IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■ 50 "'"^" iiiiii 14° 2,0, 1.8 1.4 1.6 % <^ % ^3 V ^% >> Z,^' /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation <> "flri,V ^lj?ii ^•- 1^ m ■4', ■'.'-■«<' '^ •?- fit* ;.*^V'f*,.-.<;' ^liH i« € LEEDS IRON MINE. This mine is situated on lot 7 in the 5th range of Leeds, Co of Megantic, T.Q. It has been mentioned several times in the Reports " Geological Survey of Canada." For convenience of reference B. J. Harrington, B. A., Ph. D., chemist and mineralogist to the survey, published in 1874, (ai Dawson Bros., Montreal) his " Notes on the Iron Ores of Canada, from the Reports of the Greological Survey of Canada for 1873-74." This mine is thus referred to in that publication : , At page 16). — " In the Greology of Canada, 1863, page " 677, large loose iragments of magnetic iron ore are " spoken of as occurring near a band of serpentine on the " second lot of the tenth range of Leeds (^Megantic). Since " then the ore has been discovered in situ on the seventh " lot of the fifth range. Mr. Charles Robb, v.ho visited " tne locality last spring, tells me that the strata had been " exposed by stripping for a distance of 40 yards in ^he " direction of the strik*^. and sixteen yards across it. " In the latter distance three tolerably regular beds of '• ore were seen, respectively, six, four, and three feet thick, " and all dipping to the north-west at an angle of 50 ° , "The beds are separated by bands of chloritic alate con- " taining quartz and calc-spar. " The ore is a fine grained magnetite, more or less mixed " with micaceous iron ore, and some specimens exhibiting " polarity in a marked manner." {At page 20).—" Lee^s. On page 16, a short description has been given of the deposit of ore i ceurring on lot seven, range iive of the Township of Leeds (Megantie.) The schistose variety consists of a mixture of micaceous iron ore and magnetite, the latter often in minute octahedral crystals. Mr Hoffman has analysed a spe- cimen of this kind, containing a liu-ge proportion of the micaceous ore, but still strongly magnetic. " The colour was iron-black, or in places reddish, and the streak black with a reddish tinge. Through the ore were disseminated small nodules of a mineral with a glassy lustre, apparently orthoclase, with which mineral they were found to agree in hardness and fusibility. The specific gravity was 5.041, and an analysis gave : !" Peroxide of Iron 80.758 " Protoxide of Iron 13.588 " Protoxide of Manganese 0.050 " Silica an solution) 012 " Alumina 0,713 "Lime 1298 " Magnesia 0.454 " Phosphoric Acid 0,471 " Sulphuric Acid 0.095 "Titanic Acid none " Hygroscopic Water 0.049 " Combinea Water 0.167 " Organic Matter 0.041 " Insoluble Matter 2.748 100.450 " Iron as Peroxide 56.531 ' Iron as Protoxide 10.568 " Total Metallic Iron 67,099 "Phosphorus 0.206 "Sulphur 0.038 X 1 8 " Tho iuf^vjluble residue was also analysed and found to " contain : " 'Silica 2.420 "Alumina 270 "Lime 0.014 "Magnesia 0.012 "Potash 0.076 2.792 " The ore appears to vary considerably in the quantity " of phosphorous which it contains. Thus a specimen of " the massive magnetic, containing 66.33 percent, of iron, " gave me 0.335 per cent, of phosphorus, equal quantities '• of seven specimens also, broken from loose masses on the " surface at intervals along a line of three-quarters of a " mile, were mixed together, and the mixture found to " contain only 025 per cent. The average quantity of '• phosphorous deducted from the three determinations "just given is 0.188 per cent. Another specimen of the " massive variety, examined only for iron, gave 64.78 " per cent." In May, A.D. 1882, the Grovernment Mining Engineer, J. Obalski, Esq., made a report to the Government of Quebec on this mine, which is as follows : (Translated from the >'renv h original.) To THE Honorable the Prime Minister of the Province of Quebec. -- Report on the Magnetic Mines in the Township of Leeds (Co. Megantic.) On the northern part of lot No. 7 in the 5th range, there are a number of outcroppings of oxydised iron in vast quantities ; there are also a number of blocks weighing several tons, which have been broken off, and present a rounded appearance. ...1 fr ,,,■:'./' -■!