeast to the northwest corner. A claim may be a square of fifteen chains, oontain-
22^ acres, or of any other extent greater or l^ss as may be fixed by regulation, but so as
not to exceed a square of 20 chains containing forty acres, and the ground induded in
each olaim is deemed to be bounded under the surface by liues vertical to the hdmoaiL
A licensee who has staked out a claim is required within thirty days to register it with
the Inspector for the division by filing under oath an outline sketch of the plan, showing
the discovery post and comer posts and their distances from each other, together with a
notice in writing setting forth the name of a licensee, the locality of the claim as indi-
cated by some general description, the time when it was marked out, the length of the
boundary lines if for any oause they are not regular, the situation of the discovery post
and the date of the record ; and the Inspector is required forthwith to enter the parti-
culars of the notice in his book, and file the notice and sketch or plan of the daim with
the records of his office. If the licensee fails to comply with the requirements for regis-
tration, or if, having complied with them, he or any person on his behalf removes any
poet for the purpose of changing the boundaries after the plan and notice have been filed,
the claim shall be deemed to be forfeited and all the rights of the licensee in it ahall
oeasa A daim may also be forteited if the miner's license has run out and has not been
renewed, or if the annual fee has not been prepaid in the case of a lioensee who is the
holder of more than one daim, or if a sum of $150 has not been expended upon it in
actual mining work. No more than one daim may be staked out upon the same vein,
lode or deposit of ore by an individual lioensee, unless it is distant at least sixty ohains
from the nearest known mine, claim or discovery on the same vein or lode ; but no
lioensee may stake out and record in the same mining division more than four olaims bk
one calendar year within a radius of fifteen miles, and for each additional claim after the
first a fee of $10 is required. A lioensee who is the holder of five claims or Ipsb within
a radius of one mile may carry on all mining operations demanded by the Act upon one
of them, or different persons holding claims within a radius of one mile may combine to
expend all operations on one claim for every five claims or less.
When the working conditions have been complied with for a period of four years on
a daim of 20 chains square, or for three years on a daim of 15 chains square or less,
or when an equivalent of such working conditions has been complied with in a lees period
of time, the licensee may apply for and obtain a certificate of full performance of work-
ing conditions for the claim free from any other working conditions, renewal fee or
miner's licensa He may also, if he desires to hold the claim under a patent or lease,
proceed to get a survey made of it as a mining location, and pay in the purchase money
or first year's rent at the rates fixed by the Act for mining locations. This provision,
however, is not for the sake of securing a better title, but to satisfy a desire for better
description by metes and bounds, a holding under the great seal, and the right to record
in the office of the Register of Titles.
THK BUBEAU OF MINKS.
Other provisions of the Mines Act relate to mining regulation for the health and
safety of men employed in mines and mining work, and for the punishment of offences
against the Act. There are also provisions for administration under the office of tlie
Bureau of Mines, which was organized to aid in promoting the mining interests of the
Province. The inspection of mines, the condact of exploratory work under direction of
competent geologists, the operation of diamond drills and the encouragement of iron mis-
in/i^ hf the payment of a bonus to miners for ores smelted in the Province, are all within
tlie sphere of the Bareaa*s operations.
1899 } The Mines Law of Ontario. 229
EXPLOBATION OF UNKNOWN ONTARIO.
During the present season ten exploration parties have been organized to make a
eaiefnl examination and report on the northern regions of Province. This territory
estei^ from the Qaebec boundary on the east to the Manitoba boundary on the west, a
length of about 700 miles, and its area is about 90,000 square miles, or about 40 per
eeat. of the whole Province. It is one and a half times larger than the whole State of
Wkoonsln, and nearly twice as large as the Orange Free State ; but excepting along the
Bnea of its canoeable waters it is as little known as the Congo Free State in 3ie heart of
Afrka. Almost certainly it is a region in which there are great forests of spruce ani..
other kinds of trees, valuable for pulpwood ; there are wide tracts of clay loam deposited
ia ancient lake bottoms, as well as large areas of till, both of which are calculated to
lorm the best of farm land ; and there are many thoueands of square miles of the
ArehsBan formations in which the trained prospector may hope to find rich stores of ores
ted minerals.
PROVISION rOR BKFININO NIOKBL ORE.
I have kept for the close of my paper reference to a new provision of our Mines
Aet, which, however, has not yet been brought into operation. Its purpose is to secure
to Ontario a larger share of an industry which in recent years has been built up out of
law materials which the Province possesses in large abundance, namely, the refining of
nickel and the production of nickel steel. Two works with ample capital are in course
of construction for the production of steel, the refining of nickel and the manufacture of
nfekel steel, and one if not both of them includes in its scheme a plant for the making of
nickel steel rails for railways, at a cost estimated to exceed but a little the cost of
Bessemer rails. For this industry Ontario is well favored by its supplies of the raw
materials, and, if deemed necessary for the object in view, effect will be given to the pro-
vision of the law when the works are equipped and practically established. Stated in its
briefest terms, the provision requires thiat every person carrying on the business of
mining nickel ore in the Province shall pay to the Treasurer of the Province a license
fee computed at or below a fixed maximum rate upon the gross quantity of ore raised or
won by him during the preceding year, with a right to remission if the ere has been
treated in the country so as to yield fine metal, or. other form or product of the ore suit-
able for direct use in the arts without further treatment. But, until brought into force
by proclambktion of the lieutenant- Gk)vemor in Council, this provision shall not take
effect.
