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 (TRANSACl'IONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING ENGI 
 
 SEER&J 
 
 SILVER ISLET: 
 
 
 BY 
 
 
 THOMAS MACFARLANE. 
 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, ETC. 
 
 
 1: . : 
 
 
 • 
 
 MONTREAL: 
 
 • 
 
 DAWSON BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS. 
 
 
 1880. 
 
 * 
 
 
 41 
 
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I'm'-i 
 
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tTRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OP MINING ENOINEEIW.l 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 DY THOMAS MACFARLAKE, AOTONVALB, QUEBEC, CANADA. 
 
 (Read at the Montreal Meeting, Srpteiuher, 1879.) 
 
 I. Introduction. 
 
 Among the industrial enterprises wliich have, from time to time, 
 been undertaken in our Dominion, few have been more uniformly 
 unsuccessful than those which have had for their object the develop- 
 ment of our mineral resources. These resources have not been re- 
 garded as insignificant. On the contrary, it is supposed that we 
 possess in our ore deposits something more than mere points of 
 mineralogical interest. Some people are enthusiastic enough to be- 
 lieve that our mineral wealth will yet occasion the establishment 
 in our backwoods of happy and industrious communities, causing, 
 in fact, our wilderness to blossom as the rose. These enthusiasts do 
 not shut their eyes to the serious obstacles which at every stage in- 
 terfere with the carrying out of mining enterprises in this country, 
 and which tempt one to believe that no such enterprise can ever be 
 conducted to a desirable end, but they entertain the conviction 
 that as our capitalists, miners, and technologists reach the years of 
 discretion, and handle our mines in an economical, vigorous, t-\ 
 judicious manner, and as our statesmen become alive to the necessitj 
 of fostering, without extremely protecting, our metallurgical indus- 
 tries, mines and furnaces will gradually prosper, and so develop as 
 to become a tower of strength to our agricultural, manufacturing, 
 and mercantile interests. 
 
 The fact that our past experience does not generally justify such 
 glowing anticipations makes one all the more anxious to put on 
 record the history of a successful mine, such as the Silver Islet 
 has, on the whole, been. My connection with its discovery and 
 early development was a very intimate one, and I propose in this 
 paper to sketch its history and character, and sum up the amount 
 of silver it has so far yielded. An additional reason for the 
 appearance of this paper is that the Transactions of the Institute 
 
 1 
 
i^ — 
 
 Lttlt ll¥tt U- 
 
 TMUMOtH CAPt lAtT tNO 
 
 .s'F.CTJON ON lisp: A B 
 
 OF 
 
 WOODS KOC^llOK 
 
 . By Thomas Macthrlnne 
 scAie 20OO rttT to ah inch 
 EXPLANATIOXS 
 fi'ivy (iit/tUticfoii-v ■S'ltiitftitotieit ami >9h(ile.s 
 
 ('onulonii-iufr 
 
 ^ A 
 
 .m 
 
 Rf<l (uitl H'Jutf dotomitie Sanilnlmncs nn(t S'/ui/es CI," 
 
 Ch'rttf l.imestfine 'IRIP 
 
 Ituiiiroted Ma/7 m/A while Sundstane F" 1 
 
 I) tvnte. Hi/pen te an/l (hiAitf . | , 1 
 
 .Inorthitt' I'oiphifrif .'flHI 
 
 Metalli/hous Vcm.s ' ^i^.;; ^ 
 
 L<iAes, •V/ir////>v, iiiul .llhuinni I'molfiifd 
 
 Theltue a /j .t/tnt:': the stnh' c the ihfxftfi sfttt/a V*" 
 
 ExplvratUm Liiie.f thus 
 
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 yK" 
 
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KCTION ON LISK AH 
 
 
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 B V 
 
 E « ion 
 
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 SU^/lJi M^ll)i 
 
 SCALE.80 FEET TO AN INCH 
 
 Thf rifhfUiH (it'(h> vrin i.t roUirrii ilark- hiar 
 ft S'/iit/t ftnft \hiifihmisr hSIx/r /or- /mrif . 
 
2 
 
 SILVER IHr.ET. 
 
 contain only ji few references to the Silver Islet Mine. Altliougli 
 this mine is reported successful, we liave, of course, no jruiirnntee 
 that it shall not full a victim to the same intliienees which have 
 ruined other promising Canadian mines in days gone by. It is 
 iinneccssary to specify those influences. They are well known to 
 all those who take any interest in the mining of the present day, 
 and they are essentially tin; same as those which discouraged the 
 miners of a century ago. Above the entrance of the silver smelting 
 house of Kongsherg, in Norway, there is to he found an inscrip- 
 tion upon an old stone, which had hecn taken from a similar posi- 
 tion in the huildiny; which had been used tor a century before the 
 present one. This inscription dates from tin; time whei\ German 
 miners were brought north to work the Kongsberg silver mines. 
 It is as follows : 
 
 " Kiijonnut/. tincl Miissi>fi,'(imj 
 1st lie.-* HiTj^wcrks l' iitcriiniiii," 
 
 which mav be rendered thus: 
 
 " St'ltlslitipss unci lllzill('s^l 
 Spctil the inininj; business " 
 
 Long before 18fKS, the year of the discovery of Silver Islet vein, sil- 
 ver had been found on the northwest shores of Lake Superior. When, 
 in 1846, the lands of the Montreal Mining Company were located, 
 silver was reported as having been found on several of its properties. 
 Later, the British American Mining Cojupany worked the silver 
 vein of Prince's Location, with the results recorded in the publica- 
 tions of the Geological Survey of Canada.* The revival, ten years 
 ago, of silver mining on Lake Superior was, however, occasioned by 
 the success of the Messrs. McKellar, of Fort William, who, from 1863 
 to 1867, employed themselves in exploring the neighborhood of 
 Thunder Bay, and discovered silver at several points. One of these 
 discoveries, at Current River, was worked by the Thunder Bay Sil- 
 ver Mining Company in 1868 and the year following, but with very 
 discouraging results. It was, in all likelihood, the McKellar dis- 
 coveries, together with the imposition by the Ontario Gov^ernment of 
 a tax of two cents per acre on Lake Superior mining lands, which 
 prompted the Montreal Mining Company to begin a systematic ex- 
 ploration of their northwestern locations. For twenty-two years 
 these had been allowed to lie almost entirely neglected. Several of 
 
 * Geology of Canadft, 1803, p. 707. 
 
 them were in 
 Marie, and t 
 such as to en 
 tions. Inde( 
 resources wei 
 Bruce Coppc 
 they experiei 
 sufficient to 
 holders to ri 
 above given 
 erate outlay i 
 ployed by tli 
 During the I 
 tions, and it i 
 first ex pi or in 
 suits for Noi 
 the other locj 
 
 II. EXPLOR 
 
 On the 16 
 besides my.se 
 Algoma, whii 
 working theO 
 and the Shur 
 of the men oi 
 five silver ar 
 Mackinaw bo 
 My first imp 
 district were 
 composed of 
 lying in an a! 
 thing of vail 
 inclined and 
 conglomerate 
 remunerative 
 gists, who ha( 
 ro(!ks of thslt i 
 ideas to inter] 
 
 * With rf'giir 
 suiting the accoi 
 
BILVER I«I,F,T. 8 
 
 them wore indcpd visitc«l nnd explored by Mr. Pilji;rim, of Saiilt St. 
 MftHe, nnd the Inte Mr. Iff-rrlck, IM^.S., hut the rcsidt.-* were not 
 sneh jvs to oneournge the (jonipuny to proece*! to active miniiij^ opera- 
 tions. Indeed, (hiring the greater part of this time the eoinpany'.H 
 resources were taxed to tlic utmost in developing and working the 
 Bruee Copper Mines. It may safely he asserted that in doing this 
 they experienced n dead loss of .^400,000, a fact which is abundantly 
 sufficient to account for the unwillingness of tin- Ixiard and share- 
 holders to risk further capital in mining operations. The cause.<i 
 above given were, however, enough to induce tluun to incur a mod- 
 erate outlay for exploring their lands, ami (iarly in 1808 I was em- 
 ployed by the company to take charge of a party for this purpose. 
 During the first year I was able to visit all the northwestern loca- 
 tions, and it may not bo uninteresting here to give a narrative of our 
 first exploring voyage, from whicfh have sprung such important re- 
 sults for Northwestern Ontario, reciting our experiences regarding 
 the other locations, as well as the one to which Silver Islet Injlongs. 
 
 II. EXPI^ORATION OF 1808 AXD Dl.SCOVRRY OF SlI.VER Isi.ET. 
 
 On the IGth of May our exploring party, consisting of six men 
 besides mvself, arrived in Thunder Bav, on board the steamer 
 Algoma, which was heavily freighted with njen and materials for 
 working the Thunder Bay Company's Mine. After visiting the latter 
 and the Shuniah (now the Duncan) Mine, and calling the attention 
 of the men of our party to the appearance and characters of the na- 
 tive silver and silver glance produced by them, we started in our 
 Mackinaw boat on the 19th south westward for Jarvis's Location.* 
 My first impressions as to the mineral resources of Thunder Bay 
 district were not at all encouraging. With a country rock mainly 
 compo.sed of grayish flags and red and white sandstones, and these 
 lying in an almost horizontal position, the chances tor finding any- 
 thing of value seemed very slender to one accustomed to highly 
 inclined and crystalline rocks. T remembered, however, that the 
 conjglomerate beds of Keweenaw Point, now the most productive and 
 remunerative for copper, had originally been undervalued by geolo- 
 gists, who had never before observed valuable minerals to occur in 
 rocks of thdt nature, and resolved to beware of allowing preconceived 
 ideas to interfere with the thoroutrhness of our search. 
 
