V 
 
 
 ■•-""•• 1 . 
 
 ,"^W'" 
 
 I'HOVINCK HOUSK 
 

 
 // 
 
 BEPORT 
 
 l»^ 
 
 . o3f xa» 
 
 T> 
 
 rOIJiT AGOKI COAL PROPERTY-, 
 
 " ■\:.^-r 
 
 'y. ■.' 
 
 (Al'^J 
 
 CAPJE BftETOJV. 
 
 
 " " ^ t jft,"; - 
 
 BY 
 
 ISf«T YOirtB SIHB, M.^ 
 
 ■ mo. 
 
IIEPOIIT 
 
 ON TUB 
 
 POINT ACONI COAL PROPERTY, 
 
 SYDNEY COAL FIELD, 
 
 CAPE BRETON. 
 
 I BY 
 
 HENRY YOULE HIND, M. A. 
 
 I 
 
 HALIFAX, N. S. 
 t 1870. 
 

 ^ ^ 
 
 n 
 
 ■ \ \ 
 
CONTEjSTTS. 
 
 1.— The Sydney Coal. 
 
 2. — Situation of the property. 
 
 3. — General (Icscription of tlic rocks. 
 
 4. — The Main Coal seam. 
 
 ''5- — Mttiiod of mining at Point Aconi. 
 
 (). — Amount of coal accessible. 
 
 1. — Mode of ventilation. 
 
 «^. — The loading gi-ound. 
 
 !).— Probable FAULT. 
 
 l<>._;<eams of coal independently of the xMain Coal seam. 
 1 1. — Conclusion. 
 
POINT ACONI COAL MINES, 
 
 Near Sydnoy, Cape Breton. 
 
 1 -THE SYDNEY COAL. 
 
 The Sydney Coal Held ol' Capo IJielon, lias been practically 
 known 8inc(; 1H27. 
 
 In that year the General Mining Association commenced shipping 
 coal, and their exports alone up to the present time considerably 
 exceed one million tons. 
 
 The coal of the Sydney Mines lias been almost exclusively taken 
 from one seam, called the Main Coal seiim. It is highly esteemed 
 as a domestic; coal and <or the produ(;tion of Steam. American, 
 French and British Naval Ollicers have officially reported on this 
 Coal and have unilbrraly awarded to it high commendation. ♦' Its 
 steam power is little inferior to that of Cardiff coal, and ecpials that 
 of Newcastle." (Report of the Director of Naval construction at 
 Brest.) 
 
 The Point Aconi property derives its chief importance from its 
 being wholly underlaid by this important coal to the extent ot 
 21,600,000 tons. 
 
 2 -SITUATION OF THE PB,OPERTY. 
 
 Point Aconi lies nearly duo north from the eiitr.mec to 
 Sydney Harbour. It is the most northern extremity of IJouliinlarie 
 Islrnd, which is separated from the maiu land of Cape Breton by 
 the Little and Great Bras d'Or Straits. 
 
 The property under consideration, three and a half square miles, 
 is wholly submarine as regards the owner>liip of the eual, but 
 according to the present mining laws of Nova Scotia, the coal can 
 be won by shafts sunk at any point on the land which appears most 
 desirable, and does not interfere with existing colliery works. The 
 present proprietors likewise own twenty acns of land iicai' tiie penin- 
 sula of Point Aconi, conveniently situated, with tiie right to purchase 
 more if desirable. 
 
 Ihe position and boundaries of the property are shown on the 
 accompanying phms, as well as its relations to tiie great colliery of 
 
iho. C!('n<'ral IMiiiinp; A»sru'intioti, which is now in part suhmarinc, ns 
 at Lloyd's Cove, and to aiiolhor important coihiTy at Lf)W Point 
 (thd Victoria), which is wholly submarine, and al llic pn'-ictit lime 
 in successful operation. It may also ho staled that the Covi.rnment 
 InspCM'tor of Minos mentions in his report for 1807, that the (li^noml 
 Minin;» Association have pu^he(l iheir workings of the Main Sciain un- 
 der thu seunt liloyd's Cove, »* and this district of the niino has hecn 
 rc};nlaily worked since, in tho same manner as hitherto practised, 
 with lh(! exception of an i'idargen)ent in tho size of the pillars. No 
 increase of water has liciMi met with, nor is there any change of 
 importance." 
 