INDEX
PAGE
nine 149
itffaBwell 106
mining 24
192
or Golden Crescent naine 71
accident to 82
le spar 192
, accident to 31
192
te 192
192
Inabella f^old mine 68
Randolph gold mine 68
d location 80
d location 76
193
Id mine 75
ilphide method of refining nickel . . 218
193
193
193
193
193
198
193
193
d 85,146, 179
193
Qgnaite 186
193
O., accident to 31
193
193
158
adian Gold Estates 47
193
ocks * ; '. * '. '. '. ! iiii 146/147,' 149,' 150, 163
te ....
I silver
eat works, Stratford
Diamonds in Ontaiio ? 119,
jof .
)om.
.18, 91, 173.
te
:e, Provincial,
iron range . . .
nic Co
mippickel.
) f ehpar . . .
193
193
198
193
194
194
194
194
194
93
124
194
194
195
13
195
195
195
195
195
83
H8
91
195
173
195
195
195
line 38
=^res 174
'., on Nickel Industry 213-224
:kel rehniDg process 221
tld mine 63
195
PAOR
Bartlett table 20
Barytooelentite 195
Basal oonglomerata 184
Batchawana Bay iron rang^ 161 et teq
Jasper pebbles from 185
Beaches, lake 174, 175, 176
Beaverton, peat fnel plant near 22
Bedford iron mine 103
Belmont gold mine 92
Belmont iron mine 15
Benzine, output of 18
Beryl 196
Bessemerizing nickel matte 217
BG 24, 26, :^, 37, Pettigrew's gold mine 79
BG 43 and 45 gold locations 81
Big I >ah mispickel claim 173
Big Four copper mine 167
Big Six gold mine 81
Big S:one Bay, gold on 42
Biotite 195
Bismite 195
Bismuth 195
Bismuthinite 195
Bitumen 195
Biwabik iron mine 198
Black Bay, native copper on 86
Blackjick 195
Black Jack gold mine 42
Black Sturgeon gold mine 37
Accident at 28
Blake and Boston copper locations 85, 147
Blake township, native copper in 85
BlaftMt furnace at Deseronto .... 15
At Hamilton 14
AtMidland 16
Blue, A., on Diamonds in Ontario^ 119-124
On Mines Law of Ontario 225-229
Blueite 195
Blue Mountains 176, 177
Boerth gold mine 98
Boerth Gold Mining Go 93
Bog iron ore 196
Bog manganese 196
Bonney, Prof., on South African diamonds.. 122
Bornite 165,168. 195
Boulder gold mine 61
Bounty on iron ore \ 15
Bournonite 196
Boyd, D. G.. report of 112118
Boyerlake 156
Bow. J. A . report of 84-88
Brick, statistics of 13
Briquettes, peat 22, 28
Britannia Consolidated Gold Mining Co 48
Brockville Peat KuelCo 23
Brougham, graphite in 14
Bruce copper mines 94
Building stone, statistics of 13
Building materials 12
Bullion gold mine 36
Bullion Gold Mining Co 67
Bullion No. 2 gold mine 57
Bully Boy gold mine 51
Bureau of Mines 228
Burley gold mine .' 42
Burnet, R L., accident to 81
Burnt areas 141
Butt, mica in 171
By townita 175
Cacoxenite 195
Caiabogie iron mine 108
Calcareous tufa 196
[231
232
Index
PAQB
Cmloite 196
Galoium carbide 12
SUtisOicsof 12
Caldwell Point 149
Caledon, Bandstone quarries in 110
Galifomia, nii kel in 213 ,
Calumet and Heola copper mine 144
Cameron Island gold mine 60
Cameron mine, accident at 81
Camp Bay, gold mines on •. 60
Canada Corundum Co 20
Canada Iron Furnace Co 16
Plan of property of 16
Canadian Copper Co*8 mines 96, 97
Accidents at 24, 26
Smelting works 98
Canadian Gold Fields, Limited 90
Canadian Peat Fuel Co 22, 28,111
Cancrinite 196
Cape Choyye 161
Cariboo lake 170
Carling, copper in '. 168
Cassiterite 196
Celestite 196
Cement 108
Stotlsticsof 18
Works at Napanee Mills 109
Works at Owen Sound 108
Works at Shallow Lake 108
Cerargyrite 196
Cerium 196
Chandler iron mine 162
Chabazite 196
Chalcanthite 196
Chalcedony 196
Chalcodte 165, 196
Chalcopyrite 196,214
Chatham, peat fuel plant at 24
Chert 196
Chlorite . .. 196
Chlorastrolite 196
Chondrodite 196
Chromite . 196
Cbrysooolla 196
Chrysolite 196
ChrysotUe 196
Chlinochlore 196
Claims, mining 226, 227
Clara Bell copper-nickel mine 97
Clay lands on Niven*s Base Line, 128, 129, ISO,
136,187,139,142
Clay products 12
Clearwater Gold Mining Co 81
Clinton limestone 105, 106
Cloud Bay 146
Csal 196
Cobalt 196
Cobalt bloom 197
Coocolite 197
Coe Hill iron ores 103
Coleman, A. P., on Copper and Iron Regions
of Ontario 143-1 91
Colonial Copper Co.*s mine 31
CoUingwood, projected blast furnace at 17
Columbite 197
Combined Gold Mines Co 50
Companies incorporated in 1899 5
