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NOTES ON MANGANESE IN CANADA
By H. p. Brttmell, Ottawa, Can.
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From The American Oeolof/itst, Vol. X, Augiat, 1892.]
NOTES ON MANGANESE IN CANADA.
II. r. BiuMEi.L. Ottawa.
Assistant, Division of Mineral Statistics and Mines Geological Survey
of Canada.
(Communicated by permission of tlie Director. "i
In preparing the following brief sketch of the various imi)or-
tant <leposits of manganese in Canada, 1 have embodied the
greater part of liie article on that substance which T prepared for
the annual report of the division of Mineral Statistics and iMines
f(<r ]S0(».*
That the industry has not attained greater commercial i)romi-
nenee is due rather to its distance from market than to any in-
sufiiciency of supply; this applies, however. my')re es})ecially to
♦Annual Report, Geol. Surv., part S, Vol. v, 188!) 90.
j\l(iii(i<nH'xet)i i'aitadn. Brxnnll. Hi
the low jfradc or blast furnace ores than to the liijilily erystiiUliie
pyroliiHite for which the market is restricted. Of the tfco^rapiii-
cal position of the ore deposits little need he said beyond the fact
that the worked and. as far as is yet known, the workahle deposits
are all situated within New IJrunswick and Nova Scotia. Throujih ■
out these provinces are found many comparatively extensive de-
posits of the crystalline and semi-crystalline ores, viz: pyrolus-
ite, mano;anite and i)silonu'lane. as well as lar<ie areas of wad or
bofi; — manganese. The crystalline ores are, in the majority of
cases, found in rocks of Lower Carboniferous age. while the bog
ore deposits, being of recent formation, are found overlying rocks
of any formation from the pre-Caml)rian upwards.
Ncv Britiiswich. — In New FJrunswick the most important de-
posit of the crystalline ores is that at Markhamville, Sussex,
Kings Co., from the workings of which ujtwards of 2(1,000 tons
have been shipped. 1'he ore deposits are irregular beds, pockets
and veins in a small area of Carboniferous limestone, on the
northwest side of which are located the workings. Many of these
ore bodies have attahied large dimensions, one of them affording
in the neighborhood of 4,000 tons of manganite with a consider-
al)le proportion of pyrolusite. The discovery of manganese at
this point was made in 1802, when it was worked by Mr. Wm.
Davidson, of 8t. John, until IS*).'), after whicii the property
l)assed into the hands of the Queen Manganese Co., by whom it
was opcMted under the management of Major A. Markham until
1880, when it again changed hands and was operated, still under
Major Markhain, by the Pope Manganese Co. Owing to the loca-
tion of the deposits, in :i valley cut through the softer limestones,
no regular system of mining has been attempted, the operations
being, until quite recently, altogether in the form of drifts and
ojjcn cuts with which the hill on the north and west side of the
property is literally honey-combed. During 1890, however, ex-
plorations were being made by means of the diamond drill, with
the result that two deep-seated deposits had b(>en found and were
being sunk upon.
Of the ore shipped from this mine two distinct classes are rec-
ognized, viz: "Blast furnace ore. ■ consisting almost entirelj' of
manganite, and high grade or '-grey ore. ' consisting of pyrolu-
site. The following analyses are of ' 'high class manganese ore
from Markhamville. New Brunswick' and are taken from •■The
82 The American OeologiMt. Angii»t, i8w
Miiu'ral HcHourcos of tlio Unilod States, calendar your 1888. "'
Washington. IH'tO;
No. 1.
No. 2.
No. 3.
Manganese liinoxide
i)H.7U
peroxide
97.3r)
1)6 ca
Silica
O.SS
Iron
0.75
Iron peroxide
0.85
0.78
Barium
trace
Haryta and silica
0.5)5
0.85
Water
trace
trace
Loas
005
1.75
Another important deposit of erj'stalline ore is tiiat of Jordair
nionntainal)out live miles nortli of Sussex, Kings Co., and on tlie
western side of the mountain. Tiie ore liodies occur in a nian-
ganiferous limestone tlirougliout which are scattered, in a manner
similar to that at Markhamville, more or less extensive deposits
of pyrolusite and manganite. Since its discovery in 1882, l)y
tlie present owner, Mr. F. W. Stoci<ton, of Sussex, but little has
iteen done, further than a small amount of development work,
consisting of stripping and an open cut of al)out eighty feet in
length, in the l)ottom of which might be seen an interbedded len-
ticular mass of ore, principally manganite. From this cutting
al)0ut 400 tons of eighty to eighty-five per cent, ore had l)een
extracted.