 In IHi'tH till' hnpector fiu'tlicir icports, that the opcTations •• in the 
 Lloyd's (!ove District, under the sea, arc being re|^nlar!y carried on, 
 and present no chango in any re.spect." 
 
 3 -GENERAL DESORIPTION OF THE ROOKS. 
 
 A section of the ("oil measures is exposed on Hoidardiirie Island, 
 between Point Aconi, and the out-crop of the Millstone Grit. 
 
 The fj;en(!ral dip is north easterly at an angle of degrees on 
 l?oii!ai(Iarie Island ; at AMer and IMope Points, the dip inclines more 
 to the east, hui aliont the same angh;. 
 
 At Sydney Harbour where a wry favourable opportunity exists 
 for studying the rocks, the following details of the section are 
 well exposed between tho IMillstone Grit and the Cranberry Head 
 acjim. (8ee Plans.) 
 
 Vertical thickness of Section of the Coal jNIeasures. 1800 Feet. 
 General Dip 7° N. 00° K. 
 
 Number of coal seams. - . _ - - 
 
 Thickness of coal seams, varying from h inch to six ft. 
 Aggregate thickness of coal. - . - - 
 
 Aggregate tiiickiiess of Bituminous .Shales, some of 
 which approach Caiinel coal. - - . - 
 
 Thickness of Sandstones, many of the beds massive. 
 Thickness of Arenaceous and Argillaceous Shales. 
 Thickness of Underclays. - - . - . 
 
 Limestone*^. ---.... 
 
 'I'otal horizontal length of this Section. 
 
 Th( re is no material diilerence between the mineral composition 
 and physical s(iai(!tiu-e of the strata on Boulardaiie Lsland (coal 
 measures), and tin; continuation of the same beds at Sydney 
 Harboui-. The coal seams show slij«;iit variations which will be 
 
 31 
 
 
 37 Feet. 
 
 20.5 
 
 do. 
 
 r>02 
 
 do. 
 
 11-27 
 
 do. 
 
 i)9 
 
 do. 
 
 3.11 
 
 do. 
 
 r)000 
 
 Yards 
 
 *Vi(le Section in detail by \i. Urown, Ks(|., .Journal of tlie Geological 
 Society of London, 184y 
 
noticed under f he ilcMcriptiuii of tln'.-<c'!iin.'*,l)Uttli(!j;<'ii('r!ilt'liaractt'rit*tu> 
 arc the Rnmc. There ii n probiilde fault ruriiiiti<{ up tliu Little. 
 Urns il'Or strait, wliose iiiduence on the workiug of the property 
 will III- (liseU't^'od iu suhMMjueut pagus. 
 
 4 -THE MAIN COAL SEAM. 
 
 A.s^Miiiiii;^ that lli<: Main Coal Suan» is the lowest wijich would bo 
 Wdikcd oti th(! Aemii pi'uperty for many years to eotne, it is iiee(!ssary 
 only to rmirneratc tliosi; whieh lie above it, and which would be 
 passed throii^Ii iu ciukiu;; a shaft to win the Mnin coal on Point 
 Aconi Peninsula a> indiculed oti the plan. 
 
 Depth of Slijf't at I'oini indicated on the plan to strike 
 
 the lUMiu Coal. COO Feet. 
 
 Pas-;iii^ tliKHij^di Suauj of thickness unknown at a depth of .'>27 do. 
 
 Pa^ninj; throu;.di Scjuu (ti" thickness unknown at a depth of .'t.'>l do. 
 
 I'assin,:; thn'U;;li T-ylc Scam at depth - - • •'{■'JO do. 
 
 I'assiiig ilirou;,'li Crandal Seam at depth ... 22 t do. 
 
 I'lie Paint nud Carr seams are not intersected by this .>hal't, both of 
 them lying north from the shaft on the Aconi peninsula, but the Paint 
 seam is i)ierccd by the shaft at Alder Point, ns described further on. 
 
 The main Coal Seam, as already .stated, is the chief source of 
 supply to the General Mining Association at their Sydney Colliery. 
 Its thickness is .slightly variable. 
 