Statistics of 5
Conglomerates, Huronian 156, 183
Constable Hook, nickel refining works at . . . 218
Copper 197
In Parry Sound District 164 et seq
Native 86,86,144.146
Production of 13, 17
Copper and Iron Regions of Ontario 143, 191
Copper Cliff mine 96
Copper glance 197
Copper mines 36, 94, 143, 164
Big Four 167
BJakeand fioston 85, 147
Bruce 94
CUraBell
Copper CliflF
Cornfield
Creighton
Evans
Godard
Great Lakes Co.'s
Lafex 1
Macdonald
McArthurNo. 1
McArthur No. 2
McGrown 1
McMillan's
Near Thunder Bay
Nelson's
Of Northern Michigan
OnNetLake
Pritchard
Rock Lake
Six and Six
Stobie
Stobie Falls
Tip-top
Vankoughnet*s
Wilcox 100, ]
Copper smelting plants
Copper pyrites
Copper sulphate
Cora gold claim
Coracite
Cordova Exploration Co
Cornfield copper mine
Corona Mining Co
Corundum
In North Carolina and Georgia
Plant for treating
Market value of
Cowper, copper in .1
Covellite
Cracker Jack gold mine
Cracker Jack Gold Mining Co
Credit Forks Mininpf and Mfg. Co
Credit Forks, quarries at
Creighton copper mine . .
Crooks, amygdaloids of
Crown Point gold mine
Crown Point Gold Mining Co
Crystalline limestone
Cuprite
Cuthbertlake
Current river
Cyanite
D 219, 221, 222, Tycoon gold mine
D 283 and 289, Bullion No. 2 mine
D 268 or Crown Point gold mine
D 897 or Imperial gold mine
D 410 or Sirdar gold mine
Dana on origin of diamonds ....
Danaite
Datolite
Davis, J., accident to
DB 13, 14, 16, copper locations
Decca gold mine
DeKalb, C, report of
Manual of Explosives by
Delessite
Deloro gold mine
Depot Harbor
Dei«eronto blast furnace
Diallage
Diamonds in Ontario, possibility of
Favorable geological conditions for
In South Africa
In Wisconsin
Origin of
Dickson peat press
Dido, F., accident to
Diopnide
Disthene
Dobson's peat works
Index
233
PAOK
Dog river 160
Doer tooth spar 198
Dolomite 198
Domanski, I., aooident to 26
Domeykite 198
DomiDion Gold Mining ^nd Reduction Co . . . 86
Dor^ conglomerate 184
Drummond, McColl & Go 17
Dnlnth Mining Co 76
Dyscnwite 198
E 237, or Swede Bo^ gold mine 74
Easiem Ontario, mines of 89
Echo Bay, gold properties on 69
Edey Gold Mining Co. 112
Elffiolite or eleolite ... 198
Eleanor lake 157
Eleotro-Gold mine 37
Elftman, Dr., of MoQown mine 164
Ely 152
Emery 198
Emma Abbott gold location 75
Empress gold mine 82
Englehart oil pumping system 107
EnsUtite 198
Epidoter 198
Epeomite 198
Sqmtable iron mine 104
Erythrite 198
ES 20 gold location 76
ES 79, or Gesic zinc mine .^ 87
Essex natural gas field 106
Evans copper-nickel mine 96
Exploring new Ontario 229
Explosives, Manual of 24
Fairview copper-nickel claim 173
Felsite 127
Felspar 198
Fergiiton gold mine 72
Ferrie, copper in 170
Ferronickel 223
Sjoeatedt's method of miUcing ... 154
Ferry Point 140
Fibtoferrite 198
Fibrolite 198
Flemming. P., accident to 24
Flint 198
Fluorite or fluor spar 198
Flying Poat 182
Flying Post brook 189
FM 131 and 132 gold locations 48
FM 145 or Gold 8un mine 72
Foley, copper in 100, 165, 167, 168
Foley gold mine 66
Plan of 65
Folger- Hammond Qold Reef Mines Co'y 76
Folgerite 198
Forbes, R., of Parry Sound Mining Company 164
Forks of the Credit, quarries at 110
Fort Mattagami. 125, 127
Franklinite 198
Frasch nickel refining process 222
Friday copper-nickel daims 173
Fuchsite 198
G 151 and 160, Orion gold mine 62
Gahnite 198
Galena 198
Qananoque gold claim 114
Garnet 198
Garnets at Depot Harbor 166
In Proudfoot and Butt 172
Gamier, refining nickel ore by 215
Gas. natural 12, 106, 198
Statistics of 13
Gatling Five Acres 92
Genthite : 198
Geology of Niven's Base Line 1899 125-142
Of Marquette iron district 151
Gersdorffite 198
PAOK
Gtortrade nickel mine 99
Gesic zinc location. . . 87
Gieseckite 198
Glacial action 123, 178
Geology 178
Glacial drift, diamonds in 120
Glass Reef gold mine 62
Glass Reef Gold Mining Company 62
Glauconite 198
Godard copper location 168
Goethi te 199
G^oetzlake 168
Gold 199
In Michipiooton Mining Division 112
On Niven's Base Line 1899. . . .128, 129, ISO, 141
Production of 13, 18
Gold Bug location 76
Golden Crescent mine 71
