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i
A S'
GEOLOGICAL SURYEYS AND EEPOETS
ON TIIK PKOrKUTY OF THE
'$x\\i\4 %xiMmi P^inmjg djir.
TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH IIAM, CANADA EAST.
TOOKTIIKU Wnil
A STATEMENT OF THE CONDITION AND PROSPECTS
OF THE COMPANY.
BOSTON:
PRESS OF GEO. C. RAND & AVERY, 3 CORNHILL.
1864.
• \
MCOLET ANTIMONY MINING CO.
TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH HAM, CANADA EAST.
TO „K 0UO.M.Kn .NOBU A SPKCU. CUAUTK. KUOM X„K CANAmA. PAKUAMKKT.
CAPITAL STOCK
$500,000.
IK 100,000 SHARES, AT $5.00 EACH.
WOUlvING CAIUTAL IN THE TllEASUllY
$25,000.
OFFICERS.
President.
Secretary and Treasurer.
SERKNO X>. NICKERSON.
Directors.
Reuben A.. Richards
John J. M:ay -
Jklex. H. Rice
TVilhs Russell
"W'm. IS. Katon
"W. A. Russell
S. D. Nicker son -
Boston.
Boston.
Boston.
Quebec, Canada East.
Boston.
Ijawrence, IVLass.
Boston.
Office of the Company
No. ro STATE STREET - - - BOSTON.
™
NICOLET ANTIMONY MINING COMrANV.
The mine is situated in the townsliip of Soutli Ham, county
of Wolfo, Canada East. It lies about twenty-five miles I'roni
Arthabaska station on the Grand Trunk Kailway, that station
being distant from Quebec sixty-three miles. The property
consists of 1G3 acres of land, well wooded, and where the
veins have been opened, rising ground admirably adapted for
mining. The Company owns this tract in fee-simple, free
from any royalty or claim whatever. AVithin a few rods of
the property is the beautiful Lake Xicolet, the source ot the
river of that name, emptying into the river St. Francis. The
river Xicolet can be made navigable at a moderate expense,
if it should be thought desirable, and in such an enterprise
several other com])anies now working mines in the immediate
neighborhood would join. Wood costs only the expense of
cutting, and labor is abundant and cheap. 1'iie mine is so sit-
uated, upon a hill rising 800 feet above the level of the lake,
that adits, or tunnels, may be driven at a much less outlay
than would be re([uired for the sinking of shafts, which is the
ordinary mode of mining.
A peculiar feature of this mine is, that native antimony is
hero found in large quantities, almost the pure metal, with the
admixture of very little foreign matter. In this form it is
believed to exist in no other mine.
The accompanying Reports and Geological Surveys contain
so full a description of the property, and so clearly set forth
its merits, that it would bo but useless repetition to enlarge
upon these points.
A com[)any has l>een formed, comprising some of tlie largest
d(!alers in the metal in tlie city of Boston, for the purpose of
thoroughly developing and systematically mining these lands.
A speciid charier of the im*M favorable charactei" is now await-
i
ing its third reading in tlio Frovinciul Parlinniont.. Tn tlic
moan time the work at the mine is being vigorously prosecuted
under the direction ofllerbert Williams, Esq., the well-known
and aecom])lished Superintendent of the Harvi^y Hill Mine.
The capital stock of the (^.mpany is ilxed at .^500,000, di-
vi(hMl into 100.000 shares, of the par value of $5,00 each. A
working capital of s25,000 is now in the treasury.
The most sanguine expectations of the success of the enter-
])rise are entertained by the parties engaged in it, and arc!
expressed by the nnm'enms authorities on mining subjects
who have visitiMl the locality.
IJEPOUT OF PROF. ALIIERT D. IIACJER.
I'lMM ToKsvii.M'., Vt., fimm 1, 1H(!.'{.
WiiJ.is IJrssKLL, Esq.
I)i;ai{ Slit:- — ^ In pui'siniiicc of voiir r(H|iR'st, 1 will Itriefly
(Icscrihc and ti'.iiisniit to yoii the oliscrvatioiis wliicli 1 iiukIu
oil the liiltli of May, ISO."}, wlieii in your ('oni])aiiy, at the An-
timony Mine, South Hani, Canada East.
TIiIh niiiu' consists of the outcro]) of a vein of the snlplutret
of iiitfimoN//, which is t'ound upon the southern declivity of a
steej) hill on Lot 28 of the first rani;'0 in the town of South
Jlani, county of Wolfe, Canada East.
Xothiui;- likt' systematic niinin;;' has yet been attempted at
this ])lace, and the only means at hand for judging- of the ex-
tent of the ore, or the value of the dei)osit, results from the
removal of ])ortions of the outcro[)ping rock by a few l)lasts
of gunj)o\vder, and also the removal of the thin covering ol
earth, by which a face of rock about sixty foot long and four
to six leet wide is exposed to view.