-' In a N. N. E. direction, the sa;iie indications can be traced lor a distan<'e of from two to three miles. At certain points these outcroppings attain a width of 700 feet. In a transverse direction there are indications for a mile in length leading- to the supposition that at certain points the deposit covers this width, or tjiat there are several beds of this ore. I am led to the conclusion that the deposit is one of considerable importance. It is difficult at first sight to state the mode ot its formation ; in certain places it appears in veins cuttin*i^ the stratification of the chloiitic schists of the lower Silurian formation. ' This appearance may have been givon by the extreme ruggedness of the formation, but it would seem more rational to suppose ihe existence of a bed contemporaneous with the Laurentides period, and which was stripped bv the action of water, and covered again by later accretions. The sinking of a vertical shaft would end all doubts, and at the same time establish the width ot" the bed. In any case, whatever its origin, its mode of formation, or the nature of the stratification, it can be positively affirmed that there exists here a deposit which it would be difficult to value, and which must be estimated at many millions of tons of magnetic oxydised iron ore of superior quality. This mineral generally appears in a compact state, but samples of it are also found in octahedral crystals. This ore could be easily w^orked on the spot, if necessary fuel were had as it carries with it its own flux. This locality is also traversed by small veins of white quartz. Disseminajted over the surface with tolerable re- gularity arc beds of fine white chrystaline. ' T ^» i> The niiiu! ii woU situated for over ground or surface mining, us its course lies on a hill-side fifty feet in height. It must be stated however that the ore is occasionally very hard. By following a N. N. E. direction (the one indicated above) a line is struck across lots 1, 2 and 3 in the 10th Range, where similar indications are found. These beds are spoken of by Sir W. Logan in his reports. In the Map of the Eastern Townships, prepared by order of the Quebec Government, deposits of magnetic iron ore are indicated on lot 7 in 5tli llange, and lot 2 in the 10th Range. As 1 have already nnnarked, this mineral can be worked at first without mining underground, as it would be suificient to work on the hill side under the open sky. The cost of excavating would be xqi^ little, but might be increased by the hardness of the rock at certain points. This deposit is certainly advantageous to work if the means of transport could be obtained, for this iron ai the present small price ($6 to $7 a ton) could only be brought to market in a very economical way. There is no navigable water reaching the point, and to cart the ore would not be practicable. The mine is at u distance of 10 miles from Robertson's Station on the Quebec Central R. R., and is 20 miles dis- tant from Ste. Julie (Ci. T R R.), and 5 miles distant from the village of Leeds, and the roads are in bad condition, especially at this season It is surrounded by a rolling country tolerably well cultivated. There is nevertheless still a considerable quantity of growing timber, (spruce, birch and maple, &c., &c.) Furnaces might be erected and the metallic iron manu- factured on the spot, but there w^ould still remain the 6 difficulty ofcarryin«^cosil aiul coke, the cosl of vvhirh vvhoii fjirriod from the Maritime rrovinces or the United States would he ex('essiv(\ The ore might \m smelted with wood charcoal, which could but ameliorate the quality of the product, but then the consumption of wood would be very sj^reat in a large and important establishment, and would rapidly diminish the rich forest of this region lor whi(;h a better use might be found. A company has now under consideration the construction of a Railway from the Quebec Central. The road-way from the Q. C. R. to the mine is almost level, but there is high ground which would necessitate a winding in the road. Analysis of a sample sent to the Paris Exhibition of 1878 ; Peroxide of Iron. 80.76 Protoxide of Iron 13.50 Protoxide of Manganese 0.00 Alumina 0.71 Lime 1.30 Magnesia 0.45 Phosphoric Acid 0.471 Sulphur 0.04 Silica. 