 
 * With rpyiird to this urul otliiT loeiditio.s, tlioir poi^itions will be seen on con- 
 Bulling the accompunying .sniiiU iniip of part of the north .shor<' of Lako Superior. 
 
*> 
 
 4. 
 
-s 
 
 SILVER ISI.ET. 
 
 oo 
 
 -> 
 
 From the 20th to the 31st of May, inclusive, we remained on 
 Jarvis's Location, examining; its rocks, surveying the river from its 
 mouth to where it leaves the location, and exploring Jarvis's Island, 
 with the numerous veins occurring there. The geology of this loca- 
 tion much resembles that of the western part of Wood's Location,* 
 having the sjuuc gray argillaceous sandstones and shales, intersected 
 by dikes of different sorts. The latter have here the same general 
 strike as on Wood's Location, and it appears evident that they run 
 through the range of islands which extends from Shangoinah Island 
 and Silver Islet, on Wood's Location, past the outside of Pie Island 
 to Prince Albert or Thompson's Island ; then, still further southwest 
 through Spar Island, Jarvis's Island and Victoria Island, joining the 
 mainland before Pigeon Kiver is reached. On Jarvis's Island five 
 different veins were found, and in one of them native silver and silver 
 glance were discovered (the former by Mr., now Dr., C. O. Brown, 
 and the latter by Mr. Patrick Hogan), specimens of which were for- 
 warded to Montreal. The quantity appeared at the time insufficient 
 to merit much attention, but, from the experience afterwards ac- 
 quired on Wood's Location, I was induced to believe that some 
 work upon this vein might possibly develop a larger quantity of 
 the metal. Accordingly, in 18(59, a shaft was sunk on this vein to 
 the depth of twelve feet, in accomplishing which work the following 
 ore was produced. . . 
 
 79 lbs first quality orf, contiiiniiiu; 8.45 per cent, silver = 39.7 ounces, 
 
 (It $1.25, $49.fi2 
 
 2488 lb?, spccnd quiility ore, ooiitainiing 0.15 per cent, silver = 54. 18 
 
 ounce.s, Ht $1.25, 67.72 
 
 $117.34 
 
 On the 1st of June we left Jarvis's for Stewart's Location, at Pigeon 
 River, where we remained until the 21st, making a very close explor- 
 ation for a distance of three miles inland. The number of dikes 
 and vein.s here visible in<lnced me to anticipate the best results, but 
 although a good deal of time was spent on some of the veins none of 
 them yielded any valuable minerals. High rocky ranges intersect 
 this location generally in the direction of the dikes, and between 
 them lie valleys containing a large area of good soil, much of which 
 will no doubt be cultivated so soon as mining operations are carried 
 on successful ly in the neighborhood. 
 
 On the 21st of June we returned to Fort William, and on the 23d 
 
 
 * Canadinn Naturalist, IV, N. S., p. 87. 
 
6 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 reached Thunder Cape and "Wood's Location, where we remained 
 until 31 St. July. From perusing the Geology of Cahada I had, be- 
 fore arriving on the location, come to the conclusion that it was liUely 
 to present nmny interesting geological features. Here it was to be 
 expected that the junction of Sir W. E. Logan's upper and lower 
 groups of the Upper Copper-bearing rocks would occur, and that the 
 many intei-secting dikes and the trap overflow of Thunder Cape 
 would be found to present interesting relations to the sedimentary 
 rocks. I therefore determined to nmke a complete geological map of 
 Wood's Location, and arranged with my assistant, Mr. Gerald C. 
 Brown, to have the shore line accurately surveyed. It was while 
 engaged planting his pickets on the many islands fronting the loca- 
 tion that Mr. Brown finst landed on the rock shortly afterwards 
 named by me " Silver Islet," and observed the vein and the galena 
 occurring in it. I then visited the island to obtain .specimens of the 
 galena and the inclosing rock, and three men were set to work to 
 blast out some of the galena. It was while engaged working on 
 the Islet that one of these men, Mr. John Morgan, found the first 
 nuggets of metallic silver, close to the water's edge. A single blast 
 was sufficient to detach all the vein rock carrying ore above the sur- 
 face of the water, but further out large black patches could be ob- 
 served in the vein under water, some of them with a greenish 
 tinge. On detaching and fishing up pieces of these they were found 
 to consistof galena, with which were intermixed spots of an oxidized 
 black mineral, here and there tinged with green. This black sub- 
 stance I succeeded in reducing on charcoal, before the blowpipe, with 
 a little borax, to metallic silver, thus exposing at once the extraor- 
 dinary richness of the black portions of the vein. I deem it worth 
 while thus to record, more particularly than heretofore, the circum- 
 .stiuices of the <liscovery, on account of the celebrity which Silver 
 Islet has sin(;e attained. The silver was discovered on the 10th of 
 July, and on the 15th three packages of the best specimens were 
 shipped from Fort William to Montreal, and a telegram sent at the 
 same time to the company's secretary giving notice of the important 
 di.scoverv. 
 
 A marked difference is observable between the geological structure 
 of the locations to the southwest and tho.se to the northeast or east 
 of Wood's Location. The conglomerate and red sandstones which 
 constitute the ca.stern part of the latter are, further to the eastward, 
 overlaid by numerous beds of different species of basic crystalline 
 rock, most of them bearing some resend)lan('<^ to those of the dikes 
 
 .ijr 
 
(f 
 
 
 SILVER ISLET. J 
 
 occurring on Wood's Location. Derbyshire's, Merritt's, Ewart's, 
 Ferrier's, Harrison's, Turner's, and Wilson's locations all show the 
 sandstones with superincumbent overflows of basic rock, while 
 Hopkirk's, Lyman's, Bagg's, and McGill's are exclusively made up 
 of the latter, together with some beds of a trachytic nature. 
 
 The first of the eastern locations, Derbyshire's, on Point Porphyry, 
 was reached on the 31st of July. The most of the veins indicated 
 by previous explorers were carefully examined. Native copper and 
 copper glance were the minerals of importance observed, but only in 
 minute specks. It is to be regretted that the mention of the occur- 
 rence of native silver on this location, contained in former reports, 
 leaves the precise spot unindicated. We left this location on the 
 4th of August, but were unable to reach Fluor Island until the even- 
 ing of the 5th. 
 
 From that date till the 15th of August our party camped on Hop- 
 kirk's Location, Fluor Island. Its rocks are mostly hard and com- 
 pact traps, and amygdaloidal beds are rare. No economic minerals 
 were observed in the veins or rocks of this location, excepting a few 
 specks of native copper and iron pyrites. An excursion was made 
 from Fluor Island to the locations on Nipigon Straits. On Lyman's 
 Location only one vein of respectable size was found, upon which 
 several openings had been made. A little copper glance only was 
 observed, but the character of the veinstone somewhat resembles that 
 of Silver Islet. On Merritt's Location no veins were observed along 
 the shore, but at its northwest corner an old drift was found choked 
 up with rubbish. At numerous points along the shore of Ewart's 
 Location metallic copper was found in trappean rocks, but mostly 
 unconnected with any regular vein orbed. At only one point was it 
 observed that the copper ran in a streak conformable with the strati- 
 fication of the adjoining rocks, and here it was in deficient quantity. 
 Observations similar to these were made at the workings north of 
 Point a la Gourgaune, and on the shore of Bagg's Location. 
 
 Shortly after returning from Nipigon Straits, we left Fluor Island, 
 and on the 19th of August arrived at Harrison's Location on the 
 east end of Isle St. Ignace. Of all the northwestern locations it is 
 the one of which the best accounts are given in the old reports. We 
 remained upon it ten days, part of the time at Harrison's Landing, 
 on the south part, and the remainder at Moff'att's Harbor, on the 
 northeast shore of the location. A day was spent in examining the 
 shore of Simpson's Island on the opposite side of St. Ignace Straits. 
 More excavation has been done, buildings erected, and money spent, 
 
 
SILVER ISLET. 
 
 on Harrison's Location than on any of the others. It is, however, very 
 iliHiciilt to find traces of any minerals sufficiently valuable to justify 
 the expenditures which have been made here. Several shafts have 
 been sunk eastward from Harrison's Landing, but a careful search 
 in the veinstone from these failed to show more than a few minute 
 grains of copper pyrites. Along the shore, in the neighborhood of 
 these shafts, loose pieces of veinstone were found, containing copj)er 
 glance, sometimes in pretty solid " prills," the source of which was 
 found to be a vein about thirty feet distant from the shore, under 
 water. Further search was made by us and considerable excavation 
 done on its apparent strike to the eastward, but without suctiess. No 
 silver was visible along with the copper glance in the boulders, or in 
 the vein under water. The so-called silver veins o(!curring to the 
 north of Moffatt's Harbor were found to be of a peculiar description. 
 I.istead of being several feet in width, as described in the old reports, 
 none of them exceed two or three inches. Some of them occur 
 within three or four feet of each other, and the intervening rock has 
 evidently been regarded as part of the vein and included in its al- 
 leged width. The three shafts sunk here were full of water and rub- 
 bish, and we had not the necessary appliances for emptying them. A 
 thorough examination was made of the veins on the surface, and 
 blasting done on them, which exposed finely disseminated particles of 
 copper glance. Among the debris on the shore a small piece of vein- 
 stone was found containing native silver. 
 