Upon this exposure of rock, a thin but continuous and well-
delined vein of the brilliant sulphuret of antimony is visible
for the distance of ten feet in length, corresponding nearly
with the sti'iko of the strata of rock enclosing it, and Avero
more of the surface rock removed, a vein of much greater
length would doubtless be presented, for between the walls of
rock, in the disintegrated vein, are found numerous fragments
of the ore, completely oxydized, but when broken show a core
of the bright sulphuret of antimony.
The rock forming the walls of the vein is an indurated tal-
coso schist, into which silex enters in such quantities as to
form quartzite in some places. The i)la<A3s of stratification or y^
foliation are quite distinct, but much curved and jointed the
whole length of the exposure.
f'li 1 1
8
At the southwestern end of the outcrop, tlie strike of the
rock is north 40° east, but suddenly curves, and in other places
is nearly east and west, corresponding with the general direc-
tion of the hill upon which the mine is located.
In addition to the pure ore found in the vein, there are nu-
merous sprinklings of an impure variety, that either fill cavi-
ties between the strata, or enter into the composition of the
rock.
B^roni this circumstance, taken in connection with others, we
are inclined to the belief that upon making further examina-
tions ah)ng the hillside, or by the removal of rock so as to
reach the vein at greater depths, rich lodes of the ore will be
found. This, however, behig the first mine of antimony which
we ever visited, our opinion is not entitled to the confidence
that should attach to the views of one familiar with mines of
this character, and should not induce you or any one else to
incur a heavy expenditure of money in developing the mine,
unless upon penetrating it there are found additional encour-
agements that favor the further prosecution of the Avork.
The ore has a specific gravity of about 4.1, and has the ap-
pearance of being very rich. There are two varieties Avhich
are blended together in the vein, and insensibly pass into each
other. One has a laminated structure, with a bright metallic
lustre, very strongly resembling argentiferous galena, and the
other, like the antimony from the valuable mines of Borneo,
consists of bundles of needle-shaped crystals, closely aggre-
gated, and forming masses of the ore.
With the best wishes for your success,
I remain faithfully yours,
ALBERT D. IIAGER,
Geologist for the State of Vermont.
REPORT OF PROF. WILLIAM DENTON.
QricHEC, July 2, 1863.
S. L. French, Esq., Boston.
Dear Sir : At your request I have visited the mine of na-
tive antimony, situated in Soutli Ham, Canada East, and sub-
mit tlie following report upon it: —
Tlie property on which the mine is situated consists of 162
acres near to Lake Nicolet, in a liighly metalliferous as well
as most beautiful refi;ion, and is distant from Arthabaska, on
the Grand Trunk Railway, about twenty-five miles. The mine
is on the side of a wooded hill about three hundred feet high,
and the opening that has been made in connection with it is
about one hundred feet in perpendicular height above its base.
The first discovery of the metal was made n a perpendicu-
lar vein about an inch wide ; but subsequently it was discov-
ered to the east of that in a vein which ound to be in
places fourteen inches wide ; not holding that breadth for a
great distance, however, but swelling and contracting, sev-
eral times as it runs along a distance of a hundred feet in a
nearly horizontal line, along which it has been traced. The
rock in which the vein is situated is schistose, but varies in
its composition in different parts of the hill. The gangue, or
substance associated with the metal in the vein s brecciated
quartz, the brecciated character of it probably resulting from
the disturbance to which the rock holding the vein was sub-
jected at some remote period.
The direction of the principal vein is twenty degrees east
of north, and its dip toward the north and into the hill is sixty-
seven degrees. Out of it have been taken, I was informed,
masses of native antimony, some of Avliich wore more than
a hundred pounds in weight. In our presence, witli but little
difficulty, was extracted a large quantity, bright as ilver, and
having but a slight admixture of earthy matter so that by
8
simply iHcltiii};', wliicli could icudily bo doni' upon tlio spot, it
nii};lit bo reduced to a niiirkotablc state at very little; expenHc.
About forty feet above tiu;* principal vein another was dis-
covered while we were pri>si'ul. This vein a|»|)ears to be
about eight iuelies wide. TluM-e is but little metal associated
Avith the ,ujxuinue, which is crystalli/ed quart/, but it is dissem-
inated throuj^h the rock lor six inches on each side of the
vein, making an oi-e IVom which, iiy ci'ushing and washing, the
metal can readily he extracK'd. A sti'eam flowing through
the valley at the foot of the hill might be em|)loyed for that
pur[)ose. -
Along the side of the hill, firther east, other small veins
appear, bearing antimony. Tlu'y can be readily traced l)y
the white oxide which appears upon the surfiice. It is evident
that a number of small veins exist suboi-dinate to the large
one, and that the hill contains a large body of nearlv ])ure
antimony under circumstances extremely liivoi-able to its ex-
traction. The rock can be readily removed, as it is easily
broken up, and the position of the mine is such that little or
no expense need bo incuried for the removal of water in
draining the mine.