Golden Crescent Mining and Exploration
Company 71
Golden Kod Mining Company 64
Golden Star mine 66
Accidents at 30
Planof 69
Golden Whale mine 63
GoldHiUmine 42
Gold Leaf Mining Company 60
Gold mines of Eastern Ontario 89
Atlas Arsenic 91
Belmont 92
Boerth 93
Deloro 90
Edey..... ; 112
Minto 114
Ophir 89
Gold mines of Western Ontario 36
AL282 80
AliceA 76
Anglo-Canadian Gold Estates 47
Bad 88
Barker's 63
Black Jack 42
Black Sturgeon 87
Boulder 61
Bullion 36
BullionNo.2 57
Bully Boy 61
Burley 42
Cameron Island 60
Combined 60
Cracker Jack 63
Crown Point 69
Decca 68
Enmia Abbott 76
Electro-Gold 87
Empress 82
Ferguson . . . . 72
Foley 66
Glass Reef 62
Gold Bug 76
GoldHill 42
Gold Panner 49
GoldSun 61
Golden Crescent « 71
Golden Star 66
Golden Whale 63
Great Granite 69
Hammond Reef 76
Hay Island 42
HP267 62
HW113 64
HW515 63
Imperial 67
Independence 62
IsabeUa 68
Lizzie 46
Lucky Coon ... 70
Mil 68
Manhattan 70
Mikado 62
Nina 47
234
Index
PAOK
Gold Wnm^CofUinued.
Nor» 60
OUve 72
Orion 62
Oxford 61
Pettigrew*8 79
Bandolph 68
Regina 44
Bice and Thorbns 76
Roy 79
Sawbill 78
Sootty Island 42
Scramble 37
Sirdar 66
Sirdar Point 67
Sultana 88
8V106 64
Swede Boy 74
Treasure 88
Trigg* 43
Trojan 61
Tvcoon. 58
U rsa Major 83
Victory 59
Virginia 46
Wendigo 44
Wimor 87
Ynm-yum 68
X825 81
Gold Fanner mine 49
Gold Fanner Miring Go 49
Gold Reefs Company 59
Gold Reefs No. 2 mine 69
Gold Rock 61
Gold Sun mine 6]r
Gkild Son Mining Co 61
GkxMelake 136
GooM river 184, 136
Goose point 149
Gordsneer, W., accident to 26
GkNisagto's method of smelting copper 220
Grand Calumet Mining Co 86
Grand Portage copper mine 96
Graphite 12, 199
In Brougham 14
Statistics of 18
Grassy river 127, 130
Great Lakes Copper Co 98
Gro9 Cap, iron ore at 154
Great Granite Gold Mining and Dev. Co 69
Green, A. , accident to 30
Ground Hog lake 132
Ground Hog river 182
Guelph Mining Co 118
GuUIake 188
Gunflint lake, iron ore on 87
Gypsum 12, 199
Statisticsof 13
Halite 199
Hamilton blast furnace 14, 101
Hamilton Manufacturing Ca, Wm 20
Hamilton Steel and Iron Co ■ 14
Hammond Reef Consolidated Mining Co 76
Hammond Keef gold mine 76
Hammond Reet Gold Mining Co 76
Hardy, copper in 100. 169, 171
Hsrmotome 199
Hans, C, accident to 28
Hastingsite 199
Hattie Bell Copper, Gold and Nickel Mining
Co 100, 167
Hay creek 139
Hay Island gold mine 42
Haycock, gold mines in 87
Headlight Gold Mining Co 74
Height of land portage 187
Heavy spar ^ 199
Heck's iron locations 162
HeJen iron mioe 112, 113, 155
HeUdiver Bt^y, gold on 67, 58
PAOB
Hematite . . . .161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 168, 161, 199
Herreshof nickel ore smelter 216
Heronite 186
Analysesof 189
Hessite 199
Heulandite 199
Hisingerite 199
Hobbs, Prof. W. H., on Diamonds in U.S. . . . 119
Hoepfner nickel refining process 221
Hogg's peat works 28
Horden, Mount 137
Hornblende 199
Hornblende Mining Co 114
Homstone 199
Howe, J., accident to 28
HP 267 gold location 62
HP 367. Orion gold mine 62
HW 88, 49, 60, 51, Orion gold mine 62
HW 113 gold location 64
H^ 839, Barker's gold mine 63
H W 39t and 594, GIass Reef gold mine 62
HW 416 or Golden Whale mine 63
HW 434 gold location . 63
HW 615 gold location 68
HW 595 gold location 62
Humboltine 199
Huntilite 200
Huronian formations. Upper and Lower. .183, 186
Breakin ....185
Conglomerates 188
On Niven's Base Line 1899 .... 126, 127, 128,
129, 180, 131, 182, 188, 184, 135, 140, 141
Huronite 200
Hypersthene 200
Iceland spar 200
loktalake 89
Idocrase 200
Ilmenite 20O
Ilvaite 200
Imperial Copper Co 168
Imperial gold mine 57
Independence gold mine 62
Indian village on Kapiskasing river 187
Indicolite or indigolite 20O
Inglewood. atone quarries at 110
Inspector, duties of mining 228
Irish, B., accident to 27
Iron blase furnaces 101
Deseronto 102
Hamilton 101
MidUmd 102
Iron ore '. .14, 200
Bounty on 16
Stotisticsof 13
Ironlake 160
Ironmihes 14. 36,101. 102
At Batchawana Bay 161
Atik-okan 88
Bedford 103
Calabogie 103
CoeHiTl 103
Equitable 104
Gunflint lake 87
Helen 112,118,156
Mattawin 88
Michigan 150 e< m?
