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The extraordinary richness and productive character of the gold-bearing region of the Chaudi^re in Canada East, are now fully recognized ; and have already attracted multitudes of adventurers in search of the precious metal. The alluvial valley of the River du Loup — a large tributary of the Chaudidre — and the streams flowing into it from the east, have been ascertained to be especially rich and promising ; and in addition to the alluvial deposits, the quartz veins traversing the rocks, which are, in all probability, the source of the gold found in the district, will yield a steady and reliable supply, and will afford abundant scope for profitable working by a Joint Stock Company. The River du Loup Gold Mining Company have selected and acquired in fee-simple some of the choicest locations on these various tributaries. The following is a schedule of the lands thus acquired, which are all situated in the township of Linidre : — Name of tributary. Mill Stream Grande Coud^e . Traveller's Rest . Portage No. of acres. 24 350 100 221 100 Frontage on river. One-eighth of a mile. Two-and-a-quarter miles. One mile. Three miles. One mile. Comprising in all . 795 Seven and three-eighths milea. On many of the Company's lands actual discoveries of gold in considerable quantities have been made, and they confidently anticipate a contmuous and increased supply, by the application •f a regular and systematic method of exploration. Tho annexed reports contain a detailed statement, by competent scientific and practical authorities, of the nature of this gold- bearincr district, and of the results of actual operations, on a properly in the immediate vicinity of those owned by the present Company. It should be explained, however, that since the date of these observations, the discoveries which have been made, and the success which has been attained, have greatly exceeded ni importance the results which have been chronicled in these reports. ., ^ ?> .. EXTKA.CT FROM THG OFFICIAL REPORT OF SIR WILLIAM LOGAN, PROVINCIAL (1E0L00I8T, / ON TH> RIVER DU LOUP GOLD MINES. No further examination was last season made in the distribu- tion of the auriferous drift on the south-east side of the moun- tain range of the Eastern Townships, but the Government having granted a letter of license to Mr. Richard Oatey, giving him per- mission to collect the metal over a strip of five miles on the Rivers Chaudi^re and du Loup, at their junction, with a breadth of a quarter of a mile on each side, and a mimber of men having been employed by him, streaming for it during several months of the summer and autumn, an opportunity was taken to visit the locality, with a view of obtaining facts 'to form some estimate of the quantity the deposit might produce. The working had been confined to a spot in the bed of the Riviere du Loup, about ten acres from its junction with the Chaudi^re. 'riie stream is here about forty or fifty yards wide, and, like the rest of the country for a considerable breadth in this part, it is under- laid by clay-slates, interstratified with occasional beds of more or less calcareous sandstone, varying in thickness from a few inches to a foot. The slates of the spot cleave in the direction of the bedding, and the dip is about S. S. E. with a slope of sixty to seventy degrees. The ravine in wliich the river runs is in general narrow and deep, with some few open spaces, and the immediate banks often constitute precipices of 100 to 150 feet. At the spot chosen for working, the 6 »)anks recede a little as they tuni towards those of the Chau- difire, and a flat extends between them and the edge of the stream. Tlie chief part of the work had been limited to a space in the bed of the stream, extendino; from the left bank to a distance of about twenty ysrds towards the middle, with a length of about a hundred mid twenty yards along it. Here the slates crossed the cliann(;l obliquely and the river-drift was accumulated upon the uneven surface formed by them, to various degrees of depth. In some parts the rock was bare, and in others covered to the depth of a few inches, and in no part did the deposit exceed three feet, the average being about two feet. The wliole of this loose material was removed, particular care being taken to scrape it from all crevices and deep holes ; but of the rock itself, in the cleavage joints of which scales of the metal some- times descend two or three feet, little more than one fifth had been taken from its place, and none of it n gets to the bottom, and whatever is lightest to th© top ; the top is every now and then scraped oflF arul thrown aside, to be Bent to tho tye, and more stuff ia added to that in the sieve, and the operation continued until all the material from the third running is exhausted, or it becomes necessary to empty the sieve. 