I roc.mmend costeaning, about fifty feet below the nn'ne,
ahmg the side of the hill, where I think the principal vein
may be found in a perpendiculai' [josition, its present horizon-
tal one m the upper [)art being th« result of disturbance. Jf
no vein is found at a lower level, then an adit may be driven
into the hill from this point, and the vein reached under cir-
cumstances more favorable for the future i)rosecutiou of the
work.
I am, my dear sir,
With much ]-ospect,
Yours truly,
WILLIAM DENTON.
UKPOllT OF CHARLES ROBH, i:SQ.
■"<^^nA
53 St. Fkancoih Xaviku St., Montkkal, 22tl Oct., ISG.'J.
Willis Russell, Esq., Queuec.
Dear Srii: — At your requoHt, suid in company with Mr. 0.
A. Russoll, 1 last wouk visited and insj)oc:tod your property in
Soutli Ham, C. E., on wliicli veins of antimony and otlicr valu-
able nn'nerals and metals have recently been 1i covered. As
the result of my observations 1 have now the honor to submit
the i()lIowinjj; Rejujrt, to^'ether with a jtlan of the ])ro))erty. J
propose to confine my remarks on the pret^uut occasio)i to the
antimonv ni'ne, the other minerals found on the })roperty not
having' as yet been develo})ed to any adequate extent.
i his ])ropertv is underlaid by rocks of the Quebec group of
thi! lowei* silurian system ; being the same geological forma-
tion in which the gold, co})per, and other valuable metals of
Eastern Canada occur; hitherto, however, this is the only in-
stance in which antimony has been found in this country.
1'he prevailing rocks on your ])roperty consist of argillaceous
chloritic and ej>idotic slate, associated with interstratified
bands of serpentine, dolomitic limestone, and diallage rock,
forming a species of diorite. Such changes of rock, occurring
in a metalliferous region, and especially when taken in con-
nection with the evidences of local disturbance which also
here present themselves, must be regarded as highly condu-
cive to the concentration of the ores near the points where
they occur.
The veins of antimony which are fi)und on Lot 28, Range
East, have been exposed on the side of a bluff or ridge facing
the south and rising to an elevatif u of about 150 feet above
the drainage level. They occur in the slate rock, and in the
form of true and well-defined lodes, cutting the rock of the
country both in dip and strike. The principal vein, marked
2
ii
10
I-
i I
I i
■ I
s
t.
f
>
,1
/
u-
No. 1 in tlie enlarged plan, bears east 12° 30' soutli, the strike
of the rocks hohig about north 53° east. Ant)ther vein, marked
No. 2, lias been uncovered, bearing- nearly northwest and
southeast, and a third, No. 3, has a course north 37° east. It
will thus l)e observed that tliese three veins, which are all
well-dehned, and hold a })ertectly straight course, not only cut
the slate rock, but will intersect each other at acute angles.
These points of intersection are at no great distance apart,
and the area enclosed by thcni contains other subordinate
veins or feeders ; hence it seems reasonable to infer that within
this area, and at no great distance from the surliice, the ore
will be found in abundance and in a high state of concentra-
tion. Other veins of antimony have been discovered on the
same lot, at some distance beyond Nos. 2 and 3, and pai'ailel
to them, as shown en the general plan.
A pit about sixteen feet stpiare has been sunk to the depth
of eighteen feet on the princi])al vein. No. 1, at tlie j)oint imli-
cated on the plan. Here the vein at the surface was not more
thanibur inches thick, luit at the depth specified has increasi'd
gradually to twenty inches thick, showing througiiout straight
and Avell-deiined walls and undcrhing 70° north. The vein
consists of a black, slaty (piartz ore and chloritic rock (possi-
bly hornblendic), containing nati^'e antimony, sul|)huret of
antimony, (?^b ,S3) white oxide of antimony, and red oxy-sul-
phuret of antimony (kermesitc); also a little co|>f)er ]»yrites
and broAvn spar. Large masses of solid metalHc antimony
have been obtained from tliis working; but it is probable that
in siidving the vein will be found to yiehl chielly the sulphuret
of antimony, or antimony glance, which, containing 73 ]»ci-
cent, of the nietab and being mori' easily treated, will be found
not less advantageous to work than tlu^ native metal. In ad-
dition to the rich masses refeiTcd to, the ore occurs dissemi-
nated through the vein in radiating, prismatic crystallizations,
in fibrous strings and in thin |>lates ; it appears to be in gi'cat-
ost (quantity t(»wards the hanging-wall. What the average
metallic contents of the vein may be 1 had no means of ascer-
taining, no experiment having yet been made in dressing the
ore ; but from the powerful influence which the niefals have
obviously exerted hi moditying the mineral cjj^iructer of the
, / / / "\ . f-j .. ; /?.: .■ y /. ^ / ...x; /r y
>■'<:
/
^ V. C^ ^ A...-y^/ ( ( >(t (U.
c
L'l^
A
v;;^
tlie strike
n, marked
west and
east. It
3h are all
t only cut
te angles.