Pic river 87
RobertsviUe 101
Wilbur 104
Iron ochre 200
Iron pyrites 200
Isabella gold mine 68
Ishpeming 150
Island Falls gold region 80
Jackson iron mine 151
Jamesonite 200
Jasper 151,152,168,174,188,200
JC 79 and 80, Nora ffold mine 60
JC Bl and 97, Gold Sun mine 61
Index
235
JC 110 or Scotty IslADd ffold mine 42
Jerker pystem of pumping oil 107
Jeflfries' method of smeltioff copper 220
JE.S38, 41, 42. 39, Nora gold mine 60
JE8 54 gold location 58
JES 93 and 110, Nina gold mine 47
JfiS 154 gold location 42
John Sykes Mining and Milling Co 64
Jubilee gold claim 114
K 61, 62, 63 and 64, Tip-top copper locations . 86
K 231, or Manhattan gold mine 70
Kagas-te-wa-tang-ga-sing rapid 133
Ka-ka-na-qaa lake 138
Kalinite 200
KamiHkotaia lake 128
Kamiskotaia river 128
Kami»kotaia Satraigan river 128
KanoD j ftpownakoka lake 131
Kaolinite 200
Kapemichekama lake 186
Kaptskasiog lake 137
Kapiskaeing river 137
Kap-smapeaaceke lake 126
Kaskememe Pow-wa-tic rapids 182
Ka-sing-ge-ke-che-wun rapids 133
Kenogamiog lake 130
Kenog«mi8>>ee lake 127
Keewatin Redaction works 88
Keweenaw copper mines 144
Keweenawan rooks 144
Kikenda Onefram portage 188
Kingston, projected blast fnrnace at 17
Kioskwabic lake 188
Kyanite 200
Labradorite 200
Lands leased and sold 6
Laccohtic sills 146,147,179
Lafex copper mine i 100, 167
Lafihi, S., accident to 25
Lake Kuron Copper Syndicate 94
Lake Minnietakie, gold locations on 64
Lake of the Woods gold mines 86'
Lake Superior iron mine 152
Lake Superior mining region 82
Lake Superior Power Coy 99
Nickel refining by g. 222
Lampshire, H., accident to 28
Lancaster Qap nickel mine 213
Laumontite 201
Laurin, J., accident to 27
Law of Optario, Mines 225
Lead 201
Leases, mining . 6
Lepidomelane 201
Leucoxene 201
Lewis, Prof., on South African diamonds 122
Licenses, miner's 115, 227
Prospector's 226
Lievrite 201
Lignite 201
Lime, statistics of 13
Limestone ia Parry Sound District 166, 169
Limonite 155, 158, 161, 201
Lincoln gold claim 113
Lintonite 201
Lithium 201
Little Bear Uke 138
Little Missanabie lake 140
Little Mif>sanabie river 140
Lizzie gold mine 46
Lodestone 201
Loganite 201
Lollingite 201
Lo'in-skin lake 157
Loring, copper ores near 170
Lower Seine gold region 64
Lucky CtK)n gold mine 70
Lucky Coon Gild Mining Co 70
Lyla gold claim 118
PAGE
Mil gold location . . 68
Macdonald oopper-nickel mine 97
Maoamiog lake 180
Macfarlanite 201
Maohegamiching lake 181
Mackey's Point 114
Macozenda ri 7er 186
Madoc,talcat 12
Magnetite 103, 104, 160, 161, 162, 201
Magpie river 158
Malachite 202
Mammoth iron mountain location 162
Manganese 202
Manganese ochre 202
Manganite 202
Manhattan gold mine 70
Manhatten Gold Mining Company 71
Maohes' converter. 217
Manitou lake gold region 61
Manual of Explosives > 24
Marcasite 208
Marl at Sh«llow lake 108
At Williams lake 108
AtMarlbank 109
Marlbank, marl and clay at 109
Marmora townshiD 92
Marquette iron range 150
Marsh gas 208
Martite 203
Matagaming lake 182
Matastagan lake 181
Mattagami river 127
Mattawin iron range 88
Matte, nickel 215
Nickel-copper 217
Orford pr«icess of refining 218
McA. 41 gold location 59
McA 56, 129, 130, 134, 138, 148, 189, 190 gold
locations 43
Mc Arthur No. 1 mine 96
Accident at '. 35
Mc Arthur No. 2 mine 97
Accident at 24
Mc A.ulay, James, accident to 80
McConkev, copper in ' 169
Mcl>ougall, copper in 100, 168
McGown copper mine 100, 166
Af>sociated rocks of 180
McKellar's Point 148
McKenzie, copper in 169
MsKinnon, D. L., contractor 24, 26
McMahon, James, accident to 35
McMichael, M., accident to 82
McMillan's copper location 168
McMurchy, A., coroner .... 25
McQuade copper property 101
Meaford, lake terraces near 176
Medina sandstone 106
Me-ke-se- wa-Bun rapids 182
Melanite 208
Melanterite 203
Meneghinite 208
Mercury .203