 At the Low Point (\)lliery it is feet throe inches ot 
 excellent coal, with four inches at the root of 
 inferior (piality, making a total thickness of - • G ft. 7 in. 
 
 At the coast exposure on the west side of Sydney 
 
 Harbour it is ...... ft. in. 
 
 At the workings in the Queen's Pit in 180o 
 
 (CM. A.) it was 5 ft. G in. 
 
 In 18GG it was re[inrled by the Inspector to average G ft. in. 
 
 At Point Acciii its total thickness exceeds, - - 8 ft. in. 
 but some inches of the roof are of inferior quality, 
 hence in the estimate of the available (|uantity of 
 coal from the scam on the Aconi property it is 
 taken as • - - - • - - G ft. in. 
 
 The coal from this seam has been examined by numerous and 
 competent experts, and tested on a large scale. — (1) 
 
 (1.) In 18G() the Inspector of Mines reported that a cargo of 450 
 tonp o!" the Coal was ship[)ed by order of th(! French Government 
 to JJrest. Th(! director of naval construction reported on it as 
 elated in a preceding paragraph. 
 
8 
 
 Mr. Johnson for the United States Government in 1842 gave 
 the following analysis : — 
 
 Moi.sture. 3.125 
 
 Volatile, combustible matter. ... 23.810 
 
 P'ixcd Carbon. G7.570 
 
 Ash. - -• ,0.495 
 
 
 100.000 
 
 HOW, IN 1861. 
 
 FROM SYDNEY MINES. 
 
 Moisture and Volatile Combs. 
 
 matter. • - - • 31.87 
 
 Fixed Carbon. - 
 
 Ash. .... 
 
 G4.59 
 
 3.54 
 
 
 100.00 
 
 Specific gravity. 
 Evaporative power. 
 
 1.340 
 
 8.87 
 
 DAWSON, IN 18G7. 
 
 FROM VICTORIA MINKS. 
 
 Volatile matter. 
 
 Fixed Carbon. 
 
 Ash. . - . - 
 
 Top Bench. Bottom Bench. 
 39.6 37.8 
 57.2 59. G 
 3.2 2.0 
 
 100.00 100.00 
 
 Thi.s coal sells at $1.00 per ton more than any other coal from 
 Cape Breton for domestic purposes. It is largely used by French^ 
 English and American Men of war. In 18G0, no less than 66 of 
 these vessels called at Sydney for supplies of this coal. 
 
 5 -METHOD OF mmm AT POINT AOONL 
 
 A main shaft provided witli suitable partitions, as indicated on the 
 plan, would be about 4G0 feet from either coast of the Point. It 
 might be placed so as to be within 200 feet from either coast, but it 
 is desirable to leave ample room for necessary buildings, yards &c., 
 and future extension of the work.s. 
 
 The coal will be reached at a depth of G90 feet, say in round 
 numbers 120 fathoms. 
 
 The distance to drive a double drift each way before the Subma- 
 rine coal could be won on either side, would be 4G0 feet. The cost 
 of driving on the coal is 40 cents a cubic yard. 
 
 The drifts, two on each side should be the full height of the seam, 
 about nine feet, so as to allow not only a good roof, but an upper air 
 passage of three feet in the working drift, to be maintained for 
 
Tontilation, separated hy n floor, in addition to the otlii-r means of 
 ventilation hereaCtcr mentioned. 
 
 At Alder Point tlii-re is a Drift on the Paint Scam whieli alieady 
 ex|)o-('S tlir»'o liiindred feet of tlie Scam. This work has heeii dono 
 chiefly with a view to carry away the; surface water, and prepnn; tho 
 ground for piittin;^ down tho main shaft. 
 
 6 -AMOUNT OF COAL ACCESSIBLE. 
 
 For present piii|)()ses it is snlli(;ient to consider the construction 
 of works adequate; to control the coal situated within a radius of 1000 
 yards from the main shaft on either .side, as shown hy a dotted lino 
 on tlie plan. 
 
 This area will eomniand about 4,280,000 tons from the shaft at 
 Point Aconi, and 2,000,000 tons from a t-imilar shaft on Alder or 
 Mope Points as at M on the plan. 
 
 Allowiuj]^ one third for pillars and waste, the yield would amount 
 to 100,000 tons for 41 yeant. 
 