K'o apart,
bordinate
lat within
}, the ore
:onceutra-
'd on the
d i)ai'allel
Hie de]>tli
oint indi-
nt)t more
increased
t straight
Th(! vein
ck ( possi-
)liuret of
1 oxy-sul-
r ]>y rites
antimony
lalile that
■*ul|)iiuj-et
^ 73 ])er
he foiuid
. In ad-
i dissemi-
lli/atioiis,
ill j^-reat-
average
of ascer-
<sing the
:als have
iv of the
^-
11
lode anrl adjoining rock, there can he little doubt that they
are connected with important deposits at no great distance.
Tiie vein marked No. 2 has been uncovered to the extent of
about thirty feet, and appt'ai's to be at least equally important
with the first; being 12 inches Avide, holding a straight course,
and di|)pnig t(» the northeast at an angle of 75°. It has not
yet been opened by blasting, but good specimens of metallic
antimony may be ol)tained by simjtly breaking the surface
rock. No. 3 is iilso a well-delined lode, but has not been
worked on.
Further develo])ments arc necessary in order to give data
i()r estimating with any degree of certainty the value of this
pro|)erty. At the same time the results of work alrea<ly done
are am])ly siitlicient to justify a further expenditure.
The location of the [)resent pit is good, and I would advise
the sinking of a shaft of the ordinary dimensions, to the depth
of two fathoms farther at the east end of the pit ; at the saino
time costeaning and shode pits, to find the intersection of the
veins, and if rich at these points, the work should be contin-
ued there to a moderate depth. ^^hatts at these points,
connected with the [)resent shaft by a drift and cross-cut re-
spectively, would j)rove the ground very effectually ; while
the ore incidentally obtained would probably go far to defray
the expense, which, for all the work specified, should not ex-
ceed two thousand dollai's. An average sample of the vein
stulf should be crushed and washed, in order to ascertain the
jiercentage of ore to a given quantity of rock, and if it can
be economically dressed by washing; the s])ecilic gravity of
the ore is so great that it should easily se])arate in water from
the gangue.
1 am disposed to t'orni a highly favorable oy)inion of this
proj)erty t()r the following reasons : I. From the well-ascer-
tained fiict that the ore here, unlike most of the metallic de-
posits in Eastern Canada, are contained in true fissure veins
which penetrate the strata to an indefinite extent both in
length and tlepth, and are usually found to improve the deeper
they are wrought. 2. From the fact that three at least of these
veins are found intersecting each other at acute angles, and
in circumstances highly favorable to the concentration of the
J
12
k
f-lV
f jf
u
ores ; and, 3. From the great and increasing value of the
metal, which is extensively used as an alloy with lead and
tin, in the manufacture of type Jind speculum metal, bri-
tannia and Babbitt metal, besides many other uses and applica-
tions. It is highly probable that other valuable metals may be
found associated with it.
As regards drainage and other natural iacilities foi* mining,
this property is very favorably situated, as will be seen from
the cross section. A stream flows through the lot, and very
near to the mine, affording at all seasons an ample supply of
water for washing ores, <fec. At the distance of a mile and a
half water-power sufficient for crushing ores could be obtained
if desired. There are seventy-five acres of cleared land on
the property, the rest being covered with maple, beech, spruce,
and pine timber. The property is a freehold, and is exempt
from royalty or dues on the minerals ; it abuts upon a good
government road. The distance to the nearest station on the
Grand Trunk Railway (Arthabaska) is 24 miles ; but as an
ample set-off against this inconvenience, the price of labor is
remarkably low. Cost of teaming to railway, $5 ; transporta-
tion to Boston, $5 per ton.
I am, dear sir.
Yours, very respectfully,
CHARLES ROBB,
Mine Engineer.
i
1 I:
n
\ )
LETTER FllOM HERBERT WILLIAMS, ESQ.
IlAllVKY IIlLI, Coi'l'KR IMlNKs, l.Kl.i.s, 22(1 Oct., |,S(i.J.
Wir.ijs Russell, Esq., Qukhec.
Dear Sir : — Hiivino- again paid a visit to your antimony
mine, situate on Lot \o. 28, East Ran-o, South Ham, on the
20tli inst., it affords me niucli pleasure to inform vun that
since my previous visit on tlic 8th of June last, the 'lode has
been traced at the surfiice for a distance of between 30 and 40
lathoms, and some promising samples of native as well as the
sulphurct of antimony, have been broken along its outcrop.