 On the 29th of August we left Moffatt's Harbor, and sailing past the 
 north ends of Simpson's and Salter's Islands, reached " North 
 Harbor," on Wilson's Location. Here we remained fifteen days, 
 making a close examination of Wilson's Island and of those lying 
 to the north of it. Numerous veins were found, some of tijem of 
 good width, containing calcspar, quartz, and laumontite, but no me- 
 tallic minerals. In several of the amygdaloid beds metallic copper 
 was found; once on the northwest shore of Wilson's Island it oc- 
 curred in tolerable quantity, but still not sufficient to be remunera- 
 tive. 
 
 We left Wilson's Location on the 14thof September, and the same 
 day reached Morin Harbor, on Simpson's Island. Six <luys were 
 employed in examining McGill's Location. Its rocks are principally 
 hard agatic traps, with but little indication of copper, except an oc- 
 casional speck in an agate geode. Numerous veins are visible, 
 sometimes with copper glance in very small quantity. About half- 
 way along the front of the location from Morin Harbor a good many 
 
SILVER ISLET, # 
 
 pieces of prchnite containing pretty solid native copper were found 
 on the shore. These are derived from a bed of compact trap, con- 
 taining large geodes with quartz, hxumontite, calcspar, native copper, 
 etc. The number of the geodes is, however, too small to render the 
 mass of the rock workable. On the southwest end of the location, 
 near Woodl)ine Harbor, characteristic basalt was, for the first time, 
 observed, showing both straight and bent columns. 
 
 Although we were unsuccessful in discovering any valuable de- 
 posits on the territory east of Silver Islet, it would be quite erro- 
 neous to infer their entire absence. The time devoted to the explo- 
 ration of this district was too short to allow of exhaustive work, 
 rndood, this exploration was felt at the time to be merely a recon- 
 noissance, propai'atory to more effective work after the locations had 
 been rcguliiriy defined by a provincial land surveyor. These surveys 
 were afterwards cotnpleted, but the explorations were not resumed. 
 It must further be remembered, that the mineral lands in question 
 are densely wooded, and covered by a thick layer of moss almost to 
 the water's edge. These obstacles (which are seldom met with by 
 western explorers) interfere materially with a thorough search. 
 They are sometimes removed by forest fires, and it is probable that, 
 after the occurrence of these, a diligent " prospecting" for minerals 
 would be well rewarded. 
 
 On account of very stormy weather we did not reach the steam- 
 boat landing, Isle St. Ignace, uutil the 23d of September, three 
 days after leaving McGill's Location. The Algoma was due on the 
 24tli, but (lid not arrive till the 26th. After going west to Fort 
 William, and hiiiving our boat, portable forge, and other heavy 
 articles there, we left Thunder Bay on the 27th of September, en 
 route ibr Montreal. 
 
 III. Geology of SiiiVKR Islet and its Vein. 
 
 My plan as to a geological survey of Wood's Location was, during 
 the following season (1869), carried to completion, and the results 
 pul)lislK'<l in the Canadian Naturalist (vol. iv), accompanied by a 
 map of the location and plan of Silver Islet, the latter of which is 
 republished herewith. Silver Islet is situated about three-quarters 
 oi" a mile from the mainland, and is much exposed to storms from 
 the west, southwest, and east. Shangoinah Island protects it, but 
 inelHciently, on the southwest. The island measured originally about 
 ninety feet each way, rising about eight feet at its highest part above 
 
 2 
 
10 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 the level of the lake. The whole of the rock is now inclosed and 
 covered by the works erected for protecting and working the mine, 
 and by new land since made. The course of the vein traversing 
 the Islet is about N. 35° W., and its dip about 85° S.E. As 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 SILVER ISLET 
 
 IN 1869. 
 
 SCALt, SO FEET TO AN INCH. 
 
 The rich part of the vein ta indicated thu* 
 a, Shaft <t Shaft Jlouse; b, Slide for boat. 
 
 shown it) the plan, its greatest width is on the northwest side of the 
 islet, and it will be seen that in going southward it divides into 
 two branches, one of which crosses the \fAet, and the other keeps on 
 the west side, under water. The south part of the latter branch 
 carried the richest ore, the eastern branch l)eing less rich, and the 
 whole of the vein to the northward being almost entirely barren, 
 and consisting of a huge mass of calcspar, with quartz and occasional 
 cubes of galena, which carry only a minute quantity of silver. Par- 
 ticles of silver ore were also found in come of the small "feeders" 
 which intersect the country rock (or perhaps " horse") lying between 
 the two veins. Fragments and masses of this rock are very often in- 
 closed in the veinstone, and graphite very frequently associates itself 
 with them. 
 
 The metallic minerals of the veins are silver, silver glance, tetra- 
 hedrite, domeykite, galena, blende, iron and copper pyrites, cobalt 
 bloom, and nickel green. The two latter substances seemed to be 
 oxidation-jiroducts of ii pi'culiar mineral, which, in a paper published 
 
SILVER ISLET. 
 
 11 
 
 ) 
 
 in the Canadian Naturalist, and dated Ist February, 1870, I de- 
 scribed as follows : " Besides the small nuggets and grains of pure 
 metallic silver, there are also found in the rich ore, thin plates and 
 grains of a sectile mineral, having a reddish-brown color, like that 
 of niccolite, and containing arsenic, cobalt, nickel, and silver, with 
 the latter in greatest quantity. This would appear to be a new 
 mineral and one worthy of more minute examination." When active 
 work was begun by the Silver Islet Mining Company, it was found 
 that the great bulk of the silver extracted was contained in a granu- 
 lar mixture of the reddish -colored grains above mentioned with 
 other minerals. The late Major A. H. Sibley — then president of 
 the company — gave this mixture the name of " Macfarlanite," 
 which is still used for it by superintendent and workmen at the mine 
 up to the present time. In the Engineering and Mining Journal of 
 29th March last, Mr. W. M. Courtis published a paper on Lake 
 Superior silver ores, in which this supposed new mineral is also 
 referred to as " Macfarlanite." For these reasons it would seem 
 necessary to refer to this substance more particularly. In December, 
 1870, I made an examination of the brown metallic grains which 
 the rich ore above referred to leaves when pulverized in a diamond 
 mortar, and all brittle minerals, such as calcspar, galena, etc., sifted 
 or washed oif. A blowpipe assay showed these to contain : 
 
 Silver, 78.34 
 
 Nickel, 0.98 
 
 Cobalt, 2.76 
 
 Arsenic, etc. (difference), .... 12.93 
 
 100.00 
 
 I made some further trials, but was unsuccessful in separating 
 any definite mineral. 
 
 In December last Dr. T. Sterry Hunt informed me of the dis- 
 covery of the new minerals in Silver Islet ore by Dr. Wurtz, and 
 showed me a specimen of " Huntelite" which seemed to me to occur 
 in larger pieces, and to be different from the reddish grains occurring 
 in the ore known as ** Macfarlanite." 
 
 On subjecting the rich granular ore of Silver Islet to closer 
 examination, assisted by Mr. W. M. Courtis, I found it to con- 
 sist of the reddish-brown metallic grains, a dark-colored unde- 
 termined mineral, niccolite, galena, calcspar and quartz. Native 
 silver in perfectly white grains or filaments is not distinctly seen. 
 Pieces of the ore, upon being ground and polished, show the 
 
12 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 metallic grains with a color and lustre closely resembling bur- 
 nished nickel. When the calcspar, which is the principal gangue, 
 is removed by dilute hydrochloric acid, the result is porous and 
 coherent. The metallic minerals adhere to each other and to the 
 metallic grains, the latter seeming to be in places coated or incrusted 
 with the dark -colored mineral and the niccolite. Under the hammer, 
 the metallic grains flatten out, and the glass shows that both brown 
 and black brittle grains have separated. Still, in this process, all 
 the metallic minerals do not seem removable, but adhere, more or 
 less flrmly, to the metallic grains. 
 
 When the ore is pulverized, and the metallic grains are freed from 
 all brittle materials, the latter being sifted and washed off, they as^say 
 from 75 to 84 per cent, of silver. When these are further triturated 
 in an iron mortar six different times, and the brittle matter removed 
 by sifting on a sieve with 50 meshes to the lineal inch, the siftings 
 thus produced assay as follows : 
 
 Ist time, 
 2d " 
 3d " 
 4th " 
 5th " 
 6th " 
 
 46.41 per cent silver. 
 51.55 " " 
 
 59.25 " " 
 
 t56.24 - " " 
 
 7(5.1 " " 
 
 83.7 " " 
 
 The grains remaining upon the sieve from the last trituration 
 have a dark-gray color and assay 92.04 per cent, silver. When 
 roasted in a muffle they become yellowish-brown. Hydrochloric 
 acid removes nickel oxide, and then they have the appearance of 
 pure silver grains. In this process they lose 6.94 per cent, of their 
 weight, and assay 95.76 per cent, silver. Triturated a second time 
 in this manner they lose 2.12 per cent, additional, and assay 97.42 
 percent, silver. From this it is evident that they assume the appear- 
 ance of metallicsilver on the surface only, and are not pure through- 
 out. The grains of 92.04 per cent, when treated alone on charcoal, 
 before the blowpipe, merely cake together, yielding a slight coating 
 of arsenious acid. When a small quantity of borax is added, a silver 
 button is produced, with some speiss attached, and a slag slightly 
 tinged with cobalt oxide. Most of the nickel is removed in the 
 speiss, but the silver .still retains some of it, and upon cooling shows 
 a greenish-gray film. This is removed by a further slight scoriti- 
 eation with borax, and 91.33 per cent, silver is obtained. The 
 grains of 92.04 per cent, silver dissolve readily in dilute nitric acid, 
 yielding the following results : 
 
 a 
 r 
 
 ii 
 t( 
 
 s 
 c 
 
SILVER ISLET. 
 
 la 
 
 
 ' ■. 
 