 Thus : — Available coal from INIain Seam at Point Tons. 
 
 Aconi, within a radius of 1000 yards from shaft - 4,2H(),000 
 Deduct one third for pillars and loss, and there remains - 2,850,000 
 or 100.000 tons for 28 years. 
 
 At Alder or JVIope Point: — 
 
 Available coal from main Shaft within a radius of 
 
 1000 yards -...---- 2,000,000 
 
 Deduct .'y for pillars and waste, and there remains - 1,J30,000 
 
 or 100,000 tons for !.'{ years. 
 
 The mean gives 100,000 tons for 41 years. 
 
 A radius of one mile from the shaft at Point Aconi would 
 cominand 13,000,000 tons from the Main Coai Si'.am. The 
 extreme depth below the surface; at that distance would be about 
 1200 feet, or 200 fathoms below the sea level. 
 
 The practical ipiestion of moment is one almost exclusively tou<'h- 
 ing on ventilation. The roof is firm, and the absence of local 
 disturbance in the strata precludes the piobability that drainage 
 water will be troublesome. 
 
 At Tiow Point Colliery, a three inch pipe drains the mine 400 fetit 
 deep and heneatii tiic sea. This can not be said of any inland mine 
 in Nova Scotia, and not of many elsewhere. It is well known that 
 decomposing atmospheric influences extend from GO to 90 feet in 
 rocks not coveriMl witli water. Jt appears very probable that no 
 decomposing influence extends beyond a few feet in rocks permanently 
 eov(;red with sea water, and it is also probable that works under the 
 
10 
 
 sea fifty fiitlioms (loop, Avill be driur tlian tliosc on land, in consequence 
 of the roof being less decoinjiosed by atmosplieric agencies, and the 
 rocks generally less permeable near the surface and consequently at 
 consi<lerable depths below it, 
 
 7 -MODE OF VENTILATION. 
 
 In the Great Tunnel at JMount Cenis, already, up to Fcbruaiy 1 fiOO, 
 excinated 3^% miles or G.'300 yards on one side, and where they 
 are unabhi to get air dotin by means of shafts, they cany an archway 
 below the level and force the air through it. 
 
 At Seigelsberg mines in Hungary an adit level 1 j mile long, 
 rt'itliout a t^hafl. was constru(,'ted by running two shafts down, as is 
 done in English coal mines, with drifts parallel to one another, one 
 as the main drift, the other for forced air, which passed through, 
 (on its backward or return course,) the main drift. 
 
 Sir W. B. Armstrong in his address before the Institution of 
 Mining Engineers, Srd August, 18G9, states. "As regards ventila- 
 tion, the Fan machines of the several constructions tried, have 
 already exhibited great superiority over the old method of ventila- 
 ting by an up-cast Furnace Shaft ; and although the elliciency of 
 the furnace system of ventilation is increased by depth, there is 
 reason to believe that the fan will maintain its superiority to greater 
 depths than are likely to be reached in mining." 
 
 With regard to Fan ventilation INIr. W. Cochrane stated in a 
 paper read before the Institute of Mechanical Engineers at the 
 Annual Congress, that " there could be no question that any practical 
 requirement in the ventilation of mines could be satisfied by the Fan 
 System, (Guibal's Ventilator) and it could not be surpassed in 
 simplicity of construction, small liability to accident, and the little 
 wear and tear to which its working parts were subjected." 
 
 At Newcastle dip Averkings have already been executed for 
 considerably more than a mile to the dip of the Engine Fit bottom. 
 
 At Ashton-under-Lyne, the Astley Shaft is 2100 feet deep ; from 
 the bottom of this shaft, the engine plane to the dip is more than a 
 mile in length. The deep workings are 1500 feet deeper than the 
 bottom of the shaft and 3G00 feet below the surface. 
 
 It need scarcely be stated that the object in placing the shaft on 
 the neck of the peninsula at Point Aconi is to enable drifts to be 
 carried both to the north east, and south west from the same 
 shaft. It would very materially diminish the first expenses, if a 
 shaft were placed at the point (P) on the plan. But in view of ex- 
 
11 
 
 tensive opemtions and looklnj^ to tlic future, tliis position would 
 not be advisable. 
 