Operations have been carried on for many years and by different
companies at Quaco Head, a bold rocky promontory about one mile
southwest of the village of St. Martins, Kings Co., unfortu-
nately, however, with but slight success, owing to the low per-
centage of ore contained in the rock mass. The deposit con-
sists of a heavy bed of red calcareous shale highly charged With
manganite and psilomelane, pyrolusite l)eing of much rarer occur-
rence than in the limestone deposits of the aforementioned local-
ities. The .property has been worked in a very desultor\' man-
ner for many years,, energetic operations not having been under-
taken until its ac{[uisition by the present company, who began
work by driving a tunnel into the shales which show a bluff face
of about 150 feet high. From this tunnel, which was driven about
sixty feet, two cross-cuts were made in either direction for about
twenty feet. In these workings several small pockets and con-
siderable quantities of mill-rock were struck and the ore ex-
tracted, though no shipments were made. In connection with the
mine a well equipped mill was erected and a wharf built and
M<in(j<ni,H, n, (iiiioilo. — liriiiiiill. ,S3
all I'iU'ilitics iiiiidt' for ll,c caMV liiiinUiiitj of the ore Owiiitj lo
tlic poHilioii of the iniiic, ore could he run direct from the work -
iuffH to the wharf and loading acconipliHlicd at one handling l>y
means of self-dumpinir cars,
Assayn <d' the concentrated ore made hy A. M, Cowly, Cam-
hridge. Mass.. gave the following result:
1
Compact
I'oroiis
variety.
varietv.
Manganese (lio,\ide
Ti.r)4
()5.i)(t
lns()liii)le HilicateH
8.87
(5.0(5
Ferric o.xide
2.19
1 .75
I'll sphoriiH
0.02
O04
Calciiini
trace
trace
Metallic inanifaneHe
58.20
57.15
\
A consideraitle proportion of lime is generally present in the
concentrates, which will not. however, interfere with their fitness
for use in the manufacture of steel for which purpose all the ore
from this property will he most suitable.
A peculiar occurrence of manganese is that which is to l)esecn
on the north and northeast side of (lowland mountain. Elgin,
Kings Co. . wiiere the ore. consisting principally of psilomelane,
is found filling the interstices of a ver}- much lu'okon and partly
decomposed granite of pre-Cambrian age. A small amount of
ilcvelopment work was done on these deposits without, however,
locating any other than small busiclies of a very impure pyrolu-
site and psilomelane. The following analysis made in 1885 by
Mr. F. D. Adams, late assistant chemist to the Geological Survey,
is that of a specimen of psilomelane froTu this property:
Manganese dio.xide, available 50.21 per cent.
Ferric oxide 8.0(j "
Insoluble residue 38.78 "
The specimen also contained a very appreciable percentage of
baryta.
This property is peculiar in affording tlie only instance in New
Brunswick where the crystalline ores of manganese are known
to occur in appreciable quantity outside of the Carboniferous
areas.
Other localities where manganese, in its crystalline forms, have
been noted are, Upham, Waterford, near Petitcodiac, Springfield,
Tete-a-Gauche Falls, and man}' points throughout Albert county.
Of one of these, Shepod}' nu)untain, Dr. R. W. Ells, in his report
to the Geological Survey for 1884, writes: "The rocks of the
mountain (Shepodj' mountain) rest upon a small outlier t-f the
84 Tilt' Aiiii'i'ifiiii ( II ohn/ixf, Aiit'Mi"t, iMitsj
tnlco-cliloritic HcliiHts. which sIkhv on the road to the lutrth. U-ad-
\n\f to ('urrvvillc. and arc llaiikcci on tlic cast hv the <ircv .sand-
stoiics of the niillHtonc-ffrit. On the noitlnvcst sich' a larjic dc
posit of manganese was \v(>rl<cd for Morae years, a tunnel lieini;;
driven into the mountain alonj; tlic contact vvitli tlic underlyinti
schists for nearly l.O(M) feet, the ore. which coiiHistcd of pyrolu
site and psilonielane. occurrinii at the l)asc of the coni^lonicrate
in irregular pockets. Operations luivc been suspended lor some
years, and the workings have all fallen in."