'Hie reduced material taken from tho sieve, among which the gold is jiow very perceptible, is subsequently placed on a shovel and vanned or separated by means of a little water, ai>d a peculiar motion given to tho shovel, which only a person dexterous from long practice knows how to wield. Through the small holes of the eopper bottom a large quantity of fine black iron sand escapes intf> the vat or keeve, over which the instrument is used, and a quantity of fine gold escapes with it, which would have to be subsequenUy •eparated by some other process. The whole (juantity of gold obtained daring the season was about 1900 penny-weights, and fifteen men were employed in the work, but it is not easy to state the exact time devoted to streaming. The full period of work was five months ; but a considerable deduction must be made for accidents. The whole gang was for some time employed in constructing a dam, which, when it was nearly com- plete, was carried away by a freshet, and many difficulties were experienced when the river was lowest, (which should have been the best period for working,) through the want of a proper supply of water at the height required to koep the tyes in full action. Something is to be allowed for broken time occasioned by rainy days, and much more for all those difficulties which are unavoidable in starting a new work in a new place, where a knowledge of the natural local impediments is only to be gained by experience, and none of those, conveniences exist, which rise up only after operations have been carried on regularly for some time. My visit lasted a week, during one day of which a heavy fall of rain' prevented work ; but for the remainder of the time a regular account was kept by me of the gold collected and the wages paid. The quantity of gold amounted to 143g| pen ly-weights, the price of which, stated to me subsequently by dealer in London, to whom a sample was submitted, was £S lOs. 6d. st rling per ounce, or about four shillings and fourpence currency per penny-weight. T\m nw ^p .' would giv«3 a total vuiue of X81 Ss. ; tlio wages paid were 4:15, leaving a margin for profit of XI G 38., by which it would appear that the deposit was yielding about double wages. Resultitig from the scason'n work on the Rivitire du Loup there was about a ton of fine black iron-sand in the keeve or vat, over which, the copper bottom wiis used. The unaeparated (juantitj of gold in this after repeated trials, was ascertained to be 1.77 grains per pound avoirdupois ; this would give 165/^ penny-weights to the ton, the gross value of which would be about £SQ. From among a few ounces of fine gold obtained from the sand, there were col- lected some small grains both of platinum and iiidosmine, the value of the former being below, and of the latter double that of gold ; almost all of this fine gold was at first of so white a color that it was considered probable the circumstance might be owing to the pre- sence of a very largo proportion of silver ; some of the larger pieces also obtained from the copper bottom were spotted white from the same supposed cause; but Mr. Hunt, on heating this white gold, found that it quickly turned to a good golden yellow, and that the discoloration was occasioned by a thin coating of mer' curial amalgam. As the spots were perceived on some of the larger pieces immediately on their being first obtained by vanning on the shovel, it is supposed they must have been spotted with the mercury wliile still undisturbed in the drift ; and as no mercury had been used on the ground, it leads to the supposition that some ore of mercury may possibly be one of the mineral products of the country. . REPORT OF EXPERIMENTAL OPERATIONS ON THE EIVER DU LOUP. BY MR. RICHARD OATEY, MINING AGENT. Although the presence of gold in the drift of Canada has been known for a considerable time, it is only lately that attempts have been made to ascertain whether the quantity in any locality is sufficient to promise a profitable return. The great area over which the auriferous deposit in the Province is'now known to extend, makes it reasonable to suppose that the quantity may be so in many places ; but to one of these in particular it is, that on the present occasion, I am to confine attention, streaming for gold on it having been prosecuted for the last two years under my superintendence. ^ Indications of an encouraging nature having been met with on the Fief St. Charles in the Seigniory of Aubert de I'Isle, an apphcation was made to the Provincial Government for permission to collect the precious metal on a strip of about five miles on the Rivers du Loup and Chaudidre attheir junction, an arrangement having in the first instance been made with one of the censitaires on whose lots the indications were obtained. License to commence mining the ground was obtained from the Government on the 26th April, 1851 on the conditions of which a copy is hereto appended, and the area to be worked having been fixed as five miles and fifteen chains on the Rivers by a breadth of a quarter of a mile on each side, stream- ing operations were begun towards the end of May. The system adopted for obtaining the gold was that practised in Cornwall in streaming for tin. By this a fall of water is required, and a small stream called Creig's Creek, near ^le position where Silt 11 €y> e> the first indications were met with, was considered available for th<> purpose. Immediately that the water was applied to a sufficient quantity of gravel in a .treak, a number of large and small pieces ot gold were obtained, and it was soon perceived that the distribu- tion ot the metal in the part experimonted upon was pretty uniform and the quantity sufficient to encourage farther perseverance. Ihe streaming, however, had not been continued many days be- fore it was perceived that the water in the creek diminished very much, and it so for dried up that only one streak and one tye could be kept m operation. Although the experimental facts ascertained by these were sufficient to authorise the opinion that, provided the rest of the location were like this part, there was