 A shaf'u say at (P), one tlioiisarul yards from tlic Crop, would 
 only HMiuire to be 320 feet deep to rcncli tlie coal, l)ut the workings 
 would not only be limited on the rise by tlie boundario of iln! proper- 
 ty ; but the distance from the loading grounds would bo considerably 
 increased. 
 
 8 -THE LOADINa GROUND. 
 
 The loading ground is deep, capaeir^us and well sheltered. There 
 arc three modes of access to it, ono by the Little Bras d"()r Straits, 
 one by tht! Great Bras d'Or Stiaits, and one by St. rctrr's Canal 
 at the South Western extreniity of Cape Breton Island. 
 
 The Little liras d'Or at present will only admit vessels drawing 
 11 I'eet water at high tide, but a competent engineer has estimated 
 the expense of blasting the flat sandstone rock at the entranee to the 
 strait at $10()(». The Great Bras d'Or Strait admits vessels of 
 any size, and there is deep water throughout both Straits to the 
 loading ground with the exception named. 
 
 The St. Peter's Canal admits vessids drawini; 14 feet water, 
 and not exceeding 2G feet beam. 
 
 The admiralty Chart shows the de[)th of water between all the 
 points named in fathoms. A tug would be a necessary adjunct to the 
 works. 
 
 Communication with tla; loading ground will be by tramway or :i 
 light 2} fert Hallway with stationaiy engines, from tlu,' main shafts 
 to the loading groinid. 
 
 Distance from Point Aconi Shaft, to loading ground one mile and 
 three (piartcrs. 
 
 Distance from Alder Point Shaft one nuarter of a mile.a^suminf' 
 the shaft to lie located at Point M on the Maps hereafter described. 
 Grade, in j.art level, in part a gentle slope from the shafts to the 
 loading gronnd at a mean ele-.ation of from 20 to 2G I'eet above 
 tide. 
 
 9.-PK0BABLE FAULT. 
 
 The foregoing pages have been wilt ten npon the assump- 
 tion that the attitude of the rocks underlying the whole of the 
 property was undisturbed, with the exception of the gentle dip to 
 North-ea-t and East. 
 
 There i-, however, considerable probability that the property is 
 physically di\ idcd into two distinct {)ortions by a Fault or Break, 
 
12 
 
 which is roprescnted by a red line on the plans. This supposed 
 Fault pnsscs up the Little Urns d'Or Strait and has resulted from 
 an uplift to the extent of about four hundred feet of a considerable 
 tract of country to the North-west of the fault, which extends to an 
 unknown distance to the Norlh-east and South west, far beyond 
 the limits of the property on either course. 
 
 The elfect wlii(!h this great break will have upon the working of 
 the property influences only the area South of it, or that portion 
 which would be commanded by the Alder Point Shaft. 
 
 In view of the great probability of the existence of this break, it 
 would be advisable to place t.ie Alder Point Shaft at, or near M aa 
 shown on the large plan. 
 
 The f(dlowing would theii be the depths at which the different 
 seams of coal would be reached. 
 
 Depth of Main Coal at Point M - - - 720 Ft. 
 
 " Lyle Seam .... 340. 
 
 " « Craiulall 234. 
 
 " " Paint Seam .... 55. 
 
 An inspection of the Plans will show the effect of this Break. 
 The seams which were originally continuous are now in consequence 
 of the uplift, heaved apart as represented by. 
 
 a 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 a 
 
 b 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 b 
 
 c 
 
 . 
 
 - 
 
 . 
 
 c 
 
 d 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 _ 
 
 d 
 
 Dislocation produced by Faults are extremely numerous in the 
 British coal fields, and some of them have treble the vertical displace- 
 ment which occurs in the Sydney coal lield. 
 
 The Sliaft at Point ]\I takes in the Paint Seam, whose outcrop 
 lies to the North East of the Point Acotii Shaft. 
 
 As (be cxi.-tcnce of Ihe Break do( s not appear to be known, and 
 is not represented on Professor Leslie's Maps of the Sydney Coal 
 field, I shall give my reasons at length for supposing it to exist. 
 