The opening that I advised should be made with a view to
a more thoi-ough exploration of this very interesting nn'neral
deposit in a downward direction, has been sunk for a depth of
ab(mt 20 feet, the lode having increased to a width of a little
over two feet, and carrying the mineral in fair quantity, with
every appearance of improving, though I regret nuicli to ob-
serve that very little care has been taken to preserve the ore
when blasting down the lode.
There are two other branches running in the same hill, that
may be regarded as counter lodes ; these also carry the metal
antimony in its native state, as also the sulphurct of the
same mineral. They should be carefully exjilored, and 1 would
nrge the importance of more care being observed in the pros-
ervation of the mineral that may be broken from them.
Generally, I consider the property worthy the attention of
capitalists, and it fully merits a more vigorous trial.
1 am, dear sir,
■Y«nir obedient servant,
HKRHKirr WILLIAMS.
K E P R T () l< r 1{ F . HI T C H V C K
'■
I !
Willis Hlsskll, Esq.
hivvu Sii{ : TIk' tlilldwiiii;' is IIi(> ivport of my oliscrviitioiis
ii|i(iii t\\v iiiiru' (»r iialivc Jiiitiindiiy sitiiatt'd in IaA No. 2S, East
RaiiiLi't', i>l' South llaiu, C E. : —
TIk' i)ro[)orty consists of 1G2 acres of land, partly improved,
and partly (iccnpicd by a mixed iL>,'rowtli of ma])lc, l)eccli, ])iiic,
and sprucCj much of it exi-olh'nt timber. It is twenty-three
miles from Arthal)aska Station, on the Quebei' Branch of the
Grand Trunk Railway, over a p)vernment road. The vein
now being" worked runs leng'tliM'ise of the lot.
The rock of the region is the Quebec group of the lower
Silurian of the same age with that in the eastern townsliips,
carrying gold and copper. Tjithologically, the rocks are chlo-
ritic, argillaceous, and micaceous schist with serpentijie. But
the mode in which the antimony occurs in South Ham is radi-
cally diflierent from that in which the cop])er ores are gener-
ally distributed. They are in beds (or nearly in veins) sub-
onb'nate to the stratilication, wliile th(^ antimony is found in
metallic hjdes cutting across the strata, and intersecting one
another. It is universally conceded that the cross courses are
the most valuable of all nn'neral vt'ins, especially those dipping
northwardly like these upon your property.
A general idea of the courses of the dilferent veins and
their intersections may be rea<lily ascertained by referring to
Mr. Ilobb's very accurate ma]) of the ])roperty. The No. 1
vein of his classification rujis about K. fifteen deg. N., and has
been uncovered for a distance of 140 fiM^t, while an outcrop
of what is su])])osed to be the same vein has been noticed half
a mile westerly, near Nicolet Lake. It lies ahmg the south-
eastern slope of a steep hill.
Vein No. '2 has the course of N. sixty (leg. W., intersecting
15
both the others. No. 3 runs up the hill N. E. and S. W., dip-
ping about fifty deg. H. E. Nos. 1 and 2 dij) northerly alxuvt
sixty deg\ No. 3 dips towards the others at a smaller angle.
The strata in the vicinity have the course of N. lifty-tive deg.
E. The length of vein No. 3 between its intersections with
Nos. 1 and 2 is about seventy-five feet ; while that of Nt). 2 is
about 130 feet.
The shaft is situated upon the No. 1 vein. It is about twelve
feet sijuare, and has 1)een sunk to the depth of twenty-three
feet, tiie lode being ascertained to improve considerably in
the descent. At its bottom the Avidth of rock carrying tlio
metal is eight feet, but the vein is not connnonly supi)osed to
be so wide.
At the surface the connnon width of the veins is from twenty
to twenty-four inches, sometimes exceeding three feet. When
iirst discovered it Avas only ten or twelve inches wide. My
hasty exann'nation leads me to sus^ject that the vein must em-
brace most of the rock carrying the metal. 'J'he richest part
of the vein is sometimes adjacent to the foot, and sometimes
to the hanging-wall. The gangue rock is largely com])osed of
dark-blue (]uart/, the remainder being a variety ot kellas.
About a ton weight of the gangue rock was removed from
tlie vein by a single blast during tlie time of my visit.
The common form of tlie antimony in these veins is the
native, pure im^tal. The ores present in small (piantity are
the connnon sulphuret, white oxide, and the red oxy-sulphu-
ret in binidles of radiating crystals. The native antimony
occurs, both in large masses, and is disseminated througli the
gangue. Dr. Hayes' assay shows tliat the un})romising aj)pear-
ing part of the gangue yield-s sixty per cent, of the metal;
hence, we believe that every fragment of the vein is vabiabk'.