Mesahi iron range 152
Mesolite 203
Messagamashine lake 171
Copper on 100
Mesumekenda lake 130
M«teoric iron 203
MH 208, 209 and 210 gold locations 44
MH 230 or Gold Fanner mine 49
Mica 12,208
InProndfoot 171
In Butt 171
Statistics of 13
Uses of 14
Microcline 208
Michigan, diamonds found in 121
Michip coton, iron ore from 17
Michipicoton iron range 154, 167, 160
Miohipicoton Minxn.^ D\n\i\<cs& ^^a*^^Sk
236
Index
PAGE
Midland, blast furnace at 16, 102
Mikado mine 62
Accident at 81
Planof 63
Mill, Canada Corundum Company's 20
Miller iron mine, accident at 26
Miller. Prof. W. G 19
On Minerals of Ontario 192, 212
MiUerite 213,216
Mills, copper in 170
Biineral Industries of Ontario 9
Mineral lands, annual revenue from 6
Mineral production 11
Summary of 18
Minerals of OnUrio, with Notes 192-212
Mineral waters 208
Miner's licenses 116, 226
Mines Act, amendments to 8
Mines Law of Ontario, The 226-229
Mines of Eastern Ontario 89, 111
Of Northwestern Ontario. 34, 88
Mining accidents 24, 36
Mining companies, list of 9
Mining Divisions 226, 227
Mining lands sold 11
Conditions of tenure 227
How acquired 226, 227
Leased 11
Price of 226
Mining laws 226
Amendments to 8
Minniesinaqua lake 180
Minto gold mines 114
Mispiokel 206
Auriferous, on Net lake 178
Missanabie lake 126, 189, 140
Missanabie river 139
Missanabie station 140
Mitchell. W., acddentto 18
Molybdenite 206
Molybdite 206
Mond, L., mine owner 99
Moncs sandstone quarry at 110
Moraines 128
Morenosite : 205
Mountain leather 206
Mount Horden 137
Mukwa copper-nickel claim 173
Murray's sandstone quarry 110
Muscovite L06
Muskegogama UUce 126
Muskego liver 184
Nagyagite 206
Napanee Mills, cement works at 109
Naphtha, output of 18
Na-pow-qua-zi river 127
Natrolite 206
Naturalgas 12, 106
Exportation of 106
Statistics of 18
Natural Gas and Oil Company 106
Necraunee 150
Ne^aunee iron mine 151
NeUon's copper location 168
Nepheline 205
Net lake 178
New Brunswick House 189
New Caledonia nickel mines 213
Ores of and how worked 214
Production of 214
Refining the ore 215
New Klondike gold district 63
New products in mineral industry 7
Niccolite 206
Nickel 205
Meullurgy of 213
Production of 13, 17, 18
Purity of 223
UaeBof. 228
World's production of 215
PAOB
Nickel arsenate 206
Nickel-Copper Company 222
Nickel gymnite 205
Nickel InduHtry, A Sketch of the 218-224
Nickel mines 94
OlaraBell '. 97
Copper Cliff 96
Evans 96
Gertrude 99
GreatLakes 98
* Lafex 100
Macdonald 97
McArthur, No. 1 96
McArthur, No. 2 97
SixandSix 98
Stobie 97
Nickel ore 218
Methods of refining 218 et ug.
Smelting New Caledonia 215
Smelting Sudbury 216
Statutory provisions respecting 229
Nickel ores, sources of 213
Lancaster Gkp, Penn 213
New Caledonia 218
North Carolina 218
Norway 218
Oregon 213
Sudbury 214
Nickel smelting plants 98, 99
Nickelsteel 228
Night Hawk lake 126, 129
Nina gold mine 47
Niobates 206
Niven's Base Line, 1899 126-142
Nora gold mine , 60
Norman Reduction Works 88
North Carolina, nickel in 218
Norway, nickel in 218
Nottawa sandstone quarry 110
NT20, gold location '. 68
Accident at 25
Ochre 205
O'Connor, D., prospector 172
Ohio, diamonds found in 120
OU 206
Production of 18
OligodaBO , 206
Olive gold mine 72
PUnof 78
Omeemee rapids 127
Ontario Gold Concessions, Limited 47
Ontario Rolling Mill Company 14
Ophir gold mine 89
Oriord process of refining nickel 218
Oregon, nickel in 218
Origin of diamonds 121
Onon gold mine 62
Orion Gold Minmg Compsny 62
Ostandigintistagan falls 182
Ottawa Gold Mining and Milling Company . . 42
Owen Sound Portland Cement Company .... 108
Owen Sound Stone Company 110
Oxalate 206
Oxford gold mine 61
Oxford Mining Company 61
P 263 or Bullion mine 36
P 289 or Wimor gold mine 37
P 400 and 409 Treasure gold mine 88
Paint lake 160
Palladium 206
Paraffin, output of 13