 Insoluble (assays 17.46 p«r centJAg.), . . '2.S7 
 Nickel, . , . . > . . . 1.58 
 
 Antimony, 36 
 
 Silver, 98.54 
 
 Arsenic, 2.15 
 
 100.00 
 
 When the metallic grains first above alluded to are treated with 
 dihite nitric acid (half acid, half water), and its action interrupted 
 when about half the quantity is dissolved, a considerable quantity of 
 a black powder is detached ; much nickel is dissolved, and the 
 remaining grains have the appearance of pure silver, but still show- 
 ing black specks, especially in the cavities. These grains were found 
 to consist of: 
 
 Insoluble, ....... 1.86 
 
 Silver, 94 77 
 
 Antimony, 85 
 
 Nickel, 95 
 
 Arsenic (difference), 1.65 
 
 100.00 
 
 A quantity of the metallic grains were acted on by three succes- 
 sive portions of very dilute nitric acid. The resulting solutions 
 contained as follows : 
 
 1. Silver, 37.646 
 
 Mercury, 649 
 
 Arsenic, 6.898 
 
 Antimony, ...... 166 
 
 Nickel, 4.661 
 
 49.520 
 
 2. Silver, 33.692 
 
 Mercury, 099 
 
 Antimony, 059 
 
 Nickel 1.220 
 
 35.070 
 
 3. Silver, 5.403 
 
 Antimony, trace 
 
 Nickel, trace 
 
 5,403 
 
 .4. Insoluble quarlz gniins, etc., . . 6.203 
 
 • ' Black mineral washed off, . . . 3.756 
 
 9.959 
 
 99.952 
 
14 
 
 8ILVKK ISLET. 
 
 The black substance \vashe<l off frorn the hirger grains of quartz 
 contains antimony, lead, cobalt, nickel, and sulphur, besides 24.79 
 per cent, of silver. 
 
 From the above experiments the great difficulty of separating the 
 various minerals which occur in the rich ore of Silver Islet will be 
 apparent. It seems to me to contain a great deal of its silver in the 
 native state, which passes into the animihlte of Professor Wurtz. 
 Further investigation may possibly give more decided results. 
 
 With regard to the general nature of the ore yielded by the vein 
 after sorting, one parcel of second quality — weighing 15,914 pounds, 
 and assaying 1)()4.2 ounces silver — was found to contain 71.5 per 
 cent, of earthy carbonates and 14.15 per cent, of matter insoluble in 
 acids. The relative quantity of calcareous and silicious matter 
 varies, howeve.', in different parts of the vein ; and, in some places, 
 streaks of quartz have preponderated to such an extent as to make 
 some of the ore highly silicious, and much more difficult to smelt. 
 
 The rock on the Islet intersected by the silver vein is a chloritic 
 diorite, evidently forming a dike. It differs somewhat from the 
 rocks of the other dikes of this location, among which may be men- 
 tioned corsyteand anorthite porphyry. Judging from their manner 
 of occurrence, it did not appear likely, when the discovery was first 
 made, that the diorite of Silver Islet would be found to have a 
 greater breadth than two hundred feet on the length of the vein. 
 Outside of this distance it was anticipated that the vein would be 
 found to intersect the gray flags, which fill out all the spaces between 
 the various dikes. It was further thought unlikely that the Silver 
 Islet vein, on reaching these flags, would exhibit the same degree of 
 richness as previously. The continuation of Silver Islet vein across 
 Burnt Island (which is identical with one shown on an old map of 
 the location by Mr. Wilkinson), and also further inland, was traced 
 out in 1869. It has been exposed at several points where it crosses 
 the sedimentary beds, but there it is split up into numerous thin 
 veins of quartz, and shows nothing of the great width which it car- 
 ries on Silver Islet, nor have any of the rich silver minerals of that 
 locality yet been found upon the mainland, or upon Burnt Island. 
 
 The experience gained in the working of Silver Islet Mine, since 
 its discovery, has, in the main, confirmed the descriptitm here given 
 of its geological relations. This will be seen in consulting the 
 accompanying longitudinal section of the mine by Mr. W. M. Cour- 
 tis, first [)ublislied in the Enyineer'mg and Mininy Journal of 21st 
 December, 1878. 
 
SILVER IHIiET. 
 
 16 
 
 It will be observed that t\\o diorito tliko dip^ at a high angle 
 southward, and that the workings have never been proflnetive out- 
 side of it. Indeed, there are large areas of the vein inclosed by dio- 
 rite walls on Ixith sides whieh have yielded no ore. Ft is necessary 
 
 
 I 
 
 THE SII.VKR ISI.KT MINK, I.'tNOll TDINAl, SKCTtON. 
 
 to mention that the vein itself dips at a high angle to the eastward, 
 and that Mr. Courtis's section shows the rocks adjoining the vein 
 upon the hanging-wall only. On the west side of the vein it has 
 been fotuid that the diorite extends further south than on the hang- 
 ing-wall. The line of the vein is, therefore, also the line of a fault, 
 
16 
 
 SILVER IHLET. 
 
 which has moved the rooks on the w«Mt, or rather southwest, side of 
 the vein eijijhty teet to the sontheast, as shown in the accotnpanyit)^ 
 sketch, which indicates ronj^hly the relative positions of rocks and 
 vein below the " 5th level." 
 
 It is worthy of remark that the rocks intersected by the dioritc 
 dike are not highly inclined, semicrystallize<l slate, bnt are almost 
 horizontal flaj:,stones and shales. 
 
 The Silver Islet vein has exhibited a most remarkable phenome- 
 non, which deserves mention here. The following is a description of 
 it, taken from a letter dated 28th January, 1876, from Mr. W. R. 
 Frue to the writer : 
 
 "On December 28th, while a party of miners were engaged in drill- 
 ing a hole in the end of the drift on the * 8th level,' the drill broke 
 through into a small crevice or ' vug.' Water at once commenced to 
 flow, — not in great quantity, however, — and one of the miners took a 
 candle to look into the drill-hole, not being aware that there was a 
 large escape of gas with the water. The gas instantly took fire, send- 
 ing a flame out from the end of the drift for more than fortv feet. The 
 men, of course, threw themselves down on the bottom of the drift, 
 and reniained there uninjured initil the flame subsided, and then 
 went out to the shaft. After they had got over their fright, they 
 
HILVKR l«I,KT. 
 
 17 
 
 est, sido «»r 
 rocks 1111(1 
 
 
 ones 
 lales 
 
 lie rlioritc 
 re almost, 
 
 )henomf- 
 ription of 
 r. W. R. 
 
 I in drill- 
 ill hroUc 
 leiK'ed t(» 
 ;rs took a 
 ro was a 
 re, sciid- 
 et. TIh! 
 he drift, 
 mid tlion 
 lit, they 
 
 i 
 
 undert(M)k to return into the drifV, hiit when within forty feet of the 
 end of th(> drift, the ^a» apiin ijijnite<l, fdlin^ the level with Haine to 
 within thre<! teet of its hottom ; the flame i'xtendinj^ alon^jf the hack 
 of the drift, and hiirnin^ for a distani'e of one hundred and fd^y feet 
 towards the shaft. The men ajjain took shelter hy throwing them- 
 selves down on the bottom of the level. Some time after this the 
 men walked into and through the entire length of the drift without 
 any light, and inserted a wooden |)lug in the hole through which the 
 va[K)r and water were escaping. On the following day no gas was 
 discovered in the drift, until a eaiullc was brought close to the plug 
 in the end of the level, when the gas again caught lire, giving a jet 
 or flame about one foot long, which has been burning ever sin(!e." 
 
 This is, I believe, the first instance' on record of the occurrence of 
 an inflammable gas in a silver mine, and probably indicates that the 
 rocks near Silver Islet are of much more recent age than has been 
 generally su|>po8ed. 
 