gold enough on it to render the enterprise of mining it profitable, it was very evident that success would depend on obtaining water from some other source m sufficient quantity to work a much larger number of streaks and tyes. As the summer advanced the dry weather continued, and the water m the creek failing altogether, streaming had to be suspended. Advantage, however, was taken of the time to extend exploration to other parts of the location in order to ascertain more fully the distribution of the gold over it. The result of this was so far satis- factory that wherever a trial was made, such indications were ob- tained as to authorise. the opinion that it is about e.iuallv abundant throughout, nof only in the beds of the main streams but in parts extending up to ten feet above their level, and particularly in a flat of about twelve acres at this height over the River du Loup, a lease ot which for mimng purposes was subsequently obtained from the censitaire. The interval of dry weather was also used for the purpose of col- ectmg from the bed of the river and placing on the bank, a quan- tity of gravel for future washing, and before the expiration of the clrought, an attempt was made to construct a wooden dam across the River du Loup, with a view of getting a head of water to work an effective number of streaks and tyes. Before, however, the dam €ould be finished and secured, a freshet which occurred t^arried the structure completely away, causing a loss of 1500, but towards the end of the season, wet weather once more permitted the creek to 12 yield a temporary supply of water sufficient to wash tlie grave which had been collected, and a small additional quantity not pre- viously moved. The area worked over during the season, the thickness of the gravel being on the average about two feet, was, by actual measure- ment, found to be about three-eighths of an acre, and the quantity of gold collected from this (including a small portion derived from the general exploration) was 1947 dwts. 11 grs., among which were several pieces weighing from 1 to 1^ oz. ; and besides this, there was a quantity of iron sand (about a ton) resulting from the last process in washing the gravel, which by experiment was found to contain about 160 dwts. of gold. On comparing the value of the gold thus obtained with the wage» expended in collecting it, (exclusive, however, of all charges for superintendence), the result is as follows : — Clean gold obtained Gold in one ton of iron sand . . dwts. grs. 1947.11 160.00 2107.11 at 86f cents— 11826.46 Amount expended for labor in min- ing, washing and cleaning from 25th April to 8th November . . 1644.33 Leaving a balance of i 182.15 In the wages, however, is included the expense of constructing the dam carried away, and as this accident had nothing to do with the facts required to elucidate the general probable returns of the mineral location, the value of the gold over the wages may be con- sidered as exceeding $680, or about 42 per cent. In 1852, mining opert'tions were resumed in the end of May, and warned by the early drying up of the water in the creek the pre- vious season, it was deemed prudent, while one party was occupied in streaming by aid of the creek, to employ another in constructing across the River du Loup a break-water, or dam of stones, brush and turf, with a view of raising and having ready such a head of water, as would keep streaks and tyes going when the creek should 13 for fail. From the commenccmenfc, however, the creek gave but a poor supplj, and after expending a good deal of labor on the dam it proved to be unserviceable, as while the interstices among the stones used for a foundation on an uneven bottom were such as could not be stopped, they were found to be sufficient to permit the escape of all the water. The dam, therefore, had to be abandoned without any remuneration resulting from it. This expedient failing, it was conceived that a continued supply of water for regular work might be obtained by procuring at a dis- tance of about 900 feet up the river, and conducting it in launders to join the creek, which by this time was nearly dry, but still gave a small amount that by saving, was made available at intervals. Launders with a breadth of ten inches were consequently construct- ed, but by the time they were placed, the water in the river had fallen so much that it was found necessary to construct a head-way still a little farther up, to get the water into them, with a sufficient current to carry it the whole distance. While the launders wore in the course vf construction and adjust- ment, which occupied neariy six weeks, and the dry weather con- tinued, a party was employed to raise gravel from the bed of the river, and place it on the bank for future use. This was a judicious precaution ; for though the gravel on the banks may hold nearly a« much gold, yet it is proper to clean up the river first, as the work- mg of the bank gravel must necessarily send the refuse resulting from it into the river, where it would obstruct the attainment of the river gravel, were not this washed first. The river gravel is only attainable during the dry weather, and it might have been agam covered by the water, by the time the launders were com- pleted ; yet if the launders had been ready, this gravel might have ' been at once carried to the streaks and tyes, and one movement of it could thus have been saved. The launders came into operation in the end of July, and though it was