Pargasite 206
Parkslake 168
Parks, W. A., Report of on Niven's Base
Line, 1899 125-142
Parry Harbor 166
Parry Sound Copper Mining Company. . . .IOO9 164
Parry Sound copper region •• 164
Parry ^o\x\id dvbUlc^, v^trography of 180
Index
237
PAOK
Peat 206
Bogs 21
Companies 28, 24
Cost of plant for . . 2S
Cainmer*8 dryer 21
Dobaon's dryer 23
Fuel 21.211
Pebnnishewening lake 181
Pectolite 206
Pelee island 106
Pnlletier, E., accident to 25
Pentlandite 206, 216
Peristerite 206
Perthite 206
Pt-ru gold claim 113
Petalite 206
Petrography of Ontario 179
Petroleaoil field 107
Petroleum 107
SUtisticsof 13
Petroleum, natural gaa and carbide 12
Pettigrew*B gold mine 79
Phiogopite 207
PWerite .. 207
Pic inland 147
Pic river, iron ore on 87
Picrolite 207
Pigeon river 146
PiR iron 14
Statisticaof 13
Pike copper-nickel claim 173
Pine on upper Spanish river 126
On Atekepemeska lake 130
On Kapiskasing river 187
On Kenoflrunissee lake 127
On Pishkanogama lake 184
On Trout river 168
Pine timber on mining lands 227
Pishkanogama river 132, 134
Plagioclase : 207
Platinum 171
Pleistocene geology 175
Plumbago 207
Plummer township, copper in . . 95
Point Abino gas well 106
Point Pelee 105
Polycrase 207
Polydymite 207
Porcupine lake 129
Porcupine silver mine 84
Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Railway,. . .
84,86, 89
Port Arthur, copper deposits near 148
Pottery, statistics of 13
Prehnite 207
Prince Edward Peat Fuel Company 24
Pritchard Harbor Copper location 86
Pri tchard Harbor Copper Mining and Develop-
ment Company 86
Progress, review of 7, 8
Prospector's licenses 2K26
Proudfoot, mica in 171
Provincial Assay Office 38
Pumping oil 107
Pyrallotite 207
Pyrite 207
Pyroxene 207
Py rrhotite 164, 207, 214
Quartz 208
Quirk, C, accident to 27
Rabbit Mountain silver mine 85
Rabbit Mountain Jr., silver mine 85
Rafflaa township 20
Rainy River Gold Mining Company 87
Randolph gold mine 68
Randolph Qold Mining Company 68
Raphilite 208
Rath bun Oonopany's cement works 109
Rat Portage Kednction works 88
Red Hill copper claim 178
Red Jacket copper mine 144
Reduction works, Norman 88
Keewatin 88
RatPortage 88
Sanitate. Marie 164
Refining copper and nickel 216 et teq
Balbach process 221
6o8sa«re*s improvements 230
Hoepfner and Frasch processes 221
Jeffries process 220
Orford process 218, 220
Schafhautrs method 819
Statutory provisions respecting 229
Vivian Company's process 220
Reginamine 44
Accidentat 28
Planof 46
Renfrew county ^ 20
Rensselaerite 208
Revenue, annual from mineral lands 6
Review of progress 7, 8
Rhodium 208
Rhodochrosite 208
Rice and Thorbns gold location 78
Rice lake 181
Robertson's sandstone quarry 110
Robertsville iron mine 104
RobiUard, Henry 20
Rook Lake copi>er mine 95
Rock Lake Mining Company 95
Rooks of Parry Sound District 180
Of Thunder bay region 179
Rocksalt 208
Rose Point 166
Royalties 226
Roy gold mine 79
Rust and Weadock gold properties 81
RutUe 208
S 48 gold location 69
S182, Sirdar gold mine 66
Sagandeba lake 189
Sa-na-wa-che-wnn rapids 183
Sagetowwashka lake 181
Salt 12.111,208
Statisticsof 18
Samarskite 208
Sand lake 171
Sandstone 160
Quarries 110. Ill
Saponite 208
SamiaoU field 107
Saussurite 208
Sawbill gold mine 78
Planof 77
Sayer lake. 166
Scapolite 206
Schafhautl's method of smelting copper 219
Schist 126, 128.129,138
Schorl 208
Scottlake 168
Scotty Island gold mine 42
Scramble gold mine 87
Seine river gold region, Lower 64
Seine River Syndicate Mining Company 79
Selenite 208
Selenium 209
Sericite 209
Serpentine 209
Sewer Pipe, statistics of IS
Shallow lake, cement works at 108
Shangemequagama lake. ... 131
Shebeshkong river 168
8h*'nango lake 136
Sherk, L., Son and Company . ... 25
Shoal lake (west) gold region 52
Siderite 209
Sillimanite 209
Silver 209
Ptodxxedou ol X^.^s.