0.01 Water '. 0.23 ■ Organic Matter 0.04 Insoluble Matter 2.75 Total 100.401 Metallic Iron 67.70 Quebec, 19th May, 1882. OBALSKl. True copy of the original of record in the Crown Lands Department. '" E. .E TACHE, Asst.-Coimnr. □ Dr. Dttryee, of Ni'w York, was requested to visit this mine and roi)ort then^on. Mr. ())>alski',s report was with- iield from him, as well as the favorable opinions of sexcrai l)racti(al mininu- captains. Tiie Doetor received a copy of th(^ (lovernmentanalysisonly without further information. DOCTOR DURYEE'S REPORT. I went to examine th«? Leeds Iron Mine, in th(> Town- ship of Leeds, County of Megantic, July "iSth, 1883, and hereby submit my Rei)ort : From the limited amount of blastinj^ done, the (juantity of or width of vein can of necessity be only estimated, first by the amount in actual sig-ht uncovered, second by comparative inlluence of this mannetiteore on the compass needle. The vein runs in a north-easterly and south-westerly direction, with a dip of oo c is plainly traceable for about two thousand feet on the Nugent and McVety properties in question. The Nugent Land being 50 acres of the south- east half of seven in fifth range occupied now by Mr. Nugent, also 100 acres of north-west half of seven known as the McVety lot, being nine miles from a railroad I would have been glad to haA^e gone over the proposed line from the mine to the road as to grades, (!tc., &c., i^v. Begining at the first opening (see map) on the northerly end of the vein on th;' Xugeiit proptu'ty. about 8r>0 feet south of the public road, 1 found the iron ore some- what mixed with talcose slate, the over lying country rf)ck beingnearly pure talcose slate, compass but little influenced, therefore this point valueless. The thickness of vein being some six inches, with indications of pinching lower down. No. 2. — Ore better. Vein more pronounced. Compass needle considerably attracted — country rock not mixed with vein matter. ! ^y^^-- . ■ <*-*»n?j; ■,-'^ ■ ;t. v-'."*!?^ VcMi about eight inches, inclusive thickness, and likely to grow better upon deeper excavation. No. 3 still purer vein matter, one half showing very fine iron, free from taloose slate, compass needle showing larger deposit — worthy of deeper e.Tploration. No. 4. — Decided and remarkable indication of a large di^posit vein nearly 4 feet in thickness; ore quite pure, slight traces of sulphur; wuls distinct and separate from iron ore. No. 5. — Here more excavation of overlying earth and rock discloses a splendid vein of four to five feet in thick- ness. "With former experience in use of the compass in estimating quantities of magnetic iron ores, I should infer a shaft sunk fifty feet at this point would open ui> a large and reliable deposit. I estimated fifty -tons could now be got out by a few blasts and at slight cost. There is ore enough insight to pay cost of sinking a shaft of considerable size and depth, as the debris can be dumped down the side-hill. It is about one hundred and fifty feet above where water would require constant pumping, and for about fifty feet it could be self draining. The needle attractions were more powerful than at 11, where a d-^ep excavation some 20 feet down shows a seven feet vt in. There is every encouragement to think a good vein 8 or 10 feet in thickness will be found by systematic mining beiween 4 and 6. No. 6. — Excavations more limited. Vein matter showed admixture of silicious matter. Needle showed a small deposit. No. 7. — Vein matter mixed with lime stone. Would suggest explorations here for lime stone for fluxing purposes. v; j"'-^r^( A-» J »" ^^f 9 redict a product able to stand the best tensile strength of the present re- quirements. No. 11 seems to be the hub, as it were several spokes or veins projecting at numerous angles east of the centre, one or two traceable for quite a distance with boulders of iron ore lying about, weighing from a few pounds to several tons each that ha.ve apparently Ijeen thrown up, as they show no rounded or worn appearance as would be the case if thev had been brouuht here duriim- the