Of the deposits of wad in New lirunswick the most important
are those at Dawson Settlement, Albert Co., where many acres of
ore are found, the beds varying in extent and depth, and attain-
ing in some i)laces a thickness of over forty feet, to which pciint
tlicy have been proved. The dei)osits are covered throughout
with peat and peaty matter, having a thickness of about twelve
to twenty inches, the ore beneath this being found to l)e practically
free from impurities. The mode of working is very simple, con-
sisting of cross trenching, by which means the (!ei)osits are
drained, after this the ore is excavated and dried in pans, the re-
sult being a dry and almost impalpal)le powder.
A partial analysis of the ore by Mr. W. F. Hest. of St. -John,
gave :
Manganese blnoxide 47.0
Iron oxide 18.0
Vegetal)!? matter 34.0
L088 1.0
Copper trace
Cobalt trace
100.0
Several analyses by Mr. John Hurwash gave the following per-
centages of manganese binoxide: 73.0, 35.5, 58.8. 57.0, 70.7.
63.4, and an average specimen collected at various points and
sampled gave 47.4.
Nova Scot in. — As in New Brunswick extensive deposits of
manganese are known to exist in Nova Scotia, where the ores and
mode of occurrence are similar though ditfering in u great meas-
ure in the matter of production, that of this province being much
smaller than that of New Brunsw ick. In Nova Scotia, however,
there is a very large proportion of pyrolusite or high grade
ore.
On the south shore of Miuas Basiu and midway between Noel
MoiHfoneHe in Canada. — Bt'anielJ. Hii
and Walton, i» sitnaUuJ tlic hrst known and mont important njan-
fjancHc mine in Xova Scotia, tiic Tciiy Vi\\)v mine, which, since
itH discovery in 1S()2, has iH'cnojM'ratcd more or less conlinnonsiy.
'I'iic ores, consiHtino; mainly of pyrolnsite and manganite, are
foiind in ihc Cjirttoniferous limestone which may l)e traced for
many miles on the sonth shore of Minas IJasin. the limestone im-
medintely in connection with the ore deposits being highly man-
ganiferous and inlerstratilic(l with small l)e«ls and masses of
manganiferons calc-sliale. the whole being usnally of a deep red
color. The mode of occurrence is pockety, the ore l)eing found
in irregular masses and stringers which follow the bedding planes
and fractures; some of these pockets are of consideral)le extent,
one atfording, it is said, upwards of 1,000 tons of high grade ore,
principally pyrolusite. A very considerable proportion of all the
ore extracted from this mine has been pyrolusite worth from $100
to $125 per ton at the works, and containing from 85 to 05 per
cent, of available l)inoxide.
The following assays taken from an article entitled " Notes on
the Manganese ores of Nova Scotia," by E. Gilpin. .Jr., show
the character of the ores obtained from Teny Cape and vicinity:
Teny Cape (a) Cheverie {h) Douglas
Manganese oxides
85.54
90.15
84.62
Iron peroxide
1.18
3.55
0.60
Baryta
0.89
1.12
0.72
Insoluble matter
8.27
2.80
1.78
Phosphoric acid
o.;J4
1.03
Water
8.54
2.05
5.29
Oxygen
7.04
99.70 99.70 100.00
(rt) Analyst, Dr. Howe.
(b) " E. Gilpin, Jr.
(c) " H. Poole.
Deposits similar to that at Teny Cape have been worked to a
smaller extent at Cheverie, Walton. Noel and Shubenacadie, on
the south shore of IMinas Basin, while on the north shore no im-
portant deposits of manganese have been noted, though some of
the limonite and other iron ores of the neighborhood of London-
derry arc highly manganifi-ims; this is also the case with many
of the iron ores of Ijoth Colchester and Pictou counties.
The following assays, taken also from Mr. Gilpin's article men-
tioned above, show the character of some of these ores, the par-
10.848
48.223
62.950
14.410
1.(530
7.280
0.015
2.880
Trace
0.670
0.480
0.020
2.7:U
25.130
1
12.530
86 The American Geologist. August, ism
ticiilar cases cited hero being of two limonite ores from Spring-
ville, Pictou county.
Iron sesciuioxide
Manganese oxide
" peroxide
Magnesium
Lime
Alumina
Baryta
Sulphur
Phosi)lioru8
Insoluble residue
Water of composition
Moisture
90.439 100.808
On Cape Breton Lshinil as well as on the main land of the
province are found deposits of manganese, some of which attain
consideralile dimensions. Among tlu> more important of tlu'se
may l)e mentioned tliose situated near Loch Lomond, and of
which Mr. Hugh Fletcher reports as follows: Geological Survej'
report. 1882-84:
''Large deposits of pyrolusite. which promise to l)e of great
importance, Imve recently been discovered and developed by the
Hon. E. T. Moseley, of Sydney, on tlie south side and near the
head of Loch Lomond, in Cape IJreton county. The ore is asso-
ciated with lower Carboniferous rocks and has Ijeen worked in
two places al)Out three-(iuarters of a mile apart. At the most
easterly of these, in a brook on tlu' farm of Norman Mcjrrison, a
tunnel has been driven al)out thirty feet on a vein about seven
inches thick, dipping N. 87° W. < 25° in line red sandstone
overlying reddish and greenish grit, with grains of quartz aI)out
the size of wheat and red marly sandstinie. The ore is irregu-
larly mixed with red aiul grey bituminous limestone, red and
greenish shale conglomerate and other rocks Itlotched with calc-
spar. It is in lenticular layers and also intimately mixed with
the limestone. l)eiug probai)ly of the same nature and origin as
the hematite and forming at times a cement for the pebbles of the
conglomerate * * * The mines were first worked in 1880.
In 1881 about 7(1 tons, and in the following year .")•.( tons of ex-
cellent ore were shipped to the I'nited States, * * * \n
analysis of a sample from the Morrison mine atl'orded Mr. Adams
!M.84 percent, of manganese dioxide, only .12 percent, of fer-
ric oxide and 2. Ul i)er cent, of insoluble residue."
Manganeae in Canada. — BrumelL
87
I.
II.
III.
25.42
11.04
44.33
12.49
35.50
57.76
10.00
Many other deposits, l)oth of crystalline ores and wad, are
known to exist throughout the island. One of these on Boular-
derie island is said to be quite extensive, and the character of the
ore may he judged from the following assays:
Manganese peroxide
Iron sesquioxide
Insoluble matter
Water 33.52
I and II by G. C. Hoffmann, Chemist Geological Survey. Ill by E.
Gilpin, .Jr., Trans. Royal Society of Canada, Vol. ii, sec. iv.
Ontario nn.d Quehec. — Outside of Nova Scotia and New Bruns-
wick but little manganese is known to occur, and where noted is
usually of low grade. In Quebec several small deposits of wad
have been noted, the largest, perhaps, being that in Stanshead
township, where on lot nine, range ten, the ore covers an area of
about twenty acres, and has a thickness of about twelve inches.
That this deposit has but slight commercial value is evidenced by
the fact that the washed ore contains only 37% of peroxide.
Another deposit, similar to the above, occurs on lot twenty, range
twelve of Bolton, the ore there assaying 26%. Many similar
deposits might be mentioned, though probably none as important
as those noticed above.
Manganese has also been noted as occurring on the Magdalen
islands, a small group in the gulf of St. Lawrence. Of these
deposivs Mr. Jas. Richardson in the report of the Geological Sur-
vey 1H79-80, writes: "Immediately under Demoiselle hill, on
Amherst island, numerous blocks charged with peroxide of man-
ganese, or pyrolusite, occur among the debris of the fallen clitfs.
They are in pieces varying from one pound to ten or fifteen
pounds in weight. There can be little doubt that they are de-
rived from a deposit more or less regular in the hill side, but
which is now completely concc" led by the fallen debris. At a
place bearing nearly due west from Cap aux Meules, at a distance
of about a mile, and close to tlir English Mission ciiurch. similar
pieces to those above described are very frecpiently picked up,"
Assays of this ore, in the same volume, gave:
Manganese dioxide
Water, liygrosoopic
45.01 per cent.
0.10
In Ontario manganese has been reported from Itatchewaherung
bay, lake Superior. The ore is mangiinite and \s said to assay as
88 The American Geologist. August, 1802
high as 60% of peroxide; of the extent and exact situation of
the deposit it is not possible to write. *
Au interesting discovery of a manganiferons spothic iron ore
is reported l)y Dr. R. Bell in the report of the Geological Sur-
vej' 1877-78, wherein he states that a band of about twent}' feet
of the ore, carrying 25% metallic iron and 24% carbonate of
manganese, occurs in the Nastapoka islands, a group off the east
coast of Hudson bay. The ore is easily accessible and will no
doubt eventually prove of value, the high percentage of man-
ganese contained making it eminently suitaljle for the manufacture
of speigeleiseu.
?f