238
Index
PAOB
Sflyer Harbor 149
Silver mines 86
8 A 149
Porcupine 84
Rabbit Mountain- 85
WestEnd 84
Simcoe Peat Fuel Company 23
Sirdar gi>ld mine 66
Sirdar Point gold mine 57
Six and 8ix copper-niokel mine 98
Sketch of the Nickel Industry, A 218-224
Skunk lake 138
Sjoototedt's ferro-nickel process 154
Slate 149
Smaltite 209
Smeeton's sandstone quarry 110
Smelting copper and nickel ores 216 ei itq
Balbach process . 221
Frasch process. /. 222
Gossafce's improvements on 220
Hoepf ner process 221
Jeflfnes' process 220
Lake Superior Power Company's process. . . 222
Orford Copper Company's process 218, 220
Schafhautl's method 219
Vivian Company's process 220
Smelting New Caledonia nickel ores 216
Sudbury nickel ore 216
Soapstone 209
Sodalite 209
SoUon Niven's Base Line, 1899 142
Southeast Bend brook 128
Sperrylite 209
Sphalerite 2C9
Sphene 209
Spinel 210
Spodumene 210
Spruce 125, 138, 137. 189, 141, 142
Standard Chemical Company 16
Starvation craek 130
Statistics of incorporated mining companies. . 5
Of locations leased 6
Of locations sold 6
Of mineral production in 1899 7, 13
Stourolite 210
Steatite 210
Steel plant at Hamilton 14
Stephanite 210
Stibnite '. 210
Stilbite 210
Stilpnomelane 210
Stobie copper-nickel mine 97
Stobie Falls copper mine 99
Stone quarries 109
Strontianite 210
Sturgeon lake region, gold mines of 46
Sturgeon river 133
SuD i van, A. , M. E 48
Sulphur 210
Sultana gold mine 38
Planof 39
Sultana Mine of Canada, Limited 38
S V 105 gold location 64
S V 129, accident at 26
S V 128, 129. 131 and 166, Oxford gold mine. . 61
Swampy river 134
Swede Boy gold mine 74
Sylvanite 210
Sykes gold mine 64
T 98 or Porcupine silver mine 84
Tabular spar 210
Talc 12.210
Statistics of 13
Tantalites 210
Ta-ta-ti-chap-i-ka river 127
Tellurium 210
Temagaming lake 172
T^mJscamiDg lake 172, 174, 185
Temcea on 177
Tennantite 210
PAOB
Terraces, Lake 174.175,176, 177
Tetrahedrite 210
Thomson. R. M 220
Thomsonite .... 210
Tile, sUtistics of 18
Tin 211
Tinguaite 187
Analyses of 189
Tiptop copper location 86
Thunder Bay 149
Copper and silver near 145
Petrography of 179
Titaniferous iron ore 211
Titanite 211
TiUnium 211
Toronto and Western Mines Development
Company 56
Tourmalme 211
Tower 153
Tower iron mines 152
Travertine 211
Treasure gold mine 38
Tremolite 211
Trenton lime stone JlS 107
Trent Valley canal 22
Trent Valley Peat Fuel Company 21
Tnggs gold mind 43
Trojan gold mme 61
Tr>utlake 187
Troutriver 184, 136,137
Turgite 211
Tycoon gold mine 58
Tycoon Mining and Development Company.. 58
Ulke, T., on refining nickel 219, 321
Upper Kapiskasm^ river 187
Upper or Little Missanabie River 140
Upper Seine gold r^ion 76
Uraconite 211
Uralite 211
Uranium 2 il
Uranochre 211
Ursa Major gold mine 88
Vanadium 211
Van Hise, on iron districts of Wisconsin and
Michigan .... 150
Vankoughnet, H., accidentto 32
Vankoughnet copper mine 168
Accident at 32
Vermilion iron range 152
Vesuvianite 211
Victoria Road, peat works at 21
Victory gold mine 59
Virginia gold mine 46
Vivian Coy's copper smelting process 220
Vulcan iron location , 168
Wa-be-gash-ic rapids 133
Wad 211
Wart lake 138
Water 211
Water-hen lake 130
Water powers on Ground Hog river , . 132
On Little Missanabie 140
On Matabitchouan river 174
On Mattaga^i river 127
On Missanabie river 139
On Pishkanogama river 135
On Trout river 137
Wawa Gold Mining Co 114
Wawa lake 157
Wa- wa-yes-kat-ching lake 133
Wawiatan rapids 127
We*»se, P., accident to 31
Welland county, natural gas in 106
Welland Peat Fuel Co 23
Wendigo gold mine 44
Wernerite 211
West End silver mine 84
Plan oi 83
Index
239
PAOK
Werterfield gold mine 62
"Whartonite 211
Vhiekey Jack Point.. 146
Whitebear lake 172
Whitefish bay gold region 46
Wilbur iron mine 104
Wilcox copper mine. . . .! 100, 167 180
Accident at S2
Wiifley Ubie 20
Williams lake, marl at 108
Willmot6,A. B 148
Wilaonite 211
Wisconsin, diamonds in 120
Wimor gold mine 237
Witherite 212
Windegoaquinzing lake 130
Witch bay 44
Wolframite 212
Wollastonite 212
Woman river 132
Working conditions on mining lands 227
PAOI
X 316 to 822, Folger-Hammond mine 76
X825 gold location 81
X 337 and 338, Hammond Reef mine 76
X 682, 683, 684, 685 gold locations 82
Xenotine 212
Y103 gold location 114
Yenite 212
Yum-yum gold mine 58
Zenith zinc mine 86
Zeolites 212
Zinc 18,86,86,87,212
Statistics of 18
Zinc blende 212
Zinc mines 36
Gesic 87
Zenith 86
Zircon 212
Z.isite 212
Zonochlorite 211
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