7! poi'tions of the vein wliich a|»i)ear poor to the inexperi-
enced eye, are, nevertheless, highly chai'ged with the metal.
The curious bed of serpentine liigli up the hill contains
native antimony also. It will be exceedingly interesting to
find where the lodes intersect the serpentine ; since the rock
is so different it may have some inliuence upon the character
of the minerals in the vein. Here would be a favoi-able spot
to search tor the occurrence of other valuable and unconnnou
metals or ores.
16
II
ii
The whole of the schists contain small leaders or feeders
charged \vith antimony, and making for the principal lodes.
Those wore seen west of the serpentine, where the nodular
masses of dark quartz lying between the strata are also
charged with the metal.
The veins are admirably situated for draining. An adit
can be cheaply constructed, which shall strike a shaft 150 feet
from the surface. Or Nos. 2 and 3 might be drifted into from
below, without shafting at present. The rock may be easily
blasted.
Water is convenient for the washing of the ores, and there
is a good mill-privilc^gc two miles distant on the road to the
railway. Common laborers may be hired for sixty cents per
diem, and experienced hands for eighty cents. The ores can
be transported to Artliabaska for from $3.00 to $5.00 per ton ;
and from thence to l?oston for $5.00. The low melting point
of antimony would enable you to smelt it on the spot with
little exi)ense, and very simple apparatus, thus avoiding nmch
of the expense of transportation. Wood costs, on the ground,
from thirty to iifty cents per cord, and charcoal five cents per
bushel. The ])ure metal will bring fifteen cents per pound,
or $300 per ton, and the mines of antimony are so few that
there is little danger of overstocking the market. About
twenty tons of ore iiave already been removed from the shaft,
whose connnercial value will very much exceed the exj)ense
already incurred in sinking the excavation.
The following are the points of greatest interest pertaining
to the antimony mine : —
Firsf. Tlie antimony occurs chiefly as the natwe metal,
without the addition of any minerali/er. This saves the ex-
pense of reduction to tlie metallic state.
Second. The veins are true metallic lodes, almost the only
cross-course metallic veins in the Quebec grou]) in Lo\yer
Canada. They occupy the best possible position known lo
miners for permanency and improvement in descending. As
a matter of scientilic interest it is exceeded by no locality in
(.^niada.
Third. The intersections of lodes are invariably the rich-
est portions of veins; and three such intersections occur upon
17
this property, which have not yet been uncovered. It may
be that all three of the veins will intersect at some point be-
low the surface.
Fourth. The case of reducing the gangue to the pure
metal on the property, tlio facility with which the rock may
be excavated, the admirable position of the mine as respects
drainage, the high price paid for the metal, and its scarcity,
together with the remarkable cheapness of fuel and labor,'
combine to render this property one of very great value. It
is sc Mora that one can recommend a mining property so highly
as this.
With sincere respect.
Your obedient servant,
C. II. HITCHCOCK,
Geologist to the State of Maine.
Quebec, C E., Oct. ;U, 1863.
8
■:
1! ■■
L i<: T r K U S F U ( ) AI I' li OK. II A ^' F. s .
k; Uovi.sroN Sr.. Boston, C> Miy. 1S(!:?.
Wii.r.is !{i'ssi:i,L, Ks(,>.
Dkak Shi: Vour siiiiii)li' dI' nro rciichcd mv to-diiy, and as
its ai)peiiriiiieu was new to me, I at onco allowed tlic other
e.\i»ts. to cease, and took your ore in hand.
It is a ivniai-kMhie substance, being composed of oxide of
antimony, metallic antimony, iron ochre.
Metallic antimony is vt'ry rare, and the oxide here found
has l»cen produced from it l)y a slow process of oxidation. H
you can obtain such masses as you sent to me, you have only
to put into a crucible a mixture of 10 o/s. ore, broken to the
si/e oi' l»eas, 2 ozs. charcoal in powder, 2 ozs. soda ash, or
dry carbonati' of soda, well mixed, and crucible closed with
a ct)ver, and heat to redness until all is melted, and you will
have, on coolinj*', jmre metallic antimony. Your ore contains
l*ure metallic antimony ... 82
Oxygen of iron and earth . . . 18
100
I assayed it for silver and g-old^ which often accompanios
the antimony ores, but could not discover a workable quantity.
From your description I infer that the deposit is in the rocks
between the strata, and not crossing the direction of the rocks.
Now, if such be the case, it may be a bed or irregular masses,
and it a])pears to me well worthy of examination. The oxide
which accompanies the metal looks like some rocks, and there
may be no delined walls. I write in some haste in order to
give you the earliest information, and hope if our mutual
friend, Mr. Parker, is coming here, you wili send another par-
cel containing the heavy metallic part and the lighter portion,
with some of the rock, that l may be better able to state how
19
i
it occurs. An (»ro of iintiinoiiy lias l)0('n IuuikI in Now Bruns-
wicU, iicMi' Fi\Ml(>i'ickt()n ; l)iit as an (irc it is not ii(>arly so vaiu-
al)l(' as tills hair nn'tallic (lei)osit of Vdurs. 1 do not now
lliink of any ot'un- jioint of interest in I'eply to yoni' inijnii'ies.
"\'on ha\'e a el 'ar (»)•(■ as an oxiije. nnxe(l witli iiicfclHc anti-
nionv. a r.ii'e and \alnai»le mi-;.- eoniniercially, and intei'e-tin;j,'
in a srientilic \it'\v.
Tiady vi nrs,
A. A. !:AVt:s.
k; liovi.sioN Si i!i:i;r. r>o>roN. Mi'. !•_'. \s(;:;.
\Vll,lJS UrssKM,, KSQ.,
|)lv\i! Sn{ : — So soon as your paeka^'e reached me to-<lay 1
conniieiieed an assay of the rock, and fonnd the hrilliant points
to he in part antimony, and in ])art pyrites of iron, 'i'here is
ronsiderahle antimony in the roek: and I re,uard this indication
liivoraltle t(t the view that the dep(»sit will i)rove to l»e lin]i(n-
tant. The oxide of antimony incrnstln<;' the nu'tal. looks so
much like rock, that an error could be easily made in relation
to it : other ores of antimonv reouire i^-reat skill and a lar^-o
loss is incuiM'ed in workiui;- them, Avhile this one can he most
(>asily worked into injL!;ots hy a diivct fusion in crucihles.
r h!iv(> shown the native metal to scientilic persons here,
who expressed the same interest I felt in the discovery, and
last ni;A"lit I addressed an audience on the suhject of metals
found native, and used your specimens for illustrations. The
description contained in your note certainly shows that a reg;-
ular vein exists, and i)rol)al)ly it will he found to increase in
width, and become clean with lininj>- walls of metamorpliic
Avells. I jiidg-ed the sam])les you sent to be chloritic slate in
fact, and tlie ([uartz very cellular, and proves much like some
^n\{\ ({uartz.
Truly yours, A. A. HAYKS.
20
Nkw Vouk, May I."). IHO.'t.
Willis Uusskll, Ks(.>.
r>EAir Silt: — At'lci-fi ciiroriil tt'stiiit;' of vour s|)('ciiiu'ns in
the box ri'fcivcd I'roin you, I scut ii tclc^^Tiiin of result bctin'i'
k'iiviiiji' Boston. Tlic rock iiciir tlic vein I'ontuins iiarticlos of
metal and oxide of antimony. l»ut not in workable ((Uantity ;
and its prt'seiiee is indicativi' of a rock existing' in the i-onnec-
tion somewliert'.
1 was much interested in your ai'coinil of the vein, and in-
deed in tlu' whole matter ; since I have been hei'c I have given
some publicity to the liict of discovering, and every one has
ex|)ressed surprise and the sti'oiigcst ho])es of the disi'ovei'y
proving (tf high value.
'I'herc is much expectation here!, too, in relation to the dis-
coveries of I'opper ore in Canada, and generally a disposition
to invest ca]>ital in pi-oinising mining adventures which I have
not noticed for several years, 'riie rock which vou sent to
n'le is eminently a iin'neral rock, and I have seen it connected
with gold, sihci', and coppci' ores iVom various countries,
some of the ccilulai' pieces ol' the gray (piartz reminded me
oi' many assays lor rich gold oi"e, and if in a gold-bearing
region, I have no doubt it wouhl be the gold-bearing rock of
the country generally. I do not feel abh^ t<» stati', any moi'e
delinitely, suggestions in relation to the veift of antimony, be-
cause r dt) not form, nor can I timl any wtdl-groundod knowl-
edge on the subject. This metal, therefore, has been found
connected with oi-es of antimony, excepting perhaps in Mex-
ico, always so related, and your pursuit of it must be thori^foi'o
;i different search, and in fact a careful tra(;ing of wall-rock, in
([uest of a vein of metal which may not be developed on the
surtiice.
1 feel much interested in this discovery, ami pleased to have
been able to examine tin; metal.
ii'you can send me sonn- specimens, I shall juesent them
/// i/oar name, to scieiitilic socit^ties, when; they will be a|j-
preeiated
^rrulv vours
A. A HAYE.s.
IIM:
21
I
K; lioYLSTON StUKKT, HosTON, Oct. 1!», IHCi.'t.
WiLT.is Russell, Esq.
Pkau Sir: — I was absent wlien your packiigv ciimo, but
have now eonipleted tbe analyses.
No. 1 was rook with some <j;'ranules of sulpliuret of iron and
much native antimony.
No. 2 was the same, with other roek admixed.
No. 3, simihir.
One piece was very compact native antimony in which a
few p,Tanules ctf sul|)liuret of antimony was foinxh 'I'he speci-
mens did not }j;-ive, l)y analysis of the metallic part, more than
traces of sulphuret ot' antimony, but the sulphuret of iron was
in larger |)roportion: some of the ([uartz was dark colored, as
if auriferiais, and many parts were like jn .id-bearing (piart/..
An average was made of the three numbers, and this avcir-
age was used in the trials.
One hundred parts contained (iO ])er cent, of antimony.
An assay tin was used for determining silver and gold. No
traces of these metals were found. Neither copi>er, nickel, or
cobalt is present.
It will lie seen that although the rock attached to the sam-
ples dift'er, and the metallic parts present som(> points of more
or h'ss compactness, yet the true metallic i)art is the siime in
all of them. They are deceptive in appearance too, the
amount of metal contained is larger than would have been
sui)i)osed, 1 think. Truly yours,
A. A. HAYES.
m
■ .
1
,
1 1 pi
Mi
IJKI'OUT OF IIKRUKirr WILLIAMS, LS(^
ins
ll\i:\i:v llii.i. Cni-i'i.ii .Minis,
l,i:i:i>s. Mi;(i.\Mic. ('. I)..
Si i'i:i!iN ii.Mn.N i"s Oi iici;, stli Fclini;nT, isdi.
WiM-is KussKi.i,, Ks(^. fjnehec.
lU'iwi Sii{: — - llii\iii,i:' ]»iii(l iiiv sccoikI iiKHitlily x'isit to tlic
Soiitli Ham Aiitinioiiy .Mines on tlio 2(1 inst., 1 n(»\v bc^- to iiiy
l)L'l'ore yon tlic t"ollo\vin<;' rcjioit on the |)i'o^ress ot" tlic woik
durin};' tiic \y.\M month.
Tlio ivtimhoriiiiL;' of tlic slial't liiis hccn well and earefnlly
(lone, and the sshal't was snnk dni'in;^' the month of Jannary
two fathoms, tlnvo f'et't, nint' inches; its total de})th IVttni the
In-ace Itoinj;' four {'atlioms, three feet, nine inches.
The j;ronnd is apparently liecomin^- a little harder and more
settled in its nature, so that I considered it was a little lietter
lor sinkin^i', and I accordiujii'ly reset the work for the month
of February ut the sume pricc^ that was paid ibr last month,
vi/: seventy-live dollars per tatliom.
Th;' lode is evideutly imi)rovinji;- as we j;'o down and apj)ar-
ently becoming- more orey; the entire width of the settled
portion of the lode near the bottom of the shaft, as measured
l>v myself, beinu" two feet four iiu'hes in the cletir, whilst there
Avas still some lode stull" Avith tlit> oxide and sulphuret of an-
timony to be seen in the side of the shaft Avhich 1 direet(Hl the
contnietor to take down.
The ore us broken has been [»lactM| on on*' side, but there
being no building to place it in, the same Avas so covered uj)
with snow and frost that it was cpiite impossible to estimate
even approximatively the amount of ore got out.
Xow that the discovery of gold in this province is attrac't-
ing almost universal attention. I think it necessary that I
sh(.uld mention that the ( 'onipan\ 's property lies within the
n;
2B
limits of the ;;'()l(l-l)i'iiriiij;- ro^'ion, mid I would rccomiiu'iid that
cfirctul ('X[)ioriitioiis lie iiiiido oarlv in the s|»riiig with a view
to test its vahic lor thi' [-rccioiis iiii'tal.
I have also to <'all your attention to the fact that occasional
siieeks of yellow sulphiiret of eo|ii»er has lie»'n met with in
the shaft durin;^- the past month, and as the dioi'ites nvv known
to carry that mineral in payinjj^ (juantities in several parts of
tlu! i)rovince, I am indinec] to the oj)inion that cop|)er ores
may l»e found on the Company's [)roperty in suflicient ([uaiiti-
ties to pay for their extraction, and with a view to a more
thoroui^h and systematic exploration of the property for l»oth
gold and copper as well as tlu! antimony veins already dis-
covered. I would reconnnend that a cross-out be driven from
the foot of the hill, so as to intersect the antimony veins at a
depth of alxmt 20 to 2;j fathoms below their outcrops ; and
should the ('ompany determine to adopt this sug-j^-estion, I will
on my next visit take the neccessary jueasureinents in order
to determine the point at which it should be commenced.
Your instruct*. ns on this important subject shall receive
my careful and best attention.
I am, dear sir.
Your obd't serv't,
HERBERT WILLIAMS.