found they had scarcely enough fall to give at all times the quantity of water required, yet from that period to the terminatioa of the season, concluding in the end of October, the work became pretty regular. The area worked over during the season, was about five-eighths ! f 14 of an acre. The quantity of gold obtained was 2573 dwts. 7 grs., in which were included the following nuggets : — dwt«. grs. June 7 126 19 July 30 88 21 August 25 10 2a « 25 38 21 September 7 98 21 «• 24 55 2 « 30 23 20 October 2 16 22 . « 9 13 2. In addition to this, was the gold contained in the iron sand result- ing from the copper bottoms in the last process of cleaning. This, however, was mixed up with that of the previous season, and the average of the two, tried by a sample of 25 lbs., is equal to 233 dwts. 18 grs. of gold per ton of sand. The quantity of this iron sand now on hand is about two tons, and deducting from the gold in it, 160 dwts. for the ton of 1851, there would remam 307 dwts. 12. grs. as the quantity in the ton of 1852. Comparing as before, the value of the gold and the labor, exclu- sive of superintendence, the result is as follows : — dwte. grs. Clean gold collected 2573. 7 ■ •Qold in one ton of iron sand 807.12 2880.19 a« 86| cents-$2496.69- Amount expended for labor from the 24th May to 30th October 1888 35 Leaving a balance of. : $608.34 In the labor is included the time expended in making the launders but as these might be serviceable for several years, in justice to the experiment, the expense of making them should be distributed over these years, and it is therefore considered that an allowance of 50 cents for each of them should be made. The number of them, includ- -b 4 15 'h .ing those required for streaks and tyes, is 150, and the value of the gold over the wages would thus be about $683 or about 36 per cent. If, however, a comparison is made between the gold and the wages, from the time the launders came into operation until the end of the season, the result would be as follows : — dwts. Clean gold collected 2036 Gold in proportion of iron sand .... 242 2278 at 86| cents— $51974.35 Amount expended for labor for the week ending 31st July to the 30th Oct. . 1130.65 Leaving $843.71 From this, however, is to be deducted an allowance for the supe- rior facility with which the gravel collected, while the launders were making, could be taken from the bank instead of from the river ; this gravel gave about two weeks' work to the streaks and tyes, and the difference is about $44, making the value of the gold over wages $800, or about 70 per cent. ' From the exploration and experiments that have thus been made on the location, it appears quite evident that it must contain a large quantity of gold. The superficial area of ground is about 2,000 acres, and from one of these acres there has already been obtained upwards of $4,000 worth of metal. But it is also evident that to- work the location effectually, operations must be carried on on a much larger scale. This would require some outlay. The only natural difficulties in the way are those connected with a supply of water. The supply by the present launders is insufficient ; their breadth is too small, and while their fall is scarcely great enough, the height they gain above the river is not sufficient to carry them above the reach of freshets ; so that while they stand in some dan- ger of being injured by such freshets as may occur during the working season, they must be removed whenever the winter sets in, and replaced in the spring. The slope of the river is much quicker \ne the present launders, and a quantity of water large enough 16 to work any required number of streaks and tyea, would be procured by conveying it along side of the River du Loup, from the highest point to which the location extends on this stream, by launders of six feet wide. The distance is about a mile, and the faU is sufficient to permit the launders to be carried for the chief part above the level of freshets. Such an arrangement would command the whole bed of the river, and nearly emptymg it during dry weather, would give the opportunity of operating on the gravel at so mtoy points at once, aa would rapidly exhaust of their gold the bed (averaging 20 yards), the banks and flats in the whole distance down to the Chaudi^re, at the junction with which there is a wider flat than elsewhere, the produce of which it is expected will considerably surpass the average of the ground in other parts. The Chaudi^re is fully double the width of the du Loup, and at the highest part of the location and within it on that stream there is a considerable cascade, called the Upper Falls of the Chaudi^re, from which any supply of water might be obtained. for operations on the banks, either at the same time or subsequently to washing on the du Loup. Your most obedient servant, RICHABD OATEY. I e procured he highest Eiunders of is sufficient ; above the i the whole her, would lany points (averaging lown to the r flat than ansiderably •up, and at ream there Chaudidre, ' operations to washing 3ATEY. \^" ?•&:- a|i TKK €#3EJ^ 393&AaraF€ 38:3G€3EOfF 03eTH3E /:V./.yr«««^ ,.e^A*/^ 7^^ Bcu^uUuy. Cm^nu^'s Property CcUn^R^ ^ SCAIiE. MiU*. SIX MILES TO ONE INCH. < ORLEANS SLANO >> i iiiii i i e ii ii iw '»'*?♦ A U O N (A [ritHM' 14 S P H XE t 8 T Mi R « ^^-.tiSV^^*'' THETFORO r R O N ST J P H AOSTOCK R » UD^ lU AUBtRT\\M^i\lSUt ftAtUOH N t 1 CVB hi \ J E R S Cr jdtTOERWt'^^^ \1 *^ y / ^ "^& >^ / r / f.' ^ ^ / .0 y y / %