 The outline sketch plan of a part of the Sydney Coal fitld shows 
 the known out-crop in continuous lines of the Sydney Main Coal. 
 On Little Bras D'Or Strait it has not been found between the points 
 a — ■ — «, and is supposed by some to lie in the bed of the Strait. If 
 this were the case, the distance between the out-crops of the Main 
 seam and tho; Paint seam at the entrance of the little Bras d'Or 
 Strait ought to involve an angle of dip of about 15 degrees, but the 
 angle docs not exceed G or 7 degrees. 
 
18 
 
 If tliore were a cross antlcliriiil or uiidiilation at tlio entrance to 
 the Siraits, tlio dips of tlin strata would certainly show it, as the 
 rocks tlicrc are well exposed in Mural clitl's. 
 
 Upon the a-suniption that ihr;re is a break caused by an uplift to 
 the extent of about 40() feet on the IJonlardarie side, the known out- 
 cro[is of the Main, Lyie, Crandali. and I'aint 8eains become intelli- 
 gible and agree on both sides of tiie break in horizontjil di-iance 
 apart and an^jle of dip, with the results of cahiulation, as well 
 as in structural arrangenncnt generally. 
 
 Ignoring the exi.-tence of a break, the observed outcrops do not 
 appear to be susceptible of intelligible reconciliation with observed 
 facts. 
 
 I do not think that the break materially affects the value of the 
 properly on the side of deterioration, hut it suggests a inoililieation 
 in the mode of working the Alder Point portion of the property, 
 which at the first blu>h presents it-clf. 
 
 It has this advantage, that the Paint Seam becomes accessible 
 from the same Shaft as would bt; used to vork the Main Seam, and 
 it has this disadvantage that it involves locating the Main Shaft at 
 some distance from the IJreak (as at M) in order to work on both 
 sides sinniltaneously. otherwise the operations on the north side 
 would terminate the moment the miners came to the dead wall of the 
 break. 
 
 10 -SEAMS OF COAL INDEPENDENTLY OF THE 
 MAIN COAL SEAM. 
 
 The subjoined synopsis by Prineipa! Dawson of McGill College, 
 MontreaU gives the thickness and chemical constituents of iIk; 
 principal Coal Seams which in their continuation underlii- this 
 propeity, rejecting those which are under four feet. They arc. 
 
 1. Duncan Mc^Gillvery Seam. 
 
 2. Shelly Seam of the Sydney Mines. 
 
 3. Willie Fraser Seam. 
 
 4. Lyle Seam. 
 
 5. No. Ill Seam. 
 
 Some of these are important on the property as they thicken at 
 their North Westerly outcrops. 
 
 Thus the No. Ill Seam is over five feet in thickness, but the coal 
 is, where opened on adjacent properties, too much impregnated with 
 sulphuret of iron to be esteemed as a first Class Coal. 
 
 The Willie Fraser Seam is about 5 feet thick. 
 
 The Duncan McGillvery has the following thickness. 
 
 Coal. 2 ft. 3 inches. 
 
 Clay Parting. - - . . y u 
 
 Coal. ...-*.. fj '« 
 
 3 ft. 6 inches 
 
u 
 
 a « 
 
15 
 
 CONCLUSION- 
 
 Tho entiro property contains 21,700,000 tons in the jNIiiin iUmi 
 Seam. Deducting one lialf for all contingencies, sucli as pillars, 
 waste, proximity to ll»e fault (wliici' 'voulil very probably only 
 crush the coal on the line of Fracture), and there remains lO.SOO,- 
 000 tons, or sufTicient to furnish 100,000, tons per annum, for 10^ 
 years from the Main Seam alone, leaving the others in reserve. 
 
 It must also be borne in mind that there is no reason why the 
 workings should not extend beyond the prese-it limits seawards of 
 the property if eventually reiiuired. 
 
 The only question of moment, namely, that relating to the ventila- 
 tion, has been satisfactorily answered by the opinions of the most 
 eminent Mining Engineers quoted in preceeding paragraphs. 
 
 The method of winning the coal is cheap, expeditious and free from 
 many risks and expenses incident to coal raining. 
 
 The market is yearly increasing, and the pre-eminence of the coal 
 for steam and domestic purposes has been established for a number 
 of years on a very extended scale. 
 
 Ex.NRY Y. HIND, M. A., 
 
 Geologist. 
 Windsor, N. S., Dec. Ut, 1869.