 IV. Mining. 
 
 The discovery of Silver Islet in 1HG8, the full descriptions given 
 of it, and the specimens of ore produced, valued at $1200, were 
 insufficient to induce the Montreal Mining Company to go into 
 vigorous mining operations. The leaning of the sliareholders was 
 plainly in favor of selling rather than working, and the largest speci- 
 mens found their way to England, where they were exhibital, and 
 afterwards sent to Swansea to be sold and smelted. Negotiations, 
 having for their object the sale of part of Wood's Location, in- 
 cluding Silver Islet, were carried on and continued into the summer 
 of 18G9, but unsuccessfully. Meanwhile 1 had returned to the lake, 
 completed the survey of Wood's Location, and employed the men in 
 excavating as much ore as possible from the surface of the Silver 
 [slet Vein. This was a matter of much difficulty and even danger. 
 The summer of 1869 was exceedingly stormy, and it was oidy dur- 
 ing the calmest weather that any excavation was possible. The 
 cartridges procured for blasting under water entirely failed to work, 
 but, nevertheless, 9455 pounds of excellent ore were produced ami 
 shipped to Montreal. On the 12th of August wc began to sink u 
 shaft in the centre of the Islet, from which it was intended, on at- 
 taining sufficient depth, to cross-cut to the vein. That this plan 
 would have proved jjcrfectly successful is evident from the fact that 
 it has since been sunk and connected with the east vein, and is now 
 known as " Macfarlane's Shaft." During the frll of 1868 a shaft- 
 house was built on the Islet, and a boarding-house, storehouse, and 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 stable on the inaiiiland, at a point now known as Silver Islet Land- 
 ing. In the winter of 1809-70 a party of twelve men and one horse 
 remained on Wood's Location. They were instrncted to continue 
 sinking the shaft, to take advantage of any opportunity aflfbrded by 
 the formation of the ice to excavate more ore from the outcrop of 
 the vein, and when work at the Islet was impossible to cut timber in 
 the woods for the cribwork proposed to be constructed the following 
 season. 
 
 The sinking of the shaft had to be discontinued on account of 
 the influx of water, but the excavation of ore was very successful. 
 The ice formed around the islet, and kept unbroken for nearly two 
 months. It facilitated the work very much, keeping the water per- 
 fectly still, and affordi'ig the men a convenient platform. The blast- 
 ing under water, with cartridges made on the spot by Mr. M. Big- 
 gar, was successful, and extended over about thirty feet of the vein. 
 The loose veinstone was then fished out of the water by means of 
 long tongs, constructed on the spot, long-handled shovels, etc. ; 
 then teamed to the mainland, and there sorted. In this way nearly 
 nine tons of ore were produced and shipped to Montreal in the 
 spring of 1870. The following is a statement of the entire amount 
 of ore produced during the operations of the Montreal Mining Com- 
 pany, with my assays and estimates of the value of the silver it 
 contained : 
 
 Net 
 When produced. weiKlit, 
 lbs. 
 
 18G8, 
 
 18(i», 
 i( 
 
 II 
 1870, 
 
 1,336 
 3,429 
 4,08U 
 
 1 ,(t4() 
 17,»Ui'.t 
 
 '28,4(iO 
 
 Perec 11 tage 
 
 of 
 
 .silver. 
 
 5. Id!) 
 
 2.700 
 
 4.344 
 
 5.147 
 6.503 
 
 Ounces 
 |)er toil of 
 2'24Ulbs. 
 
 i,otto 
 
 881) 
 
 1,417 
 
 Of 2000 lbs. 
 
 1,680 
 
 1,005 
 
 Value per 
 
 toil of 
 2>W lbs. 
 
 $2,095.00 
 
 1,111.25 
 
 1,771.25 
 
 Of 2000 His. 
 
 2,100.00 
 2,070.45 
 
 Total value. 
 
 $1,240.51 
 1,701.10 
 3,220.20 
 
 1,824.37 
 18,291.39 
 
 $20,292.57 
 
 The above ore, after being sold or smelted, realized the following 
 quantities and values of silver : 
 
 When sold 
 
 iir 
 
 smelted. 
 
 Where sold 
 
 or 
 
 siiii^lted. 
 
 Net 
 
 weight, 
 
 lbs. 
 
 Ouiipes 
 |ier ton of 
 2210 lbs. 
 
 Value per 
 
 lull of 
 
 2210 lbs. 
 
 Total value 
 
 y.-pt. 4tli, 1869, 
 
 Swiui^eti, 
 
 1,209 
 
 1,397 
 
 $3031 
 
 $962.13 
 
 <i >< 
 
 Now York, 
 
 127 
 
 
 
 190.50 
 
 II II 
 
 Swansea, 
 
 3,322 
 
 982 
 
 254/, 
 
 1,821.96 
 
 Got. 29tli, 1809, 
 
 II 
 
 4,0t)6 
 
 880 
 
 Of 2000 lbs. 
 
 228i 
 
 of 2000 lbs. 
 
 1,970.03 
 
 F.-b. 24lli, 1870, 
 
 Ncwiirk-,N..I 
 
 , 1,913 
 
 1 ,008 j 
 
 2,075 
 
 1.984.73 
 
 . II 11 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 11.28 
 
 Feb. 16th, 1872, 
 
 It 
 
 17,481 
 
 1,429 
 
 1,843.41 
 
 16,112.32 
 
 II II 
 
 It 
 
 i3-;i 
 
 
 
 62.40 
 
 
 28,0734 
 
 $23,115.35 
 
 i 
 
SILVER ISLET. 
 
 19 
 
 It will he observed that this ore realized ^3177.22 less than esti- 
 niatod, and that the greatest deficiency, in ]>roportion to the qnan- 
 tity, (Kicnrs in the parcel of 4080 ])onnds sent to Swansea. No sat- 
 isfactory explanation of the cause of the difference was ever received, 
 and it was consequently deemed advisable to ship all the ore after- 
 wards produced to Newark, N. J. The parcel sold there in Febru- 
 ary, 1870, resulted very satisfactorily ; but a discrepancy occurred in 
 the H'i tons afterwards sent. This parcel of ore, on its arrival in 
 Newark, was crushed and sampled in the usual manner, and, as the 
 first assays resulted much lower than that of the sample taken at 
 Silver Islet, and given above, numerous trials were made by various 
 New York assay ers, always with most extraordinary differences as to 
 yield. It is extremely probable that these differences were owing 
 to the imp(>ssibility of effecting a perfectly equal distribution of the 
 metallic grains throughout the mass of the sample. Mr. Balbach re- 
 fused to account for more silver than his assay indicated, and efforts 
 were made to effect a sale of the ore elsewhere than in Newark, but 
 without effect, and it was finally treated by Mr. Balbach on the basis 
 of his assay. 
 
 The facts connected with the production of ore in the winter of 1869- 
 70 were j)ublished in the Montreal papers in June, and attracted much 
 attention in England and the United States. That ten men had been 
 ableto i)roduce.^l6,000worthofore,and that the actual time employed 
 by them, in so doing, had not exceeded fourteen days, was again in- 
 sufficient to induce the Montreal Mining Company to proceed to 
 work the Silver Islet vein. The experience gained during the sum- 
 mer of 1869 had convinced me that very strong and extensive works 
 would be necessary in order to protect tlie Islet and mine from the 
 severe storms which frequently prevail off Thunder Cape. It had 
 also become plain that a large force of men, with a steam-tug and 
 scows, would be necessary for putting the cribbing into place, and 
 secHiring it (lulckli/, so as to |)revent its being washed away while in 
 ])ro('css of erection by the heavy seas which rising gales suddenly 
 bring in from the lake. I estimated that at least $50,000 would be 
 re(|uinMl to establish a mii.(> on the Islet, and recommended it sis 
 being for the interest of the shareholders that the company itself 
 should work the mine. 
 
 In the event of their being unwilling to raise the necessary work- 
 ing capital, I recommended efforts on the part of the board to sell 
 the Silver Islet property. Their decision resulted in favor of the 
 latter policy, and not oidy was it decided to sell Silver Islet, but the 
 
20 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 idea was adopted of endeavoring to effect a sale of the whole of the 
 company's property, on the strength of the discoveries already made. 
 Negotiations were carried on for this purpose during the spring and 
 summer of 1870, which resulted in the transfer of the whole prop- 
 erty into the hands of certain capitalists in New York and Detroit 
 in September. 
 
 The first intimation which I had of the sale of the whole property 
 was at Silver Islet on the night of the 31st of August, when the 
 propeller ''City of Detroit" arrived, having on board Mr. W. B. 
 Frue, a working party of about thirty men, two horses, machinery, 
 stores, provisions, etc., and having in tow a large scow and a raft of 
 large-sized timber. The propeller discharged her cargo next day, 
 and operations were begun at once and vigorously to establish a per- 
 manent mine on Silver Islet. In spite of severe weather extensive 
 breakwaters were built, part of the vein inclosed by a coffer-dam, 
 the area^vvithin the latter pumped dry, a considerable amount of 
 mining done, and about seventy-seven tons of ore shipped before 
 the close of navigation. The time devoted to raining was about 
 four weeks, and the last shipment was made about the 25th of No- 
 vember. About $80,000 were expended in the above operations, 
 and in making provision for wintering, long before any returns were 
 obtained from the ore. Indeed, it was not until March, 1871, that 
 the smelting of the fall shipments at Newark was completed. I 
 was employed by the new company to superintend the sampling of 
 this ore, and the following statement shows the value of the silver 
 in the ore produced by them in 1870, according to my assays: 
 
 
 Net weight, 
 
 Fercentagf 
 
 Ounce.s per ton 
 
 Value per ton 
 
 
 No. of parcel. 
 
 lbs. 
 
 silver. 
 
 of 2000 11)8. 
 
 of 2000 lbs. 
 
 Total value. 
 
 1 
 
 34,8«2 
 
 2 553 
 
 744.8 
 
 $960.90 
 
 $16,749.53 
 
 2 
 
 1(i,r,92 
 
 2.15(1 
 
 628.8 
 
 811.15 
 
 6,729.30 
 
 3 
 
 17,523 
 
 2.G90 
 
 784.5 
 
 1,012.00 
 
 8,860.63 
 
 4 
 
 17,772 
 
 2.073 
 
 807.2 
 
 1,11875 
 
 9,941.34 
 
 6 
 
 lii,37!) 
 
 3 358 
 
 979.4 
 
 1,263.48 
 
 10,347.2(5 
 
 6 
 
 lo,<ll4 
 
 3 30(; 
 
 964.2 
 
 1,243 81 
 
 9,896.99 
 
 7 
 
 l'l,13n 
 
 4.348 
 
 1,268 1 
 
 1,635 84 
 
 15,(;54.17 
 
 8 
 
 17,139 
 
 4.r,87 
 
 1,367.0 
 
 1,763.43 
 
 15,111 71 
 
 Metallic gruins 
 
 83 
 
 15.130 
 
 4,414,6 
 
 6,694.83 
 
 93.9(1 
 
 S|i('c;innMis. 
 
 187 
 
 9. 000 
 
 2,(i52.4 
 
 3,421.59 
 
 319.92 
 
 iMotiillic gniiiLs. 
 
 3 
 
 (17.658 
 
 19,733.3 
 
 25,455.95 
 
 38.18 
 
 * 
 
 ^ A 
 
 I 
 
 155,543 lbs., avtsnigiiii;- por ton 
 
 $1,205.44 $93,748.99 
 
 f. 
 
 Messrs. Balbach's assays of the same ore are given in the subjoined 
 table : 
 

 
 • 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 Net weight, 
 
 Percentage 
 
 Ounces 
 
 Value 
 
 Total 
 
 
 No. of parcpl. 
 
 lbs. 
 
 Bilver. 
 
 per ton. 
 
 per ton. 
 
 ounces. 
 
 Total value. 
 
 1 
 
 34,862 
 
 2.406 
 
 7019 
 
 $905.46 
 
 12,234.9 
 
 $15,783.16 
 
 2 
 
 lfi,5P2 
 
 2.250 
 
 656.0 
 
 840.24 
 
 6,442.1 
 
 7,020,40 
 
 8 
 
 17,523 
 
 2.680 
 
 781.6 
 
 1,008.26 
 
 0,847.9 
 
 8,833.86 
 
 4 
 
 17,772 
 
 2.905 
 
 847 6 
 
 1,093.28 
 
 7,531.0 
 
 9,715.00 
 
 5 
 
 10,379 
 
 3.385 
 
 987.3 
 
 1,273,63 
 
 8,085.4 
 
 10,430.39 
 
 6 
 
 15,014 
 
 3.170 
 
 924 6 
 
 1,192.60 
 
 7,356.2 
 
 9,489.61 
 
 7 
 
 19,139 
 
 4.220 
 
 1,230.0 
 
 1,586.70 
 
 11,770.4 
 
 15,183.92 
 
 8 
 
 17,139 
 
 4.510 
 
 1,3160 
 
 1,096.35 
 
 11,268.8 
 
 14,536.87 
 
 Metallic grains. 33 
 
 15.136 
 
 4,414.6 
 
 5,694.83 
 
 72.8 
 
 93.96 
 
 Specimen.s. 
 
 187 
 
 9.060 
 
 2,652.4 
 
 3,421.59 
 
 248.0 
 
 319.92 
 
 Metallic grai 
 
 i.s. 8 
 
 07.658 
 averagin 
 
 19,733.3 
 g per ton 
 
 25,455.95 
 
 29.6 
 
 38.18 
 
 
 165,543, 
 
 $1,175.80 
 
 70,887.1 
 
 $91,446.16 
 
 21 
 
 While this ore was being disposed of in the winter of 1870-71 
 Mr. Frue and his men were fully occupied at Silver Islet, where a 
 very .stormy season was experienced. During the previous winter 
 the ice had formed quietly and remained till the spring, when it was 
 gradually softened by the heat, moved out quietly into the lake, and 
 did not reappear. Mr. Frue was, therefore, somewhat unprepared 
 for the great trouble which the different behavior of the ice during 
 the following .season caused him. The placing of the cribbing was 
 tedious and hazardous work. The ice did not form solidly for any 
 considerable time, but kept floating backwards and forwards the en- 
 tire .season. During much of the time Mr. Frue and his men had 
 to cut their way from the mainland to the Islet, through fields of 
 solid ice recently formed, and, shortly afterwards, through floating 
 floes three feet in thickness and of all sizes up to fifty feet square. 
 Towards the end of February .severe gales were experienced, which 
 lent tremendous force to the floating ice, and tore away cribwork to 
 an extent of two hundred and forty feet in length. The heaviest 
 timber was insufficient to withstand the ice; large logs had their 
 extremities chafed to such an extent as to resemble only huge brooms, 
 and bolts, one and a half to two inches in diameter, were twisted and 
 broken apparently with the greatest ease. After the removal of the 
 cribbing the seas were .so heavy as to dash over what remained, and 
 fill up the coffer-dam in a very short time. The dam itself, however, 
 sustained very little damage, and, going to work indefatigably to re- 
 pair damages, Mr. F'rue was able to resume mining in about a month 
 afterwards. By the 1st of May, 1871, an excavation had been made 
 on the rich part of the vein inclosed by the coffer-dam, leaving a 
 length of sixty live, depth of thirty-two, and an average width of 
 eight feet. By the close of navigation, in November, this working 
 
 
22 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 had attained a depth of ninety feet, and had produced, from the same 
 time in 1870, about four hundred and eighty-five tons of ore, of 
 which the following quantities were treated at Newark in the sum- 
 mer of 1871: 
 
 
 Net weiglit, 
 
 Ounces per 
 
 Value per 
 
 
 
 No. of parcel. 
 
 lbs. 
 
 ton of 2000 lbs. 
 
 ton of 2000 lbs. 
 
 Total ounces. 
 
 Total value 
 
 1, A. 
 
 6,553 
 
 1,184.1 
 
 $1,539.33 
 
 3,879.70 
 
 155,043.61 
 
 1,B. 
 
 14,986 
 
 1,406.4 
 
 1,828.32 
 
 10,538.16 
 
 13,699.60 
 
 2, A. 
 
 10,627 
 
 1,149.1 
 
 1,493 83 
 
 9,553.04 
 
 12,418.95 
 
 2,B. 
 
 3,824 
 
 1,470.1 
 
 1,911.13 
 
 2,810.83 
 
 3,654.08 
 
 3 
 
 17,393 
 
 1,131.6 
 
 1,471.08 
 
 9,840.95 
 
 12,793.23 
 
 4 
 
 ]!>,651 
 
 1,166.0 
 
 1,515.80 
 
 11,456 53 
 
 14,893.48 
 
 5 
 
 18,630 
 
 1,281.8 
 
 1,666.34 
 
 11,939.96 
 
 15,521.95 
 
 Metallic grains. 
 
 375 
 
 4,146.0 
 
 5,388.50 
 
 772.20 
 
 1,003 86 
 
 6 
 
 17,959 
 
 1,1987 
 
 1,668 31 
 
 10,763.72 
 
 13,992.85 
 
 7 
 
 16,730 
 
 1,134.5 
 
 1,474.86 
 
 9,490.09 
 
 12,337.12 
 
 8 
 
 17,954 
 
 1,105.3 
 
 1,436.89 
 
 9,894.64 
 
 12,863.03 
 
 9 
 
 18,976 
 
 947.8 
 
 1,232.14 
 
 8,992.25 
 
 11,689 92 
 
 10 
 
 13,189 
 
 907.0 
 
 1,179.10 
 
 6,981.21 
 
 7,775 57 
 
 Metallic grains. 
 
 657 
 
 1,415.8 
 
 1,840.54 
 
 465.10 
 
 604 63 
 
 183,458 
 
 106,378.37 $138,291.88 
 
 There were further treated, at the Wyandotte Smelting and Refin- 
 ing Works, the following parcels of ore, and in the order as they are 
 here given : 
 
 Quality of 
 
 Net weight, 
 
 Ounces per 
 
 Value per ton 
 
 Total 
 
 Total 
 
 ore. 
 
 lbs 
 
 ton of 2000 lbs 
 
 of 2000 lbs. 
 
 ounces. 
 
 value. 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 6,919J 
 
 4,180.0 
 
 $5,434.00 
 
 14,462.00 
 
 $18,800 60 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 16,918 
 
 1,395.0 
 
 1,813.50 
 
 11,799.00 
 
 15,338.70 
 
 11 
 
 19,340 
 
 1,139.0 
 
 1,480.70 
 
 11,014.00 
 
 14,31820 
 
 «i 
 
 7,500 
 
 1,332.0 
 
 1,641.60 
 
 4,995.00 
 
 6,493..-.0 
 
 i( 
 
 13,750 
 
 1,318.0 
 
 1,713.40 
 
 9,061.00 
 
 11,779.30 
 
 ti 
 
 49,500 
 
 961.8 
 
 1,250.34 
 
 23,804.55 
 
 30,945.91 
 
 t( 
 
 38,750 
 
 1,671.4 
 
 2,172.82 
 
 32,383.37 
 
 42,098.38 
 
 t( 
 
 36,750 
 
 1,077.3 
 
 1,400.49 
 
 19,795.38 
 
 25,73:5.99 
 
 ii 
 
 60,000 
 
 1,258.4 
 
 1,635.92 
 
 37,752.00 
 
 49,077.60 
 
 11 
 
 •64,343 
 
 1,080.0 
 
 1,404.00 
 
 34.745.00 
 
 45,168.50 
 
 It 
 
 4,000 
 
 990.9 
 
 1,288.17 
 
 1,981.80 
 
 2,576.34 
 
 ti 
 
 55,000 
 
 997.4 
 
 1,296.62 
 
 27,428.50 
 
 35,657.05 
 
 No. ;;. 
 
 15,000 
 
 183.2 
 
 238. ir 
 
 1,374.00 
 
 1,786 20 
 
 i( 
 
 20,000 
 
 108 6 
 
 141.18 
 
 1,086.00 
 
 1,411.80 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 16,232 
 
 997.4 
 
 1,296.62 
 
 8,094.89 
 
 10,523 36 
 
 (1 
 
 20,263 
 
 615.0 
 
 799.50 
 
 6,227.79 
 
 8,096.1:'. 
 
 it 
 
 15,607 
 
 270.6 
 
 351.78 
 
 2,111.62 
 
 2,745.10 
 
 tt 
 
 27,017 
 
 990.9 
 
 1,288.17 
 
 13,385.57 
 
 17,401.24 
 
 ti 
 
 ;!4,4()9 
 
 1,107.0 
 
 1,439.10 
 
 19,078.59 
 
 24,802.17 
 
 t 
 
 37,615 
 
 925.5 
 
 1,203.15 
 
 17,406.34 
 
 22,628. 2.-> 
 
 ■1 
 
 37,500 
 
 545.0 
 
 708.50 
 
 10,218.75 
 
 13,284.38 
 
 * 
 

 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 
 
 Quality of 
 
 Net weight, 
 
 Ounces per 
 
 Value per ton 
 
 Total 
 
 Total 
 
 ore. 
 
 lbs. 
 
 tonof20<)0lb8. 
 
 of 2000 lbs. 
 
 ounces. 
 
 value. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 18,r)60 
 
 1,029.0 
 
 $1,337.70 
 
 9,549.12 
 
 $12,413.86 
 
 II 
 
 24,005 
 
 764.0 
 
 980.20 
 
 9,276.08 
 
 12,058 90 
 
 i( 
 
 17,998 
 
 814.3 
 
 1,067.59 
 
 7,327 88 
 
 9,626.24 
 
 « 
 
 17,002 
 
 680.3 
 
 884.39 
 
 5,783.23 
 
 7,518.20 
 
 II 
 
 15,929 
 
 813.5 
 
 1,057.66 
 
 0,479.12 
 
 8,422.80 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 17,r)00 
 
 144.8 
 
 188 24 
 
 1,260.50 
 
 1,040.45 
 
 II 
 
 ;55,4«1 
 
 137.3 
 
 178.49 
 
 2,434.39 
 
 3,164.70 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 10,483 
 
 3,017.2 
 
 4,702.36 
 
 18,959.65 
 
 24,647.41 
 
 a 
 
 0,495 
 
 3,017.2 
 
 4,702.30 
 
 11,746.85 
 
 15,270.90 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 2,982 
 
 1,301.2 
 
 1,709.56 
 
 2,029.54 
 
 2,638.40 
 
 II 
 
 14,990 
 
 778,468J 
 
 084.1 
 
 889.33 
 
 5,127.32 
 388,184.73 
 
 0,66.5.51 
 
 
 $.504,040.13 
 
 23 
 
 It is, of course, to be remembered that the values just given do not 
 represent the amount reah'zed for the ore. Both at Newark and 
 Wyandotte the smelters only guaranteed to return 95 i)er cent, of the 
 silver contents, and charged $100 per ton for smelting. Besides the 
 above ore there was produced in 1870-71 another parcel of five tons, 
 which, with many lives, was lost on board the propeller Coburn, on 
 Lake Huron, in October, 1871. 
 
 The total production of Silver Islet from the discovery till the 
 clo.se of navigation, 1871, was as follows: 
 
 • Weight, lbs. Value per ton. 
 
 Undor Montreal Mining Company, . . 27,073f $1,646. 8(» 
 
 Under new proprietors, 1870, .... 165,543 1,175.80 
 
 Under new ])roprietors, 1871, Newark, 183,453 1,507.64 
 
 Under new proprietors, 1871, Wyandotte, 778,408^ 1,290 48 
 
 Lost on propeller Coburn, 10,000 1,040.00 
 
 Total value. 
 $23,11.5.35 
 92,153.23 
 138,291.88 
 604,040.13 
 6,200.00 
 
 l,164,637i $1,322.44 $703,400.59 
 
 Mining was continued with varying success after the close of nav- 
 igation in 1871. The vein was found to be subject to frequent and 
 sudden changes, both as regards size and richness. In the fall of 
 
 1871 it narrowed down to six inches in width at some points, with 
 scarcely any first quality ore in sight. During the v/inter it grad- 
 ually widened and became very productive. In Mr. Fnie's reports 
 many such alternations are recorded. He says that in the summer of 
 
 1872 "the lode became broken up, being thoroughly mixed with 
 dioritc and wedges of plumbago, and in the fall the mine assumed 
 anything but a flattering appearance." Mr. Frue writes further on 
 this subject as follows : " In the following winter it suddenly changed 
 in character and produced, up to May 1st, 1873, 250 tons of rich 
 
24 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 packing ore, worth about $1500 to the ton. During May and the 
 early 8innm< r the vein disappeared ahnost entirely, being broken up 
 into strings and feeders. Later, however, there was a decided im- 
 provement, which was again overshadowed by a passing cloud, and 
 although in extending the drift north on the forty a very promising 
 show of silver had been opened, I had often seen the mine clothed 
 in richer apparel than it appeared in at the close of navigation'* 
 (1873). 
 
 The severe storms which marked the winter of 1870-71 put in an 
 appearance again in that of 1873-74. " About the middle of Novem- 
 ber," Mr. Frue reports, "we were visited by a heavy storm from the 
 southeast, which did considerable damage, amounting in all to about 
 $2000. On December 1st we were again overtaken by a southeaster 
 which came on in terrible fury and seemed, for a time, as though it 
 would sweep everything before it. It tore away nearly 350 feet in 
 length of submerged cribs, and caused a loss of 20,000 feet of timber, 
 7| tons of bolts, and nearly 5000 tons of rock" (used in loading the 
 cribs), '* the total destruction amounting to a little over $9000, be- 
 sides the carrying away of the upper portion of the main breakwater. 
 This work had an altitude of nearly twenty feet above the level of 
 the lake. Eight feet in height of the top, and nearly sixty feet in 
 length of it was carried away, the breach being directly in the centre. 
 The blacksmith's shop, which stood inside of .this breakwater and 
 about forty feet from its outer face, was completely demolished. In 
 fact, rocks were whirled around the Islet like hailstones, and a 
 number of l)uildings were damaged to a considerable extent." The 
 situation of the works protecting the mine will be seen from the ac- 
 companying plan of Silver Islet in 1879. 
 
 The ore produced from 1874 to 1875, inclusive, was treated at the 
 Wyandotte Works and contained the following quantities of silver : 
 
 Season of 1872, 310,744.02 ouncss. 
 
 " 1873, 289,763.77 " 
 
 " 1874, 250,021.76 " 
 
 " 1875, 14r,,902.50 " 
 
 9!)6,432.04 ouiiees. 
 
 At $1.20 per ounce the value of this product amounts to 
 $1,195,718.45. 
 
 Part of the product of 1875 was in the shape of concentrates from 
 the stamp mill, which hud been built at a cost of $90,000 for treating 
 the veinstone of inferior quality which had previously been laid aside 
 
 ( 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
to 
 
26 
 
 SILVER ISLET. 
 
 as too poor for shipment. This mill has 50 stamps and 12 Frue 
 vanning machines, and produced about 1 ton of concentrates from 50 
 tons of the poor veinstone. The following statement gives the quan- 
 tity of this ore stampeil, and the concentrate produced from May, 
 1875, to November, 1876: 
 
 
 
 Product In 
 
 Total ounrcHof 
 
 
 
 Trins rook 
 
 ccinwntriites. 
 
 silvt'r con- 
 
 Total rost 
 
 Month. 
 
 .stninpcd. 
 
 Tons. Lbs. 
 
 liiint'd in nuhih. 
 
 of ilri'ssiiig. 
 
 Muy, 1875, 
 
 641 
 
 11.1454 
 
 10,210 
 
 $1,2.']7.69 
 
 June, " 
 
 . 1,065 
 
 25. 212 
 
 17,5.52 
 
 2,049.89 
 
 July, " 
 
 . l,07!t 
 
 28. 104 
 
 19,125 
 
 2,427.33 
 
 August, " 
 
 762 
 
 20.1100 
 
 11,238 
 
 2,302.78 
 
 Soptomber, " 
 
 . 1,505 
 
 35. 182 
 
 17,804 
 
 2,990.85 
 
 October, " 
 
 . 1,678 
 
 37. 843 
 
 14,415 
 
 2,840.15 
 
 December, " 
 
 . 1,642 
 
 31. 847 
 
 11,548 
 
 3,172.26 
 
 January, 1876, 
 
 . 1,556 
 
 .30.1824 
 
 15,990 
 
 3,089.96 
 
 February, '< 
 
 1,421 
 
 28.1312 
 
 16,346 
 
 2,944.89 
 
 March, " 
 
 . 1,690 
 
 32. 651 
 
 15,754 
 
 3,238.60 
 
 April. " 
 
 645 
 
 10.1475 
 
 4,806 
 
 1,788.83 
 
 May, " 
 
 . 1,67?. 
 
 33. 583 
 
 9,614 
 
 3,036.62 
 
 June, '* 
 
 . 1,565 
 
 33.1288 
 
 10,504 
 
 '^891. 36 
 
 July, 
 
 . 1,525 
 
 41. 978 
 
 11,757 
 
 2,768.47 
 
 August, " 
 
 . 1,600 
 
 39.1591 
 
 9,-527 
 
 2,8J3.04 
 
 September, " 
 
 . 1,505 
 
 33.1232 
 
 10,060 
 
 2,807.17 
 
 October, " 
 
 . 1,500 
 
 38.1835 
 
 9,234 
 
 2,596.1^6 
 
 November, " 
 
 1,494 
 
 29. 194 
 
 11,389 
 
 3,093.93 
 
 
 24,446 
 
 '^^mu 
 
 226,873 
 
 $48,145 08 
 
 These figures show that 9.28 ounces per ton were extracted from 
 the stamp rock and concentrated in a product containing 418 ounces 
 per ton, at a cost of f 1.97 on the original ore. 
 
 The unfavorable changes in the Silver Jslet vein, which occurred 
 in the fall of 1873, continued up to the close of 1876. The new 
 levels which had been opened up, the eighth and ninth, proved wholly 
 unproductive, although no difficulty was experienced in following 
 and working on the vein. A vast 'imount of exploratory work by 
 means of the diamond drill also failed to discover any deposits of 
 rich ore. The consequence was, of course, great financial embarras.s- 
 ment and an almo.st entire cessation of work during the summer of 
 1877. In August of that year work was resumed, and up to De- 
 cember 23,850 ounces of silver obtained by stoping in the upper 
 part of the mine. It was even proposed to remove the rich ground 
 lying betwixt the mine and the lake, substituting for it an artificial 
 arch ; but, fortunately, in the summer of last year a bunch of rich 
 ore waii struck beneath the fourth level, south of the shaft, which in 
 a few months yielded 721,632 ounces of silver, a quantity amply 
 
 ( 
 
 '^ 
 
SILVER ISLET. 
 
 27 
 
 f ^ 
 
 ■^ 
 
 , \ 
 
 sufficient to roscuc tho mino from all its embarrassments and provide 
 a reserve or workinj? capital of l$.'iOO,000. 
 
 T have not found it possil)le to ascertain the amount of the pro- 
 duct, year by year, subsequent to 1875, but according to information 
 received from C. E. Trowbridge, Esq., Secretary of the Silver Islet 
 Company, there have been extracted since the commencement ol 
 operations, in September, 1870, and up to the close o^ navigation in 
 1 878, 2,174,499 J ounces refined silver, with a value of i|2,921,727.24. 
 If to this we add the value of the ore obtained immediately after the 
 discovery by the Montreal I\|ining Company, we have a total yield ot 
 !i^2, 948,01 9.81. With regard to the production of the present year, 
 it consists almost exclusively of concentrates, but its value is very 
 certain to exceed $50,000, and 1 thiidv that at the end of the season 
 the total yield of Silver Islet mine since its discovery will be found 
 to have reached three million dollars. 
 
 The question of the future of Silver Islet mine is one of very 
 great interest to many besides those pecuniarily concerned. When 
 visiting tiie mine, in July, 1877, the vein appeared perfectly well 
 defined on the ninth level, but nothing in the shape of ore was to be 
 seen. The vein was said to possess the same character in the inclined 
 shaft sunk 100 feet dee])er than the level, and to a point about 640 feet 
 from the surface. This shaft was filled with water at the time of 
 my visit. Tho vein below this {)oint has been tested by a drill-hole 
 29G feet deep, in which traces of silver ore were detected. Even if 
 we suppose that this trace is the clue to another bonanza, the fact 
 still remains that from the 6tli level to the deepest working, a distance 
 of 800 ieet, the vein has been found to be unworthy of excavation, 
 and this too in spite of the presence of diorite on both walls, a con- 
 dition which, when the mine was first opened, was supposed to insure 
 a rc^munerative vein. In view of this fact and of the circumstance 
 that the recent rich discovery was made at a point where only the 
 foot-wall could have been diorite, it becomes a question whether the 
 theory of the beneficial infiuence of diorite walls is correct. If it is, 
 then a large amount of vein area below the 5th level and to the 
 north of the shaft remains to be prospected. That this ground has, 
 so far, been found barren may be owing to the peculiar nature of the 
 vein, in which large values of ore seem to be stowed away in com- 
 |)aratively small space. If the theory here referred to is unfounded, 
 and the vein in the adjoining flags and shales be really as promising 
 as that crossing the diorite, then the amount of ground available for 
 exploration, north and south of the mine, is immense. As a matter 
 
28 
 
 .Sir.VER isr.ET. 
 
 of fnot, tlic liori/ontal strata, clscwlicrc in the <listrirt, have lu'cii 
 fouml t(» (!()iitain silvcr-hcariiii^ veins, hut, so Car, have failed toallord 
 tbiiixhitioii for a reinnnorative mine. In either ease the future of 
 Silver Ishst mine depends mostly on the earefuhiess of the manager 
 an«l his assistants in detectinfjf minute traces of ore, and their skill and 
 |)ers(!Vorane(! in followinj^ them. It would soem alt(>gether unwise 
 to depend upon any preconceived notion as to the manner in which 
 the valuahle minerals occur, or oujjlit to occur, in the mine, for it 
 must hv confessed that hithert<> the che.mical jj;eologist has rendered 
 hut very slifiht assistance to tin; pra(!tical miner in iiis search for the 
 renuinerativ*! parts of a vein. The hest fjjuarantee for the future 
 is in the past history of the mine, which proves that rich (le|)osits 
 may he stumhied upon quite unexj)ectedly in the j>;round already 
 opened up. 
 
 I ohtaine<l from Edward Learned, Esq., President of the Silyer 
 Islet (/ompany, whose faith and |)crsevGran(!e has carried the (jompany 
 throuji^h many of its difficulties, the original of the panoramic sketch, 
 |)ublished herewith, of Silver Islet and the adjac^cnt islands and 
 mainland. It is exceedingly truthful, an;l will serve to give some 
 idea of the situation of this remarkable mine. The artist is Mr. 
 George Snell, of Boston. 
 
 I have thus endeavored to record the principal facts which hav« 
 com(! to my knowledge regarding this extraonlinary silver vein. Its 
 story ought to teach Canadians, among other things, to have more 
 (!onfidenee in the mineral resources of their country. That over 
 three millions have been extracted from a bare rock, in Lake Su- 
 perior, with an area not exceeding a thousand square feet, ought to 
 increase our faith in the vast unexj)lored regions which stretch away 
 to the north and northwest of us. IJut let us not, in the event of 
 new discoveries, pamper our worthless mines, nor, on the other hand, 
 starve those of good promise. Neither let us, when we find an()th(>r 
 productive mine, tear out recklessly all the ore in sight. The j)ro- 
 duct of a mine, like that of a farm, cannot be forced beyond certain 
 |)roper limits without bad consequences. Let reserves accumulate 
 in our mines as the "rests" formerly did in our financial institutions, 
 and mining will become as profitable as banking, if not more so. 
 The opposite system, " picking the eyes out of the mine," Baab 
 baa, as the Germans call it, has caused the ruin of such mines as 
 the Ophir in Nova Scotia, and the Acton in Quebec. It is " more 
 by good luck than good guiding" that a similar fate has not yet 
 overtaken Silver Islet in Ontario. 
 
 l[i 
 
 ;3t ■ 
 
 ■'x- 
 
 IStUlK 
 
 / 
 
 ^W^ 
 
1 
 
TrajiNactioiris of lUic Amerkiiiii luNtitute Dif MiIhIiir lEnjfilupprM. Vol. Villi. 
 
 s-;--^-'- 
 
 \%%n. 
 
 /■<<:' fftri- 
 
 
 ... - -.JiU 
 
 Jiff 
 
 ■mt^d. 
 
 rsfsal 
 
 
 
 ».- ..- 
 
 
 — —a 
 
 _ _,.^^_,_: 
 
 "* 
 
 -'— 7, -— _'^:!^- ^- ' 
 
 
 ■-: --- TiTr-rr 
 
 
 SII.VKU ISLET. 
 Isle lluyttle In the distaiiua 
 
 HMANGOINAH I 
 
 BURNT ISLAND. 
 
 SILVER ISLET AND VlCINITjY, FROI 
 
,• 
 
 ^J 
 
 r 
 
 r 
 
 •.-^- -*:-*-- 
 
 
 -'^^ 
 
 ''^^^imfwm- -^'f j'^''i!'*w*w^»*Piit!'f*''''«^ ■Tn-.fli.r.** 
 
 ■^^■Si^.-.i 
 
 SHAN(iOINAH ISFAND. 
 
 SLAND. 
 
 ♦ 
 
 MAINLAND (SILVER ISLET LANDING). 
 
 With Pie Isltind in tlie distunce. 
 
 AND VICINIW